looks like a sneak preview of the new CityZap and Which Way deckers.
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Transdev Blazefield
- Thread starter RustySpoons
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RailUK Forums
E400 MMC body by the looks of it? Or is it not a mystery?
I think that’s been confirmed already.
Ashly_Jethro
Member
Yup, 19 ADL Enviro400 MMCs with 6.7Litre Euro 6 Cummins engines
Keighley seem to be struggling a bit with the morning school run out since they went back on Tuesday
They tweeted yesterday that some trips were missed on the 62 & 67 as service buses were pulled from service to be used on schools. Today one of the boards on the 62 has been cancelled until 9:30
Of course, we only know this because they tell us, other operators in the county may also be cancelling runs, we’d just never know.
They tweeted yesterday that some trips were missed on the 62 & 67 as service buses were pulled from service to be used on schools. Today one of the boards on the 62 has been cancelled until 9:30
Of course, we only know this because they tell us, other operators in the county may also be cancelling runs, we’d just never know.
What would the reason for missing these trips please?
darloscott
Member
Lack of buses
Alexbus12
Member
- Joined
- 19 Jul 2018
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- 387
Aren't there still loads of Rosso ones parked up unused at Blackburn? Why not use them..
Lack of someone available to drive them?
Poor management?
Not in the blazefield fleetlist there isn't
Of course it isn't lack of buses, they've got enough buses and some, its the lack of serviceable buses at that very moment
Things seem tight this afternoon as well, with one bus pulled off the 662 to do a school, and the buses doing a round trip and going again quicker than the advertised timetable says they should do
Of course I bet First Bradford are probably dropping some trips now and then as well, just nobody would ever know
School bus drivers operating designated school to home services (and via versa) are required to have up to date DBS checks whereas normal public service drivers are not, so operators generally could be having staffing issues over additional school services being run
markymark2000
On Moderation
It depends on the area. In some councils it's all H2S buses have to have a DBS driver, in other areas, non DBS drivers can each do 4 trips per month so some companies are rostering drivers in such a way so that they can use non DBS drivers on routes.
This weeks Transdev Small Talk confirms the Witch Way deckers to arrive in November (so no Halloween launch) and the City Zap ones in December
Alexbus12
Member
- Joined
- 19 Jul 2018
- Messages
- 387
Tbf, I just remembered I've seen quite a few photos of the rosso ones at the scrap yard recently, so you're probably right.
That's true but you'll get "cancelled" by some enthusiasts for staying this... ha..
Someone disagreeing with you does not 'cancel' you.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
les. They
That's not true, in two ways.
Firstly, in respect of Transdev, I don't know if we've actually had confirmation as to what the issue actually is? Is it driver shortage? Or are they struggling to secure additional vehicles? Unless people know the facts, they can't say "bad management" even if it phrased as a loaded question.
Secondly, in respect of people being "cancelled".... well, the only cancelling is done by mods and that's only for a continued infringement of the forum rules. If, however, you are referring to being challenged on the accuracy of posts and your views, surely you're able to back this up with empirical evidence and well argued views?
That's not true, in two ways.
Firstly, in respect of Transdev, I don't know if we've actually had confirmation as to what the issue actually is? Is it driver shortage? Or are they struggling to secure additional vehicles? Unless people know the facts, they can't say "bad management" even if it phrased as a loaded question.
Secondly, in respect of people being "cancelled".... well, the only cancelling is done by mods and that's only for a continued infringement of the forum rules. If, however, you are referring to being challenged on the accuracy of posts and your views, surely you're able to back this up with empirical evidence and well argued views?
They have painted up a training bus. Meanwhile service busses (Rosso in particular) are in a real state.
I said 'poor management?' not 'bad management', there is a difference!
I think it reasonable to assume that the master plan for the return to School in September was well prepared.
Transdev Harrogate tweeted a late running service on both Tuesday & Wednesday mornings but no cancellations.
All plans require effective delivery at the 'sharp end'. That is where I was asking is their 'poor management'?
