Go North East | Sunday timetables all weekend
Go North East | Sunday timetables all weekend
(23 Jan 2022, 10:16 pm)Ambassador That same poster is on the bus stops around Chester Le Street as well, I only noticed by how massively unprofessional it looked with the header image stretched and the tiny font.
I get this happening across all operators but if your going to be all Billy Big Balls about your marketing and your buses, when the shit hits the fan, you can’t hide and it’s exactly what GNE are doing. The lack of social media replies and general defensiveness of the brand when they bother manning it is harking back to Kevin Carr and Huntley days.
(23 Jan 2022, 10:16 pm)Ambassador That same poster is on the bus stops around Chester Le Street as well, I only noticed by how massively unprofessional it looked with the header image stretched and the tiny font.
I get this happening across all operators but if your going to be all Billy Big Balls about your marketing and your buses, when the shit hits the fan, you can’t hide and it’s exactly what GNE are doing. The lack of social media replies and general defensiveness of the brand when they bother manning it is harking back to Kevin Carr and Huntley days.
(23 Jan 2022, 11:51 pm)Storx imo the social media is the least of the problems, GNE have outright lost control of everything lately. They can keep blaming 'national driving shortages' but it's very much a GNE problem up here now (apart from Darlington a few days last week). Arriva Northumbria and Stagecoach at least from what I'm aware have been running a full timetable for weeks now excluding the few routes on lower frequencies so there isn't the problems happening but people don't care about that as long as it's frequent enough (GNE are the same regardless).I think Hexham, Peterlee don't really have many COVID cases as they are a lot smaller.
There's problems well beyond Covid at GNE, whether that's the fact they were days from a strike, there's been a court action from a respected ex Driver, there's a (I believe) ex driver from Stanley (Stanleyone) who has openly slagged off the gaffers yesterday, who has also opened posted people are leaving Stanley because of the abuse they're getting but I'm sure there's more than that, who has also revealed that there's been meetings to try and resolve the moral issues that went no-where.
Obviously we'll never get the true story but those aren't things which are normal in a well ran company and for a bit of balance there appears to be similar problems down at the Arriva Darlington (only) depot which is all over the place and has been all pandemic aswell and hasn't been as much problems at GNE Percy Main, Hexham or Peterlee depots in comparison to others.
(23 Jan 2022, 11:51 pm)Storx imo the social media is the least of the problems, GNE have outright lost control of everything lately. They can keep blaming 'national driving shortages' but it's very much a GNE problem up here now (apart from Darlington a few days last week). Arriva Northumbria and Stagecoach at least from what I'm aware have been running a full timetable for weeks now excluding the few routes on lower frequencies so there isn't the problems happening but people don't care about that as long as it's frequent enough (GNE are the same regardless).I think Hexham, Peterlee don't really have many COVID cases as they are a lot smaller.
There's problems well beyond Covid at GNE, whether that's the fact they were days from a strike, there's been a court action from a respected ex Driver, there's a (I believe) ex driver from Stanley (Stanleyone) who has openly slagged off the gaffers yesterday, who has also opened posted people are leaving Stanley because of the abuse they're getting but I'm sure there's more than that, who has also revealed that there's been meetings to try and resolve the moral issues that went no-where.
Obviously we'll never get the true story but those aren't things which are normal in a well ran company and for a bit of balance there appears to be similar problems down at the Arriva Darlington (only) depot which is all over the place and has been all pandemic aswell and hasn't been as much problems at GNE Percy Main, Hexham or Peterlee depots in comparison to others.
(24 Jan 2022, 12:13 am)Omega54 I think Hexham, Peterlee don't really have many COVID cases as they are a lot smaller.
Compared to Deptford, all the drivers meet outisde of greggs, and in Consett with all the drivers meeting in a room near the bus station.
(24 Jan 2022, 12:13 am)Omega54 I think Hexham, Peterlee don't really have many COVID cases as they are a lot smaller.
Compared to Deptford, all the drivers meet outisde of greggs, and in Consett with all the drivers meeting in a room near the bus station.
(24 Jan 2022, 1:43 am)Storx I don't believe Covid is the main problem though. Unless there's a new variant that only affects GNE staff and happens to affect them for next to 3 month now non stop.
Stagecoach and Arriva aren't having the same problems and nor are supermarkets to bring a different industry in.
