(14 Apr 2026, 3:42 am)cr51xln wrote I used to drive the 18 at Stagecoach. On an evening nobody tends to want to board/alight at the call centre, so just checking from the roundabout is okay. On the timetable, you only get an extra 2 mins to serve BT on an evening, so it pretty much is the only way to stay on time.

Was always a passenger who'd ask for BT, so I'd serve it... just for him to want the southbound stop on Salters Lane... 

I think this sums up my feelings.

There’s clearly a lot of “bustimes detectives” looking for fault with Northstar’s service delivery on service 18, and I’m not sure why when the company has had a near-perfect reputation for the last two years.

The team - some of whom came from Stagecoach (directly or indirectly) and previously ran service 18 - are aware of the “shortcuts” which were made by Stagecoach, and are employing the same tactics themselves to improve or maintain reliability.

This forum has never held Stagecoach to account for attempting to save 30 seconds to do something which should take a minute more than is scheduled.

I would assume Northstar, like Stagecoach, has a very small number of regular drivers on the late 18s, who get to know exactly where customers are travelling and where they can expect regulars to board and alight.

That said, I note a conscious effort seems to have been made for buses to serve the bus stop for BT Call Centre since Sunday.