The ‘Myth-busting’ social media campaign, running from 1st - 31st March 2026, aimed to challenge common myths and misperceptions about bus travel, providing reassurance and encouraging more people to choose the bus. This activity was part of the wider ‘Buses for You’ campaign.
‘Buses for You’ is a bus awareness campaign delivered across West Northamptonshire as part of the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP). (Find out more about the campaign here)
Drawing on research from Transport Focus, the campaign identified key motivations and barriers to bus use and translated them into clear, reassuring messages.
These were delivered as a targeted mini-series across Meta and LinkedIn, aimed at current users, lapsed users, and non-users of bus services.
Each ad addressed a key barrier, offered practical reassurance, and included a clear call-to-action, helping users access journey planners, fares, and live bus updates.
Project objectives
Project objectives
- Challenge negative perceptions and myths around bus travel
- Reduce behavioural barriers identified through Transport Focus research
- Re-engage lapsed users and encourage trial among non-users
- Increase awareness and use of digital tools such as live tracking and journey planners
- Drive users to existing information
Solutions
Solutions delivered
Solutions delivered
A creative myth-busting ad series was developed.
Key themes included:
- Reliability and journey time reassurance using live tracking and planners
- Cost concerns addressed through fare caps and group ticket offers
- Confidence-building for new or infrequent users with step-by-step guidance
- Lifestyle messaging positioning buses beyond commuting
Example barriers addressed included:
- “Buses aren’t reliable”
- “Buses take too long”
- “It’s too expensive”
- “I don’t know which bus to get”
- “Buses are too crowded”
Impact & outcomes
Within the broader ‘Buses for You’ campaign, this myth-busting mini-series stood out as the highest-performing social media element.
Performance highlights:
- 570,000+ people reached
- Best performing ad click-through rate (CTR): 3.86%
- 480 individual messages requesting travel information
Top user questions received:
- How do I track my bus? (159)
- What is the fare for this route? (64)
- What bus routes are available? (49)
- Can I book a ticket online? (31)
- What are the bus schedules? (22)
These direct enquiries demonstrated strong intent and confirmed that addressing perceived barriers with clear, practical reassurance may prompt engagement with bus travel.
'These are superb campaigns to raise awareness of how the bus can be part of a great day out in West Northamptonshire, growing the number of people using the bus as part of sustainable travel options. There are so many fantastic attractions to visit and the bus plays a key part in linking people to places, which combined with accessing both education and employment, helps boost the local economy.' Patrick Stringer, Commercial Director, Stagecoach Midlands
“Research from our Your Bus Journey 2025 survey shows that when buses are reliable, provide good information and offer value for money, more people are encouraged to use them for a wide range of trips, including leisure. Campaigns like this play an important role in raising awareness and building confidence, helping more people see the bus as an easy, attractive way to explore local areas while supporting more sustainable travel and stronger local economies.” David Beer, Senior Engagement Manager at independent watchdog Transport Focus
Next steps?
