(07 Jul 2015, 8:48 pm)aureolin wrote Independents are less likely to be covered by collective bargaining arrangements, so it'd not be uncommon to find the pay lower and the lack of pay progression.
I think Arriva, Stagecoach and GNE all have pay progression in place in the form of pay scales, and that they have an annually negotiated pay settlement for driving staff...
Plus, contract work is likely to make up a bigger chunk of an independants work. As much as they would probably like to pay more, they'll be limited to what they can pay due to contract prices.