These plates are used on vehicles which are used for private transportation to carry employees of a company or other persons without charge. This does not include vehicles which qualify for Vanpool or School Bus registrations. However, until “School Bus” became a separate type, school buses carried Serv. Bus plates. Service Bus plates still appear on vans and occasionally on motorcoaches as well. These are Class Code 09 in the DMV system.
Initially the vehicle had to carry 8 or more persons to qualify, in 1999 it was changed to 10 or more.
This type started sometime in the 1940s, with a “SERVICE BUS” caption. With the 1948 plates, the caption was shortened to a vertical “SBUS”. Around 1957, with the new 6×12 plates, the caption was expanded to “Serv. Bus”. With the introduction of the light blue graphic plates during the 2000 reissue, the legend finally was completely spelled out again- “Service Bus”. However, the small text and lowercase lettering make it very difficult to read from a distance.
Click the photo to see this type in use.
Reference: Chapter 246 Sec. 14-49-5(a); Sec. 14-1 (78)
Service Bus
1954/55
Reflective grey Scotchlite
1956
1957
1966
With the new plates in 1958, a white on blue color scheme was used.
1967
ca. 1967 issue
1972
In 1967, the colors were reversed.
1974
1977
In 1973, the expiration month changed from July to August. It’s purely a coincidence that I ended up with these two plates with such similar numbers.
1980
1982
Narrower dies for the numbers were used starting in the late 1970s
Revalidated to 1991
1987
Revalidated to 2000.
The map base came out in 1987.
Revalidated to 1994
1992
1997
Used until 2001
2001
2003
ca. 2010s
As with most other types, these are now issued in the generic AB-12345 numbering format.
Public Service Bus
These plates appear to be used on town/city/regional authority-owned buses which do not charge a fee for transportation.
This type started sometime in early 2016.
State Service Bus
These plates are used on state-owned buses which do not charge a fee for transportation.
These plates are typically used on buses belonging to the State Vocational schools, the State University system, and prisoner transport buses.
This type started sometime in the 1970s.
Click the photo to see this type in use.
Circa 1970s, revalidated to 1989