The Partnership model
The partnership model proves to be the most successful bus business model -outside London.
What do I mean by that?
An efficient bus network can not stand on it's own feet without some infrasturcture- bus stations, priority measures- otherwise you can not really run bus network.
On the other hand, councils and planners, or major developers might want to encourage the use of public transport instead of cars- for all manner of reasons such as air pollution, lack of parking space, reduce congestion etc.
Local authorities might want to join in,- they may wish the bus company to encourage the provision of a certain degree of evening or weekend services as part of their 'service package'.
All of this leads to the obvious- a partnership - working together.
So if a bus company works with city authorites, major developers and employers [airport, universities, factory owners, shopping/leisure maga centres], this actually greatly enhance bus services, increase ridership and profitablility.
The examples to look around in the UK are: Brighton, Oxford, Cambridge,
and Nottingham and Reading- this is 'council lead' as opposed to private company lead.
I suggest that you look at the bus network in those places to see how it should be done.
It is not exacly a co-incidence that Arriva and First are not involved in any of those partnerships...
So it is not all about freedom to run buses anywhere you want, charge whatever prices you want etc.
It is about forming an effective partnership as explained above.
Bus services do not exist in a stand alone world.
regards
Yoram
The Partnership model
The partnership model proves to be the most successful bus business model -outside London.
What do I mean by that?
An efficient bus network can not stand on it's own feet without some infrasturcture- bus stations, priority measures- otherwise you can not really run bus network.
On the other hand, councils and planners, or major developers might want to encourage the use of public transport instead of cars- for all manner of reasons such as air pollution, lack of parking space, reduce congestion etc.
Local authorities might want to join in,- they may wish the bus company to encourage the provision of a certain degree of evening or weekend services as part of their 'service package'.
All of this leads to the obvious- a partnership - working together.
So if a bus company works with city authorites, major developers and employers [airport, universities, factory owners, shopping/leisure maga centres], this actually greatly enhance bus services, increase ridership and profitablility.
The examples to look around in the UK are: Brighton, Oxford, Cambridge,
and Nottingham and Reading- this is 'council lead' as opposed to private company lead.
I suggest that you look at the bus network in those places to see how it should be done.
It is not exacly a co-incidence that Arriva and First are not involved in any of those partnerships...
So it is not all about freedom to run buses anywhere you want, charge whatever prices you want etc.
It is about forming an effective partnership as explained above.
Bus services do not exist in a stand alone world.
regards
Yoram
