Scottish Government

Colin Buchanan

ISBN 0 7559 6173 0 (Web only publication)

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Colin Buchanan were commissioned by the Scottish Executive to carry out a series of telephone interview surveys aimed at assessing passenger satisfaction with local bus services throughout Scotland. The annual surveys sought to monitor changes in satisfaction which may be used to inform decision making and policy development. This research finding reports results from the November 2005 survey and compares them with the previous surveys undertaken in November 2002, 2003 and 2004.

Main Findings

• Bus passenger satisfaction in 2005 is high across Scotland with ratings for the overall service indicating that the average passenger is more than 'satisfied'. Particularly high satisfaction is seen for the demeanour of drivers, personal safety on the bus and the accessibility of bus stops. Low ratings are seen for information at bus stops and the state of the roads.
• Satisfaction varies from area to area and with the degree of urbanisation (typology). Users over 60 are noticeably more satisfied than those under 60, probably due to the availability of free travel for the over 60s. Differences between men and women, frequent and infrequent travellers, car owners and non-car owners and those on low and high incomes are evident but much less marked.
• Statistical analyses indicate that the most common significant influences on levels of satisfaction in 2005 were age, area, and whether or not the respondent had made a complaint recently.
• Comparison of these analyses with those conducted in previous years indicates that typology and area appear to be becoming less important over time as differences between the various groups get smaller while age is becoming increasing important.
• A comparison of the levels of satisfaction recorded in 2005 with those recorded in 2004, 2003 and 2002 indicates that 2005 satisfaction levels generally do not differ significantly from the 2003 levels and are often significantly higher than in 2002 and 2004. Only passengers from the Grampian area show a general decline rather than a general improvement in levels of satisfaction with issues relating mainly to punctuality, reliability and waiting times.
• The overall picture is one of apparently increasing satisfaction superimposed on a larger year to year fluctuation. However, satisfaction with value for money is declining in many groups and this may be related to the above inflation increases in the fares paid by survey respondents.
• The areas used to subdivide the data are based on the former regional council areas. These do not correspond to the areas of operation of any particular bus operators. Thus levels of satisfaction within areas cannot be simply related to good or poor provision by any one operator.
• Simple explanations can often be found for changes to levels of satisfaction but as levels of satisfaction are a complex product of user expectations and levels of service these may not be the only influences on satisfaction levels.

Introduction

In November 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 a telephone survey was carried out across Scotland aimed at assessing bus passengers' attitudes towards their local bus services. These surveys formed an ongoing assessment of satisfaction with Scotland's bus services intended to monitor changes in satisfaction levels. This information is intended be fed into other statistical monitoring of the bus and coach market. It is hoped that this will provide a more rounded picture of local bus services, and will enable future decision making and policy development to take account of passengers' needs and preferences.

Methodology

Survey design and administration

The survey questionnaire used in 2005 was very similar to that used in previous years with the bulk of the questions being identical throughout. Questions covered all the aspects of bus services of concern to passengers as derived from focus groups carried out before the first survey.

Telephone interviews were undertaken with a representative sample of 1,752 bus passengers over 15 years of age who had travelled locally on a bus at least once during the preceding month. The interviews were carried out in accordance with the MRS code of conduct and quality assurance criteria.

Selection of survey group

Respondents were selected from a series of pre-selected postcode sectors throughout Scotland. These were chosen to ensure that there was an even coverage across areas ¹ and urban and rural typologies.

¹ Six areas were used which were based on the former Scottish council regions. These were:

1) Highlands and Islands (Highland, Orkney, Shetland and Eilean Siar)
2) Grampian (Aberdeen City, Aberdeen and Moray)
3) Central, Fife and Tayside (Clackmannan, Falkirk, Fife, Angus, Dundee City, Perth & Kinross and Stirling)
4) Lothians (East Lothian, West Lothian, Midlothian and City of Edinburgh)
5) Strathclyde (Glasgow City, East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire, North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, Argyll and Bute, East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire and South Ayrshire)
6) Scottish Borders and Dumfries & Galloway (Scottish Borders and Dumfries & Galloway)

Within each area and urban/rural typology a quota control was applied to the data collection which was based on:

• age (16-59 / over 60)
• gender (male / female)
• frequency of bus use (less than 3 journeys a week / 3 or more journeys a week)
• Car ownership (no cars in household / at least one car in household)

Information collected

General demographic data was collected, as was information on trip purpose.

Passengers were asked to concentrate on their experiences during one particular recent journey and to state their level of satisfaction with around 30 aspects of the bus service. These aspects are shown in the headings of the following tables.

Satisfaction ratings were recorded on a scale running from 5 (very satisfied) to 1 (very dissatisfied). The ratings were then averaged and multiplied by 20 to give the figures presented here. Also shown is a composite average which is useful as an indication of the typical 'Scottish' experience.

2005 Survey Results

Characteristics of respondents

Respondents were spread over all of the Scottish areas and were drawn from both urban and rural typologies. Approximately 61% were women, 41% were over 60, 33% had no car and 48% of those who gave income information had gross household incomes of less than £15,000 a year.

Satisfaction levels

A rating of 100 would indicate that all respondents were 'very satisfied'. 80 indicates that respondents are 'satisfied' on average and 60 would indicate that respondents were 'neither satisfied nor dissatisfied' on average. A rating of 87.0 was found for the overall service and most individual aspects of services scored above 80. The highest levels of satisfaction were found for the demeanour of drivers (87.3), personal safety on the bus and accessibility of bus stops (both 87.2). The lowest ratings were found for information at bus stops (74.9) and the state of the roads (76.2).

