(11 Jun 2025, 11:30 am)Dan wrote The difference between a large operator and a small operator is that the latter can ensure a smaller pool of drivers run the service who get to know passengers by name, where they board and alight, will remain stationary until all passengers have sat down, and so on.

If you travelled on the 643 service over the last 2-3 days, I think you’d find the talk of the bus is how they’re absolutely devastated Northstar has lost the contract and how poor the public perceive Go North East’s reliability to be (based on recent performance of the 6).

The 643 has one elderly customer whose young grandson is autistic and will not travel on a Go North East bus, but loves the blue Northstar bus and will exclusively travel on the 643 only. That customer has no idea how they are going to travel from July.

There are several elderly customers on the 643 who use the service just to see and speak with the two regular drivers, who they have come to know very well over the last twelve months. They have said they are unlikely to travel with Go North East and won’t have as much human interaction, as there’ll be a multitude of drivers rather than a very small number.

Do not underestimate the value of good customer service, or the great effort that Northstar as a company has put in over the last 11 months.

So before Northstar took over the 643 (or before Northstar even existed), none of these passengers used the service as it was operated by Go North East? (or GCT earlier on).

And now many of the regular passengers are unlikely to use the service which has a similar timetable to now because Northstar aren’t going to operate it? I find that hard to believe.