Bus stop

Bus shelter
Center Street Northeast
Salem, Oregon

A bus stop is a place where a public transport bus stops. The simplest kind has just a sign "bus stop" (or perhaps not even that), but often line numbers and/or destinations are indicated. Also the times the bus departs may be given, or the whole timetable for the lines involved. Also a map of the bus lines and tariff information may be provided.

There may be a shelter and/or a bench, and there may or may not be lighting and a garbage box.

A bus stop is often a "request stop": a bus does not stop there unless it is requested. Someone waiting at the stop has to pay attention and give a stop sign to halt the bus, and someone inside has to press a button or ask the driver. In some bus systems with few stops this is not required, there the bus stops anyway. Some bus stops have a button to press, which controls a trafic signal for the bus at some distance before the stop.

An extensive combination of bus stops in one location is a bus station or bus depot. It may have a waiting room instead of just shelters.

Platforms may be assigned to fixed bus lines, or variable in combination with a dynamic passenger information system [1]. The latter requires less platforms, but does not supply the passenger the comfort of knowing the platform well in advance and waiting there.

On the shelter and/or the bus stop sign there may be advertising. If it is an attractive photograph which is removable (even if this requires damaging the casing) it is sometimes stolen.

In bus rapid transit systems, bus stops are more elaborate. They have enclosed areas to allow the collection of fares prior to the arrival of the bus. This allows for rapid boarding of the bus using all doors on the bus instead of queueing through the front doors and paying fares.

Bus stop

See also