So glad I have free bus pass!

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gavroche

Getting old but not past it
Location
North Wales
Today, my wife and I decided to take our grandson, ( 4 years old) on the bus to Llandudno. The journey only takes about 20 minutes so it was a change from the car. On the way back my wife said to me:" Do you know how much this journey would have cost us if we had to pay?" Of course I didn't as I never took a bus before I retired. " £3.50 each way, each" she said. So that would have been £14 for such a short journey! Why is public transport so expensive? :eek:
The same journey by car would have cost me £1 max on diesel for all of us. :whistle:
 
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PeteXXX

Cake or ice cream? The choice is endless ...
Location
Hamtun
I'm using my bus pass more often now. The grandkids think it's a treat to go on a bus!
 

Arjimlad

Tights of Cydonia
Location
South Glos
I think it might be something to do with the relative lack of paying passengers on buses nowadays. Operation costs, wages, a lot more than just fuel.
 

Brandane

Legendary Member
Location
Costa Clyde
Come up to Edinburgh. I parked my car at the Ingliston park and ride this morning, took a tram into the city centre, had 5 bus journeys out of my unlimited allowance within the city, took a tram back out towards the P&R but decided to jump off and have a browse round Decathlon while the rush hour traffic abates. Then I will head for my car and watch my blood pressure rise as I negotiate the motorway network westbound.
The cost of parking, tram, and all day bus pass? £4.
 

derrick

The Glue that binds us together.
I love my Freedom pass, Should use it more but at the moment i am carrying some heavy stuff around, Used it last weekend to go London, Saved me about £9-00. :okay:
 

Drago

Legendary Member
Funnily enough, this has just sparked a discussion in the Drago household. Excluding depreciation, but including fuel, maintenance , repayments, tax, insurance and fuel, daughter number 3's Nissan Puke costs her 81p a mile to run.

Not sure how we'd work the depreciation into that, but even without the depreciation Gavro's bus is still much cheaper.
 

Accy cyclist

Legendary Member
You don't really think the bus companies get nothing at all when someone uses a bus pass do you?


Off course they get something but as in most cases when someone gets something for nothing someone else has to pay for it. In this case it's the passengers who don't have free passes.
 

Brandane

Legendary Member
Location
Costa Clyde
Would your tax, insurance, maintenance, wear and tear and depreciation cost only a quid? Most cars cost several quid a mile to run when everything is factored in, which makes your bus journey fair value for money.
Depends on the car and how many miles you do per year, of course. Depreciation on mine is negligible at 10 years old. I do my own servicing for little cost. That leaves VED, MOT, and insurance as fixed costs of about £10 per week. Petrol and tyres are the variable costs. I reckon I do about 12k miles per year at a total cost of about 16 pence per mile. A lot cheaper than bus or train fares, Edinburgh apart!
 
OP
OP
gavroche

gavroche

Getting old but not past it
Location
North Wales
Would your tax, insurance, maintenance, wear and tear and depreciation cost only a quid? Most cars cost several quid a mile to run when everything is factored in, which makes your bus journey fair value for money.
You have a point but how much is the cost of freedom?
My bus journey certainly was good value as it costs me nothing .:okay:
 
OP
OP
gavroche

gavroche

Getting old but not past it
Location
North Wales
[QUOTE 4560234, member: 259"]If you haven't paid any tax for the last few years, then it's cost you nothing.[/QUOTE]
Ok, so let's call it "pay back time" on taxes I have paid in the last 46 years and still pay by the way.
 

mjr

Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
£3.50 each way, each" she said. So that would have been £14 for such a short journey! Why is public transport so expensive? :eek:
The same journey by car would have cost me £1 max on diesel for all of us. :whistle:
That's ignoring the other costs of running a car and ignoring that bus operators usually have group-save tickets and other discounts - the local ones here used to be called Duo and Group, but I've not used them recently, plus you get 5% off if you pay with a contactless card. I'm pretty sure £14 is about what an all-routes Group day ticket costs here.

But mass transport is still more expensive than it should be IMO.
 
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