The first route numbers were devised in 1932, although route numbers were originally not displayed on destination signs, and routes were more commonly publicized by name. This was similar to the numbering system in Pittsburgh, where routes were numbered in order according to direction, counterclockwise from north. Only streetcar and trolleybus routes were numbered. Some route maps used letters to identify motor bus routes, but only for clarity on the maps.
A new route number system was adopted in 1951, with trolleybus routes numbered 1 through 11, and motor bus routes numbered 20 through 39. At the time, the only remaining streetcar route was College, route number 40. Letter suffixes were used to designate certain route branches. And with certain routes with two segments connected through downtown, one segment would have a "B" suffix. Some significant renumbering occurred in 1957, when the last trolleybus routes were converted to motor bus.
The following notations are used:
NEW PMC BUS - new bus route created by People's Motor Coach Co.
NEW ISR BUS - new bus route created by Indianapolis Street Railway Co.
NEW IRY BUS - new bus route created by Indianapolis Railways, Inc.
NEW ITS BUS - new bus route created by Indianapolis Transit System
NEW IPT BUS - new bus route created by Indianapolis Public Transit Corp.
NEW SL BUS - new bus route created by Suburban Lines
People's Motor Coach Co. was absorbed into the main company in 1943. All trolleybus routes were converted to motor buses in 1956 and 1957.
Some early new bus routes were created as feeders to the streetcar routes, later routed through after conversions of streetcar routes to buses. In many cases, one route would consist of two segments, joined together through downtown Indianapolis. A single route number is assigned to the two segments where this situation presently exists.
Extension buses on east 10th St. and east 25th St. were later replaced with the though routing of trolleybuses.
Several routes at the end of the list were later discontinued. Route numbers in parentheses were discontinued 6/27/2004 amidst budget problems.
Route Route Name Mule Street Motor Trolley 1932 1954 1974
Number (Segment/Former Name) Cars Cars Buses Buses No. No. No.
