National Express Coaches Discussion

[Smethwickian]

Is Leeds amongst them?

I can't see that happening

The four sites NOT seeing a reduction in the number of (full-time equivalent) staff numbers this time will be Gatwick Airport, Golders Green, Milton Keynes and Stansted Airport, although those four "will undergo further review to ensure they are operating as efficiently as possible".

 

[Bletchleyite]

More staff cuts announced today. Approximately 25 jobs to go in total at 14 staffed coach stations, including Bournemouth being de-staffed completely. A consultation process is under way with the aim of implementing changes by the end of October.
The decline in standards and customer service continues....

The problem is that the coach market is largely price driven - people won't (can't afford to) pay more for better service. Thus if Flix is cheaper Flix wins regardless of overall service quality.

 

[Wawanesa]

More staff cuts announced today. Approximately 25 jobs to go in total at 14 staffed coach stations, including Bournemouth being de-staffed completely. A consultation process is under way with the aim of implementing changes by the end of October.
The decline in standards and customer service continues...

I had an interesting chat with a (relatively new) director of Mobico at their recent AGM. He was of the opinion that National Express was behind the times and was operating too many routes that were never going to be profitable. Maybe there was a recognition that they had neglected the coach side of the business while they sorted out the problems in other areas of the group. Whether the current changes are the right ones are debatable. He was very much of the opinion that express coaches have a better image in other countries than in the UK. He felt that the National Express livery was outdated which is ironic when you consider how it was first received back in 1972. However it has to be said that there wasn't such a thing as "dealer white" back then so maybe it is time for a change.

 

[Bletchleyite]

He was very much of the opinion that express coaches have a better image in other countries than in the UK.

Interesting. I'd have said NatEx had a good image with modern coaches with nice interiors. The trouble is that anyone who can afford to drives,
flies or goes by train (because coach is so slow), largely leaving only the market that can only afford coach, which means the only thing that matters is price.

Flix nonetheless seem to project a good image from the outside too.

He felt that the National Express livery was outdated which is ironic when you consider how it was first received back in 1972. However it has to be said that there wasn't such a thing as "dealer white" back then so maybe it is time for a change.

The current livery isn't the 1972 one bar it being white. I did think the font was out of date (very 90s) from the day they started with it. To me the previous "blob to blob" logo looked more modern.

I really don't think anyone cares what colour it is though as long as it's cheap, and like the way Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz have walked all over the legacy airlines Flix is doing so to NatEx with their much lower cost base.

 

[nick291]

Interesting. I'd have said NatEx had a good image with modern coaches with nice interiors. The trouble is that anyone who can afford to drives,
flies or goes by train (because coach is so slow), largely leaving only the market that can only afford coach, which means the only thing that matters is price.

Flix nonetheless seem to project a good image from the outside too.



The current livery isn't the 1972 one bar it being white. I did think the font was out of date (very 90s) from the day they started with it. To me the previous "blob to blob" logo looked more modern.

I really don't think anyone cares what colour it is though as long as it's cheap, and like the way Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz have walked all over the legacy airlines Flix is doing so to NatEx with their much lower cost base.

Flix has also partnered with well known bus companies/groups with a good reputation, so they have that also going for them.

That’s not to say NatEx don't/didn't, but I don't think many, if any people have heard of some of their partner operators if that make sense.

 

[BuhSnarf]

Between Leicester and London the Flixbus and NatEx prices are pretty comparable usually so I just pick whichever is offering the cheaper price.

Flixbus is usually my preferred option for a couple of options:

1) The ability to book the seat next to me - if I'm travelling on my own I don't want someone next to me and I don't belive NatEx offer this yet.
2) FlixBus tend to actually enforce seat reservations whereas I've found NatEx to not always bother.
3) FlixBus tend to have friendlier staff in my experience.

I would argue that people do care about the colour of the bus as Flixbus' luminous green is both a great advert but also makes spotting your coach dead easy.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I would argue that people do care about the colour of the bus as Flixbus' luminous green is both a great advert but also makes spotting your coach dead easy.

I think people need to know what colour the coach is so they can see it (and flag it down if at a roadside stop) but I don't think it's crucial whether it's pink, white or green. I do agree Flix's look is modern and attractive, but I don't think people would choose one over the other on that basis - because almost everyone willing to pay more uses another mode*, it just comes down to price for most.

* Scotland may be a bit different due to its poorly developed rail network, but if you've got a coach going from Manchester to London for £20 and a WMT train (with a change at Crewe) going for £25, the coach takes 5 hours and the train takes 3-3.5 depending on connections, almost everyone will pay that extra fiver unless on a *really* tight budget. Of course if GBR make a mess of that fare differential, it's possible coach's market could grow.

 

[BuhSnarf]

I think people need to know what colour the coach is so they can see it (and flag it down if at a roadside stop) but I don't think it's crucial whether it's pink, white or green. I do agree Flix's look is modern and attractive, but I don't think people would choose one over the other on that basis - because almost everyone willing to pay more uses another mode*, it just comes down to price for most.

* Scotland may be a bit different due to its poorly developed rail network, but if you've got a coach going from Manchester to London for £20 and a WMT train (with a change at Crewe) going for £25, the coach takes 5 hours and the train takes 3-3.5 depending on connections, almost everyone will pay that extra fiver unless on a *really* tight budget. Of course if GBR make a mess of that fare differential, it's possible coach's market could grow.

Agree, but when you're deciding what coach to use it's likely you'll have seen a FlixBus as it's very bright and noticeable.

Certainly when my kids have wanted to take the bus they've all just looked at FlixBus and probably woudln't know what National Express is.

 

[Cesarcollie]

Flix has also partnered with well known bus companies/groups with a good reputation, so they have that also going for them.

That’s not to say NatEx don't/didn't, but I don't think many, if any people have heard of some of their partner operators if that make sense.

Certainly with NX (and I suspect Flix) there is no need for a customer to have any idea of who actually runs the vehicle, and indeed NX effectively prohibited any public reference to operator identity save for the legal address which they couldn’t influence! So whether a customer has ‘heard of’ the partner operator doesn’t really matter.