(29 Dec 2016, 12:49 am)Andreos1 wrote So when manufacturers and supermarkets run loss-leaders that's for what reasons?
When a model is built around the hub and spoke, there will be elements of the model stronger than others. The way the land lies, housing and employment mean that is a guaranteed certainty.
What you can't do is remove the spokes or reduce when the spokes are in place, cos ultimately it's gonna impact on the stronger spokes and their profits.
The 21 can only work to its potential when you have the likes of the 13, 14, 15, 28, 34 and 36 (all serving places that had regular services to Newcastle) working to their potential too. Without them (even if they don't make a profit), the 21 doesn't achieve anything like it does.
Thankfully bus operators now have smart ticket machines allowing them to analyse the network, find out passenger trends, and work out whether running those feeder services can be justified or not - even if they are making little to no money.
If, in your example, it would have such a detrimental effect on service 21, those feeder services wouldn't be withdrawn.
When you pair that with a customer survey requesting feedback on your proposed route changes, you get a pretty good idea on if it's worth doing something before you proceed.
To go back to the original post - if that's not strategy and planning, I don't know what is. I'm speaking very generally here as it applies to all three of the main operators in the North East: they all employ the same techniques (albeit with minor differences) when making revisions to their network.