TODAY is the first real test of Newport's new school bus provider.

All schools are back for the first day of the new academic year, rather than just Year 7 pupils as was the case at most secondary schools yesterday.

Yet New Adventure Travel, the Cardiff-based bus company that won the secondary schools contract from Newport Transport earlier in the summer, still had to apologise for errors that left some pupils stranded at stops.

The firm says there were bound to be teething problems at the start of its contract.

Newport City Council, who awarded the contract, says there were no more problems than on first days at school in the past.

It's a pretty poor attitude.

Surely the aim of both NAT and the council should be to provide a service that is better than it was before.

A collective shrug of the shoulders is of no comfort for children, nervous enough on their first day at a new school, left waiting for a bus that did not turn up.

NAT is being paid to run a service by the council taxpayers of Newport.

It should have been ready to provide that service with no problems from day one.

We have said before that we wish NAT well with its new venture.

But we will continue to monitor its performance on behalf of our readers.