(01 Sep 2023, 1:35 pm)tvd wrote Slightly off topic but relevant to long distance journeys, I wonder how much more money Arriva in this instance make from the government by selling £2 fares from Middlesbrough to Scarborough to those only travelling to Guisborough or Whitby?
Lots of other examples too, I been issued a ticket to the end of the route lots of times when I'm not going that far. It's the same £2 cost, and easy for the drivers to issue - but presumably the bus company charges the extra to the government?
Not sure how it works exactly, someone can probably enlighten me, but it does seem like its an easy way for the bus companies to make extra cash.
It doesn't work like that unfortunately, would be very simple if it was, but appreciating that it would clearly leave the door open for manipulation.
Arriva, along with other major operators, actually agree a fixed reimbursement value with the government for each 'period' of £2 fare scheme (each period is around 3-4 months long, which is why operators haven't committed to the £2.50 scheme yet even though the government is shouting about it, as they haven't agreed reimbursement for that new scheme period yet).
The calculation for reimbursement is based on usage from a chosen period of time weighted by the scheduled mileage within that period. Basically means that intentional issuing of longer distance journeys makes no difference to the reimbursement and any growth in that time cannot be considered in the calculation until the next scheme period.