There's some nonsense around but this is up there. There's absolutely no reason why anyone would buy Arriva Yorkshire or Arriva North West. If anyone was stupid enough to buy them then they're idiots.
Both areas are going to be franchised in the short-medium term so it's literally buying nothing.
I woke up to several messages stating the rumour, however that's certainly AI generated wibble...
(06 Dec 2024, 11:33 am)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]Here's the letter for those who may not be aware.
Confirmed to be fake by official Transdev sources.
The source of the letter was some enthusiast trying provoke responses to wind up another enthusiast(s) and predictably as some thought it was legit, it ended up being circulated far and wide, the letter was produced using AI.
(06 Dec 2024, 8:56 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]Confirmed to be fake by official Transdev sources.
The source of the letter was some enthusiast trying provoke responses to wind up another enthusiast(s) and predictably as some thought it was legit, it ended up being circulated far and wide, the letter was produced using AI.
Tbh, I had no idea it was AI generated.
Obviously errors galore, but just thought someone had typed it up on their laptop.
(08 Dec 2024, 2:07 am)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]Tbh, I had no idea it was AI generated.
Obviously errors galore, but just thought someone had typed it up on their laptop.
I only know because I was in the chat it originated from, although I had no part in the production and spreading of the duff gen.
A similar sort of story would be nice to see in the North East, the smaller operators gaining long term scholars contracts. Hopefully bringing some more stability to services too. Although unfortunately, it was Go North West that got similar contracts in Manchester.
As the work awarded to Tower seems to require 73 schooltme-only duties, it requires a very big "smaller operator" - considerably bigger than any of the operations of the "not big group" firms involved around the north east scene. As the Merseyside work is peak-only, implying part-time drivers, I would have thought finding enough drivers might well be a challenge, especially if it is all out of one depot. Most of the schooltime local bus services up here - Nexus services and their counterparts in Northumberland and Durham - are done by full-time drivers as part of integrated depot operations at multiple locations.
(03 Apr 2026, 2:59 pm)deanmachine wrote [ -> ]A similar sort of story would be nice to see in the North East, the smaller operators gaining long term scholars contracts. Hopefully bringing some more stability to services too. Although unfortunately, it was Go North West that got similar contracts in Manchester.
Not sure I'd call Tower Transport a smaller operator mind. They're a $250m revenue company from Australia.
It's arguably the worst, big corporation with no connection waltzing in, and taking contracts and putting all the local independents out of business. Metroline being another.
We might all have our bad feelings against Arriva and GoNorthEast but they're both local companies at the end of day, even known they're owned by bigger groups. Rather them in a way than some big corporation with no connection who will just piss off if the going goes rough.
Truthfully I don't like franchising though, rather see it in house. Don't see the benefits of doing everything then paying someone to drive some buses as they're not exactly doing anything else since the councils own the vehicles, depots and set times, routes and pretty much everything.