Buses are the answer to so many challenges but they are often overlooked. How can we change that?
LadBible is amenable to bus stories and recently covered Stagecoach’s autonomous bus trial
BY Andrew Clark
An ultra-modern convention centre in Brussels. Eurocrats in button-down shirts nibble croissants and drink espresso. The topic for discussion at a Politico transport conference is ‘what does the future look like for mobility’. But where are the buses?
A bus is the most efficient, environmentally friendly way of moving large numbers of people around an urban environment. It is the best solution yet invented to tackle congestion, pollution and social exclusion.
The Brussels event in December, like many of its kind, discussed alternative fuels for cars and aircraft, and touched on rail and micromobility. But like a middle aged parent at a student party, the bus was ignored.
Buses are at the vanguard of innovation around contactless ticketing, zero emission propulsion and mobility as a service. The industry is packed with dedicated professionals. But the outside world too often fails to see buses as technology focused or aspirational.
“Buses, as a whole, have a sort of an image problem,” says Jonn Elledge, a journalist, author and blogger with a speciality in transport. “They’re often seen as a relatively low class, cheap option, which is completely unfair. That doesn’t relate to anything to do with specific operators – you see it in the US and across Europe too.”
Although there are twice as many bus journeys as train journeys per year, the volume of media discussion of rail is far greater. Elledge cites a number of factors – including the complexity and fragmentation of bus networks around the country and the gap between London and the rest of the country.
“There’s a relatively manageable number of rail companies out there. It’s not that hard to work out who’s running particular trains. But I don’t instinctively know who’s running the buses in, say West Yorkshire, or how that system works,” he says. “I don’t think you’re ever going to make buses cool, exactly, but there are things that could be done to communicate the system more effectively.”
The industry’s odd predicament – being key to sustainable mobility but often unacknowledged – is illustrated by a recurring meme in Silicon Valley. When big brained technology entrepreneurs get together and discuss mobility ideas, they tend to come up with concepts – such as shared Ubers on fixed routes – that sound an awful lot like buses.
Elon Musk, a few years ago, excitedly visualised a transport network with “1,000s of small stations the size of a single parking space that take you very close to your destination and blend seamlessly into the fabric of a city”. Twitter users were quick to point out that these already exist, and are known as bus stops.
So what can be done? How can the bus industry gain more of the recognition it deserves and wrap itself in the mantle of
hi-tech future mobility?
In communications terms, there is an opportunity for the industry to up its game, and perhaps to take some tips from sectors that are more adept at self promotion.
Take imagery, for example. The typical bus industry photoshoot tends to involve a group of people standing in front of, or on board, a bus, usually in a depot. A scroll through LinkedIn invariably throws up a few of these shots – sometimes with a special message on the destination blind, but usually snapped on a mobile phone.
I do think there’s an image problem – buses are definitely under-represented versus what they do
Contrast this with, say, the automotive industry, where high quality photography, video and animation, with great lighting and visual props, are an absolute prerequisite. Or the aviation industry, which makes any new route or service a ‘moment’, greeting the first incoming aircraft with a champagne reception and water cannons.
If the goal is to cut through and make a splash, an investment in a professional photographer or videographer makes a huge difference – and media generally prefer ‘doing’ shots, or highly scenic imagery, to pictures of people simply smiling at the camera.
There are tricks to learn, too, from rail operators. Train companies are adept at creating a buzz out of launching new or refurbished train fleets. A few gimmicks, and some playfulness, can go a long way.
The recent launch of South Western Railways’ fleet of Arterio trains at Waterloo was heralded with a brass band, a flurry of admiring videos by Youtube influencers and by a naming ceremony featuring the cricketer Stuart Broad (on the tenuous basis that the trains will stop at Vauxhall, which is near the Oval).
Ross Lydall, transport editor at The Standard, says that when he does write bus stories, they often chime with readers. “We see the numbers and stories about buses do much better than you’d expect.”
He cites two examples that did very well on clicks: the launch of a new bus service between Golders Green and Stamford Hill, linking two areas with large Jewish populations, and a stunt by the former MP Greg Hands to get Unesco to ‘list’ a threatened bus route.
For all the bus industry’s efforts to promote its decarbonisation credentials, though, Lydall isn’t sure the green message is sticking: “I always think they could do more to advertise the fact that they’re leading this revolution towards net zero.”
He has a point – a Savanta poll commissioned by Go-Ahead in 2023 found that only 26% of the public consider buses to be a ‘green’ mode of transport.
Lydall offers a suggestion: “The countdown indicator at a bus stop doesn’t tell you if it’s an electric bus that’s coming. Why not? There might be some people who would choose to wait a little longer for a zero emission one.”
The bus industry often prides itself in being down-to-earth and unpretentious. Commercial bus operators – unlike rail operators – are directly exposed to revenue risk, which means a sharp focus on customers, communities and value.
