Pulenat-Aballea and Tarrius – INFORMATION FOR BUS ROUTE USERS 1978

Description

This document, titled “Information des usagers des réseaux d’autobus: Processus d’information et besoins de l’usager,” is an extensive scanned research report (I.R.T. N° 33, Tome 1) published in June 1978 by the Institut de Recherche des Transports. Authored by Christiane Poulenat-Aballea and Alain Tarrius, it comprises 93 pages and is predominantly in French, but includes a valuable English summary and synthesis (pages 3-6) for broader accessibility. The report details a psycho-sociological survey conducted in October-November 1977 among 140 inhabitants of Le Mans and Nice. It investigates bus passenger information processes and user needs, assessing residents’ knowledge of public transport, how this knowledge is acquired, and difficulties in understanding written information. Richly illustrated with tables and detailed network maps for both cities (Annexe IV & V, pp. 117-120), it provides a trustworthy, foundational historical perspective on passenger perceptions and information strategies in public transport from the late 1970s. This makes it a significant resource for researchers and transport professionals studying the evolution of urban mobility information and user-centric design.