LOL The Irony
On Moderation
That doesn't mean anything in the grand scheme of things. The other day, I saw a Stagecoach training vehicle near Alderley Park on the A34, doesn't mean they're looking at pinching a d&g route.
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Transdev Blazefield
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RustySpoons
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There was one in Bakewell today too. Think they do it to put applicants/new drivers slightly out of their comfort zone, get them used to all types of roads.
RustySpoons
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That's 100% true
Predicting the end of Gareth Southgate then [3620 is/was so named]
Around 2 cars in every 1000 catch fire.
I don't know the exact stats on buses, but I'm guessing it's about double that rate but far more widely reported.
Dusty_Bin
Member
Was a binding brake calliper, fire services always called as a precaution.
The training vehicles are using the various test centres around where test slots are available. They’ve used Sheffield, Steeton, Walton, Chadderton and Darlington this week.
Driver shortages at Rosso (Rochdale Depot) meant no TRAX (467/468) Rochdale-Bury services for about 2 hours yesterday morning, I was in Rochdale and TfGM had put notices up advising that due to driver shortages some services would be missing as it turned out it was quite a number of consecutive journeys were missed and any passengers for Bury to catch Diamonds 471 instead.
northernchris
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Keighley were no better yesterday either. There was a bus missing on the K9 all day, the Shuttle had frequent cancellations and they were delays to other routes as drivers were sourced from other services.
I was waiting for the Ilkley service in the afternoon which initially had no driver. The duty manager was clearly trying his best to cover what he could with the available staff with drivers being swapped around to run as many services as possible. In the end the journey was covered by a driver whose inward bus arrived 10 minutes after the scheduled departure. A slow boarding experience and increased passenger numbers meant by the time we got to Addingham the following bus had caught us up despite it being a 30 minute frequency.
They were a few things I'd observed whilst waiting at Keighley. The app and service disruption section of the website weren't being updated to advise of cancellations, which adds to the confusion. There were numerous drivers waiting for their next bus stood near me, and they were saying how their duties were being amended, with any 662 duties being cancelled to keep other services running. Given the 662 is the main route Keighley operate it seems an odd decision to make this the prime target for cancellations - I'd observed many of the local routes departing with fewer than half a dozen passengers onboard, so spreading out cancellations across the routes would make more sense. And finally, there was no communication at all - the drivers seem just as frustrated as passengers which must be affecting morale and retention. The staff in the Travel Centre stayed firmly out of the way of passengers - it wouldn't have been beyond them to make announcements like the staff do at Leeds bus station advising of disruption.
I was waiting for the Ilkley service in the afternoon which initially had no driver. The duty manager was clearly trying his best to cover what he could with the available staff with drivers being swapped around to run as many services as possible. In the end the journey was covered by a driver whose inward bus arrived 10 minutes after the scheduled departure. A slow boarding experience and increased passenger numbers meant by the time we got to Addingham the following bus had caught us up despite it being a 30 minute frequency.
They were a few things I'd observed whilst waiting at Keighley. The app and service disruption section of the website weren't being updated to advise of cancellations, which adds to the confusion. There were numerous drivers waiting for their next bus stood near me, and they were saying how their duties were being amended, with any 662 duties being cancelled to keep other services running. Given the 662 is the main route Keighley operate it seems an odd decision to make this the prime target for cancellations - I'd observed many of the local routes departing with fewer than half a dozen passengers onboard, so spreading out cancellations across the routes would make more sense. And finally, there was no communication at all - the drivers seem just as frustrated as passengers which must be affecting morale and retention. The staff in the Travel Centre stayed firmly out of the way of passengers - it wouldn't have been beyond them to make announcements like the staff do at Leeds bus station advising of disruption.
The 662 sounds a bit like the 36 where the core Ripon-Leeds services are largely being run while the Harrogate-Leeds are typically chopped but seemingly without overcrowding issues which would indicate custom for longer journeys has not particularly recovered post-covid and it is local ones which have picked up. Historically the 36 was half hourly Leeds-Harrogate and again onto Ripon albeit with one being a United X36 and that largely is what is being run. Will be interesting to see if management get involved driving this week as the rail strike is going to create extra demand.
northernchris
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I suspect the local journeys have rebounded quicker, but the 662 can get very busy. This time last year it was every 10 minutes, it's now every 15 so throw in a cancellation and it's a 30 minute gap. It's then almost guaranteed that the following bus will be late due to picking up extra passengers, so the further down the route you are the longer the gap.
It was only in May that Transdev changed many of the timetables on the local routes, but it seems the opportunity wasn't used to match the services run to the available drivers. Keeping the K2/3 at every 20 minutes (as it was until May) and reducing the K9 to every 20 minutes would save 1 bus on now and would provide more slack. Likewise run the 662 every 20 minutes on Saturdays, with deckers, and things would be more reliable and might even allow for spare drivers for when there's breakdowns/delays
Dunno about the 502 (operated from the Halifax end) but the Blazefield B3 seems to run OK.
