Recent content by Alexbus12

An absolutely huge procurement exercise for Metroline now- cannot see Stagecoach selling vehicles this time around. Interesting times ahead..

At least the first bus arrived on time and were clean for Burnhams photo op…

Vantage received government funding in 2019 for a full fleet replacement, then covid and then the bee network happened... Seems to have disappeared

Anyone any idea how the plans for new routes will work. Burnham and co “promised” that some routes which have been withdrawn would be reinstated once franchising has begun. Will some of these small routes be put out on their own tender or just added onto a respective franchise with the existing...

Tfgm incompetence. Most recently they’ve been failing to update changes to timetables of tendered buses services until the night before the change happens.. No doubt this will just get worse now they’re in charge of the full network.

Surprised Vantage isn’t staying as it is. Surely that brand has its own commercial value to TFGM. Also what a dreadful livery replacement they’re receiving… :s

https://unitetheunion.org/news-events/news/2021/february/manchester-bus-drivers-vote-for-strike-action-in-go-north-west-fire-and-hire-dispute/

Iirc they're all on one year contracts. Looks like come next year, there will be tears when they go out for tender again.

Automatic rehire with new contracts and slightly different terms

The drama again is intensifying. Drivers are currently balloting on whether to take industrial action: https://unitetheunion.org/news-events/news/2021/january/strike-ballot-in-manchester-bus-drivers-fire-and-rehire-dispute/

Operators found out in the last 2 weeks about some of those changes. The TFGM officer announced in the meeting that they were late changes, because they had taken advantage of other changes which wouldn't have any financial differences.

Very disappointing with how short the notice is for this. Both for operators and councillors. I think the councillor during the meeting made it quite clear that such short notice changes like the above are unacceptable to the committee.

They have done in other areas of GM. If you look at the GMCA minutes, for example, the 584 commercial/ subsidised route has been cut from 4 operators, to two for the exact reason of simplifying both ticketing and the subsidised network with no changes to the subsidised times.

They must spend a fortune on vinyling and revinyling buses.

Another protest outside the depot this morning, again the police were called and the network has suffered quite severe disruption.