Arriva Midlands

[Robertj21a]

Cheers. Unsurprisingly, it is a standard statement repeated in all the subsidiaries' accounts, and as others have already commented, appears to be a little premature, given the age profile of their fleet across the country.

That also assumes that they intend keeping all their operations. Just closing down bits of, say, Kent would provide more buses to update elsewhere.

 

[Trainman40083]

the latest number at Derby is 3727, on MX10 DCU.

If anyone knows of any that are in service with new numbers I haven’t listed, let me know

*below is a photo of old fleet nos, registrations & the new numbers of Derbys recent pulsars additions*

Bus times suggests MX59 AAN and AAO are enough route to Derby now.. They were on your list.

Bus times suggests MX59 AAN and AAO are enough route to Derby now.. They were on your list.

En route (not enough)

 

[zkyx02]

Bus times suggests MX59 AAN and AAO are enough route to Derby now.. They were on your list.

Yes as my list is just a copy of the arriva document of where things are going.

 

[bringiton]

Anyone know the new fleet number for MX59 AAK. I couldnt see the new one on the vehicle, especially in the dark could only really see where the old one was scratched off

 

[zkyx02]

Anyone know the new fleet number for MX59 AAK. I couldnt see the new one on the vehicle, especially in the dark could only really see where the old one was scratched off

I don’t unfortunately, but with how the numbers have been working it could be anything, if I see it tonight I’ll have a look.

 

[bringiton]

I don’t unfortunately, but with how the numbers have been working it could be anything, if I see it tonight I’ll have a look.

Thanks!

 

[SSmith2009]

Absolutely and of course it's purely coincidental that most of the time the ridiculous message is showing just when people are at a stop. Hopefully this will be the last year of this nonsense.

Several vehicles noted around Leicester today now alternate between the usual destinations and then revised fares now in operation.

One would've thought that having the via points alternate to show 'Revised Fares In Use' in inverted text would have been better so the final destination and route number are still visible at all times.

 

[busspotter1]

Several vehicles noted around Leicester today now alternate between the usual destinations and then revised fares now in operation.

One would've thought that having the via points alternate to show 'Revised Fares In Use' in inverted text would have been better so the final destination and route number are still visible at all times.

Over the years, whenever I see "revised fares in use", I always think of "increased fares in use".

 

[zkyx02]

Thanks!

Doesn’t have a Derby number yet, not even got official legals, just paper.

 

[Trainman40083]

Doesn’t have a Derby number yet, not even got official legals, just paper.

Maybe they intend to paint it, before the end of the year.

 

[bringiton]

Doesn’t have a Derby number yet, not even got official legals, just paper.

Ah right, I thought it didnt. Quite strange

 

[Volvo142]

Anyone know the new fleet number for MX59 AAK. I couldnt see the new one on the vehicle, especially in the dark could only really see where the old one was scratched off

It was running in Alvaston as one of several SPDC's today....

 

[Russel]

Anyone know the new fleet number for MX59 AAK. I couldnt see the new one on the vehicle, especially in the dark could only really see where the old one was scratched off

Not sure what it is, but the original Arriva livery looks really smart on the 2nd gen Pulsars.

 

[zkyx02]

Doesn’t have a Derby number yet, not even got official legals, just paper.

It’s fleet no is 3728.

 

[Trainman40083]

It’s fleet no is 3728.

A friend of mine took a picture of 3728 today, a said it was DCZ. Most certainly wasn't AAK as Bustimes shows.

 

[zkyx02]

A friend of mine took a picture of 3728 today, a said it was DCZ. Most certainly wasn't AAK as Bustimes shows.

Could you attach said photo? & I’ll get it changed.

 

[Trainman40083]

Could you attach said photo? & I’ll get it changed.

I am not sure if my friend actually took a picture. Interesting AAK was on 1C. At the time I saw that it could well have been tracking as 4221...The only SP DC vehicles were on X38 and 4...Could almost see when all the recent Pulsars are available, they could renumber them all again.

 

[bringiton]

I am not sure if my friend actually took a picture. Interesting AAK was on 1C. At the time I saw that it could well have been tracking as 4221...The only SP DC vehicles were on X38 and 4...Could almost see when all the recent Pulsars are available, they could renumber them all again.

Yeah AAK is on 1. Saw it earlier, still no fleet numbers on the vehicle though

 

[Trainman40083]

Yeah AAK is on 1. Saw it earlier, still no fleet numbers on the vehicle though

At least we know 3724 is right.

 

[zkyx02]

A friend of mine took a picture of 3728 today, a said it was DCZ. Most certainly wasn't AAK as Bustimes shows.

Your friend was incorrect, 3728 is in fact DCZ but it’s currently not tracking & is on 38s, your friend saw 3727 (MX10 DCU).

As for AAK, it is still in service but without a fleet no, so I assume it will go in for paint, it’s likely got a number but they havent stuck it on, if I see someone I know driving I’ll ask what the no is on the defect card, as they are all preprinted.

 

[Trainman40083]

Your friend was incorrect, 3728 is in fact DCZ but it’s currently not tracking & is on 38s, your friend saw 3727 (MX10 DCU).

As for AAK, it is still in service but without a fleet no, so I assume it will go in for paint, it’s likely got a number but they havent stuck it on, if I see someone I know driving I’ll ask what the no is on the defect card, as they are all preprinted.

