Today, bus service provision for public transport in the UK is regulated in a variety of ways. Bus transport in London is regulated by Transport for London. Bus transport in some large conurbations is regulated by Passenger Transport Executives. Bus transport elsewhere in the country must meet the requirements of the local Traffic Commissioner, and run to their registered service. Under the free market, the bar to entry into public bus service operation is aimed to be as low as possible.
Using the example of bus passenger growth seen in London under the changes made by Transport for London, several parties have advocated a return to increased regulation of bus services along the London model.
The Transport Act 2000 made certain provisions for increased cooperation between local authorities and bus operators to take measures to improve services, such cooperation was previously barred under competition law. Under the act, Quality Bus Partnerships were enabled, although this had limited success. In Cardiff, the first Statutory Quality Bus Partnership has been used, with the introduction of new buses on Cardiff Bus routes. The Act also included measures allowing the registration of variable route services, as demand responsive transport.
In 2004, regulations were amended to further allow fully flexible demand responsive transport bus services.While most bus operating companies are private, some are operated as community based or not for profit entities, or as local authority arms length companies, as municipal bus companies.
The majority of bus services in both urban and rural areas are now run by subsidiaries of a few major bus groups, many of which also hold the franchises to many train operating companies and light rail systems.Following the failure of some light rail proposals in some UK towns to gain national funding on the Department of Transport's value for money assessment, several towns have turned to enhanced bus services as a cheaper alternative. Following limited historical use, such as in Runcorn and Birmingham, the use of guided bus technology and bus rapid transit schemes has increased in the UK.
Changes to regulations regarding bus operation are proposed in the 2007 Local Transport Bill.Private use of bus transport in the United Kingdom encompasses tour buses, vehicles for hire, and holiday excursions/package tours.
Interest in preservation of historical buses is maintained in the UK by various museums and heritage/preservation groups, ranging from attempts to restore a single bus, to whole collections. While many preserved buses are vintage, increasingly, 'modern' types, such as the Leyland National, are being preserved. With the fleet replacement of the major groups, it is not uncommon for many preserved buses to still have contemporary models still in service.
Malaysia's ambitious drive to become an industrial powerhouse by 2020 is closely becoming a reality. Constant economic growth for the past five years with a remarkable growth rate of 7.1 percent in 2004 vis-?-vis 2003 have resulted in greater prosperity creating an abundance of opportunities in the services, manufacturing and educational sector. An increasing number of companies have stepped up their investments to tap in the growth of Malaysian market. The increased economic activities generated by local and foreign firms have boosted employment in Malaysia. Locals and migrant workers have flooded the labor market in major towns to capitalize on job opportunities created by the vibrant economy. As a result, Malaysia managed to contain its unemployment numbers below 5.0% since 1999 ? the latest figure being an estimated 3.5 percent of total labor workforce in 2004. Strong job growth precipitates demand for high quality education. Companies opt for the best talents from a large educated workforce to become more competitive. The boom in education drives the building of new colleges in towns and cities. The number of students enrolled in the universities has increased more than double from 141,059 students in 1998 to 294,359 in 2004. Job prospects and educational opportunities have prompted large migration to major towns like Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor Bahru, Ipoh and Seremban causing population density in a particular area. A strong network of roads and public transportation is essential to mobilize these people to their points of interest. The most economical and the largest mode of public transport is the stage bus. However, the stage buses are also the most inefficient and unorganized form of public transportation in Malaysia. Despite the modern public transport system in Malaysia namely the trains, LRT (light rail transit) and monorails in Klang Valley, the stage bus is still in a precarious state. It is a fragmented industry where each state in Malaysia has a number of stage bus operators operating under the guidelines of the CVLB (Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board). Moreover, the stage bus industry is hampered by the lack of coordination among the many agencies that regulate the bus industry and the bus operators themselves. Most buses that serve the cities are inefficient while buses that ply smaller towns are usually in depleted conditions hampering efforts to woo more passengers. However, there is still going to be constant demand for bus services especially from people who cannot afford to purchase vehicles. The increasing population of the nation and the rise in migration due to job and educational prospects are factors that contribute to the small growth of the stage bus industry. In 2004, the stage bus industry in Peninsular Malaysia recorded an estimated RM 433 million in revenues with about 433 million passengers based on an RM 1 ticket fare. However, the average fare for the stage bus operation is about to increase from RM 1 to RM 1.20 beginning May 2005 as a result of a 20 percent hike in ticket fares. The fare was last revised in year 2000. This factor has accelerated the growth of revenues in the industry while the growth in the number of passengers remains modest over the course of the study. Despite various challenges in the stage bus industry, passenger and revenue growth are expected to post a CAGR (Compound Average Growth Rate) of 1.7 and 5.4 percent respectively from 2004 to 2009 as factors like increased migration and rising population in major cities bolster growth.
Both Tarun Jaswani & Robert Ii Smith are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Tarun Jaswani has sinced written about articles on various topics from Investing and Trading, Acai Berries and Banking. Get and reserve . Tarun Jaswani's top article generates over 74000 views. to your Favourites.
Robert Ii Smith has sinced written about articles on various topics from Insurance, Financial Planning and Medicine. Robert Smith was born in New York in 1956. He has spent more than 12 years working as a professor at New York University. He is always fond of helping students with academic writing. Now he spends most of his time with his family and shares his experience. Robert Ii Smith's top article generates over 60500 views. to your Favourites.