An increase of patronage on Newcastle buses by almost five percent is being labelled by private operator Keolis Downer as a "strong endorsement of the new network design."
New data released today shows a jump of almost 15,000 passengers for the month of January 2018 compared to the same period last year but, questions are being raised due to customers being required to catch more services to reach their destinations, therefore tapping their opal cards more than ever.
However, Keolis Downer Hunter General Manager Mark Dunlop says the Opal system in NSW is very sophisticated as it considers the passengers' journey and does not count people twice.
Mr Dunlop added that a network planning team is reviewing all of the information and data to understand what is working and where improvements need to be made.
"Our drivers are playing a huge role in letting us know what is working out there and what improvements can be made operationally, as well as passing on feedback from customers.
"We will also take this opportunity to improve connections and make minor adjustments to routes to better meet patronage or for route directness, as well as ensuring buses are running on time," Mr Dunlop said.
Keolis Downer has confirmed the largest increase in patronage is on high-frequency routes such as the 11 and the 29 to Cardiff Train Station.
