Xplore Dundee

[kez19]

Given the current reduced frequencies, where do we expect the spare EVs to be used?

presume they will also be used elsewhere on a Sunday.

I be surprised if they appear on other routes?

 

[Scotrail88]

I be surprised if they appear on other routes?

Surely would be a waste for such expensive vehicles to be parked up when not required.
Currently the emeralds are used when not needed on other routes so surely will happen here.

 

[Trnsprt4Sctlnd]

Surely would be a waste for such expensive vehicles to be parked up when not required.
Currently the emeralds are used when not needed on other routes so surely will happen here.

There cheaper to charge quite significantly than to fuel and run diesel, they will be out..

 

[kez19]

Surely would be a waste for such expensive vehicles to be parked up when not required.
Currently the emeralds are used when not needed on other routes so surely will happen here.

I have noticed the Emeralds have become a bit more frequent on other routes ie 17 or 32/33

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Jan 2022 ==

Curious question: how long do these new electric buses last throughout the day/week?

Can they be charged to last 7 days or are they charged daily?

 

[Trnsprt4Sctlnd]

I have noticed the Emeralds have become a bit more frequent on other routes ie 17 or 32/33

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 2 Jan 2022 ==

Curious question: how long do these new electric buses last throughout the day/week?

Can they be charged to last 7 days or are they charged daily?

Charged Nightly

 

[kez19]

Charged Nightly

How long do the buses last? is it between 12-16 hours? (i'm guessing here)

 

[Christmas]

Have Xplore now dropped advertisements on their buses? Seems to be a McGill thing.

 

[Stan Drews]

Have Xplore now dropped advertisements on their buses? Seems to be a McGill thing.

They only advertise their own products.

 

[Trnsprt4Sctlnd]

They only advertise their own products.

So they should be, the vehicles look cleaner and less cluttered without them.

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

There appear to be some technical issues with the new Electric Emeralds - I saw two being taken off service yesterday at around 3pm (coincidentally, both had been out since 4:30am) and headed back to the garage. Similarly today the two vehicles out since 4:30am today, have been changed over at 5pm. Can they not even last 12 hours in service without running out of charge? Bit ridiculous if they can't, something obviously hasn't been thought through.

Additionally, the McGills CEO Ralph Roberts doesn't seem to be too impressed with the interior layout and is apologising to customers: https://twitter.com/NoConceptOfTime/status/1478727316146642947

I wasn’t aware of this issue when buying some recently. After delivery I found that I didn’t fit in that space. Knees against seat in front, head on ceiling and feet raised so thighs not touching seat. Dire design tbh and I apologise to my customers

 

[Stan Drews]

The range on ADL products certainly isn’t as good as some other available EV options, but I don’t know what sort of mileage a day on the 28‘s will amount to?

 

[kez19]

There appear to be some technical issues with the new Electric Emeralds - I saw two being taken off service yesterday at around 3pm (coincidentally, both had been out since 4:30am) and headed back to the garage. Similarly today the two vehicles out since 4:30am today, have been changed over at 5pm. Can they not even last 12 hours in service without running out of charge? Bit ridiculous if they can't, something obviously hasn't been thought through.

Additionally, the McGills CEO Ralph Roberts doesn't seem to be too impressed with the interior layout and is apologising to customers: https://twitter.com/NoConceptOfTime/status/1478727316146642947

Compare the seating at the rear of the previous set of new buses, you do have wriggle room - looking at the pictures on that looks more claustrophobic! Haven’t used the new bus yet but I would have thought space at the rear would be the same as the previous ones!

 

[Trnsprt4Sctlnd]

Compare the seating at the rear of the previous set of new buses, you do have wriggle room - looking at the pictures on that looks more claustrophobic! Haven’t used the new bus yet but I would have thought space at the rear would be the same as the previous ones!

With the likes of Equipmake just round the corner with the Jewel E decker and it's upto 250mile range vs the E400 EV with its meagre upto 160miles of range...you can see why...

The Volvo BZL and a Scania Fencer F1 EV will be offering opportunity charging to combat range limitations, only the E400 EV has OppCharge as an option from ADL, but clearly the cost associated with such charging infrastructure isn't one which has been met nor likely considered.

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

The range on ADL products certainly isn’t as good as some other available EV options, but I don’t know what sort of mileage a day on the 28‘s will amount to?

