How the city bus system is evolving amongst authorities

The most popular form of public transportation worldwide. The bus is the most used form of public transportation worldwide, per UITP’s knowledge base. We are aware that there is no sustainable way to move around our cities without taking the bus, as millions of trips are made every day. With the development of new services, creative operations, and the promotion of unique policies supporting the industry, the bus’s reputation has been revitalized in recent years.

The bus has advanced to new heights thanks to fresh, creative policies and strong political will, as evidenced by the success of electric buses and bus rapid transit on a global scale. In addition to lowering emissions and traffic fatalities and easing urban congestion, the bus is essential to the conversation about automation and climate change. Innovative bus systems play a major role in achieving automated, linked, cleaner, and cooperative urban mobility.

STANDARDS

Finding best practices, as well as gaps and needs, requires an understanding of how the bus industry is doing in the shift to cleaner and emission-free fleets. The plans and tactics of the transportation authorities and operators participating in this enormous endeavor to make our cities healthier and more sustainable will be clearly depicted by this survey.

Bus operators at UITP collaborate with the appropriate Committee on crucial matters like upkeep, development, and operation. The primary objective is knowledge production and exchange for the entire sector. By providing buses with road space, the city and its authorities contribute to enhancing the bus’s reputation, which enhances services. The system approach that UITP promotes is this one. Naturally, you only receive positive feedback after it is realized and operational.

INNOVATION

The bus market in Europe is changing. The continent’s bus fleets are growing and becoming cleaner. For many government agencies and bus companies, increasing sustainability is a major concern. While ambition is admirable, it must be accompanied by realistic expectations for capacity and fair goals. Nevertheless, the results of our 2023 Bus Fleet Survey indicate that the bus sector is moving in the right direction.