A bus is a public transport road vehicle designed to carry significantly more passengers that the average cars or vans. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers, although the average bus usually carries between 30 to 100. The most common type is the single-deck rigid bus, with larger loads for double-decker and articulated buses, and smaller loads for midibuses and minibuses, while coaches are used for longer-distance services. Many types of buses, such as city transit buses and inter-city coaches, charge a fare. Other types, such as elementary or secondary school buses or shuttle buses within a post-secondary education campus, do not charge a fare. In many jurisdictions, bus drivers require a special large vehicle licence above and beyond a regular driving licence.
Buses may be used for scheduled bus transport, scheduled coach transport, school transport, private hire, or tourism; promotional buses may be used for political campaigns and others are privately operated for a wide range of purposes, including rock and pop band tour vehicles.
Horse-drawn buses were used from the 1820s, followed by steam buses in the 1830s, and electric trolleybuses in 1882.