A round trip on the 28 is about 17 miles and takes 2 hours (slightly less before 7am, and slightly more at peak times)

 

[Scotrail88]

With the new EVs - what has been withdrawn?

Is there any more fleet moves due? Surely some cascades from McGills would help oust some more B7TLs - deckers aren’t needed on everything

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

With the new EVs - what has been withdrawn?

Is there any more fleet moves due? Surely some cascades from McGills would help oust some more B7TLs - deckers aren’t needed on everything

The remaining SP54 plate B7TLs have been withdrawn, along with 2820 and potentially 2821.

Xplore have too many single decks on non-Emerald routes as it is, ...but thanks for the offer!!

 

[kez19]

The remaining SP54 plate B7TLs have been withdrawn, along with 2820 and potentially 2821.

Xplore have too many single decks on non-Emerald routes as it is, ...but thanks for the offer!!

I have noticed that more that it seems designated buses (advertising their route) are on other routes with the single decks - recent examples are the new 28 route buses are on various routes

I was thinking that Xplore was going to get rid of the first lot of Geminis they had and keep the second lot they got few years back but guess not

Just to add: weren't a couple of the recent batch of Gemini's upgraded to be Euro 5 or 6 compliant? (example buses 2821), seems to be a bit of a waste to get rid of them all if some have been upgraded?

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

Further frequency reductions, almost comparable to that of a pre-covid Sunday service, will take effect from March 14th 2022.

Service Changes from 14 March 2022

We're ramping up recruitment and making some temporary timetable changes to improve reliability...

www.xploredundee.com

The local bus network has experienced some unfortunate disruption from the ongoing effects of a national driver shortage and local staff absences. Despite the best efforts of our team to cover as much work as possible, we regret that some journeys have been missed and that this has had an impact on our passengers.

Our aim is to run a reliable service for Dundee. That's why we're doing everything we possibly can to alleviate the situation and get ourselves back on a sound, strong footing. The past two years haven't been easy; not only with the wide-ranging effects of Covid, but also thanks to other social and economic reasons. These things are influencing all our lives in all sorts of ways - and unfortunately Xplore Dundee is not immune to their consequences. In spite of these challenges, our team continues to carry thousands of passengers safely and successfully to their destinations.

We want to assure you of our intentions to build back up again - better than ever. Here's a summary of what we're doing, and what we've got planned:

Driver recruitment​

We're looking for new drivers to join our team, with experienced PCV licence-holders and brand-new trainees all welcome to apply. Choose a new challenge and play your part in keeping Dundee moving:

• Earn £13 per hour
• Boost earnings with overtime opportunities
• Get free bus and coach travel for you and your partner
• Benefit from job security, a company pension and life cover
• Enjoy 28 days of holiday per year

New drivers are already going through the training programme, and they'll be out on the road as soon as they're fully qualified. We still need more people to join our team before we can reach our goal of restoring full-frequency timetables across the network. Do you think you've got the 'X-Factor', or perhaps know someone who does? Then check out our careers page and find out how to apply!

New timetables​

From Monday 14 March 2022, we'll temporarily adjust timetables to realistic levels so that our services are more reliable. We'll keep running as many buses as we can, in-line with staff availability. We believe (and we hope you'll agree) that a reliably reduced service in the short-term is better than cancelling journeys at short notice.

• New timetables will be available a week prior to taking effect
• Each of our core routes will run every 15 mins during the day on weekdays
• Timetables on weekday evenings and Saturdays will not change
• And buses will continue to run every half-hour during the day on Sundays, before scaling down to hourly departures after 6pm on Sunday evenings
• Service 36c will be suspended (but with alternative journeys possible on service 32 between Fintry and the City Centre, and service 5 between the City Centre and Ninewells Hospital)
• The service 10 journeys to/from Harris Academy will be withdrawn (but with alternative journeys possible on services 4s, 5s, 6s or 10s)

As we ramp up recruitment efforts (outlined above), we'll add journeys to our busiest routes just as soon as new drivers can be deployed behind the wheel.

We thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to make things better. Don't forget: you can use the app to plan ahead by checking timetables, tracking buses and following live updates.

I have underlined the key points from the service update.

 

[GusB]

Further frequency reductions, almost comparable to that of a pre-covid Sunday service, will take effect from March 14th 2022.

