Transit Bus Safety: Stand Behind the Yellow Line

You may think the yellow line on the bus is arbitrary, especially when you’re trying to squeeze onto a crowded transit bus, but the yellow safety line on city buses has very real and legal consequences. There may not be a sign, but anyone who’s tried to step foot over that yellow line on a city bus will have heard six jarring words, “GET BEHIND THE YELLOW LINE!”

Standing behind the yellow line is the law

There are two considerations when designing a city bus, and those are safety and comfort. Of course, safety comes first. It’s hard to imagine that a yellow line on the floor of a bus will add to passenger safety, but it does, and the line is considered so important that the rule of having to stand behind the yellow line while the bus is in motion is written in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).

Code of Federal Regulation

Title 49, section 393.90 of the CFR refers to Buses, Standee Line, or Bar. The standee line or bar is what we commonly refer to as “the yellow line.” The law states that the line must be at least two inches wide, and there has to be an accompanying sign near the front of the bus.

City bus safety

On a city bus, keeping the passengers safe is the main concern. The yellow line and the area in front need to be kept clear so that the driver can see properly. Occupying that area could cause blind spots for the driver and decrease the safety of the rest of the passenger.

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