Does this sound like an over the top policy to have?

[175mph]

Following on from this, I remember a bus driver in Scunthorpe recently telling me the policy regarding getting a new bus from an insurance claim if a bus gets written off as the result of an accident.

I can understand why Scunthorpe never gets brand new buses due to it not being a very profitable depot, but the bus driver told me that if one of the the buses in the Scunthorpe depot was to be written off, the replacement bus would be given to somewhere like Hull or Grimsby in exchange for Scunthorpe getting one of their old buses.

Do you think this sounds like a sensible policy to have?

They just seem so opposed to Scunthorpe having a single brand new bus even replacements from insurance jobs.

Do you know of anywhere else and any other bus companies with multiple depots that have the same or a similar policy?

 

[Ianno87]

Presumably there is operational sense in that approach - keep all the same types of vehicle in the same depot (even if lousy for Scunthorpe in never getting new vehicles)

 

[AM9]

Following on from this, I remember a bus driver in Scunthorpe recently telling me the policy regarding getting a new bus from an insurance claim if a bus gets written off as the result of an accident.

I can understand why Scunthorpe never gets brand new buses due to it not being a very profitable depot, but the bus driver told me that if one of the the buses in the Scunthorpe depot was to be written off, the replacement bus would be given to somewhere like Hull or Grimsby in exchange for Scunthorpe getting one of their old buses.

Do you think this sounds like a sensible policy to have?

They just seem so opposed to Scunthorpe having a single brand new bus even replacements from insurance jobs.

Do you know of anywhere else and any other bus companies with multiple depots that have the same or a similar policy?

If Scunthorpe (or anywhere else for that matter) has a low profit potential, then there isn't the need to put new buses there. There would probably other locations that would give a much better return on a new bus. Cascading buses is just as necessary as for trains.

 

[plarailfan]

I have heard of this system in the past, where an area has been allocated three and four year old vehicles in preference to brand new ones.
Eventually, the bus company, or insurance company will have a driver assessment person check on driving standards and competency, with extra, driver training, being provided where necessary.
I've worked for a couple of bus firms and I also worked for a firm that had a number of vans, one of which was involved in a crash and written off on its first day in service !
A "drive and survive" assessor came round in that instance, but getting back on topic, if buses are subject to vandalism attacks, that might also, prompt a company to run a fleet of older vehicles.
Another factor to take into account, is definitely going to be turnover and profit as AM9 mentioned in the previous post.

 

[Cesarcollie]

Following on from this, I remember a bus driver in Scunthorpe recently telling me the policy regarding getting a new bus from an insurance claim if a bus gets written off as the result of an accident.

I can understand why Scunthorpe never gets brand new buses due to it not being a very profitable depot, but the bus driver told me that if one of the the buses in the Scunthorpe depot was to be written off, the replacement bus would be given to somewhere like Hull or Grimsby in exchange for Scunthorpe getting one of their old buses.

Do you think this sounds like a sensible policy to have?

They just seem so opposed to Scunthorpe having a single brand new bus even replacements from insurance jobs.

Do you know of anywhere else and any other bus companies with multiple depots that have the same or a similar policy?

All sounds a bit unlikely. Most big Operators self-insure so it’s uuusual for a bus written off to be directly replaced by a new one anyway, unless it’s a particular specification or a guided bus etc. Normally something older will be re-instated either directly or indirectly to replace the deceased bus. Even if it’s a third party fault, it’s unlikely a new bus will be purchased - the operator will simply bank the cash!,

 

[jammy36]

Do bus companies even make insurance claims for written-off (uneconomical to repair) vehicles in the way described. My company (not a bus or coach operator) has insurance in place to cover its professional, public and third party liabilities, but self insures its own assets.

In which case the same reason why new bus purchases are allocated to the most profitable depots (high book value / high depreciation) would apply to vehicles replacing (directly or indirectly) any vehicle beyond economical repair.

 

[carlberry]

Following on from this, I remember a bus driver in Scunthorpe recently telling me the policy regarding getting a new bus from an insurance claim if a bus gets written off as the result of an accident.

I can understand why Scunthorpe never gets brand new buses due to it not being a very profitable depot, but the bus driver told me that if one of the the buses in the Scunthorpe depot was to be written off, the replacement bus would be given to somewhere like Hull or Grimsby in exchange for Scunthorpe getting one of their old buses.

Do you think this sounds like a sensible policy to have?

They just seem so opposed to Scunthorpe having a single brand new bus even replacements from insurance jobs.

Do you know of anywhere else and any other bus companies with multiple depots that have the same or a similar policy?

In reality it would be rare to be able to identify that bus x was bought as a result of bus y being written off. When bus x becomes unusable a similar one is found somewhere to replace it and another one gets added to next years orders.

Also some of the major companies are 'self insured' up to quite large amounts (I have no knowledge of Stagecoach itself) so even a bus being written off is just a cost in the same way that replacing a window might be.

 

[Non Multi]

You've reminded me of the time I boarded a Stagecoach single decker in Grimsby last summer. I was instantly perplexed for several minutes - but what was I perplexed by?

 

[175mph]

You've reminded me of the time I boarded a Stagecoach single decker in Grimsby last summer. I was instantly perplexed for several minutes - but what was I perplexed by?

The fact that they have recent buses?

 

[Non Multi]

The fact that they have recent buses?

Oh, forgot about this - I've been away. The Stagecoach Grimsby bus was super weird as it's interior was still in First Group colours. Really wasn't expecting that!

 

[175mph]

Oh, forgot about this - I've been away. The Stagecoach Grimsby bus was super weird as it's interior was still in First Group colours. Really wasn't expecting that!

Oh, I see what you mean, yes I've noticed it too, I found it weird to begin with and one of those buses with the First Group interior was on loan to Scunthorpe last month, even weirder I thought.

 

[mbonwick]

There's probably quite a few still about with First interiors - all of 21263-75 came over from Stagecoach Merseyside & South Lancs, and were aquired with the First Chester & Wirral operations.
21248 was a First Manchester/Stagecoach Wigan vehicle before a short spell at Merseyside. Bit of a sad, dark history with that one.