When people talk about their impact on the environment, it's obvious when they 'get it' but just as obvious when they bury their heads in the sand. Those in the former camp know that if everyone does their little bit, collectively it can have a massive impact on the wider issue. Those in the latter camp only see the little bits in isolation and struggle to see what difference such a small change can have. There are similarities to how bus travel is sold. Some operators expect potential customers to ditch their car (that cost them thousands to buy, and hundreds to tax, MOT, and insure each yea ..read more

A couple of weeks ago, the family took a bus from Swanage to Bournemouth and were lucky enough to have the holy grail of seats - top deck, front row. We didn't start the journey in them but managed to bag the spaces (we had our eyes on them...) after other passengers had left. It's easy to see why they're so sought after. You get a great view, where you think you're going to crash at every corner. You get to see into people's gardens and offices, and you get to see the tops of things you've never seen before. The top deck journey (and not just the front row) really is unique in transport t ..read more

Have just read a post on LinkedIn and felt the need to share its premise with you. In it, the author waxes lyrical about the cost-effectiveness of digital advertising, in comparison to the 'I don't know who's seen it' approach of the more traditional variety. They conclude with 'I can't remember the last time I watched TV'. Let's hope this person isn't involved in your company's marketing, otherwise, your future success is on a slippery slope. Marketing is never, ever about you and your preferences/behaviour. It's always about your customer and theirs. Marketing isn't about pitting traditiona ..read more

You've remortgaged your house and have £50k to spend on a loft conversion - it's a massive investment for you and things need to be right first time. You get plans drawn up and invite two local builders to quote for the work. The first arrives on time in a smartly branded van, dressed in a company-branded polo shirt. He leaves his shoes at the door when invited inside. After discussing the work in question, he politely listens to your concerns, offering the contact details of satisfied customers as reassurance. His quote arrives within the agreed timeframe, again well-branded and professional ..read more

When you boil down to the basics of public transport, all operators are providing a solution to a problem. The problem faced by the customer is getting from A to B in the easiest/cheapest/most suitable/most convenient way possible.  That may be by car, walking, or any other means and it's the job of public transport to throw bus and train travel into that mix of considerations. And if bus travel is advertised consistently, with the right messages, aimed at the right people then that consideration may start to bear fruit. No guarantee, but you'd definitely increase the odds over a dec ..read more

One key principle of an advertising campaign is to get across the benefits of your product in as many mediums as possible all within your budget - purists call it integrated. But which would you go for if you could choose a single well-designed, well-targeted ad or ten poorly designed, poorly targeted ads (total media and design cost of the two options is identical)?  You're a public transport marketing manager tasked with raising awareness of your brand and selling particular tickets to a particular market at a particular time. You have to report back to your commercial director and jus ..read more

One major part of rebranding a bus company is changing the livery accordingly. Yes, you've got all the boring stuff like the initial identity work followed the website, app, signage, and uniforms but what people who follow the industry really wax lyrical about is the livery. As it's the product packaging seen all day, every day by customers and non-customers that enthusiasm is understandable. But unfortunately, it's the one medium within a bus rebranding exercise that lets it down the most.  The big groups have 1000s of buses scattered all over the country, and to take each out of servic ..read more

Over Xmas, I took off for some fresh air and went on a lengthy walk.  I saw people sitting on buses, people waiting at bus stops, and people walking to bus stops. All engaging with public transport in some form. I also saw one girl (who had walked from the local chiropractors) seemingly ignored by public transport, or more specifically, ignored by a bus driver. She was waiting to cross a busy road to get to a bus stop, but the traffic was being rather unkind. She continued to be patient, looking for her opportunity as the bus appeared around the corner and pulled into the stop.  One ..read more

I think it's fair to say that many people in this country find public transport less than simple. Inner zones, outer zones, plus this, extra that, day rider, group roamers, tap on/off, tap and cap, route numbers, route names - you get the general gist - public transport seems to be very good at finding ways to confuse a customer. By contrast, the car appears to be the epitome of ease.  Once you've ignored the counterarguments that you must buy it, learn how to drive it, have somewhere to park it, tax/insure it, and pay to keep it roadworthy... jumping in and turning the key whenever you ..read more

The front page of this week's Passenger Transport carries a story about passenger growth, increased revenue, and improved punctuality on the new, franchised Bee Network in Greater Manchester. They led with the headline 'Bee Network journeys rose 8% in the first month', and as that obviously leads to more revenue, should be applauded. So, putting two and two together you'd think that franchising alone delivers a solid effective return on investment, right? I suspect that's not entirely true. The reality is that spending bucket loads of cash (as TfGM has been doing in the previous months) telli ..read more