Reimbursement
Consultation : Free bus travel for people resident in Scotland aged under 19
Reimbursement
Bus operators will be reimbursed for carrying passengers under this scheme. We envisage that this will be done in a similar way to that in which operators are reimbursed for journeys made in the existing NCTS. This could involve calculation on the basis of an adult single fare for each eligible journey, weighted to take account of a range of factors specific to the anticipated travel patterns of under 19s using the scheme and the fares which they would pay were the scheme not in place.
We will engage with key stakeholders on how to set reimbursement rates and what levels those would be. We intend that the reimbursement rate is subject to a similar 'no better, no worse off' aim as exists in the scheme for over 60s and eligible disabled people and that we would reimburse only for journeys undertaken by 5-18 year olds (inclusive) since, as set out earlier, children under five already generally receive free travel without reimbursement.
We intend to review the impact of the scheme and usage after the first year.