Gateshead Central Taxis
Gateshead Central Taxis
(29 Nov 2023, 8:16 pm)Arriva7446 Looking at the fleet list for GCT on bustimes there are a few things I find confusing like how some of their buses are out all day every day but some of them seem to get no use whatsoever. So Streetlites 301 and 308 MOT's have both expired and have not been used by GCT in a long time. Seems a waste for them to keep these buses if they are not in use and if they have no plans for them you would think they would put them up for sale as they are still fairly new buses and would be better to sell them than have them doing nothing. Solo 309 and Streetlite 311 are still active but seem to get very little use. 311 was on the X46 on November 4th as suggested by ticket machine data (and a photo to back this up) but has not been used since and before November 4th was last used in August. Seems such a waste to use this bus so little and its only 4 years old. Is 311 really barely used like the ticket machine data suggests or do they use it elsewhere on private hires etc. Same applies to Solo 309 which I had a couple of times on the 342 over the summer (not tracking) but not seen it since. I just don't understand why GCT have some modern buses which are barely used whereas it is usually the same vehicle every single day on the boards I use. Was 319 on the 342 board I used every day for about a month until it looks to have broke down on Nov 20th and has been a bit of variety since but now 317 again for a few days.
Interesting reading about early running here. That is the only complaint I have about GCT as the 342 has recently been running 3 - 4 mins early quite a bit which is frustrating as there is just no need for this at all. Other than that I find their buses comfortable and smooth and generally clean and well kept. I prefer the Enviro 200 MMC's 318 - 324 which have slightly better seat arrangement (including full height seats in the back row) compared to 312 - 317. Not been on 320 or 322 though ever as these seem to be always on the 67 / 69 but have had all the others 312 - 324 at least once and 309. The Mellor Strata aren't brilliant but these are not often found on the 342 now.
(29 Nov 2023, 8:16 pm)Arriva7446 Looking at the fleet list for GCT on bustimes there are a few things I find confusing like how some of their buses are out all day every day but some of them seem to get no use whatsoever. So Streetlites 301 and 308 MOT's have both expired and have not been used by GCT in a long time. Seems a waste for them to keep these buses if they are not in use and if they have no plans for them you would think they would put them up for sale as they are still fairly new buses and would be better to sell them than have them doing nothing. Solo 309 and Streetlite 311 are still active but seem to get very little use. 311 was on the X46 on November 4th as suggested by ticket machine data (and a photo to back this up) but has not been used since and before November 4th was last used in August. Seems such a waste to use this bus so little and its only 4 years old. Is 311 really barely used like the ticket machine data suggests or do they use it elsewhere on private hires etc. Same applies to Solo 309 which I had a couple of times on the 342 over the summer (not tracking) but not seen it since. I just don't understand why GCT have some modern buses which are barely used whereas it is usually the same vehicle every single day on the boards I use. Was 319 on the 342 board I used every day for about a month until it looks to have broke down on Nov 20th and has been a bit of variety since but now 317 again for a few days.
Interesting reading about early running here. That is the only complaint I have about GCT as the 342 has recently been running 3 - 4 mins early quite a bit which is frustrating as there is just no need for this at all. Other than that I find their buses comfortable and smooth and generally clean and well kept. I prefer the Enviro 200 MMC's 318 - 324 which have slightly better seat arrangement (including full height seats in the back row) compared to 312 - 317. Not been on 320 or 322 though ever as these seem to be always on the 67 / 69 but have had all the others 312 - 324 at least once and 309. The Mellor Strata aren't brilliant but these are not often found on the 342 now.
