Which vehicles can use the bus lane?

If you live in a big city, or if you have to drive through one, you have surely come across the bus lane at some point. It is a lane where you see city buses and even taxis driving. Something tells you that you should not drive in that bus lane, because it seems restricted to urban transport vehicles, but which vehicles can use the bus lane?

What is the bus lane

The bus lane is the lane reserved for the movement of buses and taxis, which is delimited and signposted and cannot be used by just any vehicle. Priority of movement belongs to city buses and duly licensed taxis. Tourist coaches may not use this bus lane, so we know it is a lane designed to ease traffic in the city, allowing public transport vehicles to circulate. But even so, there are exceptions and vehicles that may use the bus lane, in addition to these.

Which vehicles can use the bus lane

In most cities the bus lane may be used by emergency service vehicles, such as police cars, ambulances and fire engines. Motorcycles and bicycles may also use the bus lane, although in some cities regulations mark the stretches where they may do so. In general, if there is no cycle lane, more and more councils allow bicycles (and now electric scooters) to use the bus lane.

Elsewhere, the bus lane may be protected by a rubber strip and signage prohibiting any vehicle other than public transport or emergency services from entering. To allow urban public transport to flow, it is important to respect this bus lane, since a significant fine may also be imposed by the police.

The bus-HOV lane

In some cities, at the access points to the city, the bus-HOV lane has been enabled. The acronym HOV stands for High-Occupancy Vehicles, that is, vehicles used by several occupants. The bus-HOV lane allows vehicles with a minimum of two occupants to use it, even if they are private. A vehicle with a single occupant may not use this bus-HOV lane, but a car with the driver and one passenger may.

Vehicles with a single occupant may also use it if that occupant holds the V-15 label, which certifies a mobility problem. Emergency vehicles on duty, motorcycles and buses exceeding 3,500 kg may also use it. Vehicles towing a trailer, animal-drawn vehicles and mopeds are prohibited from using this bus-HOV lane.

ECO vehicles in the bus-HOV lane

Vehicles bearing the DGT ZERO label, which have an electric-mode range of at least 40 kilometres, may also drive freely. Vehicles in the ECO, B and C categories may only use the bus-HOV lane if there is an indication to that effect on the information panels along the road. As an exception to this rule, the bus-HOV lane of the C-58 in Barcelona also allows free access to vehicles bearing the ECO label. If any vehicle other than those authorised is caught in the bus-HOV lane, it may be fined €200, so it is best to comply with the regulations and avoid nasty surprises.