With its rugged landscapes and islands, getting around in Scotland isn't always easy - with public transport often providing the most cost-effective means of going from A to B. But the challenges of providing these services have always been considerable and going above and beyond the call of duty has been a way of life for many of the staff responsible.

In Scotland's Bus and Ferry Services, author John Whittle provides a fascinating retrospective, based on years of experience within the industry, of public transport undertakings from the 1950s to the 1980s. He provides a peek behind the scenes of Scotland's bus and ferry provision, with a focus on operations, fleets, finance and policy.

There also reflections on the influence of politicians, civil servants and quangos - which did not always prove beneficial to those who relied on public transport to go about their daily lives nor to the dedicated staff who, in most cases, served with efficiency and dedication.

Complete with more than 100 illustrations of Glasgow, Central S.M.T. and Caledonian BacBrayne fleets, as well as Scottish Bus Group, Scotland's Bus and Ferry Services is essential reading for students of transport, historians and those with an affection for Scotland during those halcyon days.