Variation in satisfaction between groups

Satisfaction varied with area (see the footnote to the methodology) with those in the Highlands and Islands most commonly most satisfied and those in Grampian most commonly least satisfied, in contrast to 2004 when Grampian tended to score highly. It has been suggested that this may be related to ongoing problems with traffic congestion and road works on the routes into Aberdeen City. When passengers are divided according to typology those in large urban typologies tend to be most satisfied and satisfaction levels are similar across the other groups.

Older people are more satisfied than younger people, particularly with value for money and the ease of paying the fare. This higher satisfaction generally, and with these aspects in particular, is likely to be associated with the provision of free bus travel to this group.

There are only slight differences in satisfaction between men and women, frequent and infrequent users, non-car owners and car owners and those on low and high incomes.

Statistically significant influences on satisfaction

Statistical analyses indicated that the significant influences on satisfaction were age, area, and if the respondent had complained recently. Income, typology, frequency of bus use and the number of cars available to a household were rarely significant. Gender was never significant.

In cases where area was important, all but one area showed the maximum satisfaction level in at least one category and all but two the minimum indicating that the patterns of satisfaction by area vary from category to category.

Where typology was important large urban typologies and remote rural typologies most commonly showed the highest levels of satisfaction and the lowest levels generally applied to accessible rural typologies.

In all cases where age was important older people were more satisfied than younger people and, if having complained was important, those who had complained recently were less satisfied than those who had not.

Trends in satisfaction over time (2002 to 2005)

Changes in satisfaction - All respondents

Satisfaction in 2005 with the overall service was 87.0, significantly higher than the 2002 value (84.3) and higher, though not significantly so, than the 2003 (86.4) and 2004 (85.9) values.

Generally the 2005 satisfaction levels with individual aspects of services tended not to differ significantly from the 2003 values and to be significantly higher than the 2002 and 2004. The exception to this rule is with the value for money aspect where satisfaction in 2005 is significantly lower than in 2002 and 2003 and is now at its lowest level. In general the picture is one of apparently increasing satisfaction superimposed on a larger year to year fluctuation yet not sufficient to make users who pay feel as though they are getting value for money.

Changes in satisfaction in different areas

Most areas showed increases in satisfaction levels. The exception to this rule is the Grampian area where there were no statistically significant increases in satisfaction and statistically significant decreases in satisfaction with punctuality, reliability, waiting times and the state of the roads (Table 1).

Changes in satisfaction in different typologies

Changes in other urban typologies are most marked with almost all attributes showing increased levels of satisfaction and only one (value for money) showing a statistically significant decline in other urban areas. Satisfaction levels in rural areas appear to be fairly steady (Table 1).

Changes in satisfaction in different age groups

Both older and younger people show generally rising levels of satisfaction with the 2005 values typically higher than the 2002 and 2004 values and similar to the 2003 values. Satisfaction amongst older people with value for money is now at the highest level recorded for any attribute in any year but for younger people satisfaction with this attribute is still low and appears to be trending downwards (Table 2).

Changes in satisfaction amongst men and women

Both men and women show levels of satisfaction generally similar to those recorded in 2003 and higher than in 2002 and 2004 (Table 2).

Changes in satisfaction amongst frequent / infrequent users

Most attributes show satisfaction levels similar to than those recorded in 2003 and higher than those recorded in 2002 and 2004 (Table 2).

Changes in satisfaction amongst car owners / non-car owners

Both groups show satisfaction levels generally similar to those identified in 2003 and higher than those identified in 2002 and 2004 (Table 2).

Changes in satisfaction in different income groups

Satisfaction levels are rising in both groups though changes are more notable amongst those on lower incomes (Table 2).

Table 1: Apparent trends in satisfaction for all respondents and for respondents divided according to area and typol

Table 2: Apparent trends in satisfaction by age, gender, frequency of use, level of car ownership and income.

Relating differences between groups and over time to changes in service provision

A number of the differences between groups are intuitively obvious. For example it is likely that older people are more satisfied because they travel free and tend not to use services at peak times or during the hours of darkness. Other differences are less intuitively clear. For example frequent users are more satisfied with the availability of handrails. This could be because frequent users are familiar with the layouts of buses but could also be because those in most need of such features do not travel frequently.

In terms of changes over time a number of council officers were contacted to see if some of the larger changes in levels of satisfaction could be explained by changes in provision. In all cases it was relatively simple to identify possible reasons for increased and decreased levels of satisfaction. However, levels of satisfaction are not simply related to levels of provision but are also related to expectations and likely to be influenced by media interest and prevailing social attitudes.

Conclusion

Results from the 4 surveys (2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005) show that user satisfaction with the overall service is high; levels of satisfaction are higher in 2005 than in 2002 and 2004 and apparently trending upwards over time for a number of bus service attributes. However, it must be noted that the series of surveys is focussed on the satisfaction levels of bus users and does not address satisfaction amongst people who rarely or never use buses or the satisfaction levels of the respondents with buses in general rather than the specific journey discussed.

Satisfaction varies with area, age and if a respondent had complained but is less influenced by typology, gender, car ownership and income. Most notably older people are more satisfied than younger people probably because of the concessionary travel they have access to.

Levels of satisfaction with different aspects of services appear to be generally increasing though the overall picture is of apparently gradually increasing satisfaction superimposed on a larger year to year fluctuation. Satisfaction with value for money amongst those who pay is falling probably due to above inflation increases in the fares paid. The trends identified are subtle and further work would be needed to confirm that they are persistent.

Levels of satisfaction are a complex product of both expectations and levels of service and are likely to be as strongly influenced by media interest and prevailing social attitudes as by actual changes in services particularly as changes in services are, of necessity, gradual.

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The research report "Bus Passenger Satisfaction Survey 2005" which is summarised in this research finding is a web only document and is available on the publications pages of the Scottish Executive website at: www.scotland.gov.uk/publications/recent

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