South Yorkshire Bus Service Needs Improvement

[RollingJ]

31 minutes ago, Irene Swaine said:

Yes, and Buses Of Somerset by First too. 

The First Group do it elsewhere too - did you know they had an operation in Southampton (Solent Rangers), now defunct, which only had 'First' mentioned in the legal lettering?

[Irene Swaine]

3 minutes ago, RollingJ said:

The First Group do it elsewhere too - did you know they had an operation in Southampton (Solent Rangers), now defunct, which only had 'First' mentioned in the legal lettering?

No, I didn't know that. But I do know First tried to distance their corporate identity from their operations around 9 years ago. First Great Western became GWR and then we had Buses Of Somerset etc.  They kind of tried to do it in Sheffield by painting the buses blue and cream but they've realised it's not practical to have local identities with buses being swapped around so much and moving forward, most of their fleet will be in the First corporate colour scheme.

[RollingJ]

1 minute ago, Irene Swaine said:

No, I didn't know that. But I do know First tried to distance their corporate identity from their operations around 9 years ago. First Great Western became GWR and then we had Buses Of Somerset etc.  They kind of tried to do it in Sheffield by painting the buses blue and cream but they've realised it's not practical to have local identities with buses being swapped around so much and moving forward, most of their fleet will be in the First corporate colour scheme.

They did,  also in Doncaster and Rotherham, but in South Yorkshire especially, the vehicles swap garages so often it was obvious that wasn't going to work. I have seen the comments ever since they first started it - from staff/drivers there. I also know repaints will be in the current corporate livery.

 

They still use 'local' branding in other areas, though.

[Guest busdriver1]

2 hours ago, RollingJ said:

Next time I catch a TM, I'll ask for a few details. The TM operation has always been small, even when was owned by the original owners, and Wellglade have always kept it small, although it is a little bigger than the operation they took over. They also have a number of other small operations.

On takeover by Wellglade the TM fleet stood at over 100, they were shoe horned into the depot at Night. The current fleet is approx 45.

[RollingJ]

9 minutes ago, busdriver1 said:

On takeover by Wellglade the TM fleet stood at over 100, they were shoe horned into the depot at Night. The current fleet is approx 45.

Yep, I read that after I posted what you quote, but didn't bother adding the details. must admit I never thought their fleet was that big!

[Guest busdriver1]

38 minutes ago, RollingJ said:

Yep, I read that after I posted what you quote, but didn't bother adding the details. must admit I never thought their fleet was that big!

At its peak was 110, then Wellglade took over and the decline started

[Guest busdriver1]

2 hours ago, Irene Swaine said:

No, I didn't know that. But I do know First tried to distance their corporate identity from their operations around 9 years ago. First Great Western became GWR 

That was nothing to do with First, it was a decision that all future contracts would run under the same name if the operator changed so Company names were removed on that and all subsequent tenders from all companies. Surely you noticed these changes when pushing your trolley around?

[Guest busdriver1]

2 hours ago, RollingJ said:

They did,  also in Doncaster and Rotherham, but in South Yorkshire especially, the vehicles swap garages so often it was obvious that wasn't going to work. I have seen the comments ever since they first started it - from staff/drivers there. I also know repaints will be in the current corporate livery.

 

They still use 'local' branding in other areas, though.

First South Yorkshire is effectively a bottom of the group type operation and as such has to put up with cascades from the more profitable parts of the group ( which is just about everywhere else)and in some cases from parts of the group that have been closed down.  As such they will be given the chance to take vehicles that are lower cost units and will grab them with both hands. New vehicles are just a pipedream for this area. The previous MD was making good inroads into shifting some of the deadwood from the middle management but was put upon by his seniors so took early retirement. It would appear he has been replaced by a guy with a strong record of mediocrity and distinct lack of ambition.

Edited February 13 by busdriver1

[Irene Swaine]

1 hour ago, busdriver1 said:

That was nothing to do with First, it was a decision that all future contracts would run under the same name if the operator changed so Company names were removed on that and all subsequent tenders from all companies. Surely you noticed these changes when pushing your trolley around?

I do know about that policy. It wasn't rampant when I was working for Stagecoach. It's been gradually introduced to the network. And a trolley is not pushed on the railway, it is pulled.

[RollingJ]

8 hours ago, busdriver1 said:

First South Yorkshire is effectively a bottom of the group type operation and as such has to put up with cascades from the more profitable parts of the group ( which is just about everywhere else)and in some cases from parts of the group that have been closed down.  As such they will be given the chance to take vehicles that are lower cost units and will grab them with both hands. New vehicles are just a pipedream for this area. The previous MD was making good inroads into shifting some of the deadwood from the middle management but was put upon by his seniors so took early retirement. It would appear he has been replaced by a guy with a strong record of mediocrity and distinct lack of ambition.

I know all about FSY being a dumping ground, and guessed from comments elsewhere that the previous MD, whose actions did seem to be making a difference, had been replaced. A pity, because things did improve  for a while. I did, however, think the 'branding' of vehicles was not exactly one of his better ideas, personally.