Both hourly services of course.
theblackwatch
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Sad news today was the announcement that former Look North presenter and 'voice of the 36' Harry Gration MBE has passed away, nice to see it acknowledged on Transdev's Facebook and Twitter pages. RIP.
A thread has been started in General Discussion if anyone wishes to express their thoughts.
Harry Gration has died.
BBC News - Harry Gration: Ex-BBC Look North presenter dies, aged 71 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-61927303 Harry Gration, the former presenter of BBC Yorkshire's Look North news programme, has died suddenly, aged 71. Mr Gration joined the BBC in 1978 and Look North in 1982. He...
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northernchris
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Transdev Keighley were on top form again yesterday. 2 consecutive 662s cancelled, then the next 3 all ran together. No info on the service disruption page or social media either.
I noticed Harrogate managed to source some extra staff for the 36 due to the rail strikes - shame they don't do this every day given the daily cancellation level. Reports on social media of full buses with passengers seated on the stairs, no shows and rude drivers all going unanswered yet the management have found time to pose for photos. It really beggars belief the contempt Transdev have for passengers, and I hope the traffic commissioners are taking note of the level of non-compliance especially given the service cuts were supposedly introduced to stabilise the service.
I noticed Harrogate managed to source some extra staff for the 36 due to the rail strikes - shame they don't do this every day given the daily cancellation level. Reports on social media of full buses with passengers seated on the stairs, no shows and rude drivers all going unanswered yet the management have found time to pose for photos. It really beggars belief the contempt Transdev have for passengers, and I hope the traffic commissioners are taking note of the level of non-compliance especially given the service cuts were supposedly introduced to stabilise the service.
markymark2000
On Moderation
Traffic Commissioners don't care about the big firms, they only take note when it's an independent that they have no ground to refuse/revoke the licence etc but they ideally want them off the road. If they want to find something, they will find something. In the case of the big firms, they don't want to find any faults.
Goldfish62
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If that were the case Stagecoach Devon wouldn't have been up in front of the TC last week.
markymark2000
On Moderation
What evidence was there for them? Warrington was up against the TC for running buses with no MOT. 1 transport manager disqualified, warning to the operator and removing 5 buses from the ops licence for 28 days (125 down to 120. They only run 80 buses though so it's meaningless). Nothing of interest really. Given the safety risk to passengers and the fact buses were illegally on the road, this is a drop in the ocean.
Generally, the TC won't do more then slap big firms on the wrist. I've had first hand experience when a big firm near me ran a shocking service and I reported them for dropping 70% of trips on a local service over about a month. Nothing happened with the TC. They don't care with big firms really.
Did the council kickstart the inquiry as that could play a part in it. They have to be seen to act on it if enough complaints are made but most people don't have a clue who the TC is or how to contact them.
Goldfish62
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I don't know because I wasn't there. We will no doubt read about it in the trade press in due course.
RustySpoons
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This really frustrated me too. When it comes to getting positive press they'll pull out all the stops. If they can get the staff to keep all services running to 'get one over' on the train they can do it, yet endless cancellations the rest of the time.
It seems that putting out a daily list of cancelled services (that can't be relied on) is considered acceptable now. It isn't. Maybe as a short term thing yes, but months later even with reduced timetables it's unacceptable. Further service reductions are obviously needed or give up the tendered work and focus on the commercial services they can run with the staff they currently have.
It really is a shame. The way they kept people moving during Covid and the first lockdown in 2020 deserves massive commendation. Unfortunately it's all been undone with the poor service they've been providing recently.
Alex Hornby has hinted on Twitter that he may be doing some driving soon. Why not just get on with it instead of seeking praise and attention for it?
WY Bus Spotter
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Lol. Don't you know that it has to be announced first. He can't just go out and drive. That's like the Queen just showing up in Leeds for the day without any media coverage.
Ashly_Jethro
Member
It’s been a few years since he drove a bus hasn’t it? I know if it was me I’d want to re-familiarise myself before I jump back in the hot seat. Anyway
northernchris
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Indeed, what Harrogate managed yesterday should now be the norm going forwards, and these are the things the Traffic Commissioners should be monitoring. Transdev are free to amend the timetables to match their resources, but instead prefer to drop dozens of trips daily until there's a marketing opportunity or a chance to claw in more revenue, then extra effort is made.
Transdev have announced a summer service X43 on Coastliner
www.transdevbus.co.uk
Connections can be made at York or Scarborough with the 843 service
Sorry, we can't find this page!
www.transdevbus.co.uk
It will run from York to Scarborough direct via the A64 omitting Heworth and Malton, and then extend to Whitby. There will also be a similar return journey and a short return journey from Whitby to Scarborough in the middle of the day
Connections can be made at York or Scarborough with the 843 service
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WY Bus Spotter
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The Team Pennine 502, Halifax - Keighley is going to become the latest brand in the Transdev network.
Hope they are better vehicles than the nail i caught last monday 20th.