RSW-MT-01

“Bus Terminal Design”

Submitted by:
Digman, Sean Elvin B.
Submitted to:
AR. Chester Allan Kiat-Ong

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 I. Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………2

a. Definition

b. Type of buses

II. History………………………………………………………………………………………...3

III. Standards……………………………………………………………………………………5

a. Layout factors

b. Basic Amenities in Bus Terminal

c. Basic Planning Criteria

IV. Spaces ………………………………………………………………………………………8

a. International

b. Local

V. Technical Specification………………………………………………………………….10

a. Dimension

b. Location

c. Division

d. Samples

VI. Conclusion …………………………………………………………………..…………….19

VII. Recommendation ……………………………………………………………………….19

VIII. References…………………………………………………………………………………19

BUS TERMINAL

I. Introduction
a. definition

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 - A bus terminal, also known as a terminus, is where a bus route begins or ends and where
vehicles stop, turn, or reverse, and wait before resuming their return trips. Additionally, it is
where people get into and out of moving cars.
( PPIAF, 2006).
- The term terminal is a location where a trip for cars, people, or products starts or ends.
(Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, N.A.)
- The objective of it is to help lessen a passenger's sense of confusion and ambiguity as they
seek to proceed quickly and efficiently to their destination after arriving at the terminal.
(Modak, 2007)

b. Types of buses
 Intercity Bus Terminal
- usually found in the downtown core and is accessible directly by local transit, taxi, and
auto. It differs from other terminal types in that it includes long haul service in excess of
several hundred miles and provides for a much greater number of buses movements.
 Urban Suburban Commuter Terminal
- This type of facility can be located within the city center as a central passenger
collection and distribution center or on the edge of the center as commuter rail feed
station. It is characterized by a varied route structure and a commuter bus operation with
high turnover. The accessibility of buses is an important aspect. Separate entrances via
underpass or overpass links and dictated bus lanes on interconnected highways are
desirable to maintain schedule efficiency Airport City Bus Terminal
- The airport-city bus terminal is mainly used to transport passengers from urban center to
the major airport it serves. The terminal is generally located in the city center and can be
reached by public transport, taxis and cars. The terminal serves departure and arrival
flights and generally has arrangements for arrival and departure information, as well as
pre-ticketing and check- in facilities.

 Suburban Inter Province Terminal

- Suburban Interstate Terminal This type of facility may be located within the urban core
as a central passenger collection and distribution center or on the periphery of the core as
a high speed rail feed station. It is characterized by a diversified bus route structure and a
high turnover bus operation of the commuter type. Access to the bus is an important
aspect. Highly segregated access via underpass or overpass links and dedicated bus lanes
on interconnection highways is desirable to maintain schedule efficiency. (Panero, J., Bus
Terminal. Time- Saver Standards For Building Types 2ndEdition, 984 – 985)

II. History

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Before:
- Blaise Pascal, who started a few horse-drawn carriage routes in Paris in 1662, was the first to
suggest the idea of a public transit system. Referred to as "Five-Penny Coaches,".
- The Omnibus, the first land-based innovation in public transportation, was created in the year
1826.

- Omnibuses were one to three horse-

drawn passenger wagons, depending
on their size. The larger models could
accommodate up to 42 people, and
some even had two stories with an
open top!

- Horses could only work for about a two-hour stretch before becoming exhausted, so transit
companies had to keep 8-10 horses on hand just to operate one car. After a while people
thought it was time to move away from its dependence on animals.

Present:
- Over the past 100 years, mass transit use has considerably decreased; some people argue that
this is more of a tradition than a practical necessity. Midway through the 20th century, a
vehicle-centric culture started to take hold, and having at least one car in the home became
the norm. In the 1960s and 1970s, there was a little pushback against this new standard due to
environmental concerns among the majority of riders, but the vehicles ultimately prevailed.
But there is still a huge need for dependable public transit, especially in big cities where
parking is limited and living expenses are high. Public transit is a cheap alternative to travel
to school or a job when owning a car isn't always an option. Since many bus companies are
aware of the benefits, they are attempting to improve public transportation by making it more
enticing, more economical for city transit providers, and more ecologically friendly That gets
us to the next location on our journey.

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III. STANDARDS:
a. LAYOUT FACTORS:
DESIGN SPEED
- Buses moving inside the bus terminus should travel at a speed lesser than the speed of
adjacent highway before entering into the respective platform. The design speed of the bus
inside the terminal should be between 20kmph – 25 kmph.
PLATFORM WIDTH
- Platform bay width varies depending on the type of parking of buses in bays. For 45 and 90
degree parking the platform width must be 100’ and 70’ respectively.

