Hanson's Local Buses

Hansons is a family-owned bus company who operate services across the West Midlands and Worcestershire. Operating from their depot in the Lye district of Stourbridge. They run a fleet of 20 low-floor and step entrance single deck buses.

Fleet
Hansons run a fleet of 20 single deck buses. The main types in operation are Dennis Darts, Enviro300s and Enviro200s.

The table below shows the Registration and body/chassis type.

Previous vehicles within the fleet included Leyland Lynxes, Mercedes-Benz buses, Optare Solos and other step entry Dennis Darts.

Bus services
Hansons operate several services within the Black Country and Worcestershire areas. They don't operate any routes on Sundays. Unless noted, these services run Monday - Saturday only. These are:

Hansons run 1 service, unlike other bus companys serving the town, into Stourbridge High Street, this being the 250. The 251, however, stops on the Lower High Street. This was brought about as several senior citizens refuse to use the towns subway due to crime fears.

Ticketing
Fares used to be roughly linked to distance travelled, but there is now only 3 fares: a standard fare and a cheaper 'short hop' fare on most routes. Cash fares can be bought from the driver on the bus, but no change is given. Child fares are available at half the adult cost. The only exception to this is on routes 228 and 318 where extra fares are charged outside the West Midlands boundary. Services which have competition from other operators offer special "returns".

Various pass type tickets are sold in advance (off-bus), for 1 day covering operating area (and also the greater West Midlands (county) area) although these are Network West Midlands branded nNetwork/nBus tickets instead.

Hansons, along with fellow competitor Diamond Bus, raise fares about the same time as National Express West Midlands, which in 2010 was June but is usually January.

Senior citizens (aged 60 or over) and disabled persons are eligible for free concessionary travel pass in a similar fashion to that offered in other areas.

Hansons use SmartCard technology for its concessionary pass recording, similar to companies like Diamond Bus. These On-bus ticketing systems are supplied by Parkeon (formerly Wayfarer Transit Systems) of Poole, Dorset.