Basically, I’ve been creating a proposal to (properly) define ways to access bus platforms, particularly separate bus bays. This is because I’ve noticed that the current tagging (from “misusing” current tags to the lack of standards of many tags) and also because bus bays are fairly common service ways.
The proposal is still WIP not just because I want format it better but also to clarify some edge cases (which I’ll create some separate surveys) and need images for some examples (I can take some screenshots myself but need some help for others).
This could probably also be used at bus stations, for example Way: 684798230 | OpenStreetMap? That’s currently tagged as parking_aisle which seems inadequate.
bus_bay= is a bay off a roadway, layout similar to parking=street_side . It’s not the same as a roadway. service=bus_bay will cause confusion. I’m afraid some users will be tempted to wrongly draw a separate service=bus_bay when there’s no raised separation.
Furthermore, this can’t distinguish whether the separated bus stop road has a bay as well, or only stopping on the single “lane”. It will be awkward to add bus_bay= to service=bus_bay . Explained more on wiki for your cases. Proposal talk:Tag:service=bus bay - OpenStreetMap Wiki
As an alternative, eg service=bus_stop could be fine.
Besides as mentioned above, you may want to distinguish street-side stops, and station stops. https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Proposal:Tag:service=bus_bay#Why_not_bus_bay=yes? : There is already bus_bay==left , =right , and =both that you need to mention Key:bus_bay - OpenStreetMap Wiki
Semi-relatedly, while parking:*=street_side has amenity=parking + parking=street_side areas to be drawn separately, bus_bay= without raised separation (not covered by =service ) doesn’t have a feature. The bus stop may be located in the same physical bay section as taxis pick-up & drop-off, loading & unloading, or even general parking. I don’t know whether it should be area:highway= something.
