Thought Leadership

The Public Transport Association collaborates with our members and other key stakeholders to inspire curious minds, cultivate relationships, and champion the future of sustainable mobility in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. 

Aligned with our events program, the Association is the leading voice for the reliable, frequent and safe public transport services, and improved options to walk and cycle that communities deserve. An ideal transport system will look different across places and over time, shaped by local priorities and how success is defined. 

We believe people should have choices in how they make all or part of any given journey, and that public policies and investment should help shift more trips to those modes with the greatest environmental, economic, and social benefits. 

Connected Choices Action Plan

“Connected Choices” means transport users will have a range of appealing and viable options to travel sustainably when and where they need to go, using a combination of traditional mass transit services as well as active and new mobility options.  

Through our Connected Choices activities, the Association engages across the sector to foster discussion that helps achieve the best possible transport outcomes across Australia and New Zealand. Connected Choices is focused on three core priorities: customer experience, mode shift, and decarbonisation. 

In late 2025 we will release the latest iteration of Connected Choices. 

Three Industry Priorities

Vision: Australia and New Zealand to have world-leading public transport systems that deliver optimal economic, social and environmental benefits. Transport will be sustainable, efficient, reliable and provide an excellent customer experience.

“Connected Choices” means transport users will have a range of appealing and viable options to travel sustainably when and where they need to go, using a combination of traditional mass transit services as well as active and new mobility options.

Mission: Amplify good practice, success stories and collective expertise (local and global) on public transport CX, Mode Shift and Decarbonisation.

To result in uplift across the sector:

• curious minds become even more capable practitioners
• new relationships deliver novel outcomes that work
• the future we are championing influences policy and investment.

Member Working Groups

Our Policy Impact and Research Committee, reporting directly to the Association’s Board, leads a series of working groups that drive the development of our core advocacy and research activities: 

• Customer Experience Working Group focused on gaining transport users’ confidence and optimising the capability of transport networks to move people efficiently, sustainably and safely;  

• Mode Shift Working Group focused on shifting more journeys to public and active transport by making these modes the easiest and most attractive options, particularly in cities and regional centres, while ensuring road space remains available for freight and essential travel;  

• Decarbonisation Working Group focused on avoiding future issues by reducing the negative climate impacts of our transport networks back within natural limits; and  

• Zero Emissions Bus Working Group a public sector roundtable facilitating dialogue in support of moving to fleets with zero carbon and equivalent emissions from tailpipe.  

The Association is also looking at other working groups and committees that will be established to meet the needs of our members and or deliver on Connected Choices. 

Connected Choices committee members at the 2024 PTAANZ Conference

Get Involved

If you work for a PTAANZ Premier or Gold member and would like to join one of our Connected Choices Committees, please contact ma***********@****nz.org 

PTAANZ welcomes proposals from all our members who would like to share relevant expertise and thought leadership through our content and events including reports, webinars and podcasts.