(15 Nov 2015, 8:58 am)RobinHood wrote GNE have a pretty well established set of Boxing Day services, whereas Arriva have never done it.
I therefore suspect that Arriva would have much more rejection from drivers and engineering staff internally due to the historic nature of no service on these days, that they wouldn't be able to cover the service provision if they planned to. That lack of definitive heads to cover is probably the main reason why it doesn't happen.
That said, a decent pay rate can tempt pretty much anyone, but you wouldn't open a garage to run just one route (as that initial overhead cost of engineers and supervisors would all be loaded onto that single service along with drivers), you would want to run as much as you can to make it all worthwhile (just like GNE do when they run more routes from one depot for example) - then we come back around to the beginning of this post...
I suspect if it ever happens, it would be in the Northumbria end of the region, given demand already expects a service there. Darlington will never open just to run Service 7. It would be at a loss by lunchtime by the time overheads and background staff are taken into account.
Sadly these reasons mean we are totally unlikely to see Arriva run on Boxing Day.
(15 Nov 2015, 10:45 am)MrPottski wrote To be honest, I believe the following services would all operate as a profit on Boxing Day from Darlington:
2 (full route), 3 (Skerne Park to Town Centre), 5A (full route), 7 (full route), 26A (possibly modified, terminating at Richmond or Catterick Tesco). Possibly added into this, a 13, 10 (inter working on an hourly frequency) X66 and an X75. Drivers would be volunteers (plenty would as long as there was a financial incentive) and there would have to be publicity to advise of the new services. It would make sense to use Solos, except on the 7, to keep costs at a minimum, especially for the first year of operation.
Certainly think at least some of those services could run on Boxing Day and it could be worthwhile.
Unsure about the likes of Belmont and Teesside.