BAY WIDTH

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 - Platform bay width includes width of the bus and clearance on both sides. In general the
width of the bus lies between 8.5’–9’. The clearance width varies from 0.4’–0.5’. The width
of bay lies between 9’–10’.
PASSAGE WIDTH OF BAY
- The intermediate distance between departure bays and waiting bays is called passage width
of platforms. It is provided for safe movement of public. The passage width should be at least
5’–10’ for convenient and safe turning of buses. People can move easily with adequate space.
PARALLEL OFFSET
- The minimum offset between two adjacent buses while waiting in a platform is ensured. It
must be at least 5’. The 5 feet is the minimum distance that are required for safety movement
for the passengers and gives easy turning of the buses while entering or leaving the bay.
TURNING RADIUS OF BUS
- The turning radius means the turning curve of the buses from the platform for departing is
called as turning radius of bus. The turning radius of 36’ length bus is 47.28 feet.

b. BASIC AMENITIES IN BUS TERMINAL:

Car parking;
- size of the parking depends upon the type of parking will provide at the given location. When
the parking demand is high (>3000), automated car parking can be suggested
Bike parking:
- size of the parking depends upon the type of parking will provide at the given location.
When the parking demand is high (>35000), automated bike parking can be suggested

 Restaurant:
- Restaurant is an area used by a public as a family or a group of people for
foodies/entertainment. The size of the restaurant depends on usage, the number of food coats
and the other facilities.
Hospital, Police terminal:
- For bus terminus, railway junction, airport and harbour for emergency and safety for the
public hospital and police terminus are needed. The size of the hospital depends on the
passenger capacity. But due variation of passengers in year by year for safe and comfort of

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 passengers it can be provided as a Multi-specialty hospital instead of an emergency care. No
size restrictions needs for Police/Hospital building.
Toilet:
- Toilet is a common utility in public areas for both male and female. Toilet is also given for
disabled people separately for both male and female
Administrative block:
- It is an area where bus related activities such as ticket counter, ticket verification point, help
desk, reception, etc., are available. Apart from that, shopping malls, entertainment halls,
lodges, food coats, jewellery shops, gift shops and some extra facilities also available. The
concept of planning the administrative building should be given due importance to avoid the
unnecessary movements and congestion.

Passage for City Bus:

- The passage of city bus depends on number of buses entering the bus terminus at a particular
time. Also, the width depends on the turning radius of a bus. Minimum width provided for
platforms should be 40’ with turning radius as 50’.
Subway Width and Height:
- The subway is an underground passage for safe and easy movement of people to cross from
one side to other side. The height and width of the subway differ from place to place. In
general, the minimum the height and width of the subway provided was 16’ and 10’
respectively with four steps on all sides.
Kiss and Ride Parking:
- People generally access to the bus terminus by auto, tax other than city bus and own vehicles.
For dropping the passengers coming by auto, taxi inside the terminus area the kiss and ride
facility should be provided to reduce the walking and unnecessary movements.
Green Vegetation:
- The green vegetation is the primary source needed for the public areas for breathing clean air.
The green vegetation provides the hygienic environment for the people who using the
terminus. So prime importance for vegetation should be given. But in any case it should not
affect the sight distance of buses.

c. Basic Planning Criteria

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 1. Need – Need of the terminal arises with increase in the demand. An organized bus terminal
should meet the following requirements:
• Accessibility
• Comfort and convenience
• Safety
• Easy processing
2. Size – The following factors are considered to characterize the size of the terminal and its
functions:
• Flow of traffic
• System characteristics
• User characteristics

3. Location – The selection of the location should satisfy the following criteria
• It should form a component in the hierarchy of transport systems
• It should be a component in the hierarchical system of transportation terminals • It should be
located such that as a point of coordination and integration between inter-city and intra-city
transport
4. Design – Following points should be kept in mind for efficient workability of terminal
1. Segregation of bus and non-bus traffic
2. Segregation of pedestrian and vehicular movement
3. Elimination of vehicular traffic conflict
4. Segregation of pedestrian flows
5. Minimum processing for the buses
6. Segregation of transportation and no-transportation activities

IV. Spaces
a. International
- Primary elements to be considered with regard a bus terminal’s infrastructure development can
be classified for three different user types. These include passengers, terminal staff and bus staff.

