Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
in relation to customer wants and dislikes (Hensher et al, 2003). Thus, the
principal factors which encourage use are, for example, reliability, comfort,
safety and frequency. These are well documented in the transport journals and
studies (Swanson et al, 1997). Some authors have identified the need to inves-
tigate underlying perceptions and attitudes of users; they conclude that a high
service quality is essential to encourage new users. Once again, there are few
studies which focus on motivations for bus use and leisure travel (Beirão and
Sarsfield Cabral, 2007). Thompson and Schofield (2007) report a study of
tourist perceptions of public transport at an urban destination. They con-
cluded that public transport is only a minor influence on overall destination
satisfaction, but, with regard to the factor 'passenger transport', ease of access
was found to be more salient than either safety or efficiency. Several authors
(Gronau and Kagermeir, 2007; Lumsdon et al, 2006) comment that the use of
integrated ticketing and marketing for leisure travel deliver modal shift from
the car to bus travel, but only if there are market segments predisposed to
change.
There are, however, articles which point to factors discouraging travel by
bus, such as anti-social behaviour leading to negative arousal (disturbance
from other passengers), but once again the studies are urban-based and in rela-
tion to trips for all purposes (Andreassen, 1995). One study provides some
useful insights into motivation for bus travel. The authors asked respondents
to describe their ideal bus journey, and used Russell's orthogonal typology
with dimensions pleasant/unpleasant and activated/de-activated to summarize
the findings (Russell, 1980). They concluded that the desire of the bus user is
to be calm and contented amid pleasant surroundings, and hence bus travel
falls within the pleasant/deactivated quadrant:
The state of mind appears to involve being transported while
switched off. It is smooth, tranquil, undisturbed, relaxed,
absorbed, engaged with the moment but elsewhere and is pleas-
urable without being ecstatic. (Stradling et al, 2007, p290)
There is very limited research on the motivation of the tourist on board a
local scheduled bus service or a coach trip. The Institute of Transport and
Tourism (2006) undertook a comprehensive study of tourists on board rural
bus services at scenic destinations across the UK. The study concluded that
tourists seek out such services primarily for sightseeing, and also for access
to areas to walk without needing a car (Guiver, Lumsdon, Weston and
Ferguson, 2007). The study also noted the importance given to using envi-
ronmentally-friendly transport. Respondents who had a car available on the
day of travel stated that the advantages of using the bus over the car were
not having to drive on unfamiliar roads, being able to sightsee from the bus,
and avoiding congestion or difficult parking. Research undertaken by the
Institute of Transport and Tourism (2008) provides additional insight on
travel for tourism purposes using a minibus service. The authors reported
that tourists enjoy the company of others when using public transport for
recreation, even if there is minimal engagement in relation to their own
