Riding the Bus

 
Waiting for the Bus

Please arrive at the bus stop a few minutes ahead of the scheduled time. Watches are not always set to the same time as the transit system. The city buses operate on the time displayed on the digital clocks at the GTC.

Please wait at a bus stop sign or at the near-side corner of an intersection along the route.

Please make sure that the driver can clearly see you. Signal the driver that you want the bus by facing the bus with your arm held straight out towards the street.

Riding the Bus

After paying your fare, please sit in an available seat and remain seated until the bus comes to a complete stop. If seats are unavailable, please hold on to a handrail. Do not stand next to or ahead of the driver while the bus is in motion.

Please allow the driver to concentrate on safely operating the bus. Keep conversations with the driver to a minimum and avoid creating unnecessary distractions.

Passengers are not allowed to ride continuous round trips on the same route, even if they have a pass or pay additional fares. Please ride to your destination and depart at that location.

Ring the stop request signal approximately one block before your stop.

City buses cannot stop traffic. Please wait until the bus departs before crossing the street.

Passengers may only bring aboard the amount of possessions that they can safely carry onto the bus in one trip. All items must be kept out of the aisles and steps and cannot occupy needed seats.
 

Passenger Conduct on the City Bus or at the GTC

The City of Cedar Rapids wants to provide a safe and pleasant environment for all of our passengers. Please help ensure a safe and comfortable experience by being courteous and respectful to others. Unacceptable behavior infringes on the rights of others and will not be allowed. Please observe the transit system rules when on the bus or at the GTC. It is the passenger’s responsibility to understand and comply with these regulations.

Passengers that are in violation of the transit system rules will be requested by authorized personnel to discontinue the misconduct or to leave the bus or GTC. Individuals that refuse a request to leave the bus or GTC are subject to arrest for trespassing.

The City reserves the right to monitor passenger behavior with the use of video cameras. Passengers that engage in unacceptable behavior may be denied bus service and/or access to the GTC.

The following activities are NOT allowed:

Fighting, spitting or making threatening gestures
Using obscene, profane or offensive language
Harassing, offensive or rowdy behavior
Smoking or possessing any lighted tobacco product
Destroying, defacing, soiling or removing any part of the bus
Throwing or sticking objects out the windows
Soliciting, peddling, panhandling

The following items are NOT allowed:

Uncaged animals (except trained service animals)
Gasoline and other flammable liquids
Firearms and air guns
Open or exposed knives
Bicycles
Car batteries
Toxic or illegal materials
Other bulky materials that cannot safely be carried or transported on the bus

Eating, Drinking and Music Devices

Eating is prohibited on the bus.

Drinking is allowed on the bus if the drink is in a spill-proof container, such as a screw-top bottle or a coffee cup with a lid. Open beverage cans or cups without lids are prohibited. Open alcoholic containers or the consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited on the bus and at the GTC.

Radios, tape players, CD & DVD players, or other music devices are prohibited, unless the sound can only be heard through earphones or is muted to other passengers.

Shirts, Shoes and Personal Hygiene

Shirts and shoes must be worn on the bus and at the GTC. Please keep your feet off the seats.

Personal hygiene must be maintained in a manner that does not result in offensive odors that are unavoidable and objectionable to other passengers.

Ground Transportation Center (GTC)

The Cedar Rapids GTC serves as the transfer facility for passengers waiting to ride city buses. Most transfers can be accomplished within a one-hour waiting period. Individuals who do not depart on a city bus within one-hour, or do not have other legitimate business at the GTC, may be requested by authorized personnel to leave the GTC.

Bus departures are announced approximately two minutes before the scheduled departure times. Please be ready to board your bus before the bus is scheduled to depart. The buses will not return to their zones once they have backed out and have begun pulling forward. Drivers are prohibited from boarding passengers outside the bus zones.

Rollerblading, skating, and skateboarding are prohibited.

Please do not walk in the bus zones or behind the buses.

Sundays & Holidays

City bus service is not provided on Sundays and the following holidays: New Year’s Day,

Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

Accessible Fixed-Route Service

The City of Cedar Rapids intends to provide accessible fixed-route service in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). City buses are equipped with wheelchair lifts or ramps to allow passengers with disabilities to use the fixed-route bus service. Passengers with mobility aids that exceed the ADA definition of a "common wheelchair" may be denied service.

Linn County LIFTS Paratransit Service

The City of Cedar Rapids contracts with Linn County LIFTS to provide paratransit service in the metro area. Door-to-door demand-response service is available to elderly passengers and passengers with disabilities during the same hours of service as the city bus service for a cost of $2.00 per ride. For more information, please call Linn County LIFTS at 319-892-5170.

NTS - Neighborhood Transportation Service

NTS provides curb-to-curb transportation to and from work, school and life skills classes at night and on weekends. The cost of a ride is $4.00 anywhere in Cedar Rapids, Marion or Hiawatha. All rides must be scheduled 24 hours in advance. To schedule a ride, please call NTS at 286-5725 between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

JARC – Job Access/Reverse Commute Program

JARC is a program sponsored by the City of Cedar Rapids, area human service agencies, and area transportation agencies that provides reduced cost for transportation to work, school, and life-skill classes for low-income families. The JARC Program allows people who would not otherwise have a way to work, school and life-skill classes to continue improving their job seeking skills without worrying about transportation costs. All JARC participants must be referred by a qualified human service agency, temp agency or employer to participate in the program.

Free Downtown Rides

Free rides are allowed for passengers that only ride within the downtown area. To qualify for a free downtown ride, passengers must inform the driver that they are riding in the downtown area and must board and deboard in the downtown area. For this purpose, the downtown area is defined as being from 1st Street SW to 5th Street SE and from 1st Avenue to 8th Avenue.

The City provides a free downtown shuttle during weekday mornings and afternoons. Please contact the GTC Information Booth for schedule and route information.

Relay Iowa Telephone Service

Relay Iowa provides telephone communication service for hearing impaired individuals. The Relay Iowa telephone numbers are 1-800-735-2942 (TT) or 1-800-735-2943 (Voice).

Large Text & Braille Schedules

Large text and Braille schedules are available at the GTC for individuals who cannot read the size of print in this schedule.