(23 Oct 2018, 9:51 pm)James101 wrote I think your observation points to another ENCTS flaw. ENCTS is fine on journeys such as say the 168 (TFGM) or 309 (NEXUS) where the route is A-B-C-D and a large bus is theoretically able to fill its capacity several times over en-route as passengers make intermediate journeys, perhaps ENCTS holders are even more likely to do so as they may be more inclined to make practical journeys to their nearest supermarket/post office/medical centre. The same theory applies to the other type of urban route, the local shuttle - 38 (TFGM, Ashton) or 53/54 (NEXUS), whereby buses are on short circuits, constantly generating new fares. 

Where ENCTS falls down is on the longer distance service, say the X61 Manchester - Blackpool or even Durham - Scarborough. Both could carry very good loads, but as the nature of the service means the the driver, the bus and its diesel are all occupied for vast amounts of time without any new fares (or ENCTS pass beeps) being collected. This is fine if passengers are all paying their way (hence the expansion of megabus and Snap), but a full bus can literally run at a loss if it's full of ENCTS who are effectively invisible under the 'no better or worse off' rule.

Slightly confusing examples; the 168 is mainly commercially run by Stagecoach and isn't the best example of generating capacity as it is the only route run by either of Stagecoach's (City of) Manchester depots to specify largely single deck workings. 

Also, the X61 Blackpool to Manchester is long gone - although if memory serves did disappear after ENCTS was introduced in 2008. If we are going back into history, maybe a better example would have been the 400/401 "Trans Lancs" Expresses destroyed by the completion of the M60. The section norh of Ashton (400 at least) is still covered by at least 6 stopping buses an hour, but Ashton to Denton has been reduced recently, and Denton to Stockport is just a joke with just one bus an hour (was four by different routes at one point).