1.Passenger areas
a. Ticketing and queuing
b. Passenger waiting areas
c. Passenger conveniences (drinking water facilities and toilets)
d. Passenger circulation
e. Boarding/Departing areas
f. Facility entry

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 g. Tourist information
h. Security, including CCTV cameras
i. Retail, concessions and lease space
j. Dormitories and lodging (if required)
k. Cloak room
l. Railway reservation
2.Areas for terminal staff
a. Revenue office
b. Security and information
c. Ticketing booth
d. Resting room
e.Staff conveniences (drinking water facilities
and toilets)
f. Canteen
g. Maintenance staff (chairs and lockers)
h. Control room (CCTV surveillance)
3. Areas for bus staff
a. Canteen
b. Resting areas
c. Lodging areas (if required)
d.Bus staff conveniences (drinking water facilities and toilets)
b. Local
FOR BUS TERMINALS OR TERMINALS WHICH CATER TO LESS THAN THREE
VEHICLE TYPES, ONE OF WHICH WOULD BE PUBs.

The owner/operator of such terminals shall install/provide the following:

a. Adequate and comfortable benches and/or seats with backrests for waiting passengers,
b. Concrete pavement and flooring.
c. Roofing that would provide sufficient shade to passengers from heat of the sun or rai.
d. Wide entrances and exits for easy mobility to and from the terminal.
e. Communication facilities (such as Telephone, Fax Machines, Internet, etc.)
f. Public Address System Facilities and CCTV cameras/monitors.
g. Information and Passenger Assistance Counters.
h. Appropriate and Adequate Signages.
i. Sufficient number of security personnel for the protection of passengers from abusive
vendors, pickpockets, and other lawless elements and for the proper inspection of baggage.
j. separate restrooms for male, female and disabled passengers which must, at at all times, be
clean, sufficiently lighted, foul odor-free, ventilated, with clean running water, flush system,
toilet seat with cover, lavatory, waste bin, toilet paper, mirror, dispenser with soap, hand
dryer, dry flooring, functional door lock, and janitorial/maintenance personnel; and
k. Priority lane for persons with special needs specifically pregnant women, mothers traveling
with infants and/or small children, and those with physical disabilities. (LTFRB
MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 2008-013, June 04, 2008).

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V. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

a. Dimensions
Bus
- Coach buses are buses designed specifically for longer-distances with greater
accommodations for passenger comfort during these extended periods of travel. Often
chartered privately, coach buses are commonly designed with customizable features that can
include comfortable reclining seats, tables, luggage racks, localized air conditioning, toilets,
entertainment, refreshment, curtains, wi-fi, and various other amenities.

- Coach Buses have average lengths of 39’4” (12 m), widths of 8’4” (2.55 m), heights of 12’6”
(3.81 m), and have a capacity of 44-49 (+1) seats.

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- City buses, or transit buses, are types of buses used for servicing short to medium distance
trips. Typically a part of a publicly scheduled bus service network, city buses are designed to
maximize capacity for rush-hour demands and are therefore equipped with simple benches or
bucket seats without additional luggage spaces. With built-in features that usually include
multiple doors, pull cords or stop request buttons, passenger information systems, and low-
floor technology for greater accessibility, city buses are designed for safe, efficient, and equal
public access.

- Transit Buses have average lengths of 39’2” (11.95 m), widths of 8’4” (2.55 m), heights of
9’10” (2.99 m), and have a capacity of 29 (+1) seats with standing room for 76.

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Private Vehicle
- Private vehicles are also considered since it is used for people who are getting delivered to
the terminals. This is to also determine how wide is the driveway.
- These vehicles include: motorbikes, bicycle, mini SUVs, vans, commonly taxis, etc.

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People

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- One of the most important considerations in designing is the ergonomics and anthropometrics
of every individual. Identifying factors that can possibly lessen the comfort of people can be
resolved early by considering human ergonomics. This consideration affects greatly how a
building is designed. For bus terminals, the public seats should be placed strategically for
people’s comfort while waiting for their buses.

b. Location

- The best location is determined by several considerations. According to movements in

passenger demand, the location should be where routes should logically connect or finish. It

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 should be easy for passengers to enter or exit vehicles if the station serves as an intermediate
stopping place on routes that pass through.

- The catchment areas of the passengers can occasionally have an impact on where the stations
are located for different types of vehicles. For instance, most passengers on air-conditioned
buses can reside in a different area of the city than passengers on regular routes.

- Any medium or big city is bound to require a significant number of terminal sites for an
effective urban bus route network, not only at the ends of each route but also at numerous
intermediate places where some vehicles may turn short.

c. Division

Purpose of division
- This division's goal is to establish rules and regulations for the creation of bus stations,
depots, and terminals that may be authorized by law or under special circumstances in a safe
and effective manner.

Access (Sec. 4-1155.)

