Bus Niche Marketing Project
NSW Department of Environment and Conservation Local Air Improvement Program
As part of the Local Air Improvement Program, the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation provided a grant to Sutherland Shire Council of $21,000 to undertake the 'Bus Niche Marketing Project'.
The objectives of the Niche Marketing Project are to:
- reduce motor vehicle emissions that include NOx, CO, VOCs, PM10 and Carbon Dioxide CO2
- facilitate a sustained mode shift from motor car to bus
- establish a greater understanding of the underlying factors that influence the choice of transport type and trip taking behaviours
evaluate and assess the application of this methodology in contrasting urban environments, and its potential application for Sutherland Shire and other Council areas.
The Bus Niche Marketing project uses social / individual marketing techniques to encourage greater bus ridership. It targets persons in the community that travel predominantly by motor vehicle and live within 400m of the targeted bus services. The project provides participants with the opportunity to travel on the selected bus service using a free travel bus pass for a two week period with the aim that they will continue their bus ridership after the trial period has been completed. The project focuses on two major trunk route corridors in the Sutherland Shire, Menai to Sutherland and Cronulla to Miranda.
Over 1,300 people accepted the initial screening interview from which the 392 (30)% expressed an interest in participating. Of these persons 112 (29%) confirmed their participation and 42 (11%) completed the two week trial. The project results showed:
- a shift in mode share among active travel pass users from car to bus ranging from 85% to 25% (Menai) and 36% in (Miranda). In overall terms as a proportion of the total population, this represents a mode shift of between 1.5% and 2%
- a decline in bus use of between 10% and 25% occurred 4 weeks after the trial period
- emission reductions ranging from 35% to 80%
- demographic differences among active trial participants a strong influence on their travel patterns and travel demands.
You can download the complete report below (you will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader).
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