But in the bigger game of ‘future of mobility’ where policy priorities are being thrashed out and long-term funding is being reimagined, visibility is key. Perhaps it’s time to pivot a few degrees towards technology, ingenuity and youth.
A look at LadBible is instructive. With vast reach, LadBible is one of the most shared news sources on social media for young adults aged
18 to 34. It’s amenable to bus stories, but in a hi-tech, breathless way. Recent coverage enthuses over Adelaide’s O-Bahn busway (“this is how buses change from road to rail”), Korean bus stops with central heating, and a Stagecoach trial of a driverless bus in Edinburgh.
Ben Clatworthy, transport correspondent at The Times, says: “I do think there’s an image problem – buses are definitely under-represented versus what they do. They should talk more about technology – and if there’s anything quirky, that always helps.”
On the quirky side, a tool that does well in transport coverage is the map. Blogs on urban life love serving up unusual metro maps from around the world and left-field takes on the London tube map. It’s harder to come up with a visually arresting bus map – but who’s to say it wouldn’t be similar clickbait.
The arrival of artificial intelligence presents an opportunity: AI is already making it simpler, and quicker, to mock up photos and graphics, generate snappy text and even automatically edit video.
In Westminster, the election of a Labour government with big ambitions for buses means that it is vital for the industry to have a powerful voice. Before her resignation as transport secretary, Louise Haigh described buses as “the lifeblood of communities” and the government has put them at the centre of its integrated transport strategy.
The industry does not always agree with the direction of policy – franchising and the recent hike in national insurance come to mind. But there is a recognition from Labour that buses, once barely mentioned in parliament, matter to peoples’ lives.
Influence and visibility tend to go hand-in-hand. And through media and social media, an opportunity is out there to impress – if the content hits the mark.
“Buses are too often seen as a little bit of a fuddy duddy way to get about, which is just not true,” says Clatworthy, who says he welcomes consumer stories from the industry.
He adds a note of caution and realism, though: “Sometimes there’s an argument that not appearing much in the news means you’re doing things well. Don’t forget when we’re writing about trains it’s often about delays, strikes or bonuses.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Andrew Clark is a Director at Rud Pedersen UK, with a speciality in transport communications. Andrew had a career in journalism serving as a business editor at The Times, The Guardian
and The Observer. He joined the Rud Pedersen this year from The Go-Ahead Group, where he was Corporate Affairs Director
This article appears in the latest issue of Passenger Transport.
Buses have an image problem
by Passenger Transport on Dec 16, 2024 • 9:59 am No CommentsBuses are the answer to so many challenges but they are often overlooked. How can we change that?
BY Andrew Clark
An ultra-modern convention centre in Brussels. Eurocrats in button-down shirts nibble croissants and drink espresso. The topic for discussion at a Politico transport conference is ‘what does the future look like for mobility’. But where are the buses?
A bus is the most efficient, environmentally friendly way of moving large numbers of people around an urban environment. It is the best solution yet invented to tackle congestion, pollution and social exclusion.
The Brussels event in December, like many of its kind, discussed alternative fuels for cars and aircraft, and touched on rail and micromobility. But like a middle aged parent at a student party, the bus was ignored.
Buses are at the vanguard of innovation around contactless ticketing, zero emission propulsion and mobility as a service. The industry is packed with dedicated professionals. But the outside world too often fails to see buses as technology focused or aspirational.
“Buses, as a whole, have a sort of an image problem,” says Jonn Elledge, a journalist, author and blogger with a speciality in transport. “They’re often seen as a relatively low class, cheap option, which is completely unfair. That doesn’t relate to anything to do with specific operators – you see it in the US and across Europe too.”
Although there are twice as many bus journeys as train journeys per year, the volume of media discussion of rail is far greater. Elledge cites a number of factors – including the complexity and fragmentation of bus networks around the country and the gap between London and the rest of the country.
“There’s a relatively manageable number of rail companies out there. It’s not that hard to work out who’s running particular trains. But I don’t instinctively know who’s running the buses in, say West Yorkshire, or how that system works,” he says. “I don’t think you’re ever going to make buses cool, exactly, but there are things that could be done to communicate the system more effectively.”
The industry’s odd predicament – being key to sustainable mobility but often unacknowledged – is illustrated by a recurring meme in Silicon Valley. When big brained technology entrepreneurs get together and discuss mobility ideas, they tend to come up with concepts – such as shared Ubers on fixed routes – that sound an awful lot like buses.
Elon Musk, a few years ago, excitedly visualised a transport network with “1,000s of small stations the size of a single parking space that take you very close to your destination and blend seamlessly into the fabric of a city”. Twitter users were quick to point out that these already exist, and are known as bus stops.
So what can be done? How can the bus industry gain more of the recognition it deserves and wrap itself in the mantle of
hi-tech future mobility?
