Nottingham 'Bus War'

[mattb251]

Zooommmm...more like chug chug chug

Went on one today and it was so busy because of free vouchers we stopped at every single stop, standing room only and Y5 overtook it (also full!)

What time were you on zoom when it was standing room only?

 

[Mugby]

The increased frequencies on the Heanor and Ilkeston services cannot last in the long term.

Seven buses per hour on both these roads is unsustainable. There is simply not sufficient numbers of people wishing to travel between these towns and Derby.

Lets not forget that Ilkeston Flyer was increased to a fifteen minute frequency before and then reduced again due to lack of demand.
My guess is that if Yourbus capitulate and withdraw, TB would very quickly reduce their frequencies back to 20 minutes.

 

[nathanclass323]

Thanks for the review nathanclass323. It seems to be much as expected, the free travel vouchers are obviously a clever move to get people back onto the Zoom. As for the noise from the Optare Solos - the model is a noisy one, and the earlier models even more so in my experience.

How were passenger loadings when you used it? The picture you posted suggested it was carrying a small number - but did more get on and off at the intermediate stops?

Passenger loadings were about the same on both journeys I took. People only got off. No one got on after Derby/Long Eaton Green. As you say about the noise, it is a loud model and it's the same on other buses with the Allison AT545. You're welcome. I did want to start reviewing transport services so I thought Zoom would be a good place to start.

 

[tbone]

There has been a few suggestions that yourbus are having some financial trouble with regards to unpaid bills, which has led to a coach being impounded by bailiffs.

Not sure how much truth there is in this.

 

[ALIEN14247]

Losing contracts won't help then either.
We'll see how long before that's announced.

Rumour that Y5 might extend through to Nottingham.....

 

[harry42]

Losing contracts won't help then either.
We'll see how long before that's announced.

Rumour that Y5 might extend through to Nottingham.....

Loosing what contracts?

 

[tbone]

I had heard Y5 will follow the skylink route to Nottingham in the peaks. Smacks of desperation, zoom is doing well and no doubt taking people off Y5.

 

[WillPS]

I had heard Y5 will follow the skylink route to Nottingham in the peaks. Smacks of desperation, zoom is doing well and no doubt taking people off Y5.

You're such a fanboy! Y5 seems to be doing alright from where I'm standing.

 

[ARedFlyer]

The TB real time on the council owned LCD boards are a god send especially given the poor/erratic timing of TB buses. To be fair their mobile app is pretty decent too. I've been testing it and it's usually spot on. I've only used it on the skylate though, can't speak for other routes. It sometime acts a little strange. For example I was at broadmarsh waiting for the Skylink (which was late, quelle surprise). The mobile app said it was two minutes away which would tell me it had left Friar Lane but then I refreshed it was 3 minutes away, then refreshed again it was four minutes away! :? I can only assume it got stuck between Friar Lane and Broadmarsh hence delaying the arrival time? How frequent are the hotspots on the route? I thought they were just at the bus-stops so at least you know how far the bus has got...does it transmit/check-in in between stops as well?

 

[Jordeh]

The TB real time on the council owned LCD boards are a god send especially given the poor/erratic timing of TB buses. To be fair their mobile app is pretty decent too. I've been testing it and it's usually spot on. I've only used it on the skylate though, can't speak for other routes. It sometime acts a little strange. For example I was at broadmarsh waiting for the Skylink (which was late, quelle surprise). The mobile app said it was two minutes away which would tell me it had left Friar Lane but then I refreshed it was 3 minutes away, then refreshed again it was four minutes away! :? I can only assume it got stuck between Friar Lane and Broadmarsh hence delaying the arrival time? How frequent are the hotspots on the route? I thought they were just at the bus-stops so at least you know how far the bus has got...does it transmit/check-in in between stops as well?

Do you mean mobile website? I keep checking the App Store for one but to no avail

I'm pretty certain the real timing is based on the GPS location of the bus as opposed to any hotspots. Sounds like your Skylink was stuck in traffic like you said, sadly not surprising in that area.

 

[harry42]

There is no app, just type in www.trentbarton.co.uk in to your mobile browser and it is mobile friendly.

I don't really need it anyway because in Nottingham City area thanks to the very good public transport team there are live departure boards at almost every stop which work for NCT and TB!

 

[Mitch in Notts]

Travelling around yesterday afternoon I saw a Y5 leaving Derby virtually empty. The Notts & Derby Ilkeston Flyer I caught was late leaving due to a broken cab door. Very good load on.

The Y1 & Y3 I have seen lately have mostly had pensioners on as did the citylink leaving Nottingham yesterday lunchtime. The Red Arrow behind it was 50% full.

Last night the Y29 was running 40 minutes late again with the next journey on time. Total passengers on the two buses 4. Brilliant way to run down a service in its last week, especially considering the 30 minute layover at Queens.

 

[harry42]

Travelling around yesterday afternoon I saw a Y5 leaving Derby virtually empty. The Notts & Derby Ilkeston Flyer I caught was late leaving due to a broken cab door. Very good load on.

The Y1 & Y3 I have seen lately have mostly had pensioners on as did the citylink leaving Nottingham yesterday lunchtime. The Red Arrow behind it was 50% full.

