(02 Mar 2020, 9:33 pm)Andreos1 wrote It might work for some. For others, it doesn't. Comes down to that elastic/inelastic passenger thing again.
If I apply a Cost Benefit Analysis to it, and identify whether or not the benefits of using the bus outweighs its costs, relative to alternatives. Then there's only one winner.
I can charge my phone and be at a destination quicker and cheaper - in the car.
With the time saved, I can work effectively AND choose somewhere to eat.
If I was a passenger cadging a lift, then I could eat and do work too.
If I really wanted to get a lift off the in-laws, then their Nissan Note has plenty leg room (in addition to the charging points etc) and there's even tables with cup holders in the back.
I appreciate a Nissan Note is hardly the epitome of luxury, but it has all those 'premium' features the X21 has and the journey is cheaper.
Cost, Benefits and all that jazz.
If it works for business, then let's use it from a customer perspective.
Try putting a laptop on the table in a Nissan Note (I've tried, it's not possible!), heck try even using a laptop in the back seat of a car, that's pretty difficult too!
I'm not even going to get in to the discussion over price again even though that's the name of this topic (as I've already said many times that for MY journeys, it's far cheaper to travel by bus than car)
(02 Mar 2020, 11:04 pm)BusLoverMum wrote The journey being cheaper depends on the journey. Interestingly it cos me the same to travel into Newcastle, on the same bus, as streetdeckfan, with me travelling from Fram and him from the arse end of bishop. Driving would use twice as much fuel for him as for me but I still consider my £6.30 days aver to be quite reasonable when you consider the price of parking in Newcastle. If I travel in with Husband, the cost of the bus for both of us is still OK compared with fuel plus parking and means he can have a beer with his lunch, if he wants. One of the reasons we moved to this side of Durham was to make it feasible for him to work on tyneside and use public transport for part of his journey, as that's where a lot of the jobs in his industry, using his skill set, are. As it is, he works on teesside and it doesn't matter what it costs to take the bus because he's blown if he's setting off the night before to get to work on time!
I mean, you're not wrong about it being the arse end judging by the state of my neighbours!
For some people, the convenience of not having to drive is worth travelling by bus for, your example of being able to have a drink with lunch is perfect.
For me, being able to work on the bus for 2 hours vs having to 'waste' 45 minutes in the car, even if I get to the destination an hour earlier, is worth it as it's still 45 minutes less time I can charge for! (which at minimum wage is £6.15, more than the cost of a single on the X21)