Stroud buses to Pates

[FluffyCat]

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[Sabanna]

My daughter catches the Bennetts bus which starts on the outskirts of Stonehouse then goes Whitminster, Quedgeley, Abbeymead etc.....

She's in Y7 and there are two other Y7's and a Y10 that catch the bus at the same stop as her. It's a nice new bus (or has been so far) and on time (again so far).

We live in Stonehouse so it's great for us, but I do know that it's cheaper than the other bus that goes Minchinhampton, Rodborough, Painswick.

[aargh]

I found 2 on the link for transport on Pate's website, doesn't seem much between them (hope doesn't break the ad rule since I am putting both up to compare):

Mini bus direct £1450 per year (can do as £120 per month)
Rodborough Opposite The Bear Pub 07.20
Minchinhampton Butt Street 07.25
Nailsworth - Morrisons 07.33
Stroud - Bus Station - Merrywalks 07.45
Painswick - Opposite Church 07.50
Brockworth - Toby Carvery 08.05
Pates School 08.25

Denwell £1500 per year or £1420 if you pay the lot upfront
Tetbury 0710 hrs 1657 hrs
Nailsworth 0722 hrs 1646 hrs
Pinfarthings 0733 hrs 1636 hrs
Amberley P O 0734 hrs 1635 hrs
The Bear 0737 hrs 1632 hrs
Brown's Yard 0740 hrs 1628 hrs
Focus/Dudbridge Hill 0742 hrs 1625 hrs
Merrywalks 0746 hrs 1621 hrs
Salmon Springs 0748 hrs 1619 hrs
Painswick 0752 hrs 1615 hrs
Pate's 0822 hrs 1550 hrs


If several parents group together for a car share, sharing petrol costs, it can work out cheaper.
I can't do the commute myself because I have to be at my own school at 8.45. Suppose the same for many parents.

[Sabanna]

If you can get to Stonehouse to catch the Bennetts one then it's £1100 if you pay annually.

[aargh]

wow that difference might be worth the effort!
What time does it leave stonehouse? (maybe DH can drop her before going to clients)

[Sabanna]

It leaves Stonehouse at 7.10 and gets back at apprix 16.55. They won't let you even try to book a place though until after allocation day though.

[aargh]

hmph
Denwell and Minibus direct will put your name down and let you confirm in March

[threemonkey]

When considering buses and cost etc. it is really important to realise the actual cost of car travel petrol alone is around 15p per mile and you have to take into account wear and tear which wont be any less than 20 p per mile. This may sound a little obvious but if you drove an extra 3 miles say to catch a cheaper bus , that would be and extra 12 miles everyday which is £4.20 over a school year of 39 weeks thats £819.00 , you can not avoid or beat that cost (unless you have a company car) .

Likewise a daily trip to school of 15 miles , is roughly going to cost you £4095 per year.

The bus is always going to be cheaper and closest bus to you will probably always be the cheapest option.
(ps I dont work for any bus companies)

[aargh]

Yes on the car cost per year
but if you have 4 pupils in the car it would be cheaper for each parent sharing the cost (just) if you can afford the time (not me)

For catching the Stonehouse bus it would mean my DH taking a marginally different route to clients but all in all the Merrywalks stop is better for us because she can walk home from there.

[threemonkey]

Yes the cut off point for it being cheaper to share a car is about 21 miles from school , but that does assume 4 in a car and also assumes that no other transport arrangements will ever have to be made. Although thats the same for bus as it obviously wont wait for someone if their at an after school club. Car sharing is great but as with any sharing relationship , some peoples idea of sharing is different to others.
I know of four ds's locally to me who share a taxis which is around £50 per week each , but I was talikng to one parent the other day who is only using the homeward bound service 3 times a week due to after school activities, but shes still committed to pay for the 5 .
I think when you weight it all up the bus will always work out the best option