SPTrans

An example of an SPTrans radial bus route: 5109-10, where first digit 5 = Southeast, second digit 1 = radial route, third and fourth digits 09 = serial number, and last two digits 10 = extension number (separated by a dash)

Regional and radial bus routes within São Paulo are composed of four numerical digits in the range 0, 1, 2 ... 9. The first digit indicates the origin of the route according to the set area. The second digit is a 0 for a regional route or between 1 and 6 for a radial route, which indicates that the route separates from the main avenue of the region. The rightmost two digits serve as a serial number.

Inter-regional and diametrical bus routes within São Paulo are composed of three numerical digits and an alphabetic digit in the range A ... Z. The first two digits have the same values as the regional and radial routes. The third digit indicates the region where the route ends. The fourth digit, a letter, indicates the route taken to the destination.

Following the four digits is the two digits that serve as the extension number.

• 00 to 09 — unallocated
• 10 — The default extension number.
• 11 — The number used to indicate a night service.
• 12 to 19 — unallocated
• 21 to 29 — Extension numbers within this group operate only on part of the baseline stretch, either from mid-to-end or start to mid-way, typically used at rush hours.
• 30 — unallocated
• 31 to 39 — Extension numbers within this group indicate that this route's terminals typically correspond to the route that has the extension number of 10, but diverges mid-way.
• 40 — unallocated
• 41 to 49 — Extension numbers within this group travel part of the base path but forks after a certain point, having its starting or ending point different from the route that has the extension number of 10.
• 50 — unallocated
• 51 to 59 — Extension numbers within this group go beyond the route's start or end terminals that correspond to the route that has the extension number of 10.
• 60 to 99 — unallocated

The current four-digit bus route numbering system SPTrans uses today, where the last digit is an alphanumerical digit, was established in 1976, but was not fully implemented due to citywide changes that were carried out according to the development, and the management change within the São Paulo's city hall.[3]

During Marta Suplicy's administration, between 2001 and 2004, the city was again divided into nine operational bus areas citywide, only this time from 1 to 9 and there were some changes.

For example, the Santana region, in the northern zone of São Paulo, which until then was area 1, is now classified as area 2, but most of the lines that pass through the Santana region are still numbered where the first digit is 1.

In 2003, when the Pirituba terminal (which is in area 1) was created, new lines were implemented, where the first digit is an 8 or a 9. The last digit is an alphanumeric digit.

• Area 1 - Northwest - Light Green: Santa Brígida, Gato Preto, Norte Buss, Spencer.
• Area 2 - North - Dark Blue: Sambaíba, Norte Buss, Spencer.
• Area 3 - Northeast - Yellow: Metrópole Paulista, Transunião, Upbus.
• Area 4 - East - Red: Ambiental, AlliBus, Pêssego, Express.
• Area 5 - Southeast - Dark Green: Via Sudeste, Transunião, Move Buss.
• Area 6 - South - Blue: Viação Grajaú, Mobibrasil, Transwolff, A2.
• Area 7 - Southwest - Wine (burgundy): Campo Belo, Metrópole Paulista, Gatusa, KBPX, Transwolff.
• Area 8 - West - Orange: Transppass, Gato Preto, Transcap, Alfa Rodobus.
• Area 9 - Central - Grey: (all bus companies)