30 January 2014 [updated with December 2014 survey results]. Article by Karl Fjellstrom, for ITDP.
BRT impact analysis surveys in Guangzhou show a great improvement in bus passengers' perception of security at the same time as perceptions of security have deteriorated in a non-BRT corridor surveyed for comparative purposes. Passengers who feel that security is 'good' or 'very good' at BRT stations increased by 50 percentage points from 31% before the BRT (at regular bus stops) to 81% in the survey in December 2013. In the non-BRT corridor over the same period, those who felt security at bus stops was good or very good declined by 10 percentage points from 51% to 41%. In December 2013 81% of passengers at BRT stations felt security was 'good' or 'very good', which is double the percentage who felt that way at bus stops on the non-BRT corridor (41%). The BRT system opened in February 2010.
Meanwhile, passengers who feel that security is 'bad' or 'very bad' at BRT stations decreased by 19 percentage points from 21% just before the BRT opened (at regular bus stops) to 2% in the survey in December 2013. In the non-BRT corridor over the same period, those who felt security at bus stops was bad or very bad increased by 18 percentage points from 6% to 24%. In December 2013 only 2% of passengers at BRT stations felt security was bad or very bad, while 24% felt that security at bus stops on the non-BRT corridor was bad or very bad.
Question to bus passengers:
BRT stations provide a secure and safe environment for bus passengers.
For the results outlined above, around 1,100 bus passengers were surveyed by ITDP in each of the BRT surveys, and 300 bus passengers in each of the control corridor surveys.