I don't know, hence the question. There must be some reason!
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Fair point on the misquote - it wasn't intentional and I apologise.
We don't know the circumstances for Transdev behind these cancellations, so questioning the calibre of management seems a strange default. Especially when we all know the massive challenges on ALL operators; the operational and commercial challenges on operators are, to use a Covid buzzword, unprecedented so even the best-laid plans of July were in tatters by August.
What we know is that, within the industry, the challenge in getting sufficient vehicles and drivers to meet these new requirements is incredible. Providing sufficient capacity for socially distanced travel has meant deckers and full-size singles are at a premium. First have been able to reacquire (purchase or loan - not known) some vehicles they had sold but were still awaiting disposal by dealers; others were already promised to new operators. There have been additional closed schools and college workings and that means the additional challenge of getting enough drivers to pilot them. Other firms are amending journeys to make them closed school movements routes, closing them to the general public (with consequent gaps in timetables). These operators, including Transdev, are playing catch up to meet the various government requirements.
It's a fair question to ask why some journeys are being cancelled but given the challenges that all operators are experiencing (and are well documented), a default to suggesting "poor management" as the first port of call seems slightly odd.
I may have become some what cynical in my old age but living within the Transdev operating area and reading frequently on social media posts from them extolling how wonderful they are I do wonder whether there are cracks in the management structure.
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
Alex Hornby is the consummate marketing man, including self-promotion.
However, I neither expect them to make outlandish preposterous claims nor be demurely fanning themselves like a nervous debutante. Yes, it HAS to be more substance than style but in my experience, they are generally one of the better, more positive operators.
Transdev is far from perfect and they are not immune from making mistakes. This may sound a bit like setting a low bar but travel round West Yorkshire and compare Transdev to the functional First and confused Arriva offerings and the difference is telling.
philthetube
Established Member
- Joined
- 5 Jan 2016
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- 3,762
Living in an Arriva area, and occasionally visiting a Transdev one I think they are wonderful.
I am inclined to agree Arriva are wonderful!
Maybe the people who have an issue with their marketing would be happier if they used #average instead...
Actually, let's take it further. Let's get rid of route branding, fancy route names, passenger features inside the bus or anything else to improve the image of bus travel. From now on all buses everywhere should be just plain white with "BUS" written on the side and Urban 90 seats as standard...
(And just in case you're wondering, I am being sarcastic...)
Would actually be good for the environment. Would dramatically cut down the amount of vynl used by the Harrogate Bus Company!
On a serious note I believe that your average punter only wants the bus to turn up at the correct time and be comfortable.
I don't think they are that bothered how much vynl is stuck on the sides - I accept I am not a marketing expert!
On a serious note I believe that your average punter only wants the bus to turn up at the correct time and be comfortable.
I don't think they are that bothered how much vynl is stuck on the sides - I accept I am not a marketing expert!
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And yet, a number of bus companies large and small across the country do it - begs the general question of why do they do it?
Of course, I acknowledge that there's no guarantee of success...
It doesn’t attract passengers. It will no doubt carry the same ones all the time
Back to the original point and Keighley looks to be running ok now, although the 662 doesn’t seem to be running with as many buses as it should be, with buses stepping up at Keighley end, and occasional missed trips, if bustimes.org is correct.
Keighley has a particularly big school output, operating near enough every school bus in Keighley, Ilkley, Bingley and stretching to Skipton and parts of Bradford
TheGrandWazoo
Veteran Member
If marketing doesn't work, why is it such a large industry? Why do firms spend millions when they needn't bother and just have a white box in a supermarket with "Washing Powder" scribbled on in biro?
Indeed, NYCC's welfare minibuses operating off peak between schools are a basic, minimal, passenger unfriendly, take it or leave it, service.
I suspect you're right in that Keighley, unlike other depots, has a disproportionately high schools run out and that may be experiencing some capacity issues. However, unless we have a K&D (!) mole, it's just speculation.