The practice of sustainable commuting is becoming increasingly essential with each passing year. With the populations of our nation’s largest cities rising, especially counting those who commute to these areas for work each day, traffic and pollution are worsening. Though this might not seem like more than a minor inconvenience to pedestrians, those who rely on public transit to get to work are truly the ones affected. This not only reduces the life quality of many residents, but it also worsens the issues that need to be corrected. As those in the transportation industry, you need to take the steps to keep people on your vehicles and offer solutions to these problems. So whether you’re a current transportation professional or are looking to start a transportation business, it’s important that you find ways to encourage sustainable commuting in your city.
The Importance of Sustainable Commuting
The average American will spend most of their adult life working and making a living for themselves and their families. As such, they will also spend much of that time commuting to and from work every day. Depending on the location of their job, their commute could be a few minutes or even a couple hours each way. It’s because of this that everyone does what they can to make their trip as quick and comfortable as possible. From biking or walking to driving or taking public transportation, they will choose the method that is fastest, most cost effective, and easiest to maintain year-round. Overall, these factors are what create a sustainable commute.
As a transportation company, making your services as sustainable as possible for your commuters will not only keep them coming back, but also help decrease traffic on the city streets. This creates a safer environment for all pedestrians while ensuring you’re fulfilling your passengers’ needs. In addition, more people taking the bus or train will mean that there’s less pollution being released into Earth’s atmosphere. So a sustainable commute is just as great for the planet as it is for you and your passengers.
Effective Ways to Encourage Sustainable Commuting
While making your routes more sustainable for your passengers might initially seem like a lengthy and arduous process, there are a variety of ways you can go about it. Having options makes it easier to adjust your current practices to match and allows you the freedom to adopt these methods in a unique way. These are a few of the ways you can encourage sustainable commuting in your city while helping your own business grow.
Make Transportation Cost-Effective
Cost is one of the most important factors that determines which transportation method a commuter will choose to get to work. After all, their sole purpose for commuting in the first place is to make money, and many would rather not spend it all on a train or bus ticket. So in order to best appeal to them, it’s recommended that transportation companies provide their passengers with specialized deals to better suit their needs. This might involve a program that allows them to obtain tickets pre-tax for being an employee, or striking a deal with local businesses that provides their workers with carpooling incentives. No matter which method you decide to use, making your services cheaper for employees on their commutes will create a solid, long-term process and ensure their return.
Generate a Process That’s Fast and Easy
Along with having affordable prices, a sustainable commute also guarantees that the passenger will always arrive for work on time. This requires the transportation process to be fast, easy to understand, and reliable for all your incoming morning commuters. With a streamlined process in place, there will be less room for unexpected occurrences, and your passengers will feel more secure with your services. To best create this process, try thinking like one of your commuters. Is the bus schedule too unreliable, or the ticket checking too slow? In critiquing your own services, you can discover different areas that need improvement. You could even ask some of your regulars what they think could be done to make a more seamless boarding and unboarding process.
Create a Discount Program for Regulars
Speaking of your regular passengers, it’s also important to them that their transportation company cares about keeping their business. This is why many of them jump at the chance to participate in a rewards program hosted by their transportation service of choice. Not only do these rewards and discounts show your regulars that you care, but they also create more incentives for them to stick with you long-term. Offering regular discounts on your bus tickets also makes commutes more affordable for them over time, making it increasingly more cost-effective as the time goes by. As such, the longer a passenger stays with your services, the less likely they are to try another—especially if they gain benefits for the time they’re with you.
Promote a Positive Transportation Culture
All too often, we hear horror stories of riding the bus or train to work—whether it be unruly passengers, a late arrival, or technical malfunctions. These instances of fear or frustration can make many of your other passengers rethink taking public transit and seek alternative methods instead. So to best keep these individuals engaged with your services, it’s often beneficial to create as positive an atmosphere as you can. This involves establishing codes of conduct for your passengers and enforcing them to ensure they behave during the ride. Problem riders shouldn’t be allowed to return and those who are frequently model passengers might be rewarded with discounts to best keep the peace. This way, you’re promoting an environment where passengers feel comfortable and are more likely to return.
At Schetky Bus and Van Sales, we understand that in order to best serve their passengers, each transportation business needs to have vehicles that they can rely on. Our quality, maintained passenger buses for sale provide high value and peace of mind to public and private transportation professionals alike. With trustworthy vehicles and these sustainable strategies in mind, you can make the adjustments necessary to create a positive commuting environment for all your passengers.
