First Aberdeen

[JumpinTrainz]

Anyone know what the deal is with the 19 branded Streetdecks? Have they all returned to service yet?

 

[Volvodart]

Nothing further come - just 3 branded and 2 unbranded back from Wrightbus.

 

[Jordan Adam]

The four Geminis (37635/36/43/44) left the Aberdeen fleet last week heading for Scotland East. The B7RLEs are due to follow in the coming weeks once more Streetdecks return from Wrightbus.

 

[stevenedin]

The four Geminis (37635/36/43/44) left the Aberdeen fleet last week heading for Scotland East. The B7RLEs are due to follow in the coming weeks once more Streetdecks return from Wrightbus.

Do you know which part? Hopefully Livingston.

 

[Volvodart]

They were originally to be Scania replacements, I do not know if that is still the case.

 

[Deltic1961]

Lots of service cancellations today. Presumably due to Covid / driver shortage?

Edit: Story has made it to the P&J

Link: https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https://www...29/first-bus-aberdeen-138-services-cancelled/

First Bus has announced 138 journeys have been cancelled across its Aberdeen bus routes today.

Due to driver shortages, all but three routes across Aberdeen are being hit by major cancellations.

First Bus listed 138 journeys being cancelled on its website affecting the following routes; 1/2, 3, 11, 12, 13, 15, 17/18, 19, 23, 27.

Now reporting breakdowns too

 

[PaulMc7]

Lots of service cancellations today. Presumably due to Covid / driver shortage?

Edit: Story has made it to the P&J

Link: https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https://www...29/first-bus-aberdeen-138-services-cancelled/



First Bus listed 138 journeys being cancelled on its website affecting the following routes; 1/2, 3, 11, 12, 13, 15, 17/18, 19, 23, 27.

Now reporting breakdowns too

That's got to be covid related surely? Aberdeen seems to be by far the least hit area for First in Scotland for driver shortages.

 

[Volvodart]

Maybe there is a shortage of the agency drivers Aberdeen have been using, or they are wanting to cut down on their use now the government funding is reducing next month before it is eliminated in October.

 

[ScotRail158725]

Do you know which part? Hopefully Livingston.

Midland anyway, most likely Larbet

 

[Jordan Adam]

Midland anyway, most likely Larbet

Will be Larbert i'd imagine, Geminis can't operate out of Bannockburn due to the low railway bridge on Causeywayhead Road in Stirling.

Maybe there is a shortage of the agency drivers Aberdeen have been using, or they are wanting to cut down on their use now the government funding is reducing next month before it is eliminated in October.

There seems to have been a local increase in shortages of late, Stagecoach Bluebird are actually short by quite a bit more drivers however they have the benefit of it being the school holidays just now combined with significantly more office staff who can do the odd run in service if needed.

 

[Deltic1961]

Picture in the P&J today of a damaged E500, but they don't actually say what happened. Looks like it tried to go under the arches at South College Street.

 

[Volvodart]

I do not think this is very appropriate for an article about bus driver shortages.

 

[lachlan]

Picture in the P&J today of a damaged E500, but they don't actually say what happened. Looks like it tried to go under the arches at South College Street.

View attachment 117853

It's from 2017 https://12ft.io/proxy?q=https://www...-not-in-service-bus-wedged-under-city-bridge/

I do not think this is very appropriate for an article about bus driver shortages.

No not at all. Typical newspaper using any vaguely related photograph for an article

 

[Deltic1961]

Yes, agreed. It's a poor choice of photo to support an article on driver shortage. Many reading will assume the picture is current.

 

[Volvodart]

A start has been made in withdrawing the Volvo B7RLEs for transfer, and it has gone back to the ones that were originally said to be going - 69290/356/7.

 

[Volvodart]

Full service seems to have resumed at Aberdeen by getting a lot of agency drivers.

 

[Trnsprt4Sctlnd]

Full service seems to have resumed at Aberdeen by getting a lot of agency drivers.

So at HUGE cost…

 

[Deltic1961]

The fares in Aberdeen are extortionate so it'll be easily covered.

 

[PG]

So at HUGE cost…

Depends on whats in the contract FA/FG have with the agency(s)...

 

[Trnsprt4Sctlnd]

Depends on whats in the contract FA/FG have with the agency(s)...

