Stagecoach Unveils People-Powered New Look Buses as it Marks 40 Years of Connecting Communities

Stagecoach introduces permanent new-look bus design, shaped by customer research calling for a more simplified and modern service
37% of people in Britain would use buses more if they were easier to use, according to new Stagecoach research
Fresh design follows multi-million-pound investment in greener buses, smart technology, customer service and better journeys
Celebratory one-of-a-kind mosaic bus livery also unveiled, featuring the faces of customers, drivers and communities from across the UK
Buses to start appearing in the new livery from February, with the first new buses operating in Manchester from Spring 2020
Oxfordshire passengers can expect to see the new look buses introduced from Summer 2020

Stagecoach, the UK’s largest bus and coach operator, has unveiled a brand new look for its iconic buses, shaped by the needs of customers it proudly serves across the UK, every day.

The new bus design is part of a wider commitment from Stagecoach to simplify, modernise and enhance its customer experience, whilst reaffirming the customer-first approach that runs through everything it does – from its drivers and buses, to its customer service and technology solutions.

When conceiving the new bus design, Stagecoach asked thousands of customers to share their thoughts on how the new design could serve them best, and what would encourage them to use public transport more regularly.

The findings highlighted that 69% of customers often found it confusing to find the bus they wanted, with a further 37% stating they would use the bus more often if it was simpler and more modern.

Taking on board feedback from customers, the bus operator created a new simplified and clearly colour coded design for its various bus services to make it easier and instantly recognisable for passengers to identify their required service, representing the three different types of journey; Azure blue for its Local service, Amber yellow for Longer, and Ocean green for Specialist.

Stagecoach has also restructured the way its services are classified to make it easier and more clearly differentiated for customers to identify which service they require. The new changes across Stagecoach services embody the company’s commitment to being proud to serve all of its current and new customers, representing the important role it plays in connecting people to the people and places that matter most.

Martin Griffiths, Chief Executive, Stagecoach: “We are proud to serve our customers and connect communities across Britain, and our research shows more people will get on board the bus if it’s simpler to use. Our new look design and the multi-million-pound investments we are making in greener buses, smart technology, and better journeys is designed to give our customers exactly what they want.”

To celebrate the arrival of the new look bus design, Stagecoach created a special one-of-a-kind mosaic bus livery, featuring the faces of customers, drivers and communities from across the 11 regions of the country served by Stagecoach.

The images featured on the special one-off bus were selected from a year-long photography project commissioned by Stagecoach, with photographer Stuart Roy Clarke travelling across the UK to capture the spirit, individuality and personalities of the people and communities that the iconic bus serves every day.

Aislin Smith, 17, Student, from Glasgow, who features on the special bus livery, “I have always found Stagecoach buses easy to use, especially for someone who has a less visible disability like myself. I think it’s great that there is a continued commitment to making the buses easy to use for customers, it’s something that has helped me have more freedom and flexibility in my life. It’s pretty cool to be featured on the very first of the new buses.”

With a further commitment to modernising and simplifying its customer experience, Stagecoach has kickstarted the biggest roll-out of the technology by any bus operator in Britain. This includes the introduction of the Stagecoach bus app, featuring a new online travel-planning tool that provides customers with real-time tracking of their bus service on an interactive map, and contactless payment facilities cover all of Stagecoach’s vehicle fleet.

Stagecoach is investing more than £13m in one of the biggest orders of new electric buses in Europe, as part of a drive to provide a more sustainable transport solution to the people and communities it serves. By the end of 2020, it will have more electric vehicles than any other major UK bus operator.

Martin Griffiths added, “We are modernising and simplifying our products and services to make bus travel the smarter, easier choice. Over the next year, our customers across the country will start to see new innovations and intuitive changes to their Stagecoach services, which we hope will bring greater ease of use to all journeys.”

Stagecoach’s instantly recognisable ‘roundel’ icon, a familiar sight on the British road for two decades, has been rejuvenated, modernised and simplified and will be universally adopted across everything that the bus operator offers, representing the three different types of journey. These include:

Local buses – these are everyday community buses with strong local connections that take people to work, education, hospitals, leisure activities with friends and family and life’s important moments.
Longer distance – buses with added comfort and value for customers that need to take a bus beyond the place they live.
Specialist – these are specialist services built for purpose – for drivers who need to park their car outside of town and use park and ride services, university students who need a lift to class and tourists who want to go sightseeing around the country

This year marks 40 years since the birth of Stagecoach. It has come a long way since 1980, from humble beginnings, starting with just two buses in Perth, Scotland, and growing dramatically to become the UK’s largest bus and coach operator. Today, Stagecoach serves over 2.5 million passengers a day, playing a vital role in keeping people and communities connected across the country.

The new bus design will be rolled out across the fleet of 8,400 buses over a three-year period, with customers seeing the first buses on the road from February. The one-off special bus of the people livery will go into service in the North East from today.