Currently in Greater Manchester, individual bus companies decide the routes, fares, timetables and standards Greater Manchester leaders will meet later this month to consider a major milestone in its plans for an integrated transport system; the introduction of bus franchising across the city-region. Currently in Greater Manchester, individual bus companies decide the routes, fares, timetables and standards. Where bus companies decide not to run services and where necessary, the public sector pays to fill the gaps. Franchising means bus services – including routes, frequencies, fares and standards – would be brought under local control. The bus operators would be commissioned by GMCA to run the services and would also allow GMCA to integrate buses with the rest of transport network.