Riding With Us
Please take the time to get to know our general rider guidelines.
Safety first
Boarding the bus
- Plan your trip ahead of time. Please be at your bus stop at least five minutes before the bus is due to arrive. Use our real-time tracking tools for arrival information up to 30 minutes in real-time.
- As the bus approaches, step out from the bus shelter or bus stop to the curbside, so that you are visible to the driver.
- Check the destination sign on the bus to make sure you are boarding the correct bus. If it is not the bus you need, take a step back. Buses are also equipped with preboarding voice announcements of the route and destination.
- Have your fare, transfer or pass ready before you board. Tap your PRESTO card onto the card reader on the bus, or show your transfer or pass to the driver for validation. If you are paying by cash, make sure you have exact fare before you board and deposit your fare into the farebox.
- If you are paying by cash and need to take more than one bus to your destination, ask for a transfer at the time of payment.
- While the bus is in motion, remain seated or hold onto the handrail.
- If you are standing, please move to the back of the bus to make room for others. Customers must remain behind the white/yellow line near the front of the bus to avoid blocking the driver’s view.
Exiting the bus
- Be aware of where you are and when your stop is coming up. Pay attention to the onboard digital sign and audio announcements for next stop information.
- When you want to get off the bus, pull the bell cord above the window or press the stop button on one of the hand rails before the bus reaches your stop. Make sure you give the driver advanced notice, so the driver has plenty of time to stop the bus smoothly and safely.
- Do not forget your belongings! Gather all your belongings when you have signalled for a stop.
- Remain seated or hold onto the handrail until the bus has come to a complete stop.
- If your bus stop has other customers waiting to board the bus, please exit through the rear door of the bus whenever possible. Some doors will open automatically and others will open either by pushing or with a sensor. Read any labels on the door to make a proper exit.
- Never cross the road in front or directly behind the bus. Motorists passing the stopped bus may not be able to see you. Move to the sidewalk after exiting the bus, wait for the bus to clear before crossing. Always use the designated pedestrian crossing nearby for your safety.
General rider guidelines
Visit the Accessibility page for more information.
- Respect the Priority and Courtesy Seating signs and give up your seat to those in need.
- Remove your backpack and hold it in front of you. Keep your backpack and belongings on your laps, so other customers can get a seat.
- Please keep your feet off the seats to avoid soiling the seats for the next customer. Small snacks are allowed. Litter must be taken with the customer upon leaving the bus and disposed of responsibly.
- Listening to music with earphones is permitted. Please keep the volume low, so you do not disturb other customers or the driver.
- If you are on your cellphone, please keep the voice level down. Others do not need to listen to your conversation.
- Spitting, smoking (includes the use of e-cigarettes), consuming of alcohol or illegal drugs, vandalism, use of profanity, insulting or obscene language is strictly prohibited at any bus stops, stations and onboard buses.
For a full list of Oakville Transit's policies, please visit the Oakville Transit policies and procedures page.
To keep Oakville Transit buses on schedule, you can only get on and off vehicles at designated stops.
"Request Stop" is a service available to all passengers after dusk on all Oakville Transit buses. If you feel your personal safety is at risk, you can ask the driver to let you off along the bus route as close to your requested stop as possible. For added safety, "Request Stop" users are asked to leave by the front doors.
Visit the Fares page for more information.
Flag stops are stops that do not have a physical bus stop sign. These locations are marked on the route map and usually on school routes.
If you are at one of these locations, please flag the bus down to signal the driver to stop when your bus is approaching.
When you want to get off the bus at a “flag stop,” ring the bell before the bus reaches your stop and let the driver know where you need to get off.
Food and drink
Light snacks are permitted to be carried and/or consumed in an Oakville Transit bus.
All food and drinks must be properly contained and any resulting litter must be taken with the customer upon leaving the bus and disposed of responsibly.
Pets
Service animals are permitted on board Oakville Transit buses. All other pets must be leashed and muzzled or contained in an animal cage.
The driver may refuse to allow a customer to board with an animal if these conditions are not met. Exotic animals are not allowed on board the bus.
Strollers, buggies and large articles
When there is space, when other customers will not be affected or at the driver’s discretion buggies and other large articles may be allowed on the bus. The driver may decline to allow such objects at any time that he/she feels safety may be compromised.
Customers are required to carry their own buggies or articles on and off the bus.
For the safety of all customers, the aisles must not be blocked by such articles.
Strollers may be carried on buses; however, for safety reasons, the child is to be removed from the stroller and the stroller folded and placed so as not to interfere with the movement of customers in the aisle.
Visit the Oakville Transit policies and procedures page for a full list of Oakville Transit's policies.
Bicycles
All conventional Oakville Transit buses are equipped with bike racks which can carry two bikes.
Visit the bike racks on buses page for complete information.
Visit the Real-time Bus Tracking page for more information.
For updates on Oakville Transit news and planned service changes, you can visit our Service Updates page.
Follow us on Twitter or Facebook.
For service alerts, you can set up an account with our Real-time Bus Tracking tools - Bus Finder or mobile app. Once you have an account you can set up alerts based on the specific criteria you provide. You can receive service alerts and arrival notifications by email, and/or text message. You can go into your account at any time to add, delete or edit your alerts. Standard text charges may apply.
You are encouraged to flag the bus down if you are waiting for the Oakville bus in Mississauga, and at any bus stop that is used by two or more routes.
If you are waiting inside the bus shelter, move to the curbside once your bus is in view so the driver will know to stop and pick you up. You may not be as visible to the driver if you wait inside the bus shelter.
If the bus approaching is not your bus, take a step back to signal to the driver that you are not waiting for that bus.
When you want to get off the bus, pull the bell cord above the window or press the stop button on one of the hand rails before the bus reaches your stop.
Transferring between Oakville Transit buses
Oakville Transit uses time expired transfers. Transfers are valid for two hours, for unlimited travel in any direction on any route. The two-hour window begins from the time of the first boarding.
If you are using a PRESTO card, your transfer is automatically stored on the card, allowing you to travel for two hours from the time of the first tap-on. Tap your PRESTO card each time you board a bus.
If you are paying by cash or special purpose ticket, ask the driver for a paper transfer at the time you board the first bus. Show the paper transfer to the bus driver each time you board a bus to verify that it is valid.
Expired transfers will not be accepted. Passengers are required to pay the regular fare once their transfer has expired.
For more information, visit time expired transfers in our fare policy page.
Transferring to or from Burlington Transit, Miway or GO Transit
Visit connecting services page for details.
You can plan a trip online with the Oakville Transit Trip Planner by Google. You can plan your trip and access schedule information if you have the Google Maps app installed on your smartphone.
You can also plan a trip using the Triplinx trip planner, designed for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). You can find schedule, fare and other information from 11 GTHA transit providers in Triplinx. Customize your trip by using the options such as maximum walking distance, cycle distance, transit mode and transit service providers you would like to use.