try to get two seats for yourself if possible. i've been on a lot of long bus rides, and the best trick i've found is to pretend to be asileep when people are boarding the bus, and just keep the act up until whoever wants to sit in the seat occupied by your legs is gone. no matter what, don't open your eyes, even if its perfectly clear to everyone on the bus that you can't possibly be asleep.  you'll have a way more comfortable ride, although this only works on the shit ghetto buses that don't care about the seat number you've been assigned, or don't even bother assigning you a seat.