Bus Mystery Traveller Survey

30 April 2012

In April 2009 Passenger Focus assumed responsibility from the Department for Transport for the Bus Mystery Traveller Survey (BMTS).

This survey to monitored and recorded changes in the quality of local bus services. Trained assessors undertook journeys on over 4800 bus services a year and rated them on a number of aspects, including punctuality, cleanliness and driving standards. The survey was undertaken on local bus services in nine areas in England (the six Passenger Transport Executives, plus Bristol, Leicester and Nottingham).

A minimum of 1200 bus journeys were assessed each quarter and the survey represents typical patterns of bus usage, by day of week and time of day.

The survey had been running since 2006-07. The BMTS was published twice a year, an annual report and an interim report (covering results from quarter 1 and quarter 2).