A pixelated caveman or ditto heart. These are new expressions of the Public Transport Bureau Groningen-Drenthe in the Bus Points campaign. The campaign must ensure that travelers behave properly on the bus.
“We are here to hang up very nice signs, to remind people that there are rules in society for dealing with each other,” says Jorinde ten Hoeve, marketing manager of the Public Transport Bureau Groningen-Drenthe. The first sign will be hung in Groningen. It’s a caveman with a QR code, without any further text.
The idea is that the code is scanned with the phone’s camera function and takes you to a site about so-called bus points. There you can indicate how you behave on public transport, you can score points and have a chance to win a prize such as a day at WILDLANDS or a ticket to the cinema. The idea is that good behavior is rewarded.
There are four different signs that are hung at bus stops throughout the provinces of Drenthe and Groningen. These signs consist of: the caveman that stands for ‘keep it quiet together’.
The other three signs have the shape of a pixelated bus, a heart: for a like, says Ten Hoeve, and a coin refers to scoring points in the campaign. Everything in a pixelated image so that it is reminiscent of the game world. The Public Transport Bureau wants to surprise in this way.
“We notice that society is hardening,” Ten Hoeve continues. “We also think it is important that everyone feels welcome on the bus. That involves some rules of conduct. And without pointing fingers or having hard rules among ourselves, we actually want to do this in a more flexible and friendly way.”
There are no signs that people are really misbehaving, but according to Ten Hoeve there are drivers who have the idea that people no longer really know what the rules are. Calling on speaker, not saying hello to the bus driver or not standing up for the elderly and pregnant women; These are a number of examples of what the Public Transport Bureau Groningen-Drenthe would like to see as standard, but which does not always happen.
Next to the bus shelter where the first sign of this campaign is being launched, is the Gomarus College. Many students who go to high school there come by bus. Like Micha from Roden. He takes the bus when it is snowing or icy, he says. There isn’t really anything that irritates him, but when the bus is very full Micha finds it exciting.
“That you might leave the bus too late. Then you have to squeeze all the way through and then you have to get off one stop later.” He would appreciate it if you gave each other space. His neighbor Milan from Leek finds it particularly irritating when the telephone sound is too loud or when travelers ‘call super loudly’.
Eva from Grootegast can also be found on the bus a lot. She thinks it is good that an awareness campaign has been started. “I think it’s important that people behave normally on the bus. That they stick to the rules and don’t be rude to others.”
But she thinks it works both ways. She also experienced a bus driver who was too impatient when someone got off the bus. “I think it’s very good that they are doing that,” she says, referring to the campaign. “That people will pay more attention. I think it also motivates people and that people will pay more attention on the bus.”
Tomorrow the signs will also be hung in our province. In addition, posters will also be hung on the bus and in bus shelters.
