Tell local, Limited and SBS buses apart
Updated
Each bus on the Live Map is a rounded square with its line name on top and a mark pointing the way it's going. The mark's shape tells you the kind of service. Its color is a second clue.
Local, Limited and SBS buses
| Service | Shape | Default color | Other clues |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local | One arrow | Green | |
| Limited | Two chevrons, one above the other | Light blue | MTA labels the bus's destination Limited |
| Select Bus Service | One arrow | Orange | The line name ends in SBS, like M15 SBS |
Express buses, such as the X27 or BM1, don't have their own mark. Their line name tells you they're express.
Zoomed in close, where each bus is drawn from above, a local bus has a stripe along its roof and a Limited bus has two chevrons. An SBS bus has the stripe plus a band across the back of the bus.
When a bus isn't moving
- Red, with no arrow: MTA reports the bus isn't moving, for example because it's stopped or stuck in traffic.
- Gray, with a clock in the top left corner: the bus is on layover, waiting at the end of the line before its next trip.
- Dashed outline, with a faint arrow: the bus is still finishing an earlier trip before it starts the trip it's shown on.
Tap a bus to see its status in words: Moving, Not moving or On layover.
Other markings
- A ring around the bus: you're following it. See follow a bus on the map.
- A thick orange outline: the bus is bunched with others on its line. Turn on Highlight Bunches in Settings to see it.
- Faded, with a dashed gray border: the bus's last report is more than 2 minutes old. Turn on Fade Old Reports in Settings to see it.
- A circle with a number: zoomed far out, nearby buses are grouped. Tap the circle to zoom in.
Badges
Bus Badge in Settings adds a small round badge to the top right of each bus:
- Crowding shows how full a bus is, for buses that report it: one person for seats available, two people for standing room, three people for full.
- Bus Type shows a lightning bolt on battery-electric and hydrogen buses, and draws articulated (bendy) buses longer.
Change the colors
You can pick your own colors under Colors in Settings, for example if the defaults are hard for you to tell apart. Reset Color Settings puts them all back.