(08 Jun 2023, 8:59 pm)Adrian wrote I tend to agree. Perhaps in a time when there were no real alternatives available to you, it was far easier for transport operators to expect you to work around their scheduling, rather than providing a schedule that was customer-centric . Nowadays, not only do you have cars so easily available to people, but most office-based employers will accept an application for homeworking if you can explain that your daily commute is awful.
It's nearly 9 month since Go North East 'temporarily' suspended the X20. Using that provided a perfect route for me to get from Washington to Durham, using that and the 4. Not only did they suspend that, they made the 50 a game of snakes and ladders to get out of Washington. I ended up reverting to working from home permanently as a result of that, and it's single figures that I've been into an office since then. Saves me £100+ a month and loses an operator a customer.
I hate that particular word (even though I love the meaning behind it).
The idea we don't have operators who look to identify what passengers want, need or expect is beyond me.
They're struggling for passengers, are falling further and further in to the financial black hole and still seem to insist that they know best, deciding where and when buses will run.
Usually inconveniencing the few passengers that are keeping the operators afloat.
The level of arrogance and ineptitude shown by these operators is frightening.
Particularly in the current situation.