Social Travel

[Steveminor]

It has always been my contention that a route further away costs the same to run as one outside the depot. Why ! Because the driver will still be working the same hours & the vehicle will be doing the same mileage so costs are the same. You just have less time in service in which to break even

[Bob]

Are you going to be using S reg Darts on the 74???.

[Steveminor]

Not been decided at this time. Depends what buses are bought to be honest.  But with sunny getting four buses I would think it'll probably be 2 ex sunny darts which are purchased.

[Bob]

Would they be reliable enough to be used? Arrivas 54/55 plate ones are constantly failing on the 825 lol

[covlad27]

It wont last on this route, Arriva have this corridor cornered

[Bob]

It depends??  Cheaper fares etc, plus Arriva's deckers on there break down loads leaving single deckers to cover it which are no way big enough. ( Arriva only have four deckers, the exact allocation, stupidly no spare, which is ridiculous in itself!)

[covlad27]

This seems somewhat a stupid move, a long way from the depot plus on a route which Arriva have cornered.  I believe this is a recipe for a disaster for Social Travel

[Steveminor]

We've spent a long time doing our sums. We need 5% share of the passengers to break even.
That's not a high figure to aim for & should be achievable.
I'm sure people thought the same when central buses went on the x55 & the 66 but they're holding their own.

[williamposh]

Is that 5% of total passengers or only of cash payers on the bus? How are you allowing for multi journey ticket holders?

Your point about the same cost for further away is correct but your inefficiency will be massive with the dead running to/fr depot.

[Solo1]

Cannock is 18 miles away from the depot  journey time 28 mins  & Stafford 28 miles journey time 40 min  look at other opsin the group  sunny travel on 71e in Solihull  -chelmsley  wood  19 miles away  Discount travel on 966 nothing said is there about them been miles away from depot

[williamposh]

The same point applies on those routes. The dead running reduces the efficiency

[Ashley 60171]

Could just give them a chance first.

[Steveminor]

William, it's 5% of all passengers not counting those with season tickets although the hope is to win some of those over eventually.
Solo you are quite correct, in fact even though the 71 is further away & therefore "less efficient than the 120 it is far more profitable than the 120 was

[Tony]

Cannock is 18 miles away from the depot  journey time 28 mins  & Stafford 28 miles journey time 40 min  look at other opsin the group  sunny travel on 71e in Solihull  -chelmsley  wood  19 miles away  Discount travel on 966 nothing said is there about them been miles away from depot

Journey time 28 minutes?

That's very exact! As someone who lives in Cannock you would struggle to do Cannock to Smethwick in 28 minutes

[williamposh]

William, it's 5% of all passengers not counting those with season tickets although the hope is to win some of those over eventually.
Solo you are quite correct, in fact even though the 71 is further away & therefore "less efficient than the 120 it is far more profitable than the 120 was

It's an interesting debate.

How did you count the passengers to work out who had a season ticket or not?