(5 hours ago)Storx wrote I'd rather have Gateshead Taxis running the service over Arriva or GoNorthEast. 

Their buses are newer, the drivers are friendly and they actually run their services because the bus isn't sitting in a lay-by, if they have one at all.

Not sure about that! On the whole they do well on the 350/351 but are let down by only one or two drivers. A couple have refused to sell TNE day tickets and we’ve been told they don’t sell them. Another one was when we had visitors from Devon and the driver refused to accept their ENCTS passes as they didn’t accept them on their buses. I complained to NEXUS and to be fair they seem have approached GCT and far as TNE tickets are concerned things seem to have improved!

(5 hours ago)Storx wrote I'd rather have Gateshead Taxis running the service over Arriva or GoNorthEast. 

Their buses are newer, the drivers are friendly and they actually run their services because the bus isn't sitting in a lay-by, if they have one at all.

Friendly drivers on GCT. You must have got lucky. Times I've used GCT I've found them incredibly unprofessional and their driving standards close to dangerous.

(3 hours ago)Shrek wrote Friendly drivers on GCT. You must have got lucky. Times I've used GCT I've found them incredibly unprofessional and their driving standards close to dangerous.

When GCT had 342 drivers always made an effort to get to know their regular passengers. Always very friendly. A complete contrast to GNE where I never see the same driver twice.