SMART STOPS - THE KEY TO QUALITY BUS SUCCESS

Major improvements in ridership by Quality Bus projects such as the Superoute 66 in Ipswich have been successful by addressing all of the elements of the bus journey experience. This includes the passenger enquiry about the service, the walk to the bus stop, waiting at the stop, the actual bus ride itself and the final walk to destination. The major potential for significant change in the quality of this experience is at the wait at the bus stop and this is reflected by improvements in facilities such as real time information systems, as well as shelters and seating. This paper develops this concept further by identifying: (1) customer needs at the bus stop; (2) the specification for Smart Stops to cater for all of these needs; and (3) how this might be achieved in a commercial environment, and draws upon the author's experience in a wide range of projects in bus infrastructure. The paper explores specific issues including information systems, telephones, exclusive access to the stop, heating, fare payment, vending, CCTV, news TV, local information, and charging systems, and concludes with thoughts for the future. Whilst Smart Stops may not be appropriate in the near future or at every single location, the paper suggests methods of achieving Smart Stops as part of a total Quality Bus product. For the covering abstract, see IRRD 897990.