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Buses, Midi-Buses and Minibuses Only – R136 Road Sign

The Buses, Midi-Buses and Minibuses Only road sign, identified as R136, is a South African regulatory command sign used to designate a public road or portion of a public road for buses, midi-buses and minibuses.

The sign provides a mandatory instruction concerning which passenger-transport vehicle classes may use the designated roadway. Where R136 applies, buses, midi-buses and minibuses are required to use the designated road or road section, while other classes of road users shall not use the roadway identified by the sign.

R136 forms part of a group of combined passenger-transport command signs that includes R134 and R135. These signs allow more than one vehicle class to be identified by a single sign where shared passenger-transport facilities are required. The South African Road Traffic Signs Manual notes that the use of R134, R135 and R136 is likely to be relatively rare and should be based on the specific traffic-management arrangement.

What Does the R136 Road Sign Mean?

R136 means Buses, Midi-Buses and Minibuses Only.

It indicates that the public road or portion of a public road has been specifically set aside for shared use by buses, midi-buses and minibuses.

Where the R136 command applies, drivers of buses, midi-buses and minibuses shall use the designated roadway. Other classes of road users shall not use the public road or portion of public road identified by the R136 sign.

Is R136 a Regulatory Command Sign?

Yes. R136 is a regulatory command sign, not simply a warning or information sign.

The command identifies the vehicle classes for which the designated public road or road section has been provided. This means the sign has a mandatory traffic-management function.

The purpose is to provide a clear instruction where buses, midi-buses and minibuses need to share a designated passenger-transport roadway or facility.

What Is R136 Used For?

R136 is used where a public road or portion of a public road has specifically been set aside for the shared use of buses, midi-buses and minibuses.

The three vehicle symbols allow one command sign to communicate the applicable vehicle classes rather than requiring separate signs for each class. The SARTSM notes that multiple-symbol signs can reduce the need for multiple separate signs at shared passenger-transport facilities.

Where Are R136 Signs Used?

R136 may be relevant where public transport vehicles require a dedicated roadway or route that has been formally designated for their shared use.

Possible applications include:

• Dedicated public transport roadways
• Passenger transport facilities
• Transport interchanges
• Bus terminals
• Designated public transport routes
• Passenger transport access roads
• Terminal circulation roads
• Controlled passenger-transport road sections
• Roadways connecting public transport facilities
• Other public-road facilities specifically designated for shared passenger transport

The actual use of R136 depends on the road layout, vehicle classes that need access and the traffic-management requirements of the responsible road authority.

R136 and Public Transport Traffic Management

Public transport facilities can require several types of regulatory and directional signs to control vehicle and pedestrian movement.

R136 can be used where buses, midi-buses and minibuses need to share a designated roadway. Other signs may then be required to control passenger loading, parking, stopping, pedestrian movement, entrances, exits and directions within the facility.

The SARTSM notes that public transport signing can become complex and includes command, prohibition and reservation signs for different applications.

R136 Compared With R134 and R135

R134, R135 and R136 are related passenger-transport command signs, but they apply to different combinations of vehicle classes:

• R134: Buses and Minibuses Only
• R135: Buses and Midi-Buses Only
• R136: Buses, Midi-Buses and Minibuses Only

R136 covers all three vehicle classes, whereas R134 and R135 cover different combinations. The applicable sign should therefore correspond to the vehicle classes designated to use the particular roadway.

R136 Compared With R121, R120 and R119

R136 should also be distinguished from the individual vehicle-class command signs:

• R119: Minibuses Only
• R120: Midi-Buses Only
• R121: Buses Only
• R136: Buses, Midi-Buses and Minibuses Only

The individual signs identify one vehicle class, while R136 combines all three passenger-transport vehicle classes in a single command sign.

R136 Sign Placement

The South African Road Traffic Signs Manual states that R134, R135 and R136 should be displayed at the beginning of a roadway specifically set aside for shared use by passenger-transport buses, midi-buses and minibuses.

The sign should be located on the left side of the public road or portion of public road to which it applies.

Where the public road is a one-way roadway dedicated to passenger-transport vehicles, the SARTSM recommends displaying the applicable sign on both the left and right sides of the roadway.

R136 Sign Size

R136 contains three vehicle symbols and therefore has a specific size requirement.

The SARTSM states that R136 should always be one size larger than R134 for the corresponding application. The applicable dimensions and enlargement factors are specified in the regulatory sign specifications in SARTSM Volume 4.

This means the correct sign size should be selected according to the relevant road-sign specification and application rather than using one standard physical size for every installation.

R136 Sign Design and Colours

The permanent R136 sign uses the standard permanent command-sign colour arrangement:

• Border and symbols: White retroreflective
• Background: Blue retroreflective

The combination of a blue retroreflective background with white retroreflective symbols and border identifies the permanent command sign.

Temporary R136 – TR136

The temporary equivalent of R136 is TR136.

