Two thirds of Scots are unhappy with their local bus services, a new report suggests.
More than half of bus users also claim their services are often late. And the majority of people surveyed for Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) criticised poor value for money as well as concerns about safety and cleanliness.
The Scottish government said it was working to help operators "keep fares at affordable levels".
CAS, which surveyed 4,600 people, has described public transport as "a social justice issue".
The Scotland-wide figures show that:
- 64% are either dissatisfied or very dissatisfied by the frequency of scheduled service
- 56% feel the same about the punctuality of their buses
- 58% feel that their local buses offer poor value for money
- 60% think fare information is not good enough
- 32% say the buses are not clean enough or are in poor condition
- 16% say there is no bus service to their local hospital or GP
CAS chief executive Derek Mitchell said: "People deserve a bus service that is reliable, affordable and pleasant to use, yet it is clear from this research that Scotland's buses often fail to meet these standards.
"The responses came from all parts of Scotland but there was a notably high rate from people in rural areas, where problems like bus infrequency are often more acute.
"Having gathered this data, CAS will now be meeting with bus companies, local authorities and the Scottish government to find ways of addressing these issues.
"Our objective here is to create better journeys for the people who rely on bus services."
Transport Scotland said the government was continuing to spend "over £250m a year to support our vital bus industry".
It said this investment was allowing operators to keep fares at affordable levels and provide free bus travel to older and disabled passengers.
A spokesman said: "We also provide support to local authorities via the block grant so that they can support necessary bus services. They spent over £50m on bus services in 2016-17.
"Additionally, the forthcoming Transport Bill will empower local authorities by providing options to improve bus services in their areas - giving them a greater choice in how to deliver a sustainable bus network for customers, be that via partnership, local franchising or even directly running their buses.
"The Transport Bill will also bring forward measures on open data to ensure that bus operators provide the information that passengers need on routes, timetables, punctuality and fares."
The Confederation of Passenger Transport UK - Scotland said bus services should be the joint responsibility of operators and local authorities.
A spokesman said: "It is worth noting that the aspects of bus services regarded as 'most important' by respondents to the CAS survey - frequency and punctuality - are not fully within the control of bus operators.
"Journey times are dependent on traffic flow and worsening congestion is having a severe impact on bus users. It slows down journeys, damages air quality and is bad for the local economy.
"Operators are investing heavily in new, greener vehicles, smarter ticketing methods and improved customer information. To fully realise the benefits of this investment, local authorities should take action to tackle congestion and prioritise public transport."