Understanding Buses

For a whole variety of reasons, the bus industry continues to be of vital importance to the UK. It remains central to the economy, to plans to combat climate change and pollution, and to policies regarding social inclusion and accessibility. Yet, public and political comment on the industry continues to betray a lack of understanding and, it often seems, a degree of prejudice.

This book offers a clear, non-technical, jargon-free explanation of how the bus industry works. The chapters examine:

• The costs of operation - what the components are and what drives them, particularly understanding the crucial importance of speed and predictability
• The revenue earned - how much is needed to enable operators to meet their three key objectives
• to cover their costs
• to meet their financial obligations
• to invest in the future
• The need for profit - why operators need to make a surplus and what they do with it
• The principal drivers of demand for bus services
• The bus product - its various attributes and why they are important
• The competitive environment in which the industry operates
• The customer interface - researching, listening and communicating with bus users
• Trends in fares and ticketing
• Public spending on buses

Chris has worked in the public transport industry for over 48 years, the last 33 of them as an analyst and consultant. He has worked on a wide variety of projects including seven passenger rail franchise bids and more than ten PFI bids for rapid transit projects in the UK and overseas. He has worked with the Department for Transport on the development of a National Bus Model and with the Commission for Integrated Transport on a parallel National Rail Model. Other projects include advice to lenders and City institutions on acquisitions and flotations. He also helped to found the UK Bus Awards, a scheme founded in 1996 to promote excellence and good practice in the industry. This was followed by the launch of the UK Coach Awards in 2009. He was active in the management of the schemes until retiring in 2019. Chris is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and a Member of the Chartered Management Institute.