(23 Nov 2020, 11:30 pm)streetdeckfan wrote The fact that they're trying it on a single route gives me the impression that most of the people who travel on the 53/54 buy either single or return tickets, as if you 'tap on' a 53, you'd then have to buy a separate ticket if you wanted to get a different bus, defeating the point of it capping the price.
To me, tap on - tap off is a thing you have to trial on a larger scale to get any benefit
Agree that it would be better to have it on a larger scale to see real benefits.
However, as a starting point, there is still plenty to glean from having it solely on the 53/54 and there will be more than just those buying singles/returns who are required to tap in and out.
If they determine there's a load of people boarding at Bensham and heading along to Coatsworth or Saltwell, but data analysis shows the same ticket was used on the 93/94 to/from Team Valley - then it opens up scope to improve links or connections between the two points.
What it can't do, is identify that there's a chunk of people who tap out at Gateshead but board a Metro to a part of Newcastle the metro serves, but the 53/54 don't.