Choose bus to save — #lovemybus
#lovemybus – choosing to travel by bus can save money and time
Customers value good quality and speed from public transport – both are critical in affecting customer satisfaction. Research has found that fare price combined with frequency to be the most important public transport quality attributes for users. [1]
Research shows that the bus wins on price over other options, e.g. train and car. In a US study, focus groups were used to ascertain important reasons for intercity coach use. Participants most frequently cited price as the reason why they used coaches.[2] Similarly, in Germany research has found that intercity buses were assessed best with respect to the price criteria.[3]
#lovemybus Champion Emma chooses the bus to commute, ‘because it is convenient, cheap and simple’. She goes on to say that, ‘on the back of the X77 the figure says, ‘this bus takes 75 cars off the road’ and that was really surprising to me, but it was great to hear. I definitely do not find the journey stressful. I have a five-minute walk from the house to the bus stop, which is nice, and far less stressful than driving’.
Professor Davis notes that,
‘Price, shorter travel times and frequency of service motivates switch from car. A survey of car users’ stated reasons for reduced car use for the work commute found that shorter travel time, increased frequency of service, and a lower fare would make public transport more attractive to car users. This affirms the importance of price in making public transport services more attractive relative to private motor vehicles.’
So, choose the bus to get to know your community better, save money, save time and take cars off the road.
[1] Eboli, L., Mazzulla G. 2008. A stated preference experiment for measuring service quality in public transport, Transportation Planning and Technology, 31(5): pp. 509-523.
[2] Klein, N. 2016. More than just a bus ride: The role of perceptions in travel behaviour, Urban Studies, 54(11) 2490-2503.
[3] Burgdorf, C., Eisenkopf, A., Knorr, A. 2018. User acceptance of long distance bus services in Germany, Research in Transportational Economics, 69: pp. 270-283.
