How to Ride CityBus Riding is easy. Learn how in just a minute and a half. Click video below.
Know the Schedule
Familiarize yourself with the bus routes and schedules prior to your trip. See the Routes & Schedules pop-up menu for details, or use Plan a Trip.
Where to Wait for the Bus
Buses will stop at any bus stop sign and most intersections along the route. In some places such as in the downtown area, Levee, Village, Purdue Campus, and Tippecanoe Mall, buses will stop only at designated bus stops, marked with a CityBus sign. Arrive at the stop three minutes before the scheduled time. (MyRide is a great way to know, in real time, the time the next bus will arrive at your stop.)
If you are waiting at an intersection instead of a signed bus stop, consider which direction the bus will be coming and wait on the correct side of the road (buses will not stop for passengers waiting across the street.) Wait in a place where the bus can safely reach the curb. If there is a turn lane, for example, the bus will not be able to pull over, so wait prior to the turn lane or at the other side of the intersection. The driver can help you determine the best place to wait for the bus.
How to "Flag" and Board the Bus
Check the headsign at the front of the bus for the route/destination. Signal the driver to pick you up by holding up your arm high in the air as the bus approaches. Don't get passed by! Put your arm high in the air. Wait on the sidewalk or curb until the bus comes to a complete stop and the door opens. Enter only at the front door of the bus, and have your fare ready when you board.
Follow the System Rules for a Safe and Enjoyable Ride
All passengers are required to pay fare (fares are paid for some riders such as Purdue students) and follow the System Rules. Passengers who disregard these rules may be removed from the bus by police or denied service. These rules require passengers to follow all directions provided by the bus operator.
Transfers
A fare is valid for one one-way trip. If you need to change buses to get to your destination, please ask the driver for a transfer ticket when you board the bus. The driver will give you a ticket which you must give to the driver of the next bus. (Pass holders and those who ride fare-free do not need transfer tickets.) The driver will also notify the driver of the bus you are tranferring to in order to help you complete the transfer.
Note: Some transit agencies such as CTA in Chicago allow passengers to use transfer tickets on any trip taken within the valid time of the ticket. CityBus accepts transfer tickets only for the completion of one one-way trip. Return or additional trips between destinations require an additional fare.
How to Get Off the Bus
To get off the bus, signal the driver one block before your stop by pulling the cord or pressing the yellow strip. This will ring a bell and light the "stop requested" signal for the driver. The driver will let you off at the next safe intersection or designated bus stop. Exit through the rear door and do not cross in front of the bus after exiting. If you must cross the street, please wait for the bus to pull away first.
Detours & Disruptions
Buses sometimes make detours that are not shown on printed schedules, such as when there is road construction. Planned detours are posted inside the bus on the display rack at the front of the bus. They are also available on CityBus Home Page, on Facebook, MySpace, or you can get notices by e-mail when you subscribe to our CityBus Club Yahoo Group.
Holiday Schedule
CityBus does not operate on New Year's Day, Easter Sunday, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. No evening service is operated on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve.
