Get Tae: Scots make the least friendships on the bus

Scots are shunning striking up conversations with strangers in favour of plugging in their headphones or burying their heads in books while travelling on public transport as new research shows they are the region least likely to have made long-lasting friendships with people they have met on the bus.

The newly commissioned research by First Bus, one of the UK’s largest bus operators, reveals that the bus is a place where chance encounters evolve into lasting friendships, unless you’re Scottish – as only one in five (19%) Scots admit they’ve met friends in this way, the lowest in the country.

Residents in Glasgow are much friendlier than those in Edinburgh, as a quarter (24%) say they have stayed in touch with people they have met on the bus, compared to just 19% of those living in Edinburgh.

Across the country, perhaps surprisingly, Londoners make the most friends (46%) on the bus despite being stereotyped as one of the most unfriendly regions in the UK. Scotland on the other hand takes last place.

Regions most likely to make friends on the bus:

1. London – 46%
2. Wales – 40%
3. East of England – 36%
4. North East, West Midlands – 34%
5. East Midlands – 26%
6. North West, South West, South East, Yorkshire/Humberside – 23%
7. Northern Ireland – 22%
8. Scotland – 19%

It’s clear that small talk on public transport helps strengthen community ties, as four in five (82%) Scots agree that it’s important in supporting community connections and over half (52%) believe the bus is a vital service in their community – 8% higher than the national average of 44%. Also, when asked how they’d feel if the bus was no longer available for them to use, nearly two in five Scots (38%) reveal they would experience feelings of isolation.

To celebrate the role the bus plays in connecting communities through conversation, TV personality and Bristolian, Josie Gibson, joined First Bus on a tour of her local area, reminiscing on how the bus played a key role in keeping her connected to her community. Josie also spoke to a selection of everyday heroes from across the country who are doing spectacular things within their community to make it a better place, such as Brian Bongani Tshuma.

Brian set up and runs a refugees football team in Glasgow called Fusion which gives players from ages 16-50 the chance to participate in sport and meet fellow refugees, forming a tight-knit community in the process.

You can read all about Brian’s story here. You can watch his video below.

Speaking about the bus, Josie Gibson commented: “My time reminiscing on the journeys I used to make when I was younger has been a great reminder of the wonderful way buses offer connection for people.  The bus is the unsung hero within our local communities, so I’m not surprised to hear how many people are making long -lasting connections after a brief chinwag to the person sat next to them.”

Duncan Cameron, First Bus Scotland Managing Director, commented: “The bus is more than just a mode of transport, it’s a critical connector of people to each other and to their communities and without it many would feel isolated and cut off. In fact, our research shows that over half of people (52%) in Scotland see the bus as a vital service within their community.  

“It’s been brilliant partnering with Josie Gibson to help promote the vital work buses do in connecting people to their local communities and we’ve loved getting to hear what a key part the bus played in her life and career too.”

As part of her work with First Bus, Josie helped share the stories of resilience, dedication and community spirit of just a few everyday heroes including people like Brian, representing the everyday of the many; showing how the bus brings people together.

First Bus is undergoing a huge transformation as a business, focusing on its passengers, and its people. The bus can bring everyone closer together and connect communities – buses don’t just move a nation, but they bring a nation together, every day.

ENDS