(18 May 2021, 10:00 am)Ianthegoon wrote Surprised at the issues you seem to have had with Explorer acceptance - I've travelled widely across the North-east, invariably using the Explorer as I want to have freedom to use any services of the three main operators, and I don't think there have been any cross-operator issues at all. Sure, the drivers peer fairly closely at it, then moan because the critical information is printed in a different place by their rivals to where their version would have it, but never a problem with validity.
After Arriva got the new machines it escalated to every single week I'd have an argument with at least one driver. I usually tried to alternate which of the three companies I bought the ticket from to vary the arguments a bit. Maybe your just luckier than I am, or maybe my face invites confruntation. Either way, I stopped buying the ticket shortly after the Arriva machine upgrade about 2 years ago and subsequently stopped using buses unless I absolutely have to because of that and the other reasons listed above. From my experience of buses they are far from being a customer friendly environment and have steadily worsened in the nearly 40 years I've been using them. Forgot to mention how uncomfortable the seating is these days compared to the bench seats of my youth. I've made a couple of trips to Torquay and back in the car, if you don't stop (which unless I have passengers, I don't) it's a six hour trip one way. I get out of the car at the other end and I'm absolutely fine. half a hour of Arriva's rock hard "Saphire" seats and my back and arse are killing me.
Ulitmately, if I stick to one operator, which in my case would have to be Arriva. The bus is cheaper once you factor in tax, insurance, maintenance and diesel. But my car runs at the times convenient to me, it's warm, comfortable, I can see through all the windows and I don't have to go through every housing estate when I'm busting for a pee.
Maybe if I lived in central Newcastle, I'd probably consider giving up the car. The ticketing options are pretty good provided you don't want to go too far away from T&W, better competition and generally decent level of service. Even with the higher cost, the car was more convenient and less stressful when I lived in Hartlepool and that's definitely the case since I moved to Ludworth last year.