Six Steps to Ride a BJCTA Bus

Six Easy Steps to Riding a BJCTA Bus

1. Plan your trip.

You can use the online BJCTA Google Transit any time to find the nearest BJCTA stops to your location. Need more assistance? Just call 205-521-0101 any time Monday through Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (CST) or on weekends and holidays from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (CST). BJCTA's Customer Assistance Representatives are ready to help you get where you want to go. Just tell us where you are, where you want to go, and what time you need to arrive. We'll tell you the closest bus stop, what time to catch your bus, how long your trip will take, what transfers you may need to make, and how much your trip will cost. We also can direct you to convenient locations to buy monthly passes.

If you wish, we'll mail you a personalized trip plan and the individual route schedules you'll need. Or pick up maps and schedules at your nearby BJCTA Central Station or local public library. More information is available at the BJCTA Customer Service Store, located at 1735 Morris Ave. in downtown Birmingham or call 205-521-0101.

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2. Go to your bus stop.

Arrive at your stop 5 minutes before the actual time the bus is due to arrive. Before boarding the bus, double-check the route number and name displayed above the driver's windshield. If you're not sure it's the right bus, just ask the driver.

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3. Have your fare ready.

Exact cash or a BJCTA pass are acceptable fares. The base fare for a single ride for most local trips is $1.25. The VIP Paratransit fare is $2.00. The Fare Structure lists prices for various options.
If you have a Day Pass Voucher, please present the voucher to your first bus operator for validating. On any subsequent bus trips, always present the voucher to your bus operator for validating.

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4. Get on your bus.

Allow other passengers to get off before boarding. Board through the front door of the bus. Riding the bus is easy; just follow these simple rules. Sit anywhere you like. Generally, seats near the front door are reserved for elderly and mobility-impaired passengers. You may carry on baby strollers, carts, and other small items; just make sure they don't block the aisle.

If you need to access BJCTA by wheelchair, BJCTA's buses are equipped with wheelchair lifts. Guide dogs and other service animals are permitted on BJCTA vehicles. Please see Accessibility Information for more details or call 205-521-0101.

Please see "Bikes on BJCTA" for details on how to travel with your bicycle.

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5. Deposit your fare.

If you do not have a BJCTA pass, you must insert the exact fare into the farebox as you board. Fareboxes accept $1, $5, $10, and $20 bills and/or coins, including $1 coins.
Day Passes are available on all buses and from Central Station ticket agents. Passengers making transfers to a second bus are required to pay a second fare or purchase a Day Pass (Adult Transfer $0.25 or Elderly/Disable Transfer $0.15).

PLEASE NOTE: Bus Operators cannot make change of any kind.

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6. Getting off at your stop.

About one block from your stop, press one of the yellow plastic cables (next to the windows on most buses) or the silver cable (above the windows on other buses). This signals the operator that you want to get off at the next stop.

Exit through the front or rear doors. The Bus Operator will open the front door.

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