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A private bus company gained greater profits and provided bus service to the area at lower fares by running buses more frequently and stimulating greater ridership. Hoping to continue these financial trends, the company plans to replace all older buses with new, larger buses, including some double-decker buses.
The plan of the bus company as described above assumes all of the following EXCEPT
(A) the demand for bus service in the company’s area of service will increase in the future
(B) increased efficiency and revenues will compensate for any new expenses the company incurs
(C) the new buses will be sufficiently reliable to ensure the company a net financial gain once they are in place
(D) driving the new buses will be no more difficult than driving the buses they are to replace
(E) the larger, double-decker buses will not face obstacles such as height and weight restrictions in the bus company’s area of service
The bus company improved profits by running buses more often, which increased ridership and allowed lower fares. Its new plan is to replace older buses with larger ones, including double-deckers, expecting this to continue the positive financial trend.
(A) The plan assumes future demand will increase, otherwise larger buses might not be needed. This is assumed.
(B) The plan assumes higher efficiency and revenue will cover the cost of new buses. This is assumed.
(C) The plan assumes the new buses will be reliable enough to avoid costly repairs or downtime that would hurt profits. This is assumed.
(D) The plan does not necessarily assume driving difficulty is the same. Even if driving is more difficult, the company could train drivers or adjust schedules. Profitability is the goal, not driving ease. This is likely NOT assumed.
(E) The plan assumes no obstacles like low bridges or weight limits would block the larger buses. This is assumed.
The company’s plan relies on financial and operational factors for success. Driving difficulty (D) is not a core financial assumption; it’s a practical detail that could be solved without dooming the plan.
Therefore, the answer is D.