Independent watchdog Transport Focus has released a summary report on young people’s attitudes towards bus use, described as a call to action for Governments, local authorities and bus operators. Peter Jackson dissects the report to find out what needs to be done to keep youngsters on side
According to Transport Focus’ Autumn 2016 Bus Passenger Survey, more young people use the bus than any other group of passengers, yet they are also the least satisfied category of bus users.
In a bid to find out the reasons behind this, the organisation’s latest report includes research from focus groups comprised of young people between the ages of 14-16 and 17-19 in Leeds, Norwich, Solihull and Shenfield. The organisation also carried out 1,000 interviews with 14-19 year olds from around the UK.
Despite certain operators introducing student-focused fare deals, accompanying ticketing apps and on-bus WiFi and USB charging, the independent watchdog argues that these initiatives are ‘patchy’, and more work still needs to be done to encourage young people to continue taking the bus through choice – not necessity.
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Building independence is a crucial aspect of bus use for young people; being able to travel on their own and experience that first real taste of freedom has become a rite of passage for teenagers nationwide. Making sure that they feel comfortable while doing so, then, must be a priority for every operator.
As the report explains: “They don’t want to be embarrassed in public or in front of their friends, so they may be reluctant to interact with the driver or other passengers. At the same time, they appreciate the reassurance of the journey going as expected, to build their confidence.”
For many, the core aspects of the bus system can be difficult to get to grips with. Finding information about stops – both where to get on and when to get off – is usually not as straightforward as it should be, and anxiety over what to do if the bus is late, drives past or never shows up is an additional concern.
The report suggests that ‘real-time information is a key requirement to provide reassurance’ – letting passengers know when the next bus is expected and where it’s heading makes the experience a great deal more palatable.
51% of survey participants said they had to ask friends or family for information on their journeys, with 46% also relying on Google Maps. Only 26% of those asked said they paid attention to departure boards or information screens at stations, suggesting room for improvement.
Many of the concerns raised by young people in this area are fairly simple and, theoretically, quite easy to address. One 14-16 year-old Essex-based participant said: “Make it clearer which stop you are passing because if you don’t know the area you won’t know where you are.”
Boarding the bus can be a voyage into the unknown for many youngsters, too. Typical concerns here relate to interactions with the driver; young people often ask themselves whether they know where they’re going, wonder whether the driver will understand what they’re asking for, or are unsure if they have enough money or whether their pass will work. Without being educated on what to do, many teens who took part in the survey expressed their worries over potential embarrassment – including being asked to get off the bus.
Crucially, the report suggests that 17-19 year-olds in particular are prepared to pay a little extra to guarantee convenience, an aspect which is highly valued. Indeed, it may be £2 to £3 more to use Uber, but it’s considered worth it for the door-to-door convenience.
Fundamental flaws
“The journey experience starts at the bus stop. Punctuality is a big issue, with a quarter of regular bus users in our survey claiming the bus is late all or most of the time. The environment here makes a big impact and young people really notice poor quality,” reads the report. Dirty, poorly-lit and poorly-kept stops, often surrounded by litter and displaying ‘unreadable’ timetables are sadly commonplace, and a big turn-off for 14-19s. Like all passengers, young people want somewhere clean and comfortable to wait, with a proper shelter to keep the elements at bay.
Cleanliness is also of paramount importance on the bus: “Young people were strongly negative towards litter and dirty seats, which made them feel uneasy.”
In today’s constantly-connected, always-online world, waiting has become a slightly alien concept for many of us – not least those under 20. Young people are used to having everything at their fingertips, so don’t want to waste time waiting around for a bus. According to the report, they would prefer a more train-like system where bus times are given in advance, thereby enabling them to get to the stop just in time to catch the bus.
Along a similar vein, fast and reliable WiFi was ranked as the second highest priority in the survey, behind only value for money. A decent internet connection allows young passengers to spend their journey time productively and stave off boredom. USB charging points fall under the same category, and are considered ‘equally important’ by the watchdog.
Beyond that, overcrowded buses and unfriendly drivers are other areas requiring improvement; having an approachable and polite driver helps start the journey off on the right foot, and makes young people feel more relaxed and safe.
Technology talks
Transport Focus’ report argues that the bus industry can learn a great deal from other sectors when it comes to embedding modern technology into its services: “Young people, like other passengers, want the systems they use to be straightforward, intuitive and inviting. This applies to all the different parts of bus travel; planning the journey, finding information about routes and stops, getting advice about tickets and fares, through to actually buying the ticket.”
Mobile apps form an important part of this strategy; a well-crafted ticketing app that is convenient and simple to use could be what persuades young people to take the bus over calling for a taxi or using Uber. As pointed out in the report, however, most people are reluctant to install additional apps for each individual service or bus operator. Collaboration between operators to create a single app could, therefore, prove to be the ideal solution. The report goes on to point out: “Many systems young people are familiar with – such as apps to book cinema tickets – offer an easy-to-use interface, downloadable tickets and tailored offers and discounts. These apps are supported by good customer service that offers individual deals and options, and that put the consumer in charge with little interaction with staff. In contrast, young people don’t feel that they have any relationship with bus operators, nor do they see that offers are targeted at them, or have them in mind.”
As alluded to previously, the report continually reiterates the importance of incorporating real-time information into services. Real-time displays benefit the passenger experience in a variety of ways, reducing worry over waiting times and the need to check elsewhere for information. There’s a great deal more scope for future improvements in this area, though, says Transport Focus: “Young people want systems to ‘hold their hand’ through the experience and create a sense of understanding and familiarity. This includes fares shown with journey plans and at bus stops, clear information on discounts and easy ways to pay such as through smart and contactless. They also want information that updates along the journey, especially during delays, to give the cause, revised journey times and connections, supported by announcements and screens on board. Information is key.”
One concern which was raised repeatedly in interviews was the absence of any on-board information displays. In the words of one 14-16 year old interviewee: “It would be nice to have something that tells you where you are or when you are getting to a certain bus stop because I had to look on Google Maps – or at least for it to say the name of the bus stop at the actual stop.”
A fare deal
Bus fares can be somewhat confusing; even for people who use buses regularly, different operators in different parts of the country all have different fare options and prices. For those new to bus travel, this can be quite daunting – many are unsure how much the fare will be and worry whether they’ll have enough money or the correct change to travel.
Worryingly, “Although there are lots of discounts and special offers available for young people, there is limited awareness of these. Around half of young people did not understand the different discounts or special fares offered, including just under a fifth who weren’t sure these existed at all.
“Young people also don’t feel like promotions are targeted at them. Only 42% agreed that buses are the cheapest way of getting to places. In addition, 35% pay for fares from their own pocket money or earnings, so feel the expense more keenly. Among young people, as in all age groups, value for money is the top priority for improvement.”
The future
The 14-19 year olds involved in this study represent the future bus-riding population, and so their views must be seriously taken into consideration if the industry is to flourish and prosper in the decades to come. In the words of David Sidebottom, Passenger Director at Transport Focus: “We know that young people – like most other public transport users – are concerned with the value for money, punctuality and reliability of their service. Our report is a call to action for Governments, local authorities and bus operators to act now to make sure they don’t lose their customers of the future.”
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