North East Buses

Had to do a Durham trip earlier? Proper scary with no-one travelling and hanging around in lay-bys keeping to time. The plan is right though.

(21 Mar 2020, 2:43 pm)6049 wrote [ -> ]There's already around 10-15% of drivers isolating or on the sick for other reasons at my depot. Not to mention those on holiday etc.

I was sent a snapchat recently of what would normally be a busy service at around 11am and there was one person on the bus - it was on time and it wasn't following another either. Passenger numbers have plummeted - as they frankly should have given the advice.

Now the scenario facing us is that GNE (and other operators) could turn round and try to operate business as normal with these reduced numbers - having everything running round near empty. This is not economical and also leaves the very likely prospect of key workers standing waiting for a scheduled bus in a few weeks time, when we hit the peak, that doesn't show as the driver is in isolation. Customer complains etc etc. Or they preempt the situation, reduce to a key, core service which can be maintained by a smaller number of staff, so in the event that they do lose a significant number, they have a better chance.

I think a lot of what you said there, essentially reinforces a lot of what I said. 
The 'peaks' will still be the peaks. There's still going to be services in that period, carrying the most loads.
If a big proportion of passengers who would normally travel between 0930 and 1430 are cooped up at home and those from 1430 - 1630 aren't at school or college, is there really the need to have a significant proportion of resource, allocated to that period?

Just been speaking to a few drivers, one of them had been on their shift for 9 hours and hasn't even taken £10 yet. I imagine this isn't going to be a good time financially!

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(21 Mar 2020, 6:52 pm)streetdeckfan wrote [ -> ]Just been speaking to a few drivers, one of them had been on their shift for 9 hours and hasn't even taken £10 yet. I imagine this isn't going to be a good time financially!

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That's not good at all!

(21 Mar 2020, 6:52 pm)streetdeckfan wrote [ -> ]Just been speaking to a few drivers, one of them had been on their shift for 9 hours and hasn't even taken £10 yet. I imagine this isn't going to be a good time financially!

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Gotta believe/hope that most passengers travelling now will be prepaid or using contactless. Personally before this outbreak I would say the trend has been shifting towards Contactless and app.

(21 Mar 2020, 7:22 pm)Stanleyone wrote [ -> ]Gotta believe/hope that most passengers travelling now will be prepaid or using contactless. Personally before this outbreak I would say the trend has been shifting towards Contactless and app.

Everyone I saw today either used a concessionary pass or a mobile ticket. Except from the kids who had no choice but to pay cash.
They should definitely bring back the single ticket on the app!

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Contactless must depend on the route and... 'personality' of the area, perhaps. I've been doing a lot of 58s and nearly everyone is still paying with coins unless they already have a pass. Never mind ey, good job I'm disciplined enough not to touch my face while driving.

As for passenger numbers, the peak times were already quiet for most of the week, but today the whole day was like a Sunday morning service. Had nine passengers on the 58 that left Newcastle at 5ish pm, and that's the total for the entire journey.

(21 Mar 2020, 11:31 pm)MrBoyt wrote [ -> ]Contactless must depend on the route and... 'personality' of the area, perhaps. I've been doing a lot of 58s and nearly everyone is still paying with coins unless they already have a pass. Never mind ey, good job I'm disciplined enough not to touch my face while driving.

As for passenger numbers, the peak times were already quiet for most of the week, but today the whole day was like a Sunday morning service. Had nine passengers on the 58 that left Newcastle at 5ish pm, and that's the total for the entire journey.

Whats that supposed to mean?

Not everyome has a contactless bank card, i don't have one.. so paying by money is my only choice. Yes there's online but i've had loads of problems in the past so can't trust it at all.

(21 Mar 2020, 6:12 pm)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]I think a lot of what you said there, essentially reinforces a lot of what I said. 
The 'peaks' will still be the peaks. There's still going to be services in that period, carrying the most loads.
If a big proportion of passengers who would normally travel between 0930 and 1430 are cooped up at home and those from 1430 - 1630 aren't at school or college, is there really the need to have a significant proportion of resource, allocated to that period?

I would suspect it would be more costly to scale back the service once it's out to then put it back out later on in the day - dead mileage etc. Not to mention, if you advertise running a Sunday service then the timetables are already in circulation - in the bus stops and on the website etc - so it makes it clearer to intending passengers. The earlier services for workers are those more likely to be able to check up online than your average casual traveller during the day.

