Select Bus Services

[Simon75]

Select bus services (Penkridge, Staffordshire) are expanding services and opening a outstation in Much Wenlock

* source a employee on a private Facebook group *

 

[markymark2000]

Select bus services (Penkridge, Staffordshire) are expanding services and opening a outstation in Much Wenlock

* source a employee on a private Facebook group *

This was also quoted on another forum by a staff member.

https://wmbusphotos.com/forum/index.php?topic=1476.1185 (Jamie A is a staff member there).

Select are due to gain another 3 routes, the 297 (Bridgnorth - Kidderminster) and 436 (Bridgnorth - Shrewsbury) off Arriva. Plus the 406 from Midland Classic.


Very strange company who seem to just keep expanding but seem to have little care for their passengers. I've heard of a few instances in Wolverhampton where passengers on the 897/898 services have been left abandoned at the stop as Select haven't shown up. Very poor considering the routes only run a few times per day. It's also funny how many Select buses go missing around school times (personal experience combined with tracking). Shame that they are getting the expansion rather than other firms. I think Discount Travel Solutions in Birmingham ran a better service than Select.

 

[capitalpotter]

Don't let anybody off the Facebook pages read this. Select are a company sent from heaven whilst Chaserider are the devil incarnate.

 

[Busaholic]

This was also quoted on another forum by a staff member.

https://wmbusphotos.com/forum/index.php?topic=1476.1185 (Jamie A is a staff member there).

Select are due to gain another 3 routes, the 297 (Bridgnorth - Kidderminster) and 436 (Bridgnorth - Shrewsbury) off Arriva. Plus the 406 from Midland Classic.


Very strange company who seem to just keep expanding but seem to have little care for their passengers. I've heard of a few instances in Wolverhampton where passengers on the 897/898 services have been left abandoned at the stop as Select haven't shown up. Very poor considering the routes only run a few times per day. It's also funny how many Select buses go missing around school times (personal experience combined with tracking). Shame that they are getting the expansion rather than other firms. I think Discount Travel Solutions in Birmingham ran a better service than Select.

Maybe they should change their name to Selective Bus Services.

 

[bussnapperwm]

I've used them a few times over the years, both on the 877/878 (the Wolverhampton to Stafford via Brewood) and 242 (Stourbridge to Kinver), and I've found the drivers quite pleasant and ran on time.

Yes some of the buses are in plain white, but at least they keep investing in upgrades to their fleet, such as the 65 plate MMC they've acquired, unlike some of the other operators that have been in the Midlands in the past (Travel Express for one, or Heartlands/Tamworth Bus and Coach/whatever Mike James called his operation the following week)

 

[Agricola]

Changes to services during March 2026 (from Select Bus Services Facebook)

According to Staffordshire County Council website Staffordshire bus service changes the change to the 6 route is from 12 March 2026 (a Thursday).

Comment : The 873 was a three month trial linking the South Staffordshire village of Wheaton Aston (population circa 2100) to Penkridge for the popular traditional stall markets held on Wednesdays and Saturdays. A single return trip 0930 out / 1225 back operated. Tracking data shows that the routing in Wheaton Aston was more sensible than BODS (Bus Open Data Service) and paper timetable would suggest, but who would know ?

The 6 is returning to its historical routing via A34 Lichfield Road. This Lichfield Road routing dates from Midland Red days (S86 and later S76) when it was one of Stafford's principal cross town bus routes. In the Drawlane era it became 76 and by 2010 in ARRIVA times it became the standalone 6 up to every 20 minutes for a time. Traffic congestion on the A34, Covid and more recently prolonged closures of A34 for long term roadworks resulting in frequent routing changes have conspired to reduce the route to hourly off-peak operated by Select Bus Services with some Staffordshire County Council subsidy. Staffordshire County Council website suggests that the longstanding diversion via Exeter Street becomes on request only (though it is not explained how that will work).

 

[markymark2000]

Tracking data shows that the routing in Wheaton Aston was more sensible than BODS (Bus Open Data Service) and paper timetable would suggest, but who would know ?

It's worth saying that Selects timetable entries to the bus open data are a shambles. I don't believe that a single route has fully correct data. Select have been made aware of the issues many times from various people via many communication methods and the owner even replied, but quite simply he isn't bothered about sorting it at all. They are just another one of those operators who blames everyone else for their problems and refuses to take any responsibility. And personally, I can't wait for the day that the traffic commissioner gives them a nice little invite to the office.

It's also worth saying that Selects timetables on their website (which I presume is what you are referring to as the paper timetables), are also seemingly deliberately vague so then the public don't know which way the buses are meant to go and drivers thrive off the ambiguity. A good example being the 8/8A timetable, there is no information on the website pdf timetable about which trips go via Holmcroft Estate. So then if the bus misses out the estate, who is going to complain? The timetable doesn't say it goes that way so you just have to guess and hope you're right.
Also the large gaps between timing points so you never know which way the bus actually goes between timing points, also done so they don't have to amend journey times for peaks (because where is the fun in timetabling properly), but also if the traffic is medium-calm, drivers can floor it and get their vape break sooner (which from my experiences on Select, vape breaks rank higher on the priorities list than passenger comfort and the timetable).

 

[Agricola]

Changes to Bus Services from 18 April 2026 - Withdrawal after 3 months trial of 17 Wheaton Aston - Codsall - Wolverhampton.

Source - Staffordshire County Council https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/ro...rt/public-transport-and-travel-passes/roads-0
"from 18 April - Select Bus trial service 17 (Wheaton Aston - Wolverhampton) will be cancelled due to low patronage figures."

This is the second South Staffordshire trial route to be withdrawn after 873 Wheaton Aston - Penkridge (Post 6).

The timetable in the Wolverhampton - Wheaton Aston direction was rather more nuanced than the attached Select Bus Services timetable shows, in that all except 1100 departure were set down only after Wolverhampton Art Gallery Stop BA. (Source Staffordshire County Council https://bustimes.app.staffordshire....p=B&Ver=2&Line=40017&RN=17#divMainAreaDisplay