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Table 6 Illustrative quotes for barriers and facilitators for

From: Incentivising public transport use for physical activity gain: process evaluation of the COVID-19 disrupted trips4health randomised controlled trial

Meeting bus trip targets

Barriers

Facilitators

Personal – targets and incentives

I have struggled to increase my bus trips in recent weeks. My lifestyle is not conducive to manage the trips on a regular basis. [PS18]

I tried to reach those targets. Like when I knew that I had this and this amount of number of times that I had to catch the bus, I tried to catch the bus anytime, even though it was hard sometimes. [P88]

it was in the back of my mind. I knew what the target was for the week, and you know, if I had the choice - do I get a lift today or do I catch the bus, and I knew I had to catch the bus just one more time to reach the target, it would drive me to, “Oh let’s just catch the bus.” [P69]

if you know that you get paid, that you get an incentive, you know you will take the bus. If you wouldn’t get paid that amount if you’re taking the bus, you just take the car sometimes or more often as well [P88]

I enjoy catching the bus, love the feeling of freedom it gives. I can walk for a bit if I feel like it or catch the bus. [PS377]

Goal setting for greater use of the bus service [P363].

Social

I found the biggest and really the only factor as to whether or not I catch the bus to work is the actual requirements of my work. Sometimes I am required to have my car at work and use it for work and sometimes I am not [PS84]

It was hard to drop the routine of driving as I drop my partner to work on my way to my own job [PS113]

Starting to feel like part of a new community when

recognising familiar faces on rides. [PS179]

I used to catch the bus to work quite regularly, but then since my [child] came along I haven’t been. So I went from zero to quite regular bus use. … Like take my [child] to school. At the time it was childcare, so it was a bus trip away, and going shopping. Just stuff that I would literally never, ever have gotten on a bus before. [P247]

Service

There are no buses in X so I cannot take a bus to [suburb] [PS196].

I think people wouldn’t mind using the bus that often if the bus would be actually on time. Not just on time, like being delayed, but also leaving too early. Like it happened a couple of times that the bus just left even though I was there on time, [P88]

But the route I’m on, …. they’re drinking alcohol on the bus and stuff … So, that’s why I’m saying I pick which buses to catch and at what times. [P413].

I worked with [company] and I had to [work] in and around Tasmania, I could use the bus to actually go to different places rather than wait for someone to take or to bring the car. That’s something that was really enjoyable. … And on the other side, basically I got to know all the stations because sometimes when you take a car, you don’t really know where you’re going, but when you’re taking your own buses, you know which stop to take. You have to walk a little bit, like look at the surroundings and that gives you a bit of exercise as well. I think the overall effect was quite positive. [P178]