Cartledge – THE INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS OF BUS PASSENGERS 1995

Description

This review assesses widespread shortcomings in bus passenger information since deregulation: incomplete, inconsistent and poorly presented timetables, limited publicity, vandalised or absent stop displays, and low awareness of enquiry services. Commentators and surveys show information is a deterrent for occasional and potential users, and operators often underinvest. Empirical experiments (leaflet campaigns, house-to-house guides, telephone centres) indicate information investment can yield positive returns and modest ridership gains. Large TRL and London Buses studies found frequency and reliability remain paramount, but information matters at the margin. Passengers fall into “phobics,” “lovers” and “pragmatists,” with pragmatists the key target for improved materials. Printed timetables are valued but underused and error-prone; telephone enquiries, stop timetables, named flags, on-board strip maps and personalised mailings are cost-effective; high‑tech real‑time displays are popular but should supplement, not replace, basic low‑tech provision. The paper urges comprehensive, accessible, up‑to‑date information across stops, vehicles, interchanges and media, plus best‑practice guidance and controlled trials, while warning information cannot substitute for poor service quality.