If you run buses, your thoughts may be turning to a fares increase, if they haven’t already. It’s a thorny subject, but – just as for a bottle of milk or a loaf of bread – the charge made for travel must increase periodically.
How it’s dealt with from a PR point of view is arguably more important than the scale of the rise. routeone has seen examples of each extreme of this lately.
At one, the new fares have been uploaded to the operator’s website with no comment. The rises are in some case substantial. No doubt, that is by necessity. Concessionary reimbursement remains lamentable and costs continue to grow, thanks in no small part to ever-lowering commercial speeds.
At the other end of the scale is Brighton and Hove Buses’ handling of its impending fares increase. It faces the same cost pressures as other operators, including those generated by worsening congestion.
Brighton and Hove has not elected to bury its head in the sand while the inevitable social media storm ensues. Instead, it has taken a preemptive stance, producing a detailed graphic to illustrate where money comes from – and where it goes to.
51p out of every £1 earned is consumed by staff costs; 11p goes on capital investment.
Regardless of whether you run coaches or buses, this is an example of how good PR can work to your benefit.
Some passengers will expect the service to be provided for next to nothing, and they will vent their spleens on Twitter if it is not. But handling fare rises effectively and truthfully can be worth its weight in gold – more so than any potential increase in revenue.
Don’t underestimate the power of positive PR.