Service Changes from 14 March 2022

We're ramping up recruitment and making some temporary timetable changes to improve reliability...

www.xploredundee.com

I have underlined the key points from the service update.

Thanks for sharing this. I'll copy the relevant bits of this into the jobs and careers thread.

 

[GusB]

I meant to post this a couple of days ago:

Open-top tour planned for Dundee - CBW

Xplore Dundee has announced plans for new ‘Discover Dundee’ open-top tours of the city and released an image of its new bus livery in advance of the start of services in April. The company said [...]

cbwmagazine.com

Xplore Dundee has announced plans for new ‘Discover Dundee’ open-top tours of the city and released an image of its new bus livery in advance of the start of services in April. The company said it hopes the the tours will add to its contribution to Dundee’s reinvention as a short-stay tourist destination.

The tour will operate daily from April to September with buses running every half hour during the day, and taking in the city’s Waterfront and City Quay as well as the city centre and West Port before climbing up The Law.

Other attractions served will include RRS Discovery, Verdant Works and the V&A museum. Buses will depart from outside Discovery Quay.

Valid for 24 hours, hop-on hop-off tickets will be priced at £10 for adults and £24 for families, with reduced rates for students, seniors and children, and will be valid on Xplore Dundee’s wider bus network.

This is a tour I'd quite like to do; it has been quite some time since I was last in Dundee and it will be interesting to see how the place has changed over the years.

 

[kez19]

I meant to post this a couple of days ago:

Open-top tour planned for Dundee - CBW

Xplore Dundee has announced plans for new ‘Discover Dundee’ open-top tours of the city and released an image of its new bus livery in advance of the start of services in April. The company said [...]

cbwmagazine.com

This is a tour I'd quite like to do; it has been quite some time since I was last in Dundee and it will be interesting to see how the place has changed over the years.

Reminds me when they had open tour buses in the 80s/90s I’m sure even back then it went to Barnhill Rock Gardens/Esplanade.

Route in general is at least better to the pitiful 360 tour they had couple years back that got scrapped.

 

[739678]

The open top bus service in Dundee in the 80s only ran between the City Centre and Broughty Ferry(Castle Green). Was numbered 66, and at that time was the only bus that ran south of the railway and into the centre of Broughty Ferry. I was young at the time, but if I recall, it only ran during the school summer holidays.

 

[kez19]

The open top bus service in Dundee in the 80s only ran between the City Centre and Broughty Ferry(Castle Green). Was numbered 66, and at that time was the only bus that ran south of the railway and into the centre of Broughty Ferry. I was young at the time, but if I recall, it only ran during the school summer holidays.

Did it use to stop at the Botanic Gardens? I seem to remember at one point it parked/stopped there (it was on the brae itself not the Perth Road junction)

 

[InOban]

I'm sorry I can't link it, but the boss of Explore has apologised in the Dundee evening telegraph for the continual disruption.

 

[Volvodart]

See below:-

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/business-environment/transport/3139982/dundee-bus-disruption/

Dundee bus boss apologises for ‘horrific’ disruption – and promises services will get better
By Peter John Meiklem
March 26 2022, 6.00am

Dundee bus boss Ralph Roberts has promised passengers better times ahead after apologising for “horrific” disruption to city services.

City passengers have struggled with unreliable and cancelled services for months.

Mr Roberts said he wanted to let passengers know the situation is improving.

He said: “It’s getting better. We feel your pain, but it’s getting better.

“We are not happy either. The disruption we’ve had to services has been horrific.

“From January through to the beginning of March – really to two weeks ago – has been off the chart.

“I would apologise to the people of Dundee for that experience.”

Mr Roberts is the chief executive officer of Greenock-based McGill’s Buses, which bought Xplore Dundee in 2020.

He is also running Xplore Dundee on a temporary basis while the company recruit for a new managing director.

Previous city bus boss Christine McGlasson, in post since 2018, recently left the company.

The firm announced an emergency city timetable at the start of March in a bid to improve poor reliability.

Mr Roberts said Covid-19 had badly affected staffing.

“There’s no point in saying we’re going to try when every day you’re getting more people phoning in saying they’re positive.

“We’re trying to run a service and we’ve got 7,8,10,12 bodies missing.

“You’ve got real time indicators up there saying a bus is due and the bus doesn’t turn up.

