Lothian Buses and ECB Discussion

[A330Alex]

that would be funny to see. I doubt they'd run certain routes like that tbh, would be main key routes only. I would assume B8L would be used on as many services as possible due to size of it. It depends on how many driver they can get. Saturday, Sunday or Special service... gotta hope for the best.

It helps that uni isn't on the go at the moment so they can safely chop most of the 25/34/35/45 and perhaps focus on the 3/44. I'd hope they'd have prepared for this but I imagine there might be some very frantic planning happening right now...

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

63 is tendered is it not? - If it is, I'd expect that to run

 

[GusB]

I assume they'll abandon areas that are served by LCB/ECB/Trams and use the drivers that are willing to work + office staff to run a skeleton service to those areas (every ~20 minutes?)

Realistically, how many office staff are likely to be qualified to drive a bus?

 

[OmniCity999]

Realistically, how many office staff are likely to be qualified to drive a bus?

You'd be surprised...

 

[GusB]

You'd be surprised...

I'm genuinely intrigued by this. Is it a case of former front-line staff moving onto office-based jobs while retaining their competencies (for want of a better expression), or does the company encourage office-based staff to take their PCV (or whatever you call it these days) to cover for instances like staff sickness, holiday cover (strike action) etc.?

 

[OmniCity999]

I'm genuinely intrigued by this. Is it a case of former front-line staff moving onto office-based jobs while retaining their competencies (for want of a better expression), or does the company encourage office-based staff to take their PCV (or whatever you call it these days) to cover for instances like staff sickness, holiday cover (strike action) etc.?

Both. Emergency sickness cover & Event transport are the most common reasons. Staff often start as drivers and climb through the company. CPC's and competency are also kept up to date. When a new type of bus is added to the fleet, the office staff with licenses also get competency training on them. These people are often used to shuttle buses between depot as well as front line drivers, or engineers.

The majority of engineers couldnt go from engineering straight to passenger carrying work as we dont all hold CPC's, but it has been known for engineers to cover the odd tour duty, or even LCB, before ECB started.

 

[GusB]

Both. Emergency sickness cover & Event transport are the most common reasons. Staff often start as drivers and climb through the company. CPC's and competency are also kept up to date. When a new type of bus is added to the fleet, the office staff with licenses also get competency training on them. These people are often used to shuttle buses between depot as well as front line drivers, or engineers.

The majority of engineers couldnt go from engineering straight to passenger carrying work as we dont all hold CPC's, but it has been known for engineers to cover the odd tour duty, or even LCB, before ECB started.

Thank you for your informative response. Going back to when I was still at school, all the local depot fitters were able to drive, but it was only ever to bring a replacement vehicle from the depot to wherever it was needed, and return the defective one. Inspectors, traffic superintendents and area managers would be expected to cover, having risen up through the ranks, but it was inconceivable that the lassies in the office would be trained up to cover a driving shift! It was a much more sexist world back then, I suppose.

 

[Roilshead]

Ohh dear! BF60 UGG (253).

Really? Is this the level of this forum?? A bus broke down. They've been doing that for years; would you like me to send you picture proving that the Pope is a Roman Catholic? What would the founders of the Omnibus Society or PSV Circle think if they'd come here?

 

[Auld reekie]

63 is tendered is it not? - If it is, I'd expect that to run

It is tendered.

 

[overthewater]

Really? Is this the level of this forum?? A bus broke down. They've been doing that for years; would you like me to send you picture proving that the Pope is a Roman Catholic? What would the founders of the Omnibus Society or PSV Circle think if they'd come here?

That what people want to talk about, as someone said to me if someone want to talk about that, that is fine, you can't dictate to people what should and shouldn't be postage (Within reason of course) The founders of the Omnibus Society or PSV Circle would be delighted that a forum would cover ALL aspects of their hobby and being able to interact with so many like minded people.

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

Am I correct in saying that the tenders will need to continue to run otherwise Lothian would be penalised?

I think we might see short running routes as well, I’m hopeful for a Boxing Day style service if it can be done but I think it’s gonna be like Christmas Day at best, I don’t think all depots will be open as well, How many drivers are Lothian expecting to have left?

The problem will be even if if we have a significantly reduced service, I don’t think theirs gonna be enough capacity even with XLBs thrown out where they can go

 

[Auld reekie]

Will this strike affect Airlink?

 

[overthewater]

Will this strike affect Airlink?

The last time the airport hired in companies to run the 100.. https://www.flickr.com/photos/david_love/4226566252/

 

[ScotRail158725]

Id expect routes 3, 16, 22, 26, 37, 44 & 100 at least to run

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

That what people want to talk about, as someone said to me if someone want to talk about that, that is fine, you can't dictate to people what should and shouldn't be postage (Within reason of course) The founders of the Omnibus Society or PSV Circle would be delighted that a forum would cover ALL aspects of their hobby and being able to interact with so many like minded people.

