Rules for the road
For first-time riders, here are a few "rules of the road."
Rules to Ride By
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Please remember to take all your belongings and report any suspicious packages or activity to the driver immediately.
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Be at your bus stop five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive. When you see your bus approaching, stand by the bus stop sign, that way our drivers will know to stop and pick you up.
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Help us stay on schedule by having the exact fare, your pass, ADA card or Gator 1 ID ready when the bus stops and the doors open. As you board, just show your ID Card or pass to the driver, or drop the correct fare into the farebox. Remember, bus drivers don’t carry change, so you’ll need the
correct fare. -
Check the electronic destination signs on the front and sides of each bus to make sure you’re boarding the right one. (We’d hate to take you somewhere you don’t want to go.)
Feel free to bring your radio, CD, tape player, MP3 or iPod. Use of headphones is required and the music must not interfere with the bus operator and/or other passengers. (Everyone loves music, just not as loud as you do.)
Please do not leave newspapers or beverage containers on the bus.
Eating and smoking are not permitted on RTS buses. (Imagine the mess.) Beverages are allowed, as long as they’re in a securely covered drink container as approved by RTS officials. Sorry, no styrofoam cups.
Please be considerate of others and keep your feet off the bus seats.
Buses move, sometimes unexpectedly. Please remain seated, or if you have to stand, hold on to a support at all times.
No pets are allowed on RTS buses unless they are in a carrier. Service animals are allowed.
Children under six are welcome to ride as long as they’re accompanied by an older passenger or an adult.
As the bus approaches your destination, pull the buzzer cord or press the bar located above the windows. This lets the driver know that your stop is coming. Try to do this about one block before your destination so the driver can make a smooth stop.
For your safety, please exit through the rear doors and step clear of the bus. After exiting, do not cross in front of the bus. Wait for traffic to clear before attempting to cross the road.
Passengers should dress properly to ride the bus. This means shirts, shoes (and pants!) are required.
Don’t forget to take your things with you when you leave the bus. We try to return as many items as we can, but RTS is not responsible for items left on the bus. If you lose an item, call (352) 334-2605 to reach Lost and Found. Everything turned in from an RTS bus is available to be picked up Mon.-Sat., 8am-6pm (except holidays) at 100 SE 10th Avenue. Lost articles may not be available for pick up until the following day. Items except for Gator 1 ID cards are held for 30 days. Gator 1 cards will be turned in to UPD every Monday.
On each bus, you’ll notice several seats near the front designated for use by the elderly and people with disabilities. As a courtesy, please keep these seats open for those who might need them.
Passengers whose wheelchairs exceed the standard parameters will be required to use the paratransit service. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a “common wheelchair” as a wheelchair that does not exceed 30 inches in width and 48 inches in length measured two inches from the ground, and does not weigh more than 600 pounds when occupied. RTS lifts are only rated to lift 600 pounds. If the combined weight of you and your chair exceed 600lbs you can not be accommodated on the fixed route and are asked to use MV Transportation. Their lifts are rated to 800 lbs.
For the safety of our passengers, when boarding, riding and alighting the bus, only one person is allowed in the wheelchair or scooter. Passengers in a wheelchair or scooter traveling with children who are unable to board the bus without assistance should travel with a PCA. Service may be refused for passengers who do not comply with this policy.
Please feel free to use your cell phone while on the bus, however, your conversation should not be so loud that it interferes with the bus operator and/or other passengers. Remember, everyone is not interested in your conversation.
We thank you for your patronage and helping our drivers stay on schedule by following the above rules.