Welcome! Here are a few Bus Basics to get you going good places with us.
Taking public transportation means staying safe, being respectful, and sharing space. It is important to treat your fellow riders, bus operators, and the bus with respect. Your safety is very important to us. Follow all posted messages.
Review our full Code of Conduct.
Bus Schedules
- All schedule times are estimated times of arrival. Times may vary due to traffic patterns, weather, closures, etc. Please arrive at the bus stop at least 10 minutes early. Major changes to service are listed on our Rider Alert page.
- Be in the know with real-time arrival information.
- Foothill Transit schedules have different weekday and weekend service. We follow weekend or Sunday schedules on the following national holidays: Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Our Transit Store hours also change on holidays. Sign up for Rider Alerts for updates.
Boarding the Bus
- Wait for the bus on the sidewalk – NEVER stand in the street.
- Stand and signal the bus you want to board by waving your hand as it approaches your bus stop. Buses do not automatically stop at every bus stop.
- Only service animals, accompanied by their trainer or designated person with disabilities, are allowed on board. Please keep animals on a leash, under your control, and out of the way of other customers. Please clean up after your animal.
- Flammable-fueled vehicles and hoverboards are not allowed on the bus or in the bike racks.
- Full-sized, non-folding bicycles must be stowed in the bicycle rack at the front of the bus. Battery powered bicycles must also be placed on the bike rack. Make sure anything attached to your bike is safely secured and won’t move or fall while the bus is in motion. Please don’t lock your bike to the bus bike rack. However, you may lock your bike wheel to your bike’s frame. Never used a bicycle rack on a bus? This how-to video will show you how easy it is!
- Large foldable items, such as strollers, carts, folding bikes, and scooters, must be folded before you board the bus. Please keep them out of the aisles and hold them securely. Un-foldable scooters or other large items that will block the aisle are not allowed on the bus.
- Make sure there are no items attached to your mobility device that will keep it from being safely secured.
- To protect your safety and prevent slips, trips, and falls, food and drink on the bus must be in covered containers with spill-proof lids. Beverage containers must have screw-on lids. Beverage containers without a sealed and secure lid, such as disposable coffee cups and drinks from fast food restaurants, are not allowed on the bus. Please don’t bring anything on board that has a strong odor or might leak.
- Board through the front door only.
- You need to pay your fare every time you board. Have your TAP card, TAP app, or cash ready before you board the bus. Please have the exact cash fare. We do not give change. Also, our fare boxes do not accept pennies.
- Move towards the back of the bus after paying your fare to allow the people behind you to board.
- Priority seating at the front of the bus is reserved for seniors and people with disabilities.
- Take a seat if available, or hold on to a pole or strap. Please don’t move around while the bus is in motion, and don’t put anything out the windows.
On-Board Etiquette
- Eating, drinking, littering, smoking or use of simulated smoking devices is not allowed while on the bus.
- Avoid excessive noisemaking or unnecessary conversation with the bus operator, as it’s distracting to the bus operator and your fellow riders. Use headphones when listening to music, and please wait to make a phone call until you’ve exited the bus.
- Please don’t damage or put graffiti on our buses.
- Please, no gambling or solicitation.
- Rowdy, disruptive, threatening or unlawful behavior will not be tolerated.
- Foothill Transit reserves the right to expel and/or exclude customers from service for unsafe or abusive behavior. Plain-clothed law enforcement or security officers may be on board. Security cameras may be in operation.
- If you see anything suspicious, report it to your bus operator immediately. You can also use our confidential Foothill Transit Watch app.
- If you have comments or questions about your bus ride, you can submit them online, email comment@foothilltransit.org, or call us at 800-RIDE-INFO (743-3463). Please tell us your bus line, the direction of travel, and where and when the issue occurred. Each bus has a unique number, which is displayed on the exterior of the bus and inside at by the front door. Bus operators’ badge numbers are displayed on the electronic sign at the front of the bus.
- Watch for important news displayed on posters and our monthly Footnotes newsletter, available on board at the start of every month.
Leaving the bus
- Bus stops are announced as your bus approaches them and are displayed on the electronic sign at the front of the bus.
- Touch a yellow strip near you to request your stop.
- Wait until the bus comes to a complete stop before getting up to exit the bus. Watch your step, and use handrails when exiting.
- Look around you to make sure you have all your belongings. Take everything off the bus that you carried on, including newspapers and trash.
- Please use the rear door to exit.
Thank you for riding with us! We’re glad to have you on board.