the bendys are nice, more from york are supposed to be coming when they get new deliveries of more EV's, the native E500's from Glasgow are very nice, but needing a retrim with seats starting to show their age, same as the Bendy buses.
The E500s needed a refurb when they left Glasgow so I can only imagine what they’re like now. They are good solid buses. There was talk of them and the Citaros getting a refurb but it’s been put back a few times.
Could be a case of going to Hampshire and Dorest to displace B9s for somewhere like Kernow? seems the most logical theory for me
My guess is they are going to Bristol. They would fit in nicely with the gas buses they have. Somerset is set to go Euro 6 by the end of the year and all Bristol buses are Euro 6.Still plenty of 54 reg B7's left in Cornwall that you sent us in 2020 so every thing moves west. The 54's may finish up going over the edge at Lands End.
Confirmed to be within Hampshire/Dorset/Berkshire, which Bristol doesn't come under
Don’t trust Bustimes I hear some say!
So they actually use the middle doors to alight people?
I am pretty sure they are Hoeford bound (13) and Essex are due to get 339xx buses (8)
Yes, Aberdeen has always used the rear doors on their artics.
In Glasgow they only used the front doors.
This is all irrelevant if said drivers don’t remain at First Glasgow after training, irregardless of the time taken to complete that training.
I definitely agree with that. The fact they're managing to get a decent number in though is slightly promising. A lot of the drivers I've had lately have certainly been a lot more pleasant too so I do wonder if something has changed.
Aside from the purple polo shirts they're handing to drivers? Nothing in my view.
The E400EVs are probably the first buses that I've wanted to avoid when they're new since I've used buses. I got an 89A yesterday and the doors kept sticking. The driver had to use a fair amount of force to get them to open properly. The problem seemed to fix itself after that but having to do that with a 22 plate bus isn't good.
The only way it'll cope is if it gets back to pre-covid frequency of every 8 minutes again. In the morning, a lot of the double deckers get close to full as it is too. With the exception of the M11 due to the bridge at the bottom of Kilbowie Road, anything double decker wise can end up on anything. Last week, an E400 ended up on the M60 and the 81 sometimes gets them too.
Buses in Glasgow could be forced off the road due to strike action
2 hrs ago
By Lauren BrownlieSenior reporter
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Buses in Glasgow could be forced off the road due to strike action, say union
UPCOMING strike action could force buses off the road in Glasgow, a union has revealed.
Unite has confirmed that Bidvest Noonan workers contracted to clean and refuel buses for First Bus are set to strike in a dispute over pay.
More than 100 cleaners, fuellers and shunters contracted to work in First Glasgow and First Aberdeen bus depots will be striking, after previously rejecting a two per cent pay offer backdated to 2022.
It is claimed that wages at the company start at £9.62 per hour. From April, £10.42 per hour will be the national minimum wage.
Meanwhile, Unite revealed that Bidvest Noonan made a profit of £9.5m for the year ending June 2022, up from £5.96m in year ending June 2021.
According to the union, with cleaning, refuelling, and re-charging of the electric buses not carried out on the days of industrial action, buses may have to be taken off the roads for safety and re-charging reasons.
Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary, said: “Bidvest Noonan’s pay offer is totally unacceptable. This company is making millions and can well afford to pay fairly. It has no excuse for not doing so.
“Quite simply, these buses couldn’t operate without our members who have Unite’s full support as they stand up for better jobs, pay and conditions.”
The strike action will take place at the Glasgow and Aberdeen depots from 3pm on Wednesday, March 1, concluding at 6am on Saturday, March 4.
Bus depots to be impacted by strike action include Glasgow Road, Blantyre, Cathcart Road, Glasgow, South Street, Glasgow, Birch Meadow, Dumbarton, Castlehill Road, Wishaw, and King Street, Aberdeen.
The Bidvest Noonan contract workers were outsourced by First Bus in Glasgow in 2016, and then December 2020 in Aberdeen.
Wendy Dunsmore, Unite industrial officer, said: “The strike action by Unite members working for Bidvest Noonan will lead to First Bus having to take buses off the roads in Aberdeen and Glasgow.
“The two per cent offer backdated to last year is totally unacceptable to our members. This dispute is a problem of First Bus’s own making because they outsourced these workers years ago. Unite is demanding that they be brought back in-house and paid fairly.”
A spokesperson for First Bus Scotland said: "We understand Bidvest Noonan workers have been balloted in relation to strike action.
“First Bus is assisting Bidvest Noonan to find an agreement that is mutually beneficial to all.”
Bidvest Noonan has been contacted for comment.
It's definitely not an ideal situation by any means. At least this headline doesn't make it look like it's First's own workers striking, though unlike the STV News one which is headlined "Strikes by First Bus depot workers to "force services off roads."
I can't agree with you on this. I'd go as far as to say I generally like them, though granted I've not encountered any difficulty so far.
The Maryhill stuff is fibre broadband rollout - it's been working its way up from Queen's Cross over the last little while, but it's extra rough at the moment because there are temporary controls between Shawpark and Shakespeare Streets that are gumming up not only the normal flow but also the flow into and out of Ruchill Street. Should be over pretty soon, at least, although I'm not sure how much further down Maryhill Rd they'll be working.
To be honest I hadn't imagined that they would even outsource that sort of work.
Companies outsource so that any disputes don't spread throughout the company. You can then threaten the "source" company with terminations of any contracts you have with them. Pretty crap way of running a business as far as I'm concerned. Treat your employees fairly and they won't feel the need to go on strike.
I fully agree with that to be fair. It's a horrible way to go about things. As much as a lot of people have negative opinions towards First, they were quick to act as soon as the threat of drivers striking became public knowledge and it resulted in drivers, especially on the low end getting one of the best deals anyone has had in the last couple of years. It would cost First more if they done everything in-house but the staff would be better paid with them compared to Bidvest Noonan.
It doesn't necessarily follow that doing it in house is more expensive when you factor in the profit margin that Bidvest Noonan will be applying. Often these things are done for reasons other than cost reduction.