One thing I could imagine though is the smaller depots will have a more of a community feel where everyone gets along better between management and drivers so they just plod along and never leave. I believe it's already been said that's the case for Percy Main on here.
(24 Jan 2022, 1:43 am)Storx I don't believe Covid is the main problem though. Unless there's a new variant that only affects GNE staff and happens to affect them for next to 3 month now non stop.
Stagecoach and Arriva aren't having the same problems and nor are supermarkets to bring a different industry in.
One thing I could imagine though is the smaller depots will have a more of a community feel where everyone gets along better between management and drivers so they just plod along and never leave. I believe it's already been said that's the case for Percy Main on here.
(24 Jan 2022, 6:36 am)Dan You’re absolutely wrong if you believe Arriva and Stagecoach aren’t having problems.
In the same way that Go North East have stronger and weaker depots for their staffing situation, Arriva and Stagecoach do too.
Whilst Arriva Northumbria are back up to full strength in terms of staffing, Arriva Durham County most certainly are not and are still losing mileage hand over fist. The latter are still hugely reliant on overtime working including non-driving staff.
Stagecoach Transit, Stockton especially, are still hiring in extra drivers (as opposed to subbing out the work) and still experiencing large gaps in service.
I am still aware of huge gaps in service on Nexus contracts operated by Gateshead Central Taxis. I was quite vocal about GCT’s staff shortages and vehicle availability issues some time ago when this pre-dated the more recent national issues across multiple sectors, and have cut them some slack more recently, but it’s worth pointing out in this context that other operators (including on work they are being paid by the local authority to run, and most likely aren’t being penalised because they aren’t running it) are still suffering.
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(24 Jan 2022, 6:36 am)Dan You’re absolutely wrong if you believe Arriva and Stagecoach aren’t having problems.
In the same way that Go North East have stronger and weaker depots for their staffing situation, Arriva and Stagecoach do too.
Whilst Arriva Northumbria are back up to full strength in terms of staffing, Arriva Durham County most certainly are not and are still losing mileage hand over fist. The latter are still hugely reliant on overtime working including non-driving staff.
Stagecoach Transit, Stockton especially, are still hiring in extra drivers (as opposed to subbing out the work) and still experiencing large gaps in service.
I am still aware of huge gaps in service on Nexus contracts operated by Gateshead Central Taxis. I was quite vocal about GCT’s staff shortages and vehicle availability issues some time ago when this pre-dated the more recent national issues across multiple sectors, and have cut them some slack more recently, but it’s worth pointing out in this context that other operators (including on work they are being paid by the local authority to run, and most likely aren’t being penalised because they aren’t running it) are still suffering.
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(24 Jan 2022, 8:32 am)Storx Oh of course not, I'm totally aware of Darlington's problems. Durham hasn't been too bad in recent weeks I don't believe but it's still not great either. Let's be honest though neither were exactly a shining example of hour to run a bus company for years. The fleet standard at both of them is shocking.
Don't believe there's many issues at Stockton or Redcar though?
Stagecoach Stockton (admit I don't follow it at all) seems to have big problems aswell tbf another depot on strike and I'm sure replacing new 69 plates with 55 plate MAN's is just the best way to boost driver moral when it's blatently rock bottom as it is.
GCT well they deserve critisism.
(24 Jan 2022, 8:32 am)Storx Oh of course not, I'm totally aware of Darlington's problems. Durham hasn't been too bad in recent weeks I don't believe but it's still not great either. Let's be honest though neither were exactly a shining example of hour to run a bus company for years. The fleet standard at both of them is shocking.
Don't believe there's many issues at Stockton or Redcar though?
Stagecoach Stockton (admit I don't follow it at all) seems to have big problems aswell tbf another depot on strike and I'm sure replacing new 69 plates with 55 plate MAN's is just the best way to boost driver moral when it's blatently rock bottom as it is.
GCT well they deserve critisism.
(24 Jan 2022, 8:32 am)Storx Oh of course not, I'm totally aware of Darlington's problems. Durham hasn't been too bad in recent weeks I don't believe but it's still not great either. Let's be honest though neither were exactly a shining example of hour to run a bus company for years. The fleet standard at both of them is shocking.
Don't believe there's many issues at Stockton or Redcar though?
