North East Buses

For those of you interested in actual fleets of bus companies: do their fleet numbers really irritate you?

As an example of Go North East's fleet:

I would much prefer it if Go North East worked their fleet similar to Stagecoach, with different numbers taking on different types of bus - minibus, midibus, full size, double decker, articulated, coach etc.

1 to 1000 could be ancillary vehicles - 1xx, 2xx, 3xx, 4xx perhaps denoting different types.
1000 to 1250 could be dedicated MPD numbers.
1250 to 1500 could be dedicated Solo numbers.
(and carry this on for all other types of vehicles).

Something that really bugs me is the numbering of GNE's B7 Geminis:
http://d.pr/i/Ks3m
41, 42, 43, 62... Hardly makes sense to me.

Here's another one. A load of Prestiges in the middle of the Volvo B10BLEs:
http://d.pr/i/ALgo
Why? I don't know what's worse: having them there, or what it will be like when they're scrapped and no longer within the fleet. A massive jump between the two B10BLEs there.

I don't know what to even say about this one:
http://d.pr/i/4biq
Further Solars continue after the mass of dual door B10BLEs also.

Surely a gap in fleet numbers would have been appropriate here so that, if further rigid Citaros enter the fleet, they become standardised in the sense that they're together with the Citaros already in the fleet?
http://d.pr/i/PKvD

Another example of the above:
http://d.pr/i/g2Lc
Further investment into B9TL vehicles was obvious, so why have B7TLs there amongst the branded B9TLs?

In short, a different vehicle type should have its own dedicated set of numbers to allow for further investment into the fleet with that vehicle type.

Here's something else that annoys me too - Arriva this time, though there are examples of this happening in GNE's fleet too:
http://d.pr/i/HsEQ
Surely 4709 should be DHC, 4710 should be DHD and 4711 should be DHE..?

What are your opinions on the ordering, numbering etc of fleet lists?

I agree its annoying the model should have its own fleet number..

Versa - should have 83** only
Coaches - Should stick with the 70**
etc

God knows what the fleet numbers will be for these streetlites and ciatro's when they arrive. 8340 and so on?

As for stagecoach they have set theirs out by models.. like all the MAN's are together etc

Im sure i read or got told that their new Gas buses will be in the 38*** (i think im not sure)
With rest of the new enviro's probably being 36 or 39.

Wont be long before GNE run out of numbers for their fleet and will have to go over the old numbers...

Although it would take a while, I do think a renumbering process would hugely benefit Go North East.

It's not a completely foreign process to bus operators, either. In fact, Anglianbus renumbered their fleet just two months ago!
Anglianbus' fleet was renumbered in the the same number series as the Konectbus fleet and both operators vehicles will appear on a joint fleetlist. To view said fleetlist, see link below:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5hg4kGr...FEUkk/edit

Stagecoach manage it brilliantly, given that they have the entirety of the UK to consider with their fleet.

That looks more professional but it might be a problem for GNE with all these branded buses out and about... i really wish they would slow down on brands or just start to the drop brands once changes occur.

(13 Aug 2013, 10:20 am)Michael wrote [ -> ]That looks more professional but it might be a problem for GNE with all these branded buses out and about... i really wish they would slow down on brands or just start to the drop brands once changes occur.

I love the numbering of Anglianbus/Konectbus' fleet - it's a lot better in my eyes. They have allowed for potential further investment into a specific vehicle type by allowing for the fleet numbering to be standardised.

It's more of an office job if it was to be done. Someone would have to decide how it would work, similar to the proposal I laid out above. Removing and re-applying stickers to a bus should be a five minute job per bus, tops. Something that could easily be achieved on an evening or Sunday - working allocations round the vehicles that haven't already had the fleet number stickers applied.

I doubt it will ever happen, but I'd love to suggest it to GNE management.

Off the top of my head, I always thought it was meant to go somehting like this:

Mini buses in 3 digit series (3xx for the MetroRiders, 4xx for the original solos, 5xx for the original MPDs etc)

The 4xxx series and then 5xxx series was for full size single deckers

The 3xxx series was for double deckers, until they ran out and went in the 6xxx series.

Coaches in the 7xxx series

Midi buses (darts,versa etc) in the 8xxx series.

I agree, Stagecoach are the best at this.

For some reason I find myself annoyed by GNE's insistance on sticking fleetnumbers anywhere. Windscreens, doors, windows, panels, upstairs window, cab window etc

(15 Aug 2013, 1:32 pm)Chris wrote [ -> ]For some reason I find myself annoyed by GNE's insistance on sticking fleetnumbers anywhere. Windscreens, doors, windows, panels, upstairs window, cab window etc

I think it's good that GNE actively display fleet numbers on their vehicles. If a member of the public is to make a complaint and they want to know the identity of the vehicle, all they need to do is look around the vehicle to find it.
I've known in the past for drivers to be reluctant to give a number so as to avoid having a complaint made about them.

Whilst on board the vehicle, the person wanting to make a complaint can either look at the TV screen (if the vehicle has one), on the upper saloon front window (assuming it actually has one) and whilst alighting, on any of the windows.