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According to Bus Rapid Transit Central, BRT in its purest form is a transportation system with an infrastructure similar to subways. The primary difference is simply that BRTs are above ground and utilize buses and roadways versus tracks and railcars.

Although the above definition describes a Bus Rapid Transit System in its purest form, there are varying iterations and adaptations.  Bus Rapid Transit in the planning arena is a broad term that generally refers to improved bus operations that result from:

- exclusive right of ways (lanes built solely for bus use)
- bus lanes (similar to HOV lanes)
- traffic signal priority
- intelligent transportation management systems
- improved traffic stops that are more like stations and include:
  quick fare collection, level boarding (no steps to enter bus), and
  entry/exit using front and rear doors on both side of the bus
- express busses with limited stops
- coordinated land-use policies