General tips for riding with COAST

Be at your bus stop early. Your clock might be different than ours. Play it safe and get to the stop a few minutes early (5 minutes is plenty). COAST buses do not run ahead of schedule, but they may be slightly delayed by traffic or other issues out of our control.
Have your fare ready. See our Fares page for complete information. Whether you get on the bus with cash or a pass, have it ready when the bus arrives. Drivers cannot make change, and they cannot recover money from the farebox if you put too much in!
Stand safely and visibly at the stop. Don't stand behind a telephone pole or other objects. It helps to move around a little bit or wave as the bus approaches. Also, be sure to stay away from traffic, especially in the winter. Standing on top of an icy snowbank is dangerous - if there's nowhere safe to stand next to the bus stop sign, find the nearest driveway on the same side of the street. If all else fails, call COAST and let us know where you are.
Baby strollers: Strollers are allowed onboard the bus. However, it is best if you plan to carry your child on your lap during the ride. Strollers should be folded up and tucked inbetween or underneath seats. Strollers cannot be left in the aisle, or in the doorway.
Request your stop. There are pull-cords or yellow tape on the inside of every bus that sound a bell telling the driver to make the next stop. COAST buses can only stop at designated bus stops. If you don't know exactly where the stop is that you want to get off at, just speak with the driver. On the COAST Trolleys, simply call "Next stop" out loud - the pull-cord bells do not work.
Transfers/connections: Notify the first driver right away if you have to change to another bus. Connections are not guaranteed. COAST buses can only be held up for five minutes for connections (we may make exceptions for last runs). We do not offer "transfers" - you must pay a fare for each bus you board. Do you have to change buses often? You might want to consider a monthly pass, or buy a 15-ride ticket from the driver ($20 cash). See the fares page for more info.
Children under 12 may not ride unaccompanied.
Bike racks: every COAST bus is equipped with a bike rack capapble of carrying 2 standard bicycles. Rack space is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. If the rack is full, you will not be able to bring your bike on board the bus. We apologize for any inconvenience.

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General tips for riding with COAST