(11 May 2014, 1:17 pm)Marcus wrote It's a waste of time and a waste of money to operate a service that probably doesn't even get two on people on between 9 and 5. Going back to the OK1; I've often wondered why they actually did withdraw it, because if you look at photos of it you'll see quite a few people onboard. I used it only the once all the way from Middlesborough to Darlington and it was about half full. The problem is, that service had a competition which it lost to.
Operating the X39 during the daytime isn't worth it.
Most of which were pensioners, I bet?!
For reference, service OK1 operated with next to no passengers all day on the final day of operation. Whilst this will be in part to customers making alternative arrangements for travel owing to the impending withdrawal of the service, an empty bus with just me on it did suggest a lot.
The service may have been 'breaking even', but I doubt it was making much of a profit when in its prime. This was as a result of the strong competition from Arriva on the route. If you ask me, it's not a coincidence that the withdrawal of service OK1 saw the vehicles repainted for a new service which provides Arriva with strong competition down in Hexham where they don't have any other connecting services!