green time or reducing the red time for that direction in the intersection when a bus is approaching. Limited dedicated bus lanes are in operation on most routes. The DART bus routes have a dedicated bus lanes on Hoddle St in the AM peak along with Lonsdale Street in the City in the peak direction. Buses are also able to use the emergency lanes along the Eastern Freeway to bypass heavy traffic common during peak periods. There are some priority "head start" lanes at various intersections that allow buses bypass traffic queues and then enter the intersection before other traffic. Major roundabouts have special slip lanes that allow buses to skip queues and having to give way to the right. Bus stops that comply with the Commonwealth Discriminatory Act, with tactile tiles and better signage, as well as lower ground to allow the elderly or wheelchair-using passengers easier access to buses. Stops also feature totem poles with timetables & maps. Indented bus bays have been removed, with bus stops moved to the left-hand traffic lane to allow buses to depart stops without delay once passengers have boarded. Some closely located stops have also been consolidated to reduce delays. All services operate with low floor buses with ramps to accommodate elderly and wheelchair-using passengers. Buses were originally in a special silver & orange livery to promote the routes, however newer buses do not feature this livery, simply using the standard PTV orange livery, although they are still fitted with the internal SmartBus PIDs (LED displays and automated announcements). If a SmartBus vehicle is not available due to lack of vehicles at a depot, a regular bus will run as a substitute, however these buses are not fitted with SmartBus PIDs. Electronic "next stop" signage on each bus which displays and announces the next stop. These announcements cut-in commercial radio broadcasts. SmartBus patronage growth Several reviews have been conducted of patronage growth on SmartBus routes. A review of routes 703, 903 (formerly route 700) and 902 (formerly 888/889) found that boardings increased between 15% and 60%, five years after the services were upgraded. In 2010 the Bus Association of Victoria found that SmartBus patronage on routes 703 and 902 (formerly 888/889) increased 15% over two years. This increase was higher than other upgraded (but non-SmartBus) bus routes in Melbourne (13%) and significantly higher than non-upgraded routes (6-7%). See also Metrobus (Sydney) -