Last night the Y29 was running 40 minutes late again with the next journey on time. Total passengers on the two buses 4. Brilliant way to run down a service in its last week, especially considering the 30 minute layover at Queens.

Haha, a contract company Notts+Derby is beating yourbus! sorry child moad

 

[tbone]

I've heard that Notts and Derby are taking over the Uni hopper contracts from October.

What's unusual is they're due to be run with nct buses and Trent branding, clearly some people have had enough of yourbus!

 

[ALIEN14247]

The contract was to run until January 2014.
It seems young Mr Dunn well and truly chucked his dummy out of the pram.

 

[winston270twm]

It seems young Mr Dunn well and truly chucked his dummy out of the pram.

You saying that, it's not the first time I heard that.....

 

[mainframe444]

I've heard that Notts and Derby are taking over the Uni hopper contracts from October.

What's unusual is they're due to be run with nct buses and Trent branding, clearly some people have had enough of yourbus!

Perhaps certain bus companies were determined to win this contract from the current operator?

I can't imagine they drink to yourbus at board meetings!

Operating a stage carriage service is always a risk, no guarantee that people will use it. A contract such as this at least provides a reliable income, so I would imagine that when this news reached yourbus towers dummies were chucked, prams turned over, and I fear Teddy may need his head sewn back on....

MF

 

[harry42]

So Notts+Derby are taking over the Nottingham Unibus buses but in trent barton livery

 

[ALIEN14247]

I'm not so certain that the livery is decided.
I believe the depot operating the services will be a surprise to many

 

[MCR247]

Parliament street?

 

[Deerfold]

I'm not so certain that the livery is decided.
I believe the depot operating the services will be a surprise to many

Care to share with us or are you just showing off?

 

[Mitch in Notts]

I'm not so certain that the livery is decided.
I believe the depot operating the services will be a surprise to many

When the Uni service passed from Premiere to Yourbus - the vehicles went with them - so do the uni own them? Plus how will they have a new livery when they are painted up for the uni services?

Can I surmise that the surprise depot will be Sutton - like when they ran indigo a few years ago?

Is someone making to much of a simple exchange of a contract on here?

Since I wrote the above I have just read this on the Omnibuses website:

Unusually, this operator is a consortium involving Nottingham City Transport and two Wellglade companies, Trent Barton and Notts & Derby. The arrangement is reputed to involve NCT providing, housing and maintaining the six vehicles at its Gotham depot. Notts & Derby will supply the drivers, while Trent Barton (and no doubt Mr Stenning) will be responsible for branding and advertising the service.

 

[harry42]

So glad notts+derby aren't in charge of advertising!!!

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

When the Uni service passed from Premiere to Yourbus - the vehicles went with them - so do the uni own them? Plus how will they have a new livery when they are painted up for the uni services?

Can I surmise that the surprise depot will be Sutton - like when they ran indigo a few years ago?

Is someone making to much of a simple exchange of a contract on here?

Since I wrote the above I have just read this on the Omnibuses website:

Unusually, this operator is a consortium involving Nottingham City Transport and two Wellglade companies, Trent Barton and Notts & Derby. The arrangement is reputed to involve NCT providing, housing and maintaining the six vehicles at its Gotham depot. Notts & Derby will supply the drivers, while Trent Barton (and no doubt Mr Stenning) will be responsible for branding and advertising the service.

So in short....

The vehicles may or may not be supplied by the uni or at least have leases underwritten by them.

Wellglade win the work (N&D drivers though TB will supply livery) and then rent garage facilities from NCT at Gotham.

It's not exactly earth shattering in those terms!

 

[mainframe444]

To clarify......

The contract was awarded, or taken on by, Yourbus after the collapse of Premiere.

This was originally to be for six months, but for whatever reason, the contract was only recently put up for retender.

Yourbus, I would imagine, imagined that they would get this work as they had helped out at short notice.

However, the contract (worth a fair sum I expect) will be run as follows....

Vehicles - Provided by and owned by NCT, garaged and maintained at Gotham
Drivers - Provided by Notts and Derby
Advertising (and livery) - TrentBarton

Yourbus - Nothing!!

Main Frame

 

[WillPS]

Aren't Notts & Derby drivers Trent Barton drivers 'on loan'?

 

[Deerfold]

Aren't Notts & Derby drivers Trent Barton drivers 'on loan'?

Notts & Derby is a low-cost subsidiary of Wellglade so whilst they all have the same parent company expect the drivers to be paid less than Trent Barton drivers.

 

[Mugby]

What about all the dead time and mileage getting N+D drivers to and from Gotham?

Or will they be expected to make their own way in their own time?

 

[Deerfold]

What about all the dead time and mileage getting N+D drivers to and from Gotham?

Or will they be expected to make their own way in their own time?

Not quite sure what you mean.

The time spent driving to and from the depot will be included in their hours worked and paid for (I would expect!).

Nice and handy for the ones that start at Sutton Bonnington too.

 

[WillPS]

Notts & Derby is a low-cost subsidiary of Wellglade so whilst they all have the same parent company expect the drivers to be paid less than Trent Barton drivers.

That's what you'd expect, but from my experience (and this is when N&D had a significant presence in Nottingham) they were Trent/Barton uniformed drivers. Similarly, the Midland General "Bargain Bus" operations were run by Trent drivers; in the beginning they gave them unbranded polo shirts to wear I think.