The best way to get more customers is run more buses, more often and on time, watchdog tells industry
Bus operators can attract more new passengers to see for themselves by improving these basics, watchdog tells industry.
Bus passengers like the bus, but would use it even more if they ran more reliably and more often.
Simple to say but is it achievable? That’s the challenge from independent watchdog Transport Focus as it publishes its latest Bus Passengers’ Priorities for Improvement.
The watchdog quizzed 5000 current bus users across England (outside of London) on what their biggest priorities are.
Director David Sidebottom said: “Passengers have sent a clear message – focus on the basics. People want on-time services going to more places, more often. And of course better value for money is still important.”
The priorities research can be broken down further by groups of passengers and the type of journeys they make, including by region. The watchdog uses it with decisionmakers including the Department for Transport, transport industry and local authorities to help focus resources.
David Sidebottom adds: “We know that those who use the bus are pretty satisfied with it. We encouraged passengers to GiveBusAGo in the West Midlands recently and found that many of our volunteers are all still using the bus after the project finished as they had been impressed. Bus operators can attract more new passengers to see for themselves by improving these basics.”
