- Seminar
- 25th November at 2:00 pm
Lydia Horbury, Chief Executive at Bus Users UK, says the industry needs to shape up to meet future expectations.
When we’re asked to predict the future of transport we conjure up images of gleaming pods, bi-modal vehicles, even the odd hoverbus. Portsmouth, after all, is already making this a reality with First Bus Solent. The real future, however, is going to be less about chrome and more about comfort, connection, soul. The passenger of 2035 isn’t a data point; they’re smart, discerning, connected and individual. They expect a service that’s every bit as smart, connected and individual as they are.
Shared Journey Making
The days of the passive passenger waiting at a stop and hoping for the best are gone. The future passenger isn’t just on the bus, they’re helping to steer it (metaphorically, of course!). They’re co-producers. They want to design routes through an app, crowdsource safer stopping points and even shape the on-board experience. This isn’t the old, reactive model of feedback or complaint handling – it’s a genuine, dynamic powershare. The operators who flourish will be those who have the good business sense and the humility to share the controls.
Velvet Rope of Accessibility
For too long we’ve treated accessibility as an inconvenience, a ‘bolt-on’ compliance issue. The future passenger won’t stand for this. They expect accessibility to be invisible, intuitive and, frankly, a bit more stylish. It’s not just a ramp; it’s the dignity of a bus that kneels perfectly every time. It’s audio announcements that sound like a symphony, not a distressed Dalek. It’s app design that feels luxurious for all abilities. This is an elegant design philosophy that, by default, caters to everyone – whatever their needs or requirements; the supermarket shopper, the tourist navigating an unfamiliar city, the parent with a pushchair, the wheelchair user. It’s design that enables rather than excludes.
The Zen of ‘Phygital’ Technology
At once our greatest servant and most infuriating barrier. The future passenger expects a ‘phygital’ experience – a seamless, warm blend of the physical bus and the digital world. An app that tracks real buses, not ghost ones. AI that shapes the journey, perhaps even holding a connection or, dare we dream, warming your favourite seat. But digital by default must never become digital only. The smartest system on the planet is useless if it excludes. The future is an app that works beautifully for those who want it, alongside cash, paper tickets and the option to ask a real human being for directions. Technology should behave like a courteous butler, not a bouncer.
The future passenger isn’t just on the bus, they’re helping to steer it (metaphorically, of course!)
Now to the elephant in the depot: the autonomous bus. It’s coming.
Lydia Horbury joined Bus Users UK in 2023, and following a spell as the organisation’s Director for England, recently took over as Chair from Claire Walters upon her retirement. During her time with the organisation, Lydia has become a recognised voice in the sector, being part of the DfT’s Steering Group on Enhanced Partnerships, a chair, board member and advisor for numerous stakeholder and industry bodies, and a driving force behind the charity’s mission to improve access to transport.
Sustainability with Soul
We all love an electric bus but the future passenger’s idea of green goes much, much further. Zero-emission fleets is the starting point, not the aspiration. Beyond that, sustainability is about personal wellbeing. Services reliable enough to tempt people out of cars. Clean air, good lighting, a feeling of safety. Networks that reduce loneliness and knit communities together. Sustainability isn’t just about carbon; it’s about financial viability and that means passengers. Because the only truly sustainable bus is the one people actually want to travel on. You can’t save the planet if you ignore those who live on it.
Robot in the Driving Seat
Now to the elephant in the depot: the autonomous bus. It’s coming. A world of services that run like clockwork, day and night, with no more late-night gaps or routes cancelled by driver shortages. It’s the ultimate ‘on-demand’ vision. But the future passenger isn’t blinded by technology. They want transport they can count on. When the bus pulls up, will it notice the person in a wheelchair who needs a little extra time? If someone needs assistance, who will step in? A bus that drives itself is engineering. A bus that makes people feel safe and even cared for is a marvel of service.
The Ultimate Test
For all our talk of AI, real-time data and autonomous vehicles, the future of transport still hinges on one timeless concept: trust. Trust isn’t built by an algorithm. It’s built by a driver who waits that extra second for someone running to the stop. It’s built by a clean, safe environment. It’s built by honest, accurate, real-time information when things go wrong. And it’s built through investment. Because investing in the people on the frontline – their training, welfare and empowerment – isn’t a ‘nice to have,’ it’s an operator’s single greatest competitive advantage.
The Future is a Masterpiece
So what does this future passenger want? They want what we all want – a service that’s affordable, safe, reliable and accessible. But also a service that’s flexible, connected, integrated; that combines technology and sustainability with comfort; that delivers personalisation, agency, control. The future isn’t a top-down blueprint delivered by ‘us’ for ‘them.’ It’s a collaborative masterpiece, and we are being invited to pick up a brush. Let’s build a network that isn’t just smart, but wise. Not just efficient, but empathetic. The future, as they say, is now so let’s get to work…
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