Before you travel
We hope this website can provide all the details you will need. If you need any additional information, here are some additional sources:
- email us your question.
- 01376 503050 (Customer Services: 09:00 to 17:00)
- Traveline: 0871 200 22 33 at other times.
(Calls cost 12p per minute plus any charges your network provider makes). - Traveline website
- The myTrip app, avaliable here : https://mytrip.today/
Using the Bus
Below is a 10 point user guide for passengers, which should improve the overall experience for all bus users. Please consider these and anything else that you can do to make your journey easier, less stressful and considerate of others.
1 Pay attention at stops
Keep an eye out for your bus and monitor any real-time information. When a bus approaches, signal clearly whether you want to board or not – a wasted stop takes up valuable travel time. If you have a mobility issue or a visual impairment, use and check mobile apps and stand near the front of the stop so the driver can see you. If you are waiting for the bus after dark in an unlit area it’s a great idea to wear light clothing or wave a light or torch to make your presence known, ( just not directly at the driver though!)
2 Form an orderly queue
When your bus arrives, give people the space to disembark and wait for your turn to board. People with mobility issues, hidden disabilities or mental health issues may struggle, so give everyone the time and space to board safely.
3 Have our tickets, passes, contactless cards or apps ready before you board
You can save time by having your ticket or payment ready and holding your pass flat on the card reader. If someone does hold up the queue, be patient – you have no idea what they might be dealing with and getting angry or irritated won’t help.
4 Move to your seat as quickly as possible
Some drivers wait until passengers are seated before moving off, so make your way directly to a seat when you board. If you see someone struggling, offer to help if you feel able to.
5 Make way
If you have to stand for your journey, make sure there’s a clear path to the door for people trying to board or exit. If you have luggage, don’t leave it unattended in a wheelchair space.
6 Give priority to passengers who need it
If you’re in a priority seat, or you have a seat on a crowded bus, make sure you offer it to anyone who looks like they may need it. Some needs are hidden, so if you’re asked to give up your seat and you’re able to move, move.
7 Keep your belongings close
Putting your coat or bags on a spare seat in an empty bus is fine. But if the bus is filling up, don’t wait to be asked to move your belongings.
8 Don’t pollute
Avoid anything likely to impact other passengers, like listening to loud music or talking loudly on the phone, watching videos with inappropriate content or eating strong-smelling food.
9 Get ready to get off
Ring the bell, just once, as far in advance of your stop as is practical. When the bus stops, exit quickly but safely and if you can, offer to help other passengers if you think they may need it.
10 Thank the driver
Driving a bus is a demanding job. Saying thank you is a small gesture that makes a big difference.
Afterwards…
We hope your journey was a pleasant one and that you will travel with us again. If we have not met your expectations, please let us know, so that we can try to put things right for the future. And if one of our staff has acted ‘beyond the call of duty’, we will gladly pass on your compliments.
Lost something on the bus? Call:
- 01376 503050 (for Mid-Essex services) or email
- 01702 541511 (for South Essex services) or email
- 01440 704582 (for West Essex and Suffolk services) or email
and we will try to locate it for you. The PSV Lost Property Regulations levy a flat fee of £2 for the return of lost property. We do not make this charge but require instead a donation to our Air Ambulance collection tin.