In communications terms, there is an opportunity for the industry to up its game, and perhaps to take some tips from sectors that are more adept at self promotion.
Take imagery, for example. The typical bus industry photoshoot tends to involve a group of people standing in front of, or on board, a bus, usually in a depot. A scroll through LinkedIn invariably throws up a few of these shots – sometimes with a special message on the destination blind, but usually snapped on a mobile phone.
Contrast this with, say, the automotive industry, where high quality photography, video and animation, with great lighting and visual props, are an absolute prerequisite. Or the aviation industry, which makes any new route or service a ‘moment’, greeting the first incoming aircraft with a champagne reception and water cannons.
If the goal is to cut through and make a splash, an investment in a professional photographer or videographer makes a huge difference – and media generally prefer ‘doing’ shots, or highly scenic imagery, to pictures of people simply smiling at the camera.
There are tricks to learn, too, from rail operators. Train companies are adept at creating a buzz out of launching new or refurbished train fleets. A few gimmicks, and some playfulness, can go a long way.
The recent launch of South Western Railways’ fleet of Arterio trains at Waterloo was heralded with a brass band, a flurry of admiring videos by Youtube influencers and by a naming ceremony featuring the cricketer Stuart Broad (on the tenuous basis that the trains will stop at Vauxhall, which is near the Oval).
Ross Lydall, transport editor at The Standard, says that when he does write bus stories, they often chime with readers. “We see the numbers and stories about buses do much better than you’d expect.”
He cites two examples that did very well on clicks: the launch of a new bus service between Golders Green and Stamford Hill, linking two areas with large Jewish populations, and a stunt by the former MP Greg Hands to get Unesco to ‘list’ a threatened bus route.
For all the bus industry’s efforts to promote its decarbonisation credentials, though, Lydall isn’t sure the green message is sticking: “I always think they could do more to advertise the fact that they’re leading this revolution towards net zero.”
He has a point – a Savanta poll commissioned by Go-Ahead in 2023 found that only 26% of the public consider buses to be a ‘green’ mode of transport.
Lydall offers a suggestion: “The countdown indicator at a bus stop doesn’t tell you if it’s an electric bus that’s coming. Why not? There might be some people who would choose to wait a little longer for a zero emission one.”
The bus industry often prides itself in being down-to-earth and unpretentious. Commercial bus operators – unlike rail operators – are directly exposed to revenue risk, which means a sharp focus on customers, communities and value.
But in the bigger game of ‘future of mobility’ where policy priorities are being thrashed out and long-term funding is being reimagined, visibility is key. Perhaps it’s time to pivot a few degrees towards technology, ingenuity and youth.
A look at LadBible is instructive. With vast reach, LadBible is one of the most shared news sources on social media for young adults aged
18 to 34. It’s amenable to bus stories, but in a hi-tech, breathless way. Recent coverage enthuses over Adelaide’s O-Bahn busway (“this is how buses change from road to rail”), Korean bus stops with central heating, and a Stagecoach trial of a driverless bus in Edinburgh.
Ben Clatworthy, transport correspondent at The Times, says: “I do think there’s an image problem – buses are definitely under-represented versus what they do. They should talk more about technology – and if there’s anything quirky, that always helps.”
On the quirky side, a tool that does well in transport coverage is the map. Blogs on urban life love serving up unusual metro maps from around the world and left-field takes on the London tube map. It’s harder to come up with a visually arresting bus map – but who’s to say it wouldn’t be similar clickbait.
The arrival of artificial intelligence presents an opportunity: AI is already making it simpler, and quicker, to mock up photos and graphics, generate snappy text and even automatically edit video.
In Westminster, the election of a Labour government with big ambitions for buses means that it is vital for the industry to have a powerful voice. Before her resignation as transport secretary, Louise Haigh described buses as “the lifeblood of communities” and the government has put them at the centre of its integrated transport strategy.
The industry does not always agree with the direction of policy – franchising and the recent hike in national insurance come to mind. But there is a recognition from Labour that buses, once barely mentioned in parliament, matter to peoples’ lives.
Influence and visibility tend to go hand-in-hand. And through media and social media, an opportunity is out there to impress – if the content hits the mark.
“Buses are too often seen as a little bit of a fuddy duddy way to get about, which is just not true,” says Clatworthy, who says he welcomes consumer stories from the industry.
He adds a note of caution and realism, though: “Sometimes there’s an argument that not appearing much in the news means you’re doing things well. Don’t forget when we’re writing about trains it’s often about delays, strikes or bonuses.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Andrew Clark is a Director at Rud Pedersen UK, with a speciality in transport communications. Andrew had a career in journalism serving as a business editor at The Times, The Guardian
and The Observer. He joined the Rud Pedersen this year from The Go-Ahead Group, where he was Corporate Affairs Director
This article appears in the latest issue of Passenger Transport.
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