I can safely say that I am glad not to be wholly reliant on arriva, any more. NSAs never worked on the pulsars allocated to the 24 (and now the 22) and very few of the vehicles on the 6 have working displays.

And the thing of drivers disappearing when they're due to depart is an annoying one. Used to particularly bug me when the 8:15 6rocked up at ten past then the driver disappeared for 10 minutes, ending up hitting all the hoards of students wanting to travel half a mile, as a result. I know a lot of these co Durham routes are a 3 hour plus round trip, so it's essential to start with an empty bladder but it's always the same few drivers who stretch their comfort breaks out longer than they should.

My relief at has genuine choice of operator for my most frequent journeys is somewhat tempered by the fact that the rather rude driver who used to often work the 22 now appears on the 64 almost every time I use it with the boys. Arriva's 70p local child single fares beat the flat £1 hands down, though! Shame I usually have to start the exchange with "yes, he's still 14."