Stagecoach MCSL - Chester & Wirral Depots

[M113 YKC]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(24/12/2013 14:30)Fox Wrote:  If the 39 branch of services were good money makers then Avon wouldn't of canceled what seemed to be busiest journey, the 39c.

One journey in each direction on weekdays is hardly a reflection of how well/poor the service could perform on a more frequent timetable, especially now that Arriva's 414 runs on the majority of the route.

(24/12/2013 14:41)MPTE1955 Wrote:  Without knowing the figures and profit margin of the route nobody knows whether or not it was worth continuing, impera's idea of a profit margin was probably completely different to those acceptable to to the likes of avon, stagecoach etc.

That's very true. For example, Avon and Stagecoach pay their drivers more per hour than what Impera paid their drivers.

As far as I remember, the monthly Merseytravel revenue (for passes, etc...) covered wages (often paid late due to ETM failures, some drivers not logging the ETMs properly or not filling-in dead mileage forms, which had to rectified before payment); fuel was partly-covered by the fuel duty with the remainder being covered by the revenue. The remaining revenue went towards other overheads. It didn't help when drivers were missing journeys out purposefully ("undercover inspectors" boosted the revenue dramatically as drivers didn't know where and when they were being watched) and money was going missing and being taken-out of the business at the weakest times. After all of that, the constant service changes created dips in revenue as the company had to regain the trust from its customers. I hope that this provides an insight into what factors the company's commercial network had to face and how costs were covered from my understanding and perspective (etc...)!