(01 Nov 2020, 11:01 pm)James101 wrote Not to get too off topic but this is definitely about profit, or getting as near to profit as currently possible. GNE strategy seems to be investing in providing a better product rather than running on a shoestring is a way to entice and keep customers. In this respect Arriva are the other end of the scale and Stagecoach have maintained a fairly steady middle ground for a very long time.
I'm not too sure about Stagecoach being middle ground and Arriva bottom mind. Arriva spend more money on refurbishments and tech than Stagecoach, okay some of it quite badly. I can't remember Stagecoach ever refurbishing a bus and tech wise they're by far the furthest behind infact they've just turned off WiFi to save money on their whole fleet give or take.
Stagecoach NE have some of the oldest buses in the whole Stagecoach fleet, the MANS and Tranbus Darts for starters and I don't believe either of them have been refurbished in their lifetime neither.