(28 Oct 2023, 11:42 pm)mb134 wrote Most depots already do this where it is feasible, with the buses already available to them. Arriva Blyth are well known for it, and I believe Ashington do it on the X21/22 if an inbound X22 is running late. 

To do it how you suggest with two or three buses parked up waiting to go isn't going to happen, you'd be adding 2-3 to the PVR of the service which would nuke the profitability of it.

I don't believe they actively replace them at Blyth do they? It's more just swapping things around as a few of them have 10 minute layovers, so the bus with 10 minutes layover goes onto the X10 running 10 minutes late or whatever, then the 10 minutes late X10 drops onto the 308 and leaves on time.

To be fair, GNE could easily do it in places like Gateshead, Park Lane, Eldon Square (10/10A/10B/21/X21/X10) or (6/X30/X31/X45/X46/47), Consett etc if everything wasn't painted in different colours for the sake of it without much too hassle as long as there's a driver ready to go out and they were trained for the routes.

The X10 has a 18 minute layover at Eldon Square for example, but it'll just sit there while the X21 is running along 15 minutes late or whatever.