School bus cost more than public transport! Opinions please

Cameron

martindow wrote: »

Are you sure the weekly tickets are valid all day? Sometimes cheaper tickets can only be used after 9am for example.

Assuming the ticket can be used I think the major issue as others have said is social. If others use the school bus it could be daunting for an eleven year old doing a 12 mile journey on her own without her friends' moral support.

Just double checked, can be used all day every day including saturday and sunday - just buy on the bus on monday - called UGO!

True "daunting" but "character building"! Be honest we have always encouraged her independence, she uses the buses now. I wouldn't want it any other way.

What I can gather there are lot of school children using the same bus - not just from here school either. Because we are newish to the area it may be a good way to make other friends.

Cameron

sillygoose wrote: »

work really hard to get a grammar school place.

You dont live in Mellor in the RV do you - they could go together on the Public bus?

sillygoose

Cameron wrote: »

You dont live in Mellor in the RV do you - they could go together on the Public bus?

Sadly not!

getmore4less

what a shambles, what happened to integrated transport system where buses run on routes where people need them.

The regular company could probably extend a few routes for certain times.. then those that qualify for the free school bus pass get a bit more choice have a time window and the option to extend to a full pass for a fee

Cameron

getmore4less wrote: »

what a shambles, what happened to integrated transport system where buses run on routes where people need them.

The regular company could probably extend a few routes for certain times.. then those that qualify for the free school bus pass get a bit more choice have a time window and the option to extend to a full pass for a fee

:T What a brilliant idea, such common sense! It would even lead to more people using the buses and the companies making more money! Do you think I should suggest it to them? :rotfl:

I realy blame the "Score keepers" that are allowed to run companies

silvercar

agrinnall wrote: »

The illogical pricing is probably a ploy by the council, if everyone uses the normal bus then they can point at the lack of use of the school bus service and axe it.

So true.

notanewuser wrote: »

Presumably there are children that are entitled for a free pass for the bus? If so, you're also paying for some of them.

Only in that all taxpayers are funding our education system. Free bus passes are paid out of a funding allocation that the education authority holds for the purpose of school transport. They are not funded by increasing the costs to other users. If the bus became underused and there were local bus services on the route, chances are that eventually those entitled to free bus passes would be given a pass for the local bus service.

dandelionclock30

I know its a bit late in the day now but wasnt there a school nearer she could have gone to? I could have walked to three secondary schools from my house.
I would get her the weelky bus pass, but frankly I still think its a lot. I would also keep her off the school buses as behaviour on them can be shockingly bad.

bitmadmax

Are there age restrictions on the WBP - ie 16 years or over? Unlikely but you never know.. this might be their sneaky way of "forcing" you to buy the SBP.

I remember as a kid a few times the school bus never turned up due to the driver being ill, and after making an alternative trip we all got a b*llocking for turning up late to school.

In the end I jacked it all in and used the bike.

At least with public buses they have contingencies for driver availability so it's unlikely your daughter would be stranded (or stranded for long).

silvercar

I know its a bit late in the day now but wasnt there a school nearer she could have gone to? I could have walked to three secondary schools from my house.

Assume OP must have chosen this school over nearer ones. If your nearest suitable school is more than 3 miles away you are entitled to free transport.

sillygoose

silvercar wrote: »

Assume OP must have chosen this school over nearer ones. If your nearest suitable school is more than 3 miles away you are entitled to free transport.

Some incentive scheme isn't it! what is the point of even offering a 'choice' when if you don't take the nearest one automatically, even if its a dire dump! your in effect 'fined' for using your so called choice.

I have to pay £650, people living 200 metres away from me over the county border will get for free to go to the same school I am paying to.

Like most things in local authority world, very little practicality or big picture thinking.