Beyond Buses: Creating a better Public Transport System through Marketing,

Communications & Information

Ashwin Prabhu

Principal Associate

EMBARQ India

ConnectKaro 2014

Bangalore – March 10

Marketing, Communications & Public Transport

Why is Marketing & Communications important?

1. Public Transport operates in a Competitive Marketplace

Marketing, Communications & Public Transport

Why is Marketing & Communications important?

2. A system that communicates & markets itself well and appears (and is!) reliable, simple and accessible is more likely to:

- Attract new users

- Retain existing users

- Secure political and financial support

Marketing, Communications & Public Transport

Why is Marketing & Communications important?

3. Good Marketing & Communications can simplify the public transport experience

Marketing, Communications & Public Transport

Marketing, Communications & Public Transport

Why is Marketing & Communications important?

4. Marketing & Communications is especially important in the Indian context

Marketing, Communications & Public Transport

Marketing & Communications is essential for Public Transport. It should be a core activity - it is not a luxury, it is not a marginal activity

Marketing & Communications is a effective tool for promoting public transport – both ridership and resources

Marketing & Communications is especially essential for new services/systems

Marketing & Communications must be comprehensive, yet cohesive

Conclusions

Background:

BMTC

and

The Frequent Bus Network

BMTC Statistics

6,472 Buses (688 AC, 5655 Ordinary)

4.9 Million Passengers Daily

2,398 Routes

Source(s): BMTC

Differentiated Services

Ordinary Services

Vajra Pushpak

Atal Sarige Suvarna

Direct Services Model

Issue 1: Exponential Growth in Number of Routes

3 Hubs3

Destinations

9 Routes

3 Hubs6

Destinations

18 Routes

Issue 1: Exponential Growth in Number of Routes

3 Hubs9

Destinations

27 Routes

Issue 1: Exponential Growth in Number of Routes

Towards City Centre

Towards City Centre

Towards City Centre

Towards City Centre

As fiscal capacities are generally constrained, fleet size cannot keep up with the exponential increase in number of routes

Eventually, this system ends up with a large number of routes with only 1 or 2 buses

If these routes are long – as routes serving the city periphery tend to be – this results in long wait times on individual routes

Issue 2: Low Frequencies on Individual Routes

Route 356-B

KR MarketToKarpur

Route Length:34.3 KM

Buses:1

Wait Time till next bus:

~120 Min

Large number of routes increases system complexity and acts as a barrier to entry for new users

System complexity means developing user information systems, like maps at bus stops, becomes very difficult

Issue 3: Excessive Complexity for Users

Issue 3: Excessive Complexity for Users

The Frequent Bus Network

Principle #1:

Individual Routes along Major Roads are rationalised into a small number of Very High Frequency Routes

The Frequent Bus Network

Principle #2:

Travel Patterns that require moving beyond the major road are served by routes connecting to the Frequent Bus Network at interchange points

The Frequent Bus Network

Principle #3:

Specific Travel Patterns are served not by direct routes, but by a collection of ‘direction-oriented’ services connected by transfers

The Frequent Bus Network

Improves:

System Simplicity

fewer routes, easier to navigate

Quality of Service

more buses per route, higher frequency

System Capacity

higher frequency on specific ‘links’

Flexibility

easier to match supply to demand

Benefits of The Frequent Bus Network

Implementing The Frequent Bus Network in Bangalore

(BMTC)

BMTC is implementing Two Major Route & Network Structure Reforms:

1. The BIG Bus Network

2. Feeder Services for Peripheral Destinations

The Frequent Bus Network in Bangalore

The BIG Bus Network is a Connective Grid of

High Frequency, Direction-Oriented services along Main Roads

BIG = Bangalore Intra-city Grid

1. BIG Bus Network

1. BIG Bus Network

1. BIG Bus Network

1. BIG Bus Network

1. BIG Bus Network

1. BIG Bus Network – Full Network

Peripheral Destinations - which lie beyond ORR and off arterial roads - will be served with high frequency feeder

services connecting them to the main road

2. Feeder Services for Peripheral Destinations

2. Feeder Services for Peripheral Destinations

2. Feeder Services for Peripheral Destinations

BIG Bus Network + Feeders: An Example

BIG Bus Network + Feeders: An Example

BIG Bus Network + Feeders: An Example

An integrated fare system will ensure transfers are convenient and cheap

BMTC is procuring Electronic Ticketing Machines and a Smartcard Fare System for this purpose

Integrated Fare System

Unified Branding

Unified Branding of BIG Bus Network service components will ensure easy understanding of the system

High quality yet small footprint transfer facilities at interchange junctions will facilitate convenient and comfortable transfers

Transfer Facilities

Developing a strategy for

1. User Education

2. Marketing

3. User Information

for the roll out of the BIG Bus Network

THE TASK:

Groups of 5-6 people

Pick one representative

Each group picks one of the 3 topics:User EducationMarketingUser Information

40 minutes of deliberation

Present strategy/ideas (5 minutes for each group)

Format

“When we surveyed potential riders of the new Orange line they weren’t quite sure what it was. A Train? A Bus with Stations? A new fare structure?”

- Michael Lejuene, Creative Director, Los Angeles Metro

Task 1: User Education

How do you tell people about the new system?

How do you communicate the benefits of the new system?

How to establish public support for the reforms?

What channels/mediums do you use spread the word?

Task 1: User Education

“Traveller's perception of Public Transport systems must be thoroughly comprehended by marketing so that a public transport system can be successful”

- C.H. Wei & C.Y. Kao, Measuring Traveller Involvement in Urban Public Transport Systems

Task 2: Marketing

How to continuously promote Public Transport?

What lessons/strategies can be adopted from private sector?

What should be the messaging for promoting Public Transport?

How to target different socio-economic groups effectively?

Task 2: Marketing

“Public Transport can add real value to the city by being better integrated within its wider context”

- Transport for London, Best Practice Guides

Task 3: User Information

What information systems should be put in place?

What information should be available at Bus Stops and Stations?

What about ‘remote’ information systems?

How can we leverage technology to provide information? What about different socio-economic groups?

Task 3: User Information

Thank You!