Bus garage facts for kids

Buses parked inside a bus depot in Moscow, Russia

Buses parked outside a bus depot in Gillingham, Kent

A bus garage or bus depot is a special place where buses are kept safe and fixed when they need repairs. Think of it like a big home for buses! While "bus garage" and "bus depot" often mean the same thing, in some countries, a "bus depot" can also be a bus station, which is where people catch buses.

Many bus garages today are built on the same spots where old trams used to be stored. Trams were like electric streetcars that ran on tracks. When buses became more popular, these old tram sheds were changed into bus garages. Before that, some garages even replaced yards where horse-buses were kept!

The biggest bus depot in the world is the Millennium Park Bus Depot in Delhi, India. It's huge!

What You'll Find Inside a Bus Depot

Bus depots are busy places with many different areas. Each part helps keep the buses running smoothly and safely.

Parking Areas for Buses

• Internal parking: This is where buses and special recovery vehicles (like tow trucks for buses) are parked inside the building. This keeps them safe from bad weather.
• External parking: Some buses and staff cars can be parked outside the garage.

Keeping Buses Ready to Go

• Fueling point: Just like your family car, buses need fuel! This is where they get petrol or diesel.
• Fuel storage tanks: Large tanks underground or above ground hold all the fuel needed for the buses.
• Bus wash: Buses get dirty, so they go through a giant bus wash to keep them clean.

Fixing and Checking Buses

• Engineering section: This is like a hospital for buses. Skilled mechanics work here to fix and repair buses, making sure they are in top condition.
• Inspection pits: These are special pits in the ground that mechanics can walk into. They let mechanics easily look underneath the buses to check for problems and make repairs.
• Brake test lane: Safety is super important! Buses drive through a special lane to test their brakes, making sure they work perfectly before going out on the road.

Staff Areas

• Staff canteen/break room: Bus drivers and other staff need a place to relax and eat their meals.
• Administration office: This is where all the paperwork and planning for the bus routes and staff schedules happen.

Images for kids

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  The interior of the Lowland Scottish bus depot in Kelso, Scotland, in 1985

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  Bakhmetevsky bus garage in Moscow

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  A BEST Bus depot in Bandra, Mumbai

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  A typical example of a garage - Wilson Bus Garage (Toronto)

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  PMPML buses at the Market Yard depot, Pune, India

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  Buses at the Ellie Rose depot, in Hull, East Yorkshire.