“It’s frustrating. Horrendous for people. So I would apologise to people in Dundee that went on for so long.”

Mr Roberts said the company now has a “grip” on the situation, offering a timeline for the return of services to the same level as last year.

He said: “Right now, we’re running Saturday frequencies.

“That’s to allow us to regroup with staff. It was always intended to be a short-term thing.

“So within the next two or three weeks the frequencies will go back up to where they were from January with the idea that by July /August they’ll be going back to where they were in November last year.

“Back to 100% in other words.

Mr Roberts asked Dundee passengers to “bear with him.”

“They will get more frequent buses in the next few weeks. The key thing is they will be reliable.

“They need to be there when we say they will be there.”

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

Interesting that Mr Roberts has said that the company has "a grip on the situation", the day that more services were cancelled due to driver shortages, despite 2 rounds of frequency reductions since October 2021:

SATURDAY 26 MARCH 2022
Service 1
From Albert Square - 0758
From Courthouse Square - 1409
From Laird Street - 0834, 1455

Service 5
From Ninewells - 2302
From Kintail - 2337 (905)

Service 5a
From Whitehall Street - 1513
From HIgh Street - 1926
From Ninewells - 1540, 1810 (resume High Street 1826), 2110

Service 10
From Claypotts - 1624, 1946, 2144

Service 17
From Nethergate - 0938, 1501
From Ninewells - 1010, 1230 (resume High Street 1255), 1535, 1810
From Lothian - 1119, 1653, 1915 (resume Nethergate 1950)

Service 28
From Albert Square - 1827
From Baldovie Sainsburys - 1850
From Asda Myrekirk - 1948 (928)

It's also probably worth noting that the current level of service is a Saturday service based on frequencies from October 2021, not based on 100% service, and the apology in itself is nothing we haven't heard before.

 

[kez19]

Interesting that Mr Roberts has said that the company has "a grip on the situation", the day that more services were cancelled due to driver shortages, despite 2 rounds of frequency reductions since October 2021:


It's also probably worth noting that the current level of service is a Saturday service based on frequencies from October 2021, not based on 100% service, and the apology in itself is nothing we haven't heard before.

A few people from my work today had waited an hour on a bus this morning (bus time not listed), so even I’m baffled as to what happened prior to at least 8am (route 17)

 

[Stan Drews]

Interesting that Mr Roberts has said that the company has "a grip on the situation", the day that more services were cancelled due to driver shortages, despite 2 rounds of frequency reductions since October 2021:


It's also probably worth noting that the current level of service is a Saturday service based on frequencies from October 2021, not based on 100% service, and the apology in itself is nothing we haven't heard before.

It’s also worth noting that 2019 has gone, and it isn’t coming back!
2022 will more likely reflect the world as it is now.
Oh, and in case you’ve missed it, 1 in 11 people in Scotland currently have Covid, and will therefore need to isolate.

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

Oh, and in case you’ve missed it, 1 in 11 people in Scotland currently have Covid, and will therefore need to isolate.

Why would this affect Xplore Dundee more than any other operator? Without diverging off-topic too much, the latest Public Health Scotland data shows Dundee has lower case rates per 100k than Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh, where operators in those cities aren't cancelling journeys after two rounds of frequency reductions.

I know COVID has had an impact on absence levels and appreciate that, but I think there is more than meets the eye that company management won't tell customers. It's all very good recruiting drivers, but the staff turnover rate is what matters. Nonetheless, I look forward to a return to 100% service level in the summer!

 

[Stan Drews]

Why would this affect Xplore Dundee more than any other operator? Without diverging off-topic too much, the latest Public Health Scotland data shows Dundee has lower case rates per 100k than Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh, where operators in those cities aren't cancelling journeys after two rounds of frequency reductions.

I know COVID has had an impact on absence levels and appreciate that, but I think there is more than meets the eye that company management won't tell customers. It's all very good recruiting drivers, but the staff turnover rate is what matters. Nonetheless, I look forward to a return to 100% service level in the summer!

I didn’t suggest Xplore Dundee would be affected more than any other business. However, I assume you don’t follow other bus operators twitter accounts, as if you did, you’d know that there are lots of cancelled journeys in other cities, and also from other operators in the Dundee area.

What else is it that you‘d like company management to tell customers? They seem to have been pretty up front about the issues affecting them so far.