Ultimately, no matter what we have all written here, this is not the fault of the bus companies, the situation with HGV pay rates is still taking those drivers who can away. The rate of new recruits is incapable of matching the usual loss plus this, and the DVLA have royally screwed up licences for the best part of three years now.
But those companies who can should as written here dedicate themselves to ensuring deckers are available to be switched in when mass cancellations take place and the impending crush on Christmas Eve. GNE obviously have a better ability to do this, but there are countless heavily stacked operators who have a good stock that could come out after 12 noon to make this Christmas Eve not go as many of us suspect...
RE: Disruptions and driver shortages