Passenger-led survey using posters

24 June 2022

We wanted to collect information from passengers as they were making journeys. We looked at alternative survey approaches for getting ‘in-the-moment’ feedback that didn’t involve fieldworkers, intercepting passengers or a traditional questionnaire. 

We encouraged passengers to tell us about their journeys by placing materials that advertised the feedback survey on buses and at bus stops. This would give them immediate access to the short, online survey through QR codes or short survey link names. 

We called this ‘passenger-led’ for two reasons:  

• Unlike many of our other surveys, where we proactively invite passengers to take part, this survey was left in the hands of the bus passengers to decide if, or when, to take part.
• Rather than asking questions about a set of defined topics (waiting for the bus, the on-board environment, the driver) in this approach we asked one simple star-rating question about the passenger’s journey. We then asked for their rationale for this star-rating in their own words and a few details about the journey time, date and purpose as well as some passenger demographics. 

The trial was conducted in six different areas around England, with the assistance of the local authorities and/or bus operators in those areas.  

The reports below provide details on how the survey was carried out, the responses we received and what we learnt from the trial.