Over 79% seeking deep cleaning and sanitization of buses after very trip

A large number of people in India are planning intercity bus travel within a month of lifting of travel restrictions, according to a randomized online survey of over 10,300 customers of redBus, India’s largest online bus ticketing platform. 57% of the respondents are planning to travel within a month post the lockdown.

However, there is a high standard of expectation on implementation of measures to make buses safe for travel, with over 79% wanting deep cleaning and sanitization of buses after every trip. Hand sanitizers, mandatory masks and temperature screening for all passengers are next in expectations for bus travel. Over 78% of the respondents want implementation of hygienic conditions at boarding points and 70% want social distancing protocols to be implemented at boarding points.

Speaking on the survey, Prakash Sangam, CEO, redBus, said, “The survey does underscore the fact that given the adherence to safety protocols, bus travel is possibly one of the safest option for travel since the number of travellers are fewer, checks can be done individually and the whole factor of pick up and drop as close to home as possible minimizes the number of contacts throughout the journey. In addition, online booking further reduces the number of contact points as people can book bus tickets directly from their home. Further, there is a heightened awareness of personal hygiene and safety measures which is important for travel to be safe. The large number of people waiting to travel not only points to the need but also the importance it has for revival of economic activity as very few of them would be travelling for leisure.”

The survey also showed that passengers put a very high consideration on hygiene, sanitation and disinfection – over 73% - and social distancing (63%) and much lower consideration to traditional factors such as travel cost (22%), comfort (21%) and punctuality (18%).

Another consideration that would be valued across the board is the sharing of details about safety protocols that are being followed by the bus operators while booking on the app/website and the security rating given to the bus operators on the app/website.

The survey was conducted among redBus customers across India. Only 5% of the respondents were willing to postpone their travel to over 6 months while the rest had plans to travel within that period.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

Important factors to be considered for future travel plans

Ø  Hygiene/sanitization/disinfection methods employed in buses- 73%

Ø  Social distancing criteria followed during travel- 63%

Ø  Safety etiquette followed by fellow travellers- 32%

The expected safety measures in the bus, in the order of preference are as follows;

Ø  Deep cleaning and sanitization of vehicles after every trip- 79%

Ø  Wearing mask mandatory for all passengers- 58%

Ø  Temperature screening of all passengers before boarding-44%

Ø  Hand sanitizers in the bus – 43%

Some of the additional facilities or features expected by travellers, include the below;

Ø  Hygienic conditions at boarding points/rest stops- 78%

Ø  Social distancing protocols at boarding points/rest stops- 70%

Ø  Details about safety protocols followed by the operator, while booking on the app/website- 61%