It depends on the way in which the agency workers take their pay; umbrella or PAYE.

PAYE is usually around £12ph plus an additional £180pw for expenses, accommodation and food etc.

Umbrella does have a higher hourly rate but you're practically paying double tax/NI so it still works out as around £12ph. However, Umbrella payments can include additional travel expenses.

Note, this is not including the cost of the agency offering its staff to First, which won’t be a small thing.

 

[Jordan Adam]

It depends on the way in which the agency workers take their pay; umbrella or PAYE.

PAYE is usually around £12ph plus an additional £180pw for expenses, accommodation and food etc.

Umbrella does have a higher hourly rate but you're practically paying double tax/NI so it still works out as around £12ph. However, Umbrella payments can include additional travel expenses.

Note, this is not including the cost of the agency offering its staff to First, which won’t be a small thing.

Pay rate at First Aberdeen is £12.24 now, so not a huge difference in the grand scheme of things even when that extra £180 per week is factored in, ultimately it's better than services going uncovered or being cut (which can lead to passenger decline).

 

[Deltic1961]

So how many permanent drivers do they have vs agency staff?

 

[Volvodart]

I think that they are using the London agency that they used once before when they were very short of drivers, so I assume that they come at a price.

 

[JumpinTrainz]

Anyone know what’s happening with the 19 branded Wright Streetdecks. From what I can gather only a few have been returned. Does anyone know what the delay is?

 

[Deltic1961]

I'll tell you what's frustrating. Paying £500,000 per vehicle (partly from public money) to be "green" then having them out of service for months. Seems asking the relevant parties gets no response. It's embarrassing but no-one wants to even admit there's been an issue.

Massive sweeping under the carpet exercise.

 

[JumpinTrainz]

I'll tell you what's frustrating. Paying £500,000 per vehicle (partly from public money) to be "green" then having them out of service for months. Seems asking the relevant parties gets no response. It's embarrassing but no-one wants to even admit there's been an issue.

Massive sweeping under the carpet exercise.

It does seem rather odd they were due back months ago. I believe it’s been said some Streetlites and B7RLEs are leaving the fleet pending the Streetdecks re-entry back to service. They’ve been out since February.

 

[Jordan Adam]

I'll tell you what's frustrating. Paying £500,000 per vehicle (partly from public money) to be "green" then having them out of service for months. Seems asking the relevant parties gets no response. It's embarrassing but no-one wants to even admit there's been an issue.

Massive sweeping under the carpet exercise.

The delay is believed to be due to a lack of drivers, the 10 examples still in Ireland were all ready to return two months ago and have just been sitting waiting... it is quite ridiculous.

It does seem rather odd they were due back months ago. I believe it’s been said some Streetlites and B7RLEs are leaving the fleet pending the Streetdecks re-entry back to service. They’ve been out since February.

Streetlites are no longer due to be going as they've gone back to the original plan of 4 B9TLs & 10 B7RLEs.
The B9TLs all left a few weeks ago while some of the B7RLEs (69290/94/351/54/56/57) had already been taken off and put in reserve pending transfer but now look to be getting reinstated with 69353 back in service today.

On a separate note First Aberdeen have taken over the Service 52 (Hazlehead Academy - Mannofield) from Bains Coaches who had operated the service for the last 20 years; prior to that it had been a First/Grampian service. Bains had received some criticism in recent years regarding unsuitable vehicles with insufficient capacity being used on the route.

 

[Volvodart]

First Aberdeen operated the service until 2010 when Bain took over with 2 10 plate BMCs.

 

[Deltic1961]

Still don't seem to be taking notice of route branding. So far today been on a 1 thats branded as 18 and an 18 that's branded a 12.

 

[Jordan Adam]

39716-25 have been temporarily taken off the 17/18 due to capacity issues on the 3/3A and 19. There aren't any 12 branded buses on the 18, the vehicle you saw would've been 69356 which still retains some internal Platinum branding (as do 69133/34 &, 69357).

Imo they should've just kept the 22 plate Streetdecks for the 3/3A as per the original plan. Once all Streetdecks are back things should settle.

39701 returned to service today following roof repairs, additionally B7RLEs 69290 and 69356 have been reinstated following 69353 which was reinstated yesterday.

Further to the above 69357 is now in the process of being reinstated.