Key:bus
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Description |
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Legal access permissions for public transport buses, OR the type of public transport vehicle ![]() ![]() |
Group: Restrictions |
Used on these elements |
Documented values: 4 |
Useful combination |
See also |
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Status: de facto |
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Tools for this tag |
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The bus tag in OSM is used for buses that are acting as public transport vehicle.
In most countries a bus is a larger public service vehicle or public transport vehicle used to transport passengers, with more than 9 or 12 seating positions, but the specific definition may vary by location. Long-distance and inter-city bus and coach=* vehicles may or may not be included. Trolleybuses are usually included.
There are two uses of this tag: 1) to specify legal access restrictions for buses acting as public transport vehicles. 2) to specify the type of passenger public transport vehicles that use a stop or station.
Also see the more common access tag psv=* which includes public transport buses as well as other public service vehicles.
bus=* (a bus acting as a public service vehicle)
How to Map
As an access tag
Add this tag to roads, lanes or other features which are designated for public transport buses.
- the original use of bus=*, since mid-2009, is as an Access tag, with values such as bus=yes, bus=designated and bus=no
- Add bus=designated to a feature, such as a highway=*, specifically designated for use by public transport buses.
- Add bus=no to a feature where access by public transport buses is prohibited.
- The tag bus=yes is also frequently used for features where public transport buses are permitted.
- List of possible values with descriptions: see Key:access
- All used values on Taginfo
To specify the use of a public transport bus stop or platform
- Since 2011, some mappers have used bus=yes with highway=bus_stop, public_transport=platform, or both, to specify that a feature is a bus stop. This is the most common use of bus=yes.
- The Public Transport proposal in 2011 approved using bus=yes with public_transport=stop_position on a node on the highway=* way to show where a bus stops on the street.
- Some mappers have used bus=no with either feature to specify that buses do not stop at a bus stop or stop position where they might be expected to stop - for example, on a road shared by trams and buses.
- Also see trolleybus=* which is used in this way, but specifically for electric buses powered by electric overhead wires.
- Note that bus=yes with highway=bus_stop and amenity=bus_station is redundant, as bus=yes is implied by these tags. However, this combination is common.
See also
- access=* - general access restrictions
- psv=* - common tag for all public transport motor vehicles, including minibuses, buses, and possibly shared taxis and taxis.
- trolleybus=* - specific tag for trolleybuses.
- tourist_bus=* - less common access tag for vehicles of the bus class which are not acting as public service buses.
- coach=* - uncommon access tag for long-distance buses, usually between different towns or cities
- lanes:bus=* - to mark the travel lanes reserved for buses only on a way.
- bus:lanes=* - for describing the legal accessibility per lane (Example value:
yes|yes|designated
). - lanes:psv=* - to mark the travel lanes reserved for all PSV on a way.
- oneway:psv=* - to override oneway=* for PSV vehicles
- oneway:bus=* - to override oneway=* for buses only