How to Become Owner on a The Bus Server (Ranks and Admin Menu)

To become owner on a The Bus dedicated server, join the server once so your player is saved, stop the server, open TheBus/Saved/PlayerData.json, change your entry's rank to Owner, save and start the server again. Next time you join, the pause screen has an Admin Menu where you change the map, the operating plan and the server name. The server has four ranks, owner, admin, moderator and user, and as owner you can promote the rest of your staff.

There is no console command for this on the current server build, which is why the file edit is needed. It takes two minutes.

Why you are not admin by default

The Bus multiplayer always runs on a separate server program. Even if you installed it, the server sees you as just another driver when you join, with the user rank. Rights are stored per player in PlayerData.json, and that file only has an entry for you after your first visit.

Step 1: Join once

Start the server, open The Bus, go to Multiplayer, Add Server, paste the GUID from the server console and join. Drive a moment, then leave normally through the menu. Leaving cleanly gives the server the chance to write your player data.

Step 2: Stop the server

Stop the server before editing. If you edit PlayerData.json while the server is running, it can overwrite your change with what it has in memory when it next saves or shuts down.

Step 3: Edit PlayerData.json

Open TheBus/Saved/PlayerData.json in a text editor (or the file manager on a hosted server). It holds an entry for each player who has joined. Find yours, by your player name or your Steam ID, and change the rank value on that entry to:

Owner

Keep the quotes and format the file already uses. It is JSON, so:

• Do not delete commas or brackets.
• Change only the rank value.
• Match the capitalization of rank names the file already uses.

If you are unsure which entry is yours, look for the most recent one after your first join, or compare the Steam ID with your own profile's SteamID64.

Back the file up before you edit it. If the server will not start afterwards, restore the copy and try again.

Step 4: Start and check

Start the server and join. Open the pause screen. If the Admin Menu is there, you are owner.

If it is not there:

1. The server was running while you edited, and overwrote your change. Stop it, edit again, start.
2. You edited the wrong entry. Check the player name or Steam ID.
3. The JSON is broken and the server fell back to defaults. Check the console on start for errors about the file.

The four ranks

Give out ranks sparingly. A virtual transit company usually needs one or two owners, a few admins for shift planning, and moderators for busy nights. You can set other players' ranks the same way, by editing their entries in PlayerData.json while the server is stopped, after they have joined once.

What the Admin Menu does

From the pause screen, owners and staff with access use the Admin Menu to:

• Change the map the server runs.
• Change the operating plan, which sets the lines and timetables drivers work.
• Rename the server.

Changing the map or plan affects everyone on the server, so announce it in chat first and give drivers a moment to finish their run.

The admin password setting

ServerSettings.cfg also has an adminPassword value, which the server describes as the password to log in as admin. Set it to something long (at least 8 characters) and keep it private. Owner rank through PlayerData.json is the reliable route to the Admin Menu, so use that for yourself.

Running a virtual transit company

Owner rights are what turn a shared server into a bus company:

1. Pick an operating plan that suits your number of drivers, so lines are covered without everyone stacking on one route.
2. Keep the server private with a password, or public if you recruit, and share the GUID in your Discord.
3. Agree on mods, especially the ones marked Client and Server on the Workshop, since every driver needs those installed. Connection problems from mods and versions are covered in The Bus can't join server fixes.
4. Promote one or two admins so the server keeps running smoothly when you are not around.

Doing it on a hosted server

On a The Bus server with GamezServers, TheBus/Saved/PlayerData.json is in the file manager. Stop the server from the control panel, edit your rank, start it again, and the live console shows whether the file loaded cleanly. The admin password, server password, name, slots and public listing are panel settings, and one click backups give you a copy of PlayerData.json before you edit. Starting from scratch, how to host a The Bus dedicated server covers the rest.

FAQ

How do I get admin on my The Bus server?

Join once, stop the server, set your rank to Owner in TheBus/Saved/PlayerData.json, and start it again. The Admin Menu appears in the pause screen.

Why did my rank change not save?

The server was running while you edited the file and wrote over it. Stop the server first, then edit.

What ranks are there on a The Bus server?

Owner, admin, moderator and user. New players start as user.

Can I change the map without restarting the server?

Yes. As owner, use the Admin Menu in the pause screen to change the map and operating plan.