Transit project glossary

Bus bulbs are sidewalk extensions that bump out the bus stop into the parking lane. This:

• Creates more space for people walking on the sidewalk and an area for passengers to wait
• Allows buses to stop in the travel lane and reduce delays from entering and exiting bus stops
• Improves the comfort of a bus ride as buses would not need to change lanes to stop
• May shorten the crosswalk if the bus bulb is located at an intersection

Bus priority lanes are reserved for buses during certain hours. These lanes help keep buses moving, giving them priority over regular traffic, parking, and curbside access.

How they are marked

• Signage showing hours of operation: bus lanes may be in effect during certain parts of the day (such as the rush hour peak) or all day.  
• Diamond markings in the lane: this diamond does not mark a high-occupancy vehicle lane (HOV), but a lane for a particular use — in this case, transit vehicles.

Who can use them

• Bus priority lanes are designed to help transit buses, but they can also be used by people cycling, emergency vehicles, and taxis.  
• Passenger vehicles and trucks can use them for short sections in order to turn right at the next intersection. However, these vehicles must not travel in the bus lane for multiple blocks in advance of making a right turn.

About the updated pavement markings

We’re adding new pavement markings on some streets, such as "BUS LANE" text painted directly on the road and thicker lane lines. These markings do not change existing regulations and are designed to:

• Discourage non-permitted vehicles from driving in bus lanes
• Better differentiate bus lanes from High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes

Information icon Not all bus lanes will have these markings. They’re added during new projects or repaving, and we’ll use what we learn to inform future improvements. 

TransLink’s bus stop balancing program External website, opens in new tab is a regional initiative to provide faster, more reliable, and cost-effective transit service, while carefully considering the trade-offs of shorter walking distances between bus stops.

These efforts can encourage more people to take transit, which helps to advance our climate emergency goals.
 

Bus stops close together provides shorter walks to access bus service and amenities, but each bus stop adds to the overall travel time.

Many bus routes around Vancouver have stops too close together. Removing some stops can reduce travel times for all riders.

We support Coast Mountain Bus Company and TransLink in their efforts to ensure stops are spaced based on the Transit Service Guidelines External website, opens in new tab and well balanced in both directions. 
 

A bus zone extension is a longer bus stop that allows more space for buses to pull in and out of traffic.

A bus zone can be extended by:

• Restricting a few on-street parking spaces at the ends of bus stops
• Giving buses priority over parking and curbside access

Layover zones:

• Are bus zones that allow bus operators to rest, eat, and use washroom facilities
• Support on-time and reliable bus service because they allow buses to recover from potential travel time delays and resume scheduled service on time

The time a bus spends in a layover zone can vary from a few minutes to an hour depending on the purpose of the layover.  A layover may occur at an existing bus stop or a special bus layover zone on or off-street.

As more buses are added to the network, there is an increased demand for more bus layover zones. 

Red pavement markings are:

• Zones on the roadway with exclusive or priority use by buses (The red colour enhances the visibility of the zone and supports compliance of the priority transit lane.)
• Currently used at bus stops in the city, which are restricted to buses only (Other vehicles are not permitted to stop or wait in these zones.)

In other jurisdictions, they may also be used for shared or part-time bus lanes with mixed traffic. Follow the signage and curbside regulation.

A right-turn pocket:

• Provides space for a vehicle to move out of the travel lane when making a right-turn.  
• Can be created or extended by restricting a few on-street parking spaces just before an intersection (This allows the right-turning vehicle to wait in the curb lane without blocking the bus.)
• Work best in locations where there are consistent or higher volumes of pedestrians and right-turns

Vehicles waiting to turn left can hold up traffic and delay buses if there is no turning lane.

Banning left turns at specific intersections can be a way to speed up travel times for bus passengers and other vehicles. This can be an effective measure where there are other opportunities to turn left somewhere close by.