2 East 34th St. (Central) 1868 1892 3/21/37 47 2 2
2 East 34th St. NEW ITS BUS 1955 2A
3 Michigan (West) 1887 1894 4/16/34 11 3B 3
3 Michigan (East) 1879 1892 11/23/47 34 22 20
3 Michigan (East New York) NEW PMC BUS 8/21/24 22 20
4 Fort Harrison IRR 1901 1941 Fort Harrison Bus
5 East 25th St. (Columbia) 1883 1892 7/ 8/34 43 4 5
5 East 25th St. NEW ISR BUS 2/ 1/26 7/23/39 4 5
5 East 25th St. (Brightwood) 1889 1894 9/20/34 42 1 1
6 North Harding (Riverside) 1900 12/20/32 9 10 15
6 North Harding (Indiana) 1879 1893 6/11/34 7/13/34 8 10 15
8 Washington (East) 1866 1891 8/11/50 8/14/50 33 6 8
8 Washington (East Ext.) IRR 1900 1935 Central Swallow Coach
8 Washington (West) 1864 1894 1/ 4/48 10/15/51 12 7B 9
8 Washington (West Ext.) NEW ISR BUS 10/ 1/25 Ind. Transit Inc.
10 10th St. (Massachusetts) 1865 1892 5/20/34 40 5 7
10 10th St. (East) 1888 1892 5/20/34 40 5 7
10 10th St. (East Ext.) NEW ISR BUS 11/10/25 6/ 8/41 5 7
10 10th St. (West) 1904 4/16/34 10 9B 13
11 East 16th St. NEW ISR BUS 11/19/25 30 12
12 Beechcrest (Minnesota) 1915 4/21/38 5/14/39 24 8A 4
13 Beechcrest (S. East) 1892 1894 8/23/34 21 8A 4
14 Prospect 1868 1892 8/ 5/34 25 9 14
14 Prospect (East Ext.) NEW ISR BUS 4/24/32 24 14
15 Riverside (Clifton) NEW IRY BUS 9/15/35 27B 15
16 Beech Grove (S. Meridian) 1879 1894 12/ 4/32 17 10B 16
16 Beech Grove BGT 1911 1/ 8/37 20 23
17 College 1865 1891 1/ 9/53 45 40 17
18 Nora (Meridian) NEW PMC BUS 4/21/29 27 18
18 Nora (Broad Ripple) I&BR 1894 3/21/37 48 2 18
19 Castleton (Pennsylvania) 1870 1894 9/28/34 50 21 19
19 Castleton (Central) NEW PMC BUS 1/ 7/24 21 19
19 Castleton (Central) NEW ISR BUS 12/ 3/24 21 19
19 Castleton (46th/52nd St.) NEW ISR BUS 12/ 8/25 21 19
21 East 21st St. (Brookside) 1904 6/ 7/34 41 3 21
21 East 21st St. NEW ISR BUS 2/13/27 30 21
22 Shelby (Virginia) 1864 1892 3/ 3/46 22 28 22
22 Shelby 1888 1892 3/ 3/46 22 28 22
24 Mars Hill 1914 10/21/34 14 31 24
24 Mars Hill (W. Indianapolis) 1890 1891 5/ 7/34 15 1B 11
25 West 16th St. NEW ISR BUS 11/19/25 33 25
(27) Butler (Capitol) NEW ISR BUS 12/ 3/24 27A 28
(27) Butler (Illinois) 1890 1890 10/15/51 12/30/51 3 11A 27
28 St Vincent (Illinois) 1864 1890 10/15/51 12/30/51 2 11 28
Route Route Name Mule Street Motor Trolley 1932 1954 1974
Number (Segment/Former Name) Cars Cars Buses Buses No. No. No.
30 30th St. Crosstown (East) NEW PMC BUS 1925 38 26
30 30th St. Crosstown (West) NEW PMC BUS 12/17/23 38 26
31 Madison IRR 1901 1941 Suburban Lines
34 Michigan Road (Northwestern) 1867 1892 4/30/34 7 4A 6
34 Michigan Road (North Ext.) NEW SL BUS 1949 Suburban Lines
37 Lafayette (Park 100) NEW IPT BUS 2/23/75
38 West 38th St. NEW IPT BUS 8/18/84
39 East 38th St. NEW ITS BUS 1955 2B
(40) Chapel Hill Express NEW ISR BUS 10/ 1/25 Ind. Transit Inc.
(44) Castleton Express NEW IPT BUS 9/ 4/79
(46) South Meridian Express NEW IPT BUS 11/11/75
(48) Mitthoefer Express NEW IPT BUS 10/27/75
(49) Decatur Express NEW IPT BUS 9/ 4/79
55 English 1875 1892 8/15/34 27 7 10
55 English (Extension) NEW ISR BUS 11/10/25 23 10
86 86th St. Crosstown NEW IPT BUS 6/10/13
(Alabama) 1873 1891 5/23/37
(Blake) 1864 1892
(Cornell) 1906 4/10/32
(Kentucky) 1890 1891
(Lexington) 1899 12/ 2/40
(Stock Yards) 1881 1894 5/ 3/40 16 32
(Garfield Park) 1879 1896 2/14/37 20 25
(Brightwood) NEW PMC BUS 1924
(Madison) NEW ISR BUS 12/ 8/25 25
(Millersville) NEW ISR BUS 4/28/26
(Ravenswood) NEW ISR BUS 6/12/26 37
(Belmont Crosstown) NEW ISR BUS 10/ 6/27 35
(Allison Plant) NEW ISR BUS 7/ 3/40
SUBURBAN TRANSIT ROUTESA portion of the Beech Grove route was originally operated by Beech Grove Traction Co. (BGT), which was replaced with buses operated by Beech Grove Transit Co, which was merged into People's Motor Coach Co. in 1941. And a portion of the Nora route was originally operated by Indianapolis & Broad Ripple Transit Co. (I&BR), which by 1926 was fully integrated into the Indianapolis Street Railway Co.
Several bus routes evolved from services provided by independent operators in various suburbs. Some of these routes evolved from interurban trains operated by Indiana Railroad (IRR) and other companies.
The west Washington extension routes, including the Chapel Hill Express, were sold in 1950 to Indianapolis Transit Inc. (no relation to Indianapolis Transit System Inc., which operated the city bus system from 1954 to 1975). Those routes rejoined the main system when it became publicly owned in 1975.