Stagecoach Stockton (admit I don't follow it at all) seems to have big problems aswell tbf another depot on strike and I'm sure replacing new 69 plates with 55 plate MAN's is just the best way to boost driver moral when it's blatently rock bottom as it is.
GCT well they deserve critisism.
(24 Jan 2022, 8:32 am)Storx Oh of course not, I'm totally aware of Darlington's problems. Durham hasn't been too bad in recent weeks I don't believe but it's still not great either. Let's be honest though neither were exactly a shining example of hour to run a bus company for years. The fleet standard at both of them is shocking.
Don't believe there's many issues at Stockton or Redcar though?
Stagecoach Stockton (admit I don't follow it at all) seems to have big problems aswell tbf another depot on strike and I'm sure replacing new 69 plates with 55 plate MAN's is just the best way to boost driver moral when it's blatently rock bottom as it is.
GCT well they deserve critisism.
(29 Jan 2022, 1:53 pm)Adrian There's not a football match (or anything else) on in Sunderland today. All of the buses tracking on bustimes are showing 25+ seats free at the minute.One has 15, which is quite busy for a solo - nevertheless there might not be a match but surely they should still get normal sized buses.
(29 Jan 2022, 1:53 pm)Adrian There's not a football match (or anything else) on in Sunderland today. All of the buses tracking on bustimes are showing 25+ seats free at the minute.One has 15, which is quite busy for a solo - nevertheless there might not be a match but surely they should still get normal sized buses.
(29 Jan 2022, 4:11 pm)busmanT As it was mentioned last week as being wrong, I would have expected them to get the correct allocation this week.Perhaps it depends on the drivers available?
(29 Jan 2022, 4:11 pm)busmanT As it was mentioned last week as being wrong, I would have expected them to get the correct allocation this week.Perhaps it depends on the drivers available?
(31 Jan 2022, 5:59 pm)Omega54 But the evening on was 8, which is quite packed tbh. ]
Without any advertisment for the service.
(31 Jan 2022, 5:59 pm)Omega54 But the evening on was 8, which is quite packed tbh. ]
Without any advertisment for the service.
(31 Jan 2022, 6:59 pm)Bazza Don’t really understand what you’re saying. If the bus isn’t leaving people behind, surely they have the capacity right.For me, I think if someone is in every pair of seats, daily (on maybe twice a day services) they should be upgraded, because I just feel like it is better for passenger comfort. That is why when I can get a lift in peak times as I don't really want people who I don't know sitting next to me and I have a feeling that will be for most.
Don’t think an airline would fly a route where the plane was regularly only half full or less
(31 Jan 2022, 6:59 pm)Bazza Don’t really understand what you’re saying. If the bus isn’t leaving people behind, surely they have the capacity right.For me, I think if someone is in every pair of seats, daily (on maybe twice a day services) they should be upgraded, because I just feel like it is better for passenger comfort. That is why when I can get a lift in peak times as I don't really want people who I don't know sitting next to me and I have a feeling that will be for most.
Don’t think an airline would fly a route where the plane was regularly only half full or less
(31 Jan 2022, 8:10 pm)Omega54 For me, I think if someone is in every pair of seats, daily (on maybe twice a day services) they should be upgraded, because I just feel like it is better for passenger comfort. That is why when I can get a lift in peak times as I don't really want people who I don't know sitting next to me and I have a feeling that will be for most.
(31 Jan 2022, 8:10 pm)Omega54 For me, I think if someone is in every pair of seats, daily (on maybe twice a day services) they should be upgraded, because I just feel like it is better for passenger comfort. That is why when I can get a lift in peak times as I don't really want people who I don't know sitting next to me and I have a feeling that will be for most.
(31 Jan 2022, 8:10 pm)Omega54 For me, I think if someone is in every pair of seats, daily (on maybe twice a day services) they should be upgraded, because I just feel like it is better for passenger comfort. That is why when I can get a lift in peak times as I don't really want people who I don't know sitting next to me and I have a feeling that will be for most.
(31 Jan 2022, 8:10 pm)Omega54 For me, I think if someone is in every pair of seats, daily (on maybe twice a day services) they should be upgraded, because I just feel like it is better for passenger comfort. That is why when I can get a lift in peak times as I don't really want people who I don't know sitting next to me and I have a feeling that will be for most.
