Passenger Guidelines, Etiquette And Rules

The Broome County Department of Public Transportation wants all passengers to have a safe and pleasant ride. We ask all passengers to know

Bus Guidelines & Etiquette

  • Arrive at the bus stop 5 minutes before the scheduled time.
  • Be considerate of others at the bus stop, including private property owners.  Many BC Transit stops are located near private homes and businesses. 
  • Signal to the driver your intent to board the bus.
  • Do not loiter at our bus stops if you do not wish to ride B.C. Transit.
  • If riding the bus at night, wave a lighted or reflective device so that our drivers can see you better.
  • Allow passengers to exit the bus before you board.
  • Check sign above windshield to make sure you are boarding the correct bus route.
  • Deposit the proper fare, swipe your pass, or insert a transfer card in the farebox.
  • Take your seat promptly and quietly.
  • Reserve seats near the front for the elderly, pregnant women and those with physical disabilities.
  • If you have a child in a stroller or other wheeled carrying device, you must remove the child and collapse the stroller or wheeled carrying device.
  • Please use earphones if using sound producing devices (Ipods, radios, CD players, boom-boxes, etc.)  Make sure they are not of such volume to be a disturbance to other passengers or loud enough that you cannot hear driver announcements. 
  • Baggage or other items you carry must be on your lap, or under the seats. If you place bags on the seat, please remove them if another passenger wishes to sit.  BC Transit policy is a person may not board if they have more items than they can carry. 
  • When you need to get off ring the bell prior to the driver passing the stop.  Promptly exit. Wait for the bus to pass before crossing the street.

Prohibited Items

  • Possession or use of weapons, or items which can be implicitly used as a weapon
  • Automotive type batteries, or other batteries of this type,
  • Items containing flammable fuel.  
  • Propane tanks, fuel containers containing fuel, explosive material etc .
  • Hazardous or dangerous materials or devices.  
  • Items that are excessively large that obstruct the aisle, other passengers or take up another seat.
  • Items which number more than each passenger can carry.   

Prohibited Activities

  • Profanity. 
  • Eating or drinking any substance on the bus.
  • Consumption of alcohol, and/or illegal substances.
  • Smoking.
  • Behavior that is considered to a reasonable person to be dangerous, disruptive, obscene, threatening, violent, inciting or insulting language and/or gestures.
  • Fighting, or mock fighting.
  • Throwing objects in the bus or out the windows.
  • Playing sound producing devices (radios, boom boxes, mega-phones, etc.), that are loud enough to be heard by other passengers or the driver.
  • Conversations on cell phones or other portable media that is considered by reasonable person to be loud enough to be disturbance to other passengers or the driver.
  • Panhandling, and soliciting.
  • Gambling
  • Harassing or intimidating other passengers.
  • Putting hands out the window.
  • Putting hands on or touching other passengers without consent.
  • Bicycling, rollerskating, rollerblading or skateboarding on the bus.
  • Animals. Service animals are allowed. Pets must be in a carrier designed for animal transport. (The carrier must be able to fit on the passengers lap or between their legs when riding, and be enclosed having at least one side of grating or wires or bars that lets in air and light)
  • Lack of shoes, shirts, other inappropriate attire.
  • Placing of any objects in aisles or other places where a reasonable person would consider dangerous.
  • Boarding the bus without the driver or official from BC Transit present.
  • Attempting to board the bus at places other than bus stops or flag stop areas.
  • Standing in front of the yellow line when the bus is in motion.  
  • Once the bus doors close and the bus begins to move do not approach.

To ensure the safety of all passengers, the Broome County Department of Public Transportation reserves the right to remove and/ or deny service to any passenger who poses a threat to the safety of themselves or others.

Passenger Rights Title VI

The Broome County Department of Public Transportation is committed to ensuring that no person on the basis of race color, or national origin, will be subjected to discrimination. See more information on Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Employee Conduct

Our staff are expected to be professional and friendly. Moreover, they are expected to abide by the same standards as our passengers. If you feel that one of our drivers or other staff violated your rights, compromised your safety, or violated any rules described in this section, please contact us. It will help us if you have the bus driver's operator number, the route number and the time and date you were riding. If it was another staff member, please recall as much information as possible, such as their name and the time you spoke with that person. Whether you have good comment, or point out an area where we need improvement we want to hear from you. Comment pamphlets are available at the B.C. Junction office, the Transit Offices in Vestal and the Transit Office at the Broome Employment Center. You may also call our B.C. Transit Offices at 607.763.4464, or let us know via our online Customer Service Form.