That's exactly the sort of thing I was getting at. It's very difficult to shake off such a reputation even if the product does demonstratably improve, as it most definitely has done (with exceptions....).
In as much as the only complaints they have any interest in are the ones that can be resolved by tea and biccies for a driver, that may be true. The ones about management failings - ridiculous scheduling, inadequate frequency, single deckers that can't cope with demand, lack of information about disruption etc - just get fobbed off.
Of course the TfC partnership has resulted in an improved, much better integrated bus network compared to the disjointed affair that went before it.
New logo for First Bus is part of ongoing business overhaul
routeone TeamPublished December 9, 2024
First Bus has introduced a new logo as part of what the operator says is unification of its “many identities into a clearer brand that is easier for customers to recognise and engage with” and ongoing improvement to service delivery.
The new logo rolling out from 9 December will update the longstanding ‘flying F’ from the First Bus brand. It sits alongside what the business adds is a transformation of its focus on its customers and staff.
A ‘Moving the everyday’ campaign will highlight the role that buses play in unlocking economic, environmental, health and social benefits, and aim to inspire a switch from car travel to bus. It will also celebrate people from across the communities served by First Bus.
The logo sits alongside a new national livery that is in the process of rollout, although the operator notes how the collective work “is far from simply a new ‘lick of paint’.” Instead, the overhaul “represents a shift the brand has undergone to refocus the business on its people and customers.”
Commercial Director Simon Pearson says the refresh “is the culmination of years of planning and hard work from our teams, taking on feedback from our customers and our people, and we are proud to announce this new chapter for First Bus.”
Debut of the new brand will see First Bus focus “ever more intently on improving the basics of customer service.” Various targets have been set as part of that:
An improved staff development programme will underpin those aims. First Bus says that such a platform will help team members to “put customer experience first, which is crucial as the brand continues to invest in improving its service delivery.”
- Punctuality improvements
- Minimisation of cancellations
- Improvement to vehicle cleanliness
- Maintaining customer and colleague safety
- Provision of accurate and timely information to customers.
Adds Mr Pearson: “‘Moving the everyday’ embodies everything we stand for at First Bus, and our investment in our business transformation, our refreshed brand look and feel, our people and our net-zero emission mission, demonstrates our commitment and desire for change.”
Whereas when I last complained to First, about the bus I was waiting for missing out the bit of route I was waiting on, on a two-hourly service on a Sunday morning. I got a reply three months later with no apology and a three page explanation of why buses can be delayed.
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To be fair it looks like a child designed it anyway.
It's from XKCD and is standards rather than leads. But yeah, First have still got buses out there in Olympia...
Indeed. See how the white paint on this bus knocking about West Somerset Railway country makes it so obvious it needs a wash and a trip to the body shop. And how obvious to even the untrained eye it is that it's a First bus, albeit largely due to the house colours and flying f, the name "First" is actually quite tiny.
It's only 2 years since they had buses still running about in Barbie! About the only thing First Bus seems to be able to fully commit to is not fully committing to anything.
It’s probably more likely that they’ve not been given enough detail on the corporate branding standards and so have had to make it up on the hoof. It would figure given the new logo has been under embargo for a little while.
South Yorkshire buses are repainted at a Yorkshire 'Hub', Hunslet Park in Leeds. I'd hope that they'd know which hymn sheet to sing from. It's always been done by another 'OpCo' since Midland Road depot in Rotherham closed.
Tbf Stagecoach weren’t much better when they introduced their new livery. All sorts of adaptations appeared around the country.
32644 at Worcester lasted until April 2024 in Barbie!!
There's still some hope for Cornwall / Kernow green then!
Could be the difference between a spray job and the quick roller Leeds paint shop applies.
Not much help, but at least you got a reply. I've put in similar complaints to both Arriva and Stagecoach. The former ignored it completely, the latter gave the usual 'we'll ask the local depot and let you know what they say', with the equally usual lack of further reply.
Stagecoach’s Basingstoke fleet includes a significant number of Enviro200s that were delivered in late 2019. The First Berkshire fleet includes nine Volvo B7RLEs that were new in 2009 and some of the Streetlites are still running around in “debranded” Solent Rangers livery. One still carries its Platinum Jubilee scheme!
The Volvos are recently refurbished with USB points, the 2010 Stagecoach buses are untouched in the inside.
With the sheer number of new vehicles and cascades at Stagecoach in the next year - with over 700 new vehicles on order, and a few hundred cascading out of Manchester imminently - I suspect the "Beachball" scheme is going to start disappearing fast this coming year.
In that case it really does make me think the branding standards haven't been specific enough about the placement of things like fleet numbers.
You're looking at some very specific examples and extrapolating that out.
