A rival to Stagecoach on the Caithness to Inverness route is to stop operating after just over four months.
Aaron’s Coaches received a generally warm welcome as offering competition to the established operator, which has come in for regular flak from passenger lobby groups.
But owner Aaron Wilson has admitted defeat in his bid to make the new service pay.
He has informed the Traffic Commissioners that it is winding up its daily runs from Scrabster to Invermess.
He could not be contacted yesterday but he informed passengers of the move in a message on the firm’s Facebook page.
The 26-year-old stated: “I am deeply sorry to inform you all we have decided to send our paperwork to the Traffic Commissioners to terminate the A9 service run.
“It’s just not busy enough – we have been running at a loss and with us being a small company, we can’t do that.
“I want to thank everyone that has used our service.”
The 53-seater, wheelchair-friendly Mercedes Tourismo includes a stop at Raigmore Hospital on its daily return runs.
The firm will revert to concentrating on its contract/ private hire business, including a summertime contract to take passengers disembarking at Invergordon from cruise ships on day tours.