The SARTSM states that temporary R134, R135 and R136 signs are unlikely to be required in most situations. Where a temporary version is specified, it must use the temporary command-sign colour arrangement:

• Inner border and symbols: Black semi-matt
• Background and outer border: Yellow retroreflective

Temporary R136 signage may be relevant where a temporary traffic-management arrangement requires buses, midi-buses and minibuses to use a particular public-road facility or route.

R136 and Other Road Users

R136 does more than identify a preferred route for passenger transport. It is a mandatory command sign.

Where R136 designates a public road or portion of a public road for buses, midi-buses and minibuses, those vehicle classes shall use the designated roadway and other classes of road users shall not use the identified roadway.

For this reason, R136 should only be used where the applicable roadway has been properly designated for the specified passenger-transport vehicle classes.

R136 at Transport Terminals

Transport terminals and interchanges can contain several vehicle routes, passenger areas and controlled access points.

Where a roadway within the public-road system has been specifically designated for buses, midi-buses and minibuses, R136 can identify the beginning of that designated roadway.

Additional traffic signs may be required for passenger loading areas, parking, stopping restrictions, pedestrian crossings, entrances, exits and other traffic movements.

R136 and Shared Passenger Transport Facilities

The SARTSM recognises the shared use of passenger-transport facilities, including roadways, terminal facilities and parking facilities, as an operational arrangement.

R136 provides one sign for three vehicle classes and can therefore reduce the need for multiple separate command signs where the same roadway is intended for buses, midi-buses and minibuses.

R136 on Private Property

Shopping centres, office parks, hospitals, universities, residential estates and other private developments may use suitable bus and passenger-transport signage to manage vehicle movement within their premises.

However, the official R136 designation applies to a public road or portion of a public road. Private-property signage should therefore be selected according to the site's traffic-management plan, access arrangements and applicable requirements rather than automatically being treated as an official public-road R136 installation.

Who May Need R136 Signs?

R136 signage may be relevant to organisations involved in public transport infrastructure and traffic management, including:

• Municipalities
• Road authorities
• Public transport authorities
• Transport infrastructure projects
• Bus terminals
• Transport interchanges
• Public transport facilities
• Traffic-management contractors
• Road construction projects
• Developments with designated public transport routes

Benefits of Clear R136 Signage

• Clearly identifies a roadway designated for buses, midi-buses and minibuses.
• Provides one command sign covering three passenger-transport vehicle classes.
• Communicates a mandatory vehicle-access instruction.
• Helps identify the beginning of a designated passenger-transport roadway.
• Can reduce the need for multiple separate vehicle-class command signs.
• Supports organised public transport traffic management.
• Can form part of a wider system of public transport regulatory and directional signage.

Frequently Asked Questions About R136 Road Signs

What does R136 mean?

R136 means Buses, Midi-Buses and Minibuses Only. It indicates that a public road or portion of a public road has been set aside for shared use by these passenger-transport vehicle classes.

Is R136 a command sign?

Yes. R136 is a regulatory command sign that imposes a mandatory requirement concerning the use of the designated public road or road section.

Where should an R136 sign be installed?

It should be displayed at the beginning of a roadway that has specifically been set aside for shared use by buses, midi-buses and minibuses. It should normally be positioned on the left side of the applicable public road.

Can R136 be used on a one-way roadway?

Yes. Where a one-way public road is dedicated to passenger-transport vehicles, the SARTSM recommends displaying the applicable sign on both the left and right sides of the roadway.

Can other vehicles use an R136 roadway?

No. Where R136 has designated a public road or portion of a public road for buses, midi-buses and minibuses, other classes of road users shall not use the roadway identified by the sign.

What is the difference between R134, R135 and R136?

R134 is for buses and minibuses, R135 is for buses and midi-buses, while R136 is for buses, midi-buses and minibuses.

What is the difference between R136 and R121?

R121 is the Buses Only command sign. R136 covers buses, midi-buses and minibuses together.

What is TR136?

TR136 is the temporary version of the R136 command sign. Where specified, it uses the temporary black-and-yellow command-sign colour arrangement.

Is R136 used frequently?

The SARTSM states that R134, R135 and R136 are likely to be used relatively rarely. Their use depends on the specific public-transport traffic-management arrangement.

Can R136 be used at a shopping centre?

Private developments can use appropriate passenger-transport traffic-management signage. However, the official R136 designation applies to a public road or portion of a public road, so private-site signage should be selected according to the site's specific requirements.

Can R136 be used with other traffic signs?

Yes. Public transport facilities can require a combination of command, prohibition, reservation, directional, parking and pedestrian signs depending on the traffic-management arrangement.

Can Signs4SA supply R136 signs?

Yes. Signs4SA can assist with R136 Buses, Midi-Buses and Minibuses Only road signs and other regulatory, command, traffic-management and public transport signage. Provide your required sign code, dimensions, quantity and installation requirements when requesting a quotation.

Order Buses, Midi-Buses and Minibuses Only – R136 Signs

Need R136 Buses, Midi-Buses and Minibuses Only signs for a public transport route, transport facility, terminal or traffic-management project?

Contact Signs4SA to discuss your R136 signage requirements, provide your specifications and request a quotation.

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More About Buses, midi-buses and mini-buses only

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