Rural public transport is considered crucial to the development of rural areas, and plays a central role in key groups accessing services, employment, training, and recreation. It is however comparatively expensive to operate and difficult to design in a way that meets the diverse needs of rural communities.
The review identifies three overarching approaches to addressing rural transport issues: fixed schedule public transport systems (mainly buses), flexible transport systems (such as demand responsive services), and schemes that provide vehicles to individuals or households.