(28 Jul 2022, 7:06 pm)Washingtonian wrote That sums it up really well to be honest. These days there never seems to be anything innovative from bus companies that will genuinely make using the bus as a seriously attractive alternative to the car. All we hear is, "Oh well, theres not enough people using our services, so lets just cut them!". The last few years worth of major service changes have seen nothing but cuts. People have commented on here about there being not enough demand for bus services on an evening and that the cuts are justified, but this will force even more people into cars and will eventually effect day time service loadings too as they will use the car all the time instead. And with the price of bus tickets and the cost of fuel running a car, it is simply not feasible to use a combination of both from a financial view.That's the thing. Those fare offers GNE offered were good on paper. But absolutely of no use to anyone who didn't have a service.
The approach to the decline in bus use should surely be, "How can we win passangers back and keep them coming back?" Take evenings for example, there is no excuse not to have a lower fare price where and when the service is being subsidised - something like £1 return ticket anywhere in your town or £3 unlimited travel anywhere in Tyne and Wear after 7pm etc. I would be tempted to use the bus if I was going somewhere on an evening if something like this was in place as well as having a frequent enough service. I'm sure other people would be interested in this if they were going out for a meal or to the cinema somewhere on an evening. Bus companies have to ask themselves, What's better? Staying in the status quo of decline, or trying something new to try and win more passengers?
I looked at taking advantage of the £1 fare on the 71 a while back. It saved me money going one way. Had to get a taxi back, because the buses were tucked in bed for the night.
Haven't bothered with the £2 fare offer due to the total lottery about a bus taking me home at the end of the night.
An example of a half arsed job.