All I said was that he had seen/taken a picture of 3728 DCZ. He didn't say where, although it would have had to be on the 38 or the 4 at the time, probably at The Spot. He didn't mention 3727 at all.

 

[busspotter1]

I'm noticing a bit of a pattern here - any reason as to why any vehicles that are transferred are put onto route 4?

 

[zkyx02]

I'm noticing a bit of a pattern here - any reason as to why any vehicles that are transferred are put onto route 4?

It isn’t? The 4 unlike any other route has no vehicle specification (ie Scanias on Oakwoods, deckers on 38s etc) so anything will be used.

 

[busspotter1]

It isn’t? The 4 unlike any other route has no vehicle specification (ie Scanias on Oakwoods, deckers on 38s etc) so anything will be used.

Not on paper, but there may be a preference?
I haven't seen a new transfer yet on the 20s or 38, but commonly see them operating the 4 - or the X38. Then after operating these two routes for a bit, they the rest of the network.

 

[43055]

Not on paper, but there may be a preference?
I haven't seen a new transfer yet on the 20s or 38, but commonly see them operating the 4 - or the X38. Then after operating these two routes for a bit, they the rest of the network.

X38 is always a Pulsar (generally). Before the influx, the 4 and 2's was the most likely place for the pulsars that were not on the X38 I found.

The remaining Omnicities seem to be concentrated on the Oakwood routes now.

 

[Trainman40083]

I'm noticing a bit of a pattern here - any reason as to why any vehicles that are transferred are put onto route 4?

I thought it was common practice to put the junk on the 4. After all, they often got the Omnitowns.

 

[43055]

Anyone know the new fleet number for MX59 AAK. I couldnt see the new one on the vehicle, especially in the dark could only really see where the old one was scratched off

3721 if bus times is correct. Started tracking as this number this morning.

3721 - MX59 AAK

VDL SB200 Wright Pulsar 2

bustimes.org

 

[Trainman40083]

Yes 3707 is LXW, 3711 is LXZ, 3720 is AAE and 3721 is AAK

 

[busspotter1]

the latest number at Derby is 3727, on MX10 DCU.

If anyone knows of any that are in service with new numbers I haven’t listed, let me know

*below is a photo of old fleet nos, registrations & the new numbers of Derbys recent pulsars additions*

I saw some drone shots of the Arriva Derby depot that have been uploaded onto the internet.
Photos were taken on 2nd Jan according to website.

MX09 LXW - Seems to be in Journey Mark livery now at the bottom of the depot.
MX09 LXY - In Derby in Cotswold livery.
MX09 LXZ - In Derby in Interurban livery.

Yes 3707 is LXW, 3711 is LXZ, 3720 is AAE and 3721 is AAK

haha would be useful if I read this

 

[Foxhound87]

Arriva Midlands got new 'upper' management a few months ago and are keen to turn the company around.

Not true. They had a new Head of Operations displaced by Manchester franchising who replaced the previous guy after he went to First Bristol. The rest of the upper management are the same people with new job titles.

The X38 *was* a key profitable route for Arriva so they were keen to rack up more cash from that route and using the "TB weren't co-operating" as a cover.

Do you have insider access to their route costings? Anyone can see that TB’s lost mileage on X38 in the first half of 2024 was embarrassing.

I also like how one of their directors said that Arriva has a 'proven track record for reliability' which is completely untrue.

According to their shortlisting for Bus Operator Of The Year at the National Transport Awards (available on the NTA website) “In the first quarter of 2024, punctuality improved by 10%, with individual depots achieving on-time performance rates ranging from 80% to 98%. Lost mileage was reduced to 0.91% in April 2024, down from a peak of 2.3% during spring 2023.”

Perhaps that’s why their Director references their proven track record for reliability when comparing against TB in Derby, knowing that BODS makes all of this public record.

- Messing with the 1/1A/... routes so they would qualify for bus funding - used to run down London Road, changed to Pride Park, now back via London Road.

They tried something new with 1A/1C to give a bigger circular, it wasn’t successful, they changed it back; what’s your problem here as surely this is a good thing? The routes do not qualify for any ‘bus funding’ or are you confused by the Section 106 for extending into the new estate in South Derbyshire?

- The 2B and 2C services were scrapped and instead merged with the 2 and 2A (reduces cost!). The journeys on the 2 and 2A are now way more crowded. Journey times outside of Derby are now much longer on the 2.

I’m pretty sure the Osmaston Road services are the same PVR but on a simplified network, perhaps this is what has grown patronage?

Also the Swadlincote buses continue to run straight up the middle so where is the increase in journey time?

It’s the same down this way in Buckinghamshire; total lack of local knowledge and you can see it reflecting on the business. The competitors are getting busier and busier and the new route variations are getting more and more ridiculous. Not one customer or manager is ever consulted when these changes occur despite what the glossy publications say.

Arriva don’t have any depots in Buckinghamshire, which managers do you think should be consulted? My understanding is that they have Ops Managers at Luton and Wolverton to manage operations, and a Network Manager who plans the network for these two depots. Which of the three are you, and which glossy publications are you reading as Arriva don’t ever print anything

Edit: I hope this post isn’t deleted as it’s not meant to cause harm but part of a genuine discussion of what is a failing company.

Their success at various awards events last year and registration of new routes in Bedfordshire would suggest they are far from failing, and your comments are probably pretty harmful to those who put blood sweat and tears in to running buses. If anybody on this forum could do a better job they’d be doing it.