(13 Mar 2020, 9:35 am)BusLoverMum wrote It's already clear that a lot of businesses are struggling already, before we have even reached a stage where travel is strictly limited and shops are shut but it also stands to reason that the pandemic is going to hit bus and coach companies particularly hard. I can't see smaller companies like Scarlet Band making it through to the other side but we already know that the likes of arriva and first bus are not doing all that well and I'm wondering if they would even survive the inevitable months of reduced usage, never mind the possibility of a few weeks of skeleton or even no services at all.

I imagine the government will be keen to keep some service going for as long as possibly safe for staff and passengers.

An obvious go-to would be enhanced Sunday services operating daily. It would be wise to do this sooner rather than later before a driver shortage from self-isolation.

It would also be sensible to adopt a cashless fare system to prevent contamination from coins and notes. I assume in a privatised system temporarily suspending fares would be a step too far as a reimbursement structure would be pretty far down the government’s priorities right now.

If/when school closures come it will be down to how contracts are structured as to which party takes the financial hit (school or operator). Regardless, independents who specialise in schools will depend on private hires in the form of baths and school trips which will now dry up.

Granted, operating costs will go down as buses are parked up but some costs are fixed - finance repayments on vehicles, rent, rates and utilities. The situation around sick pay could be complicated for the bigger operators if their union agreements allow for payments over and above SSP, which is all that will be covered by the government for now.

All in an industry with profit margins generally in  single digits doesn’t bode well, as you say, for companies already declaring financial woes.