(21 Mar 2020, 7:37 pm)streetdeckfan wrote [ -> ]Everyone I saw today either used a concessionary pass or a mobile ticket. Except from the kids who had no choice but to pay cash.
They should definitely bring back the single ticket on the app!

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Absolutely not! 
We have been getting enough hassle with people trying their luck on the 5-25 tickets when they look older than me (I'm 27) and giving you a shed load of abuse. The U19 singles were just as bad and would be worse if they brought it back now.

(22 Mar 2020, 2:32 am)6049 wrote [ -> ] I would suspect it would be more costly to scale back the service once it's out to then put it back out later on in the day - dead mileage etc . Not to mention, if you advertise running a Sunday service then the timetables are already in circulation - in the bus stops and on the website etc - so it makes it clearer to intending passengers. The earlier services for workers are those more likely to be able to check up online than your average casual traveller during the day.

Not sure on that one. I think the whole thing needs to be pretty dynamic at the moment, to suit the ever changing demands and circumstances.
What we see one day, may end up being different to the next.

saw half dozen GNE buses on way to dropping other half at work in newcastle. Counted 2 passengers on them. On the way to my work I sae a 57, 56 X1 and a 58 all with reasonable loads but no where near normal. Plus the passengers were well spaced out.... well done them!

(23 Mar 2020, 9:40 am)Rob44 wrote [ -> ]saw half dozen GNE buses on way to dropping other half at work in newcastle. Counted 2 passengers on them.  On the way to my work I sae  a 57, 56 X1 and a 58  all with reasonable loads but no where near normal. Plus the passengers were well spaced out.... well done them!

To be fair, they all converge together at some point. 56 and X1 shadow each other from Springwell, and the obviously the other two get on to Old Durham Road well before Gateshead. 
Time to curtail one or two of them at Gateshead? Thinking cost savings and better use of resource.

yes all along Durham road heading to Gateshead

Dont mention Curtailing at Gateshead! I did once on here but think i got away with it!

(23 Mar 2020, 11:20 am)Rob44 wrote [ -> ]yes all along Durham road heading to Gateshead

Dont mention Curtailing at Gateshead!  I did once on here but think i got away with it!

To be honest, I thought (and said at the time) that it made sense for at least some of them to curtail there.
The number of vehicles following each other for significant stretches in and out of the town, carrying not much - was significant, prior to the current situation.
If operators are pushed for staff as it is during the current situation, then I can't see any logic in having several vehicles follow each other for miles at a time in to and out of the town - whether they have no people on or several.

100% agree

(23 Mar 2020, 11:35 am)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]To be honest, I thought (and said at the time) that it made sense for at least some of them to curtail there.
The number of vehicles following each other for significant stretches in and out of the town, carrying not much - was significant, prior to the current situation.
If operators are pushed for staff as it is during the current situation, then I can't see any logic in having several vehicles follow each other for miles at a time in to and out of the town - whether they have no people on or several.

We're currently not struggling for staff at the minute, we're struggling to find things for them to do currently. Of course, things are changing all the time, and it's still early days.

(23 Mar 2020, 7:27 pm)deanmachine wrote [ -> ]We're currently not struggling for staff at the minute, we're struggling to find things for them to do currently. Of course, things are changing all the time, and it's still early days.

From what I've been told by family that work in retail is it's the same there. With everyone still panic buying, they have nothing to re-stock the shelves with so all they are doing is going round cleaning the shelves, and they've got far too many staff in even for that.
It'd be interesting to see the full list of 'essential shops' once they release it

I'm not sure Percy Main were operating to a Sunday timetable today...

The 41 was operating every 15 minutes from Wallsend to Hadrian Park, and the extra peak times services on the 1, 309 and X39 seemed to be operating.

(23 Mar 2020, 9:24 pm)Tom wrote [ -> ]I'm not sure Percy Main were operating to a Sunday timetable today...

The 41 was operating every 15 minutes from Wallsend to Hadrian Park, and the extra peak times services on the 1, 309 and X39 seemed to be operating.

MG mentioned on Twitter that some depots wouldn't be able to start with the emergency timetable immediately. 

"The headline message is it’s a Sunday service PLUS a number of extra early and late journeys over and above a normal Sunday, or something similar to a Saturday service for routes that don’t normally run on Sundays. That’s what’s advertised. Duties for two depots taking a... 1/2 
2/2... bit longer to switch over which means they may still start with Sat/weekday schedules tomorrow morning, but we don’t need to confuse customers with that detail as the minimum advertised service will still operate (and more). Full public details are on our website"

https://twitter.com/MartijnGNE/status/12...7987506177