Recent content by Stan Drews

All of the above. The Sunday contract was acquired with the First business, but I think it was one of the casualties of the council cutbacks when it was due for re-tender in autumn 2023.

Indeed. Not a chance that buses are costing 1/3 less to run under TfGM than they were before. I think that is just a classic ‘smoke and mirrors’ play with statistics that can be made to support just about any agenda, if you try hard enough.

Having an interest doesn’t mean they’ll be rushing to create a new commercial service over it.

Yes, they are still running the routes where they have competition, but gave up this one, which didn’t!

Definitely. Go for it! :lol:

It sounds like you’re looking for personal taxis for everyone, so that nobody has to wait anywhere for a bus. Why don’t you get in touch with the National Park Board and see if they’d support something like that? I gather it will return this summer but with a different operator, so perhaps no...

The bridge has to open to let ships pass up or down river, and can be open for relatively lengthy periods when that happens, so it wouldn’t really be very practical as a regular bus route.

The Trossachs Explorer wasn’t a commercial service, so it will be up to the National Park Board to decide what happens to it. Was a complete waste of time last year and cost almost £20 per passenger in subsidy, …so will almost certainly come back this year! :D:D

The one with Bright Bus Tours branding is 2905, which is on loan to cover the Local Highlights Tour, which runs on days when cruise ships are in at Greenock. The red one is likely to be Trident 9325 (T508SSG) which was working in connection with the Highland Games.

The occasional bus users only thought it would work brilliantly because the politicians (and various campaign groups) told them it would!

Wait! …what? Are you suggesting that the politicians were lying? o_O

As I’ve said before FlixBus operators also get paid a fixed amount per mile operated, and that has always been the case with their UK partners. There have been many NX/Citylink operators that have complained about their low rates, so again Flixbus haven’t created some new, unheard of scenario...

Exactly. I think a few people need to do a bit more research. They might be amazed by what they’d find out. Megabus, like FlixBus, do not have an operators licence, and Citylink whilst having an O licence, do not actually own a coach. Their legal lettering and disc simply adorns one Stagecoach...

Yes, all the tickets valid into the Edinburgh zone can be used on the 13 and 60.

No, operators don’t take the fare revenue.