(Yesterday, 8:44 am)cainebj wrote The Arriva registration shows no subsidies. Service 16 was tendered by Darlington Borough Council when Hodgsons ran it, after they part funded it since COVID with Scarlet Band (previously wholly commercial). TVCA took over the tendering in 2024 when Hodgsons contract with DBC was expiring, and was won by Stagecoach. Hodgsons didn't submit a tender under the TVCA competition following their expansion in North Yorkshire at the time.
Think the 16 has had various forms of financial support since Darlington Borough Council pulled support for all their remaining supported routes at the end of 2012, it got grant money at the start of 2013 (and shortened to its current route) and think DBC part funded the lesser used journeys on the service from some time in 2015 I think?
At very least, Arriva won't have to get to West Park 30+ minutes before the first departure on weekdays because it would otherwise exceed the maximum driving hours without a break that Stagecoach must do with coming light from Stockton (and Scarlet Band did prior to closure), service could do with a overhaul as it's rather tight for sticking to the timetable.