- The site plan shall be designed so that the location of ingress and egress points are adequate
and the turning radii for buses are in accordance with the design standards as depicted in the
latest edition of the publication of the American Association of State Highway and
Transportation Officials (AASHTO), A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets,
in order to provide safe and efficient maneuverability.
- All buses exiting a parking lot must enter the street right-of-way in a forward motion.
- The site plan shall ensure safe and adequate access to collector or arterial streets.
(Ord. No. 11-02, § 3(4-1383), 1-19-2011)

Parking generally (Sec. 4-1156.)

Off-street parking
- The parking for a bus station/depot or bus terminal where the loading and unloading of
passengers, luggage, or parcels may occur shall meet the following minimum requirements:
a. One parking space, excluding parking space for buses, shall be required per 100
square feet of total floor area dedicated to passenger waiting area, and one space shall
be required per 1,000 square feet of total floor area dedicated to ticket sales or
baggage or parcel handling areas.
b. Parking spaces shall be required for all buses using the site. A minimum of one bus
parking space shall be required for each bus carrier using the facility. If arrival and
departure times run concurrently, then additional parking must be provided to ensure
that each bus has a separate parking space.

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 c. The parking spaces for each bus stall shall be designated by signage and pavement
markings.
d. Each bus parking stall shall be a minimum of 12 feet by 50 feet in size for parallel or
diagonal parking.
e. All required parking shall have a paved, dust-free, all-weather surface.
f. For every 12 daily scheduled bus arrivals and departures, or a portion thereof, at
locations where passengers may disembark, one parking space for taxicabs and one
parking space for commuters shall be required.

On-street parking
- In some instances, it may be appropriate for a bus station/depot to have the buses parked
within an adjacent road right-of-way. In all such instances, the location of the bus turnout,
proximity to the bus station/depot, and how the bus will enter and exit the turnout must be
shown on the site plan.
(Ord. No. 11-02, § 3(4-1384), 1-19-2011).

bus terminals are permitted by right or special exception, the following parking requirements
shall apply:
(1) One space for every 2,000 square feet of total floor area, with a minimum of five parking
spaces, shall be required for buildings or structures dedicated to the housing of buses.
(2) Adequate parking shall be provided for the outdoor storage of buses if such storage is
required; and
(3) Where a bus terminal is used solely for the transient housing or parking of buses, the
parking requirements of section 4-1156(a) shall not apply.
(Ord. No. 11-02, § 3(4-1385), 1-19-2011)

d. Samples

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 VI. Conclusion
- Bus terminals is a place where people go to take the bus as a means of travel to other places
around the country depending on the bus’s routes. People use this type of transportation since
it is cheaper than traveling with your own vehicle which costs probably double the budget
when taking the bus.
VII. Recommendation
- Special considerations should be observed when designing terminals.
- Provide additional spaces like shops, restaurants, green spaces, and recreational spaces.

VIII. References
Modak, S. K., & Patkar, V. (1984). Transport terminal design and passenger orientation. Transportation
Planning and Technology, 9(2), 115–123. https://doi.org/10.1080/03081068408717275
MuniCode Library. (n.d.). https://library.municode.com/fl/bonita_springs/codes/code_of_ordinances?
nodeId=PTIIILADECO_CH4ZO_ARTVISUDIRE_DIV9BUDESTTE_S4-1153PUDI
Coach Buses Dimensions & Drawings | Dimensions.com. (n.d.). Dimensions.com.
https://www.dimensions.com/element/coach-buse
LTFRB MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 2008-013 - STANDARD CLASSIFICATION AND
GUIDELINES IN THE ESTABLISHMENT, MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS OF PUBLIC
TRANSPORT TERMINALS - Supreme Court E-Library. (n.d.).
https://elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/thebookshelf/showdocs/11/55779
Library Study NARAN [PDF] | Documents Community Sharing. (n.d.). https://zdocs.cz/doc/library-
study-naran-rpqg5938rq12
Bus terminal design Requirements. (n.d.). Scribd. https://www.scribd.com/document/533224474/Bus-
Terminal-Design-Requirements
GOGO Charters. (2022, September 14). History of buses in public transportation - GOGO charters.
https://gogocharters.com/blog/history-of-public-bus-transportation/
Wikipedia contributors. (2023). Bus station. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bus_station
Bus stations and terminals. (n.d.).
https://www.ppiaf.org/sites/ppiaf.org/files/documents/toolkits/UrbanBusToolkit/assets/
3/3.1/35(vii)a.html#:~:text=A%20bus%20terminal%2C%20or%20terminus,services%20can%20be
%20controlled%20from.
Standards for bus terminals. (n.d.). PPT. https://www.slideshare.net/IndrajitKoner/standards-for-bus-
terminals

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