The rise and fall of the hipster bus

The hipster bus is the latest attempt to attract passenger to public transport.

Four buses in Reading have had a makeover in a bid to attract more students. A £20,000 budget for each vehicle has been spent on jukeboxes, a micro-sized library and Lego sets to create "pioneering on-board experience".

The ‘Claret Spritzer’ fleet includes a "plush lounge area” and wooden floorboards. It remains to be seen what students will make of the service when it launches next month. Other features that might have been considered by Reading Buses include bunk beds for an extended lie-in and a licensed bar for quick drink on the way home.

The company should take heed. Leap Transit was a San Francisco bus company that tried much the same thing. Its vehicles were equipped with distressed wood, bar stools and a coffee bar. The concept did not chime with west coast commuters and the company has folded. Two of the buses are up for auction with a starting bid of $5.

Both companies should be applauded for trying to make bus travel a lifestyle choice, but novelty is no substitute for ride quality, service frequency, comfortable seats and accurate timetables.

The ethical choice

The ETA was established in 1990 as an ethical provider of green, reliable travel services. Over 30 years on, we continue to offer cycle insurance , breakdown cover and mobility scooter insurance while putting concern for the environment at the heart of all we do.

The Good Shopping Guide judges us to be the UK’s most ethical provider.

{{cta-cycling}}