How to Read a Bus Schedule

Yes, the "Old Fashioned" Kind Still Exists

In this digital age, most people have access to an app or site that allows them to plan a bus trip with a few finger taps. Still, if you find yourself face to face with the daunting task of trying to decipher a traditional bus schedule (perhaps even printed on paper!), don’t worry, we’ll help you break the “secret” code. Once you get the hang of it, reading an Indian Trails bus schedule is as easy as picking your next snack for the road.

Let's break it down step by step so you can travel like a pro. 🚌✨

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What's on a bus schedule?

 Table Name – This is the biggie. At the top, you'll see the table name, identifying which cities or areas the bus travels between.

Example: This route includes stops in Detroit, Flint, Lansing, Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo.

Table Number – Each schedule has a unique number. This helps you identify the right set of times associated with specific destinations.

Example: This table number is 1483

Schedule Number – This number is like the bus’s ID card. It’s for the bus company to track buses, but for you, it shows the specific departure and arrival times.

Schedules on the left go from top to bottom; runs on the right go from bottom to top.

Example:

Run 20 leaves Grand Rapids at 12:05 p.m., arriving in Flint at 2:40 p.m.

Run 21 leaves East Lansing at 1:00 p.m., arriving in Grand Rapids at 2:25 p.m.

Stops – Every bus makes multiple stops along the route. Locations tell you where the bus stops.

BOLD CAPS with an upward triangle = Full-service stations.

Title Caps (Lighter Text) = Full-service stations with limited hours.

Arrival or Departure (Ar / Lv) – Next to each location, you’ll see “Ar” (arrival) or “Lv” (leave). This tells you when the bus is getting there or hitting the road again.

Time – This column lists when the bus is stopping. If you see a series of dots instead of a time, that means the bus isn’t stopping there.

Example 1: Run 22 leaves Southfield at 6:35 p.m., arriving in Detroit at 7:00 p.m.

Example 2: Run 23 starts in Flint at 2:55 p.m., arriving in Kalamazoo at 8:45 p.m.

Key – The key, located at the bottom of the schedule, is your best friend! If you see abbreviations or symbols on the schedule, the key describes what they mean.

Visit our bus routes page to see more Indian Trails routes. 

Booking Your Tickets 🎟️

Now that you’ve cracked the code of the schedule, it’s time to book your trip! Grab your ticket at Indian Trails Bus Tickets.

Track Your Bus Like a Pro 📍

Nobody likes waiting around unnecessarily, so once you have purchased your tickets, your next priority is to download the Indian Trails Bus Tracker app! This free app, powered by Saucon Technologies, gives you real-time GPS tracking of your bus, updating every 30 seconds. Available for Apple and Android.

See? Not As Tricky as You Thought

Reading a bus schedule might seem tricky at first — like a bunch of word math problems — but once you get the basics, it’s a breeze. With your schedule in hand and the tracker app on your phone, you're all set to travel stress-free.

🚍 Come On! Let’s Go! Happy Trails to You! 🚍