Yes but very few get posted and those that do usually have a motive e.g. firm X is crap, they don’t maintain their vehicles etc.

Bus breaks down is up there with “woman buys bottle of milk” in terms of news worthiness.

 

[A7rud]

One would have thought that it would be common sense to inform the travelling public, that the cavalcade gad been cancelled, by putting a message on the tracker system!

 

[overthewater]

Yes but very few get posted and those that do usually have a motive e.g. firm X is crap, they don’t maintain their vehicles etc.

Bus breaks down is up there with “woman buys bottle of milk” in terms of news worthiness.

I can fully understand that, but within the current context, certain people have stated "oh BBT have an old and nasty fleet they will breakdown all the time unlike Lothian"......

 

[takno]

The last time the airport hired in companies to run the 100.. https://www.flickr.com/photos/david_love/4226566252/

Presumably they can just point people in the direction of the tram this time

 

[Edirim]

Airlink is a contract with the Airport so they cannot simply just point pax in the direction of the tram...
They will be financially in the dog mess if they do not run the Airlink and even if they didn't the tram is nowhere near frequent enough to scoop up all the pax.

 

[CM]

Noticed the post on their Facebook page that had announced the cancellation of the cavalcade has now been removed along with their other post about the strike. Really shows how petulant Lothian managment are if they can't even handle getting a hammering in the comments because of their carry on.

 

[takno]

Noticed the post on their Facebook page that had announced the cancellation of the cavalcade has now been removed along with their other post about the strike. Really shows how petulant Lothian managment are if they can't even handle getting a hammering in the comments because of their carry on.

Most companies I've been in would do this as a matter of course. They'd wash graffiti off your shop window if people wrote criticism of them there, so why wouldn't it they want to control their Facebook page? It's an advert

Noticed the post on their Facebook page that had announced the cancellation of the cavalcade has now been removed along with their other post about the strike. Really shows how petulant Lothian managment are if they can't even handle getting a hammering in the comments because of their carry on.

This is completely normal social media management which all companies do. I doubt anybody even asked management. Why are you so determined to see a grand conspiracy in everything?

 

[CM]

Most companies I've been in would do this as a matter of course. They'd wash graffiti off your shop window if people wrote criticism of them there, so why wouldn't it they want to control their Facebook page? It's an advert

This is completely normal social media management which all companies do. I doubt anybody even asked management. Why are you so determined to see a grand conspiracy in everything?

So people quite rightly complaining about Lothians petulance is graffiti? It isn't, they cancelled an event that people had made plans to attend and those people quite rightly criticised them for it on Facebook. Lothian obviously didn't like the criticism and have removed the post. They also removed the post announcing the strike action as that was also being quite rightly criticised by people on Facebook. Funny that.....

All it does is show that they are completley unable to handle criticism for making a really bad decision and instead of taking it on the chin, they try and hide it as if it never happened.

 

[Volvodart]

Is it not possible to disable comments, as this was foreseeable?

 

[Graham19862104]

Just seen 1142 getting a tow from mcphee truck along London road

 

[CM]

Is it not possible to disable comments, as this was foreseeable?

That's just as bad as deleting the post. You only had to look at the amount of coments from people who had made plans to see the cavalcade, some people even travelling from elsewhere in the country who have then been left out of pocket because Lothian threw the toys out the pram.

 

[Jordan Adam]

Really? Is this the level of this forum?? A bus broke down. They've been doing that for years; would you like me to send you picture proving that the Pope is a Roman Catholic? What would the founders of the Omnibus Society or PSV Circle think if they'd come here?

Yes, i see nothing wrong at all about noting a broken down vehicle. That particular one being of note because it's in it's first day of service. You clearly seem bothered by it which to be honest is your problem not mine, i couldn't care. Additionally with all due respect i don't really care what any founder of a bus enthusiasts "Club" thinks, my posts do not (and never will) have to warrant their approval.

 

[SpeedbirdA350]

It was a double edged sword for Lothian today. Cancel the event they are accused of running away, keeping the event on, they are having a celebration 5 days away from strike action. it's dissapointing for sure but given there is a strike about to commence, I think they did do the right thing although it might not seem it right now.

 

[takno]

Is it not possible to disable comments, as this was foreseeable?

It's possible but if you do then the number of people who will see the post is much reduced, and even if you pay to feature it then you will end up needing to pay more to get the same number of eyeballs on the post. Facebook is essentially useless for making important announcements these days.

 

[TheEastCoaster]

Id expect routes 3, 16, 22, 26, 37, 44 & 100 at least to run

100 will definitely still run due to the Airport contract, 26 maybe but since they have the 124 between Prestonpans and the City and the X17/X18 between Drum Brae and the City I doubt it. 3, 16, 30, 37, 44 (West) should be running.

 

[kje7812]

Just seen 1142 getting a tow from mcphee truck along London road

It was stopped with its hazards on opposite St. Michael's around 9.40.