In message , at 13:33:20 on Thu, 20 Sep
2012, Alex Potter remarked:
The bus operations are contracted out, and the companies make a small
profit, in the same sense that the bus drivers aren't working for
nothing either. It's unclear whether contracting them out saves or costs
money (compared to TFL owning and running the buses itself) but it's
pretty finely balanced I reckon.

Fine balance or not, it invariably costs more to provide a service, or
the workers are exploited worse, when a formerly publicly-owned service
is run for the benefit of shareholders, rather than that of the general
public.

I disagree. Operating efficiencies, and simply being an expert in the
field rather than a public servant amateur, can easily overwhelm the
tinkering at the edges you mention.
--
Roland Perry