A bus (contracted from omnibus, with
variants multibus, motorbus, autobus, etc.) is a road vehicle that carries
significantly more passengers than an average car or van. It is most commonly
used in public transport, but is also in use for charter purposes, or through
private ownership. Although the average bus carries between 30 and 100
passengers, some buses have a capacity of up to 300 passengers. The most common
type is the single-deck rigid bus, with double-decker and articulated buses
carrying larger loads, and midibuses and minibuses carrying smaller loads.
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, are free. In many jurisdictions, bus drivers require a
special large vehicle licence above and beyond a regular driving licence.