Coach vehicles and drivers

[telstarbox]

Although they market their services as national networks to the public, National Express and Megabus both use 'local' bus operators to operate most of their coaches - Megabus generally using Stagecoach. As coach routes can be very long (London - Scotland, Liverpool - Clacton) without a change of vehicle, what's the furthest a coach gets from its 'home' depot?

Also how long can a coach driver go for before there needs to be a driver swap, and how far away do drivers go from their base? Are there any instances where drivers lodge overnight?

 

[richw]

Although they market their services as national networks to the public, National Express and Megabus both use 'local' bus operators to operate most of their coaches - Megabus generally using Stagecoach. As coach routes can be very long (London - Scotland, Liverpool - Clacton) without a change of vehicle, what's the furthest a coach gets from its 'home' depot?

Also how long can a coach driver go for before there needs to be a driver swap, and how far away do drivers go from their base? Are there any instances where drivers lodge overnight?

Megabus is owned by stagecoach group, so probably explains why most of their services (if not all) use Stagecoach.

Parks of Hamilton operate some services down to Cornwall so may well be the furthest from home a vehicle gets, although I believe they have a depot in Plymouth since they took over Trathens in 1996

 

[mbonwick]

Furthest from home is probably the Megabus Aberdeen Van Hool Astromegas that make it down to Plymouth as part of their 3 day roster.

Although Megabus is run out of Stagecoach depots, it is to all intents and purposes a separate operation, with no sharing of staff. Regular Stagey vehicles are only borrowed in the event of a Megabus shortage, and I believe MB have to pay for that through internal accounting.

 

[starrymarkb]

Megabus is owned by stagecoach group, so probably explains why most of their services (if not all) use Stagecoach.

Parks of Hamilton operate some services down to Cornwall so may well be the furthest from home a vehicle gets, although I believe they have a depot in Plymouth since they took over Trathens in 1996

The Parks-Trathens fleet is legally lettered for Plymouth. I suspect the Bruce Coaches that do the 336/532 Edinburgh to Plymouth would be the furthest from home. They carry two drivers (both Scottish IME) who presumably overnight in Plymouth (I can't see them getting enough rest if they turn the service straight around)

 

[Titfield]

Is it how far the coach gets from its home depot or the driver?

When I worked for a National Bus Company subsidiary who operated National Express services many years ago we had a duty where drivers from our depot who would drive another depots vehicle and vice versa. They would "swap back" the following day. I cant remember the rationale for it as it is a long time ago.

 

[richw]

The Parks-Trathens fleet is legally lettered for Plymouth. I suspect the Bruce Coaches that do the 336/532 Edinburgh to Plymouth would be the furthest from home. They carry two drivers (both Scottish IME) who presumably overnight in Plymouth (I can't see them getting enough rest if they turn the service straight around)

What routes do the Parks/ Trathens fleet operate?

 

[starrymarkb]

I know they do most of the Devon and Cornwall to London runs, and the 315 Helston to Eastbourne. Easiest way to spot a Parks vehicle are the private HSK***/LSK*** plates. They also use a mix of 15m Panthers and Elites, No Levantes based in the SW AFAIK