North East Buses

Full Version: Disruptions and driver shortages
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(17 Dec 2023, 7:18 pm)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]Nowt a bit of inexpensive PowerBI/automation couldn't fix within seconds.
Very little human intervention needs.
No good for people already on their journey whose connection has just been turned.
(18 Dec 2023, 11:21 am)F114TML wrote [ -> ]No good for people already on their journey whose connection has just been turned.

At least they're in the position or aware the connection has been turned.
As opposed to being totally oblivious and thinking it could be round the corner and just delayed. 

All part of the customer experience isn't it? You let them know and keep them informed or don't bother.
I see the Short Notice Cancellations page has been updated for tomorrow.

Quite a bit cancelled, including the first 309 of the day from Newcastle, and the last 1 of the day from the MetroCentre. Pretty poor to be planning to drop first and last services, and not getting these covered at the expense of trips during the day when passengers have alternatives in earlier/later services.
Where is short notice cancellations on the website?
(20 Dec 2023, 11:12 pm)Ambassador wrote [ -> ]https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/short-noti...cellations

129 services axed tomorrow
That appears to be well hidden. I can't find it by browsing the website or the app.

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(20 Dec 2023, 11:14 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]That appears to be well hidden. I can't find it by browsing the website or the app.

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I managed to find it on Google, but it doesn't seem to be otherwise accessible through the website now. 

Hardly "open and honest".
(20 Dec 2023, 11:14 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]That appears to be well hidden. I can't find it by browsing the website or the app.

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Yes it doesn’t even appear in service updates.

I could check ‘news’ but they’ve inexplicably left all their gas lighting strike articles up. 

It’s nice having the ineptly run GNE back isn’t it?
Ambassadors festive work drinks today so no car

I forgot what a pain the service is.

3 21s didn’t turn up. Not really new news that the first runs out of Chester are a disaster since the riverside move. Then 3 turned up at once!

X39 didn’t run (one of the hundred odd cancellations not listed) so I’m stuck on a 309 which is a painful experience. A 55 minute commute is at over 1 hour and I’m still in sandyford.
129 journey cancel today. Let's hope this big money spending driver training works well to bring in all thsse drivers. I'm sure gne will not be having cancel service by next year. Let's says end of 2025 when gne stop having cancel services
(20 Dec 2023, 11:17 pm)mb134 wrote [ -> ]I managed to find it on Google, but it doesn't seem to be otherwise accessible through the website now. 

Hardly "open and honest".
(21 Dec 2023, 12:46 am)Ambassador wrote [ -> ]Yes it doesn’t even appear in service updates.

I could check ‘news’ but they’ve inexplicably left all their gas lighting strike articles up. 

It’s nice having the ineptly run GNE back isn’t it?

Looks like the 'Short notice cancellations' bar has appeared along the top of the website again!
Noticed it seems Deptford and Washington are okay atm, might see additional frequency increases which are planned at those depots
(21 Dec 2023, 10:45 am)Adrian wrote [ -> ]Looks like the 'Short notice cancellations' bar has appeared along the top of the website again!

I'd like to think it was the #powerofNEB, but I've a feeling we will be told it was planned all along or just a mere coincidence it appeared not long after the conversations on here this morning.
(21 Dec 2023, 11:40 am)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]I'd like to think it was the #powerofNEB, but I've a feeling we will be told it was planned all along or just a mere coincidence it appeared not long after the conversations on here this morning.

I fully agree, happened a few times I've noticed for different things...
Interestingly Cobalt have put out festive travel advice signposting the Stagecoach app but advising GNE passengers use bus times for a more accurate experience….
NO 2345 309 ON THE BIGGEST FRIDAY NIGHT OF THE YEAR!

DISGRACE ????????????

2200 307 ex NEWCASTLE AND 2245 ex NORTH SHIELDS LISTED ON SHORT NOTICE CANCELLATIONS, BUT NOT THE 2345 309 ex NEWCASTLE!

HOW THE HELL CAN A NON SAVY PUNTER WORK THAT ONE OUT!
In the most amusing disruption update…it appears the Santa Bus ran early through Barley Mow and many people missed it. Bustimes suggests it ran 15-20 mins early in parts

To their credit (well the volunteers), GNE posted an update apologising and sent the bus back out at 20.15
(24 Dec 2023, 12:09 am)Ambassador wrote [ -> ]In the most amusing disruption update…it appears the Santa Bus ran early through Barley Mow and many people missed it. Bustimes suggests it ran 15-20 mins early in parts

To their credit (well the volunteers), GNE posted an update apologising and sent the bus back out at 20.15

Appeared to have looped through Barley Mow & Birtley in the wrong direction, making it in the region of 20 mins early for some.
Looks like a really bad accident at Bede College.



Durham Road in Sunderland is currently CLOSED at Bede College all traffic is being diverted with the road closed between Lidl and the Barns pub.
Police, fire and ambulance are on scene with reports the Great North Air Ambulance Critical Care car is en route.
Looks like half of the Deptford drivers are going to the derby, looking at the cancelations today:

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/short-noti...cellations
(06 Jan 2024, 10:36 am)Michael wrote [ -> ]Looks like half of the Deptford drivers are going to the derby, looking at the cancelations today:

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/short-noti...cellations

They'd still have the same holiday blocks, regardless of which football game is on?

That being said, I agree, the cancellations seem heavily Deptford focused. I wonder how many drivers have been re-allocated to the match day transport? There's a convoy of 10 heading down the A1 now.
(06 Jan 2024, 11:23 am)Adrian wrote [ -> ]They'd still have the same holiday blocks, regardless of which football game is on?

That being said, I agree, the cancellations seem heavily Deptford focused. I wonder how many drivers have been re-allocated to the match day transport? There's a convoy of 10 heading down the A1 now.


None from Deptford.

Non-driving staff and other depots (mainly Consett) only.


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(06 Jan 2024, 11:23 am)Adrian wrote [ -> ]They'd still have the same holiday blocks, regardless of which football game is on?

That being said, I agree, the cancellations seem heavily Deptford focused. I wonder how many drivers have been re-allocated to the match day transport? There's a convoy of 10 heading down the A1 now.

Holiday blocks or a sudden wave of 48 hour sickness racing through the depot?
(06 Jan 2024, 11:58 am)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]Holiday blocks or a sudden wave of 48 hour sickness racing through the depot?

Must've been some dodgy sandwiches in the vending machine.
Surely some more high frequency services should be cancelled instead of leaving over an hour in service on others?
(06 Jan 2024, 11:58 am)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]Holiday blocks or a sudden wave of 48 hour sickness racing through the depot?

Or just understandable reluctance to cover overtime which is probably what enables full-ish operations normally?

At least they didn't just switch to a Sunday service like they did a couple of years ago when the whole city was supposedly not needing to travel as a football match was happening in London.
(06 Jan 2024, 4:06 pm)stagecoachbusdepot wrote [ -> ]Or just understandable reluctance to cover overtime which is probably what enables full-ish operations normally?

At least they didn't just switch to a Sunday service like they did a couple of years ago when the whole city was supposedly not needing to travel as a football match was happening in London.
Forgot about that corker... Sunday service so that folk could watch the match [emoji23]

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Might as well of been a Sunday service at times.
only 10 out of the 14/15 X1 are tracking
(08 Jan 2024, 12:03 pm)Unber43 wrote [ -> ]only 10 out of the 14/15 X1 are tracking


3G has become end of life and many machines aren’t tracking at the moment for this reason (as they have 3G SIM cards). They are being changed for new SIM cards over the next week or two.

This is a national problem and further evidence of why bustimes can’t be used as the holy grail.


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