North East Buses

I saw a few X10s today, all rammed, hopefully soon the frequency will be upped.

(02 Feb 2024, 10:26 pm)Storx wrote [ -> ]Does anyone know if the X20 is tendered for Deckers? I just find it a bit strange how a bus route which wasn't sustainable at all on a commercial basis, now suddenly needs Deckers on it. It's going from one extreme to the other.

Surely the Enviro 200 MMC's which are going from pillar to post lately could've done it instead with the B5TL's being at Riverside or Consett who are both struggling with Decker's lately.

At least some of the boards on the X20 require double deckers for peak time loadings to/from Langley Park which was why some 20 boards were being allocated double deckers in the X20's absence.

Not too sure beyond that if the X20 really requires deckers, although at least its more Euro 6 CAZ compliant deckers that could be sent to Newcastle on the 56 if required.

(03 Feb 2024, 3:55 pm)DeltaMan wrote [ -> ]I think it's worth pointing out that to qualify for CBSSG, an operator needed to run 90% (I think) off pre COVID mileage in order to get help. So, even if they wanted to make fundamental changes, they couldn't (unless they totally redesigned the entire network with out of date data which came to a similar mileage) 

Data gathered from the vehicles or actual data from people who would make the modal switch if there was a viable alternative?

It goes without saying that the data they gather on their vehicles is useful. But it's only useful in gathering data for existing passengers. 
Not data from the ones who have moved on or never touched public transport in the first place. 

The proportion of people using public transport regularly vs the proportion that don't, shows how many views/opinions/needs aren't taken in to consideration when these changes, revisions or tweaks are made. 
A pro-active operator would seek these out at whatever cost*. Because even a small proportion of car users switching to a viable alternative, not only makes helps those profits, but it has a huge positive impact on reliability.

*I'd hazard a guess the ROI is far greater than titivations ever were.

(04 Feb 2024, 12:15 pm)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]Data gathered from the vehicles or actual data from people who would make the modal switch if there was a viable alternative?

It goes without saying that the data they gather on their vehicles is useful. But it's only useful in gathering data for existing passengers. 
Not data from the ones who have moved on or never touched public transport in the first place. 

The proportion of people using public transport regularly vs the proportion that don't, shows how many views/opinions/needs aren't taken in to consideration when these changes, revisions or tweaks are made. 
A pro-active operator would seek these out at whatever cost*. Because even a small proportion of car users switching to a viable alternative, not only makes helps those profits, but it has a huge positive impact on reliability.

*I'd hazard a guess the ROI is far greater than titivations ever were.

As the great MG said, car sized problems require car sized solutions - and he's right

(04 Feb 2024, 3:24 pm)DeltaMan wrote [ -> ]As the great MG said, car sized problems require car sized solutions - and he's right

Unless there's multiple car sized problems, that are calling for multiple bus sized solutions?

(04 Feb 2024, 12:15 pm)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]Data gathered from the vehicles or actual data from people who would make the modal switch if there was a viable alternative?

It goes without saying that the data they gather on their vehicles is useful. But it's only useful in gathering data for existing passengers. 
Not data from the ones who have moved on or never touched public transport in the first place. 

The proportion of people using public transport regularly vs the proportion that don't, shows how many views/opinions/needs aren't taken in to consideration when these changes, revisions or tweaks are made. 
A pro-active operator would seek these out at whatever cost*. Because even a small proportion of car users switching to a viable alternative, not only makes helps those profits, but it has a huge positive impact on reliability.

*I'd hazard a guess the ROI is far greater than titivations ever were.

I think the ticketing data (especially smart) is useful, but it's so full of flaws and lacks any kind of joined up thinking. If we're ever going to have a proper understanding of how the network is used, there needs to be a single joined-up smart ticketing system, like the one we were promised many moons ago. At present, if I buy a TNE Day Rover on the GNE app for example, I can't scan it on the Metro or on Stagecoach buses, so you lose all that vital data. 

Another issue is the £2 flat fare. I don't know if anyone else has noticed, but check the fare stage next time you buy one. There's no consistency. I've had fares issued to the terminus, rarely to the destination (or fare stage) I ask for, but more often than not, it's to the next fare stage only. I wonder how this data helps operators to understand how their services are used? A sudden influx of short-hop users?

(04 Feb 2024, 2:05 am)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]At least some of the boards on the X20 require double deckers for peak time loadings to/from Langley Park which was why some 20 boards were being allocated double deckers in the X20's absence.

Not too sure beyond that if the X20 really requires deckers, although at least its more Euro 6 CAZ compliant deckers that could be sent to Newcastle on the 56 if required.

Fair points about the Langley Park decker requirements, pretty much what I thought that it wasn't really needed elsewhere though. True about the extra deckers for the 56 though mind.

(04 Feb 2024, 12:15 pm)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]Data gathered from the vehicles or actual data from people who would make the modal switch if there was a viable alternative?

It goes without saying that the data they gather on their vehicles is useful. But it's only useful in gathering data for existing passengers. 
Not data from the ones who have moved on or never touched public transport in the first place. 

The proportion of people using public transport regularly vs the proportion that don't, shows how many views/opinions/needs aren't taken in to consideration when these changes, revisions or tweaks are made. 
A pro-active operator would seek these out at whatever cost*. Because even a small proportion of car users switching to a viable alternative, not only makes helps those profits, but it has a huge positive impact on reliability.

*I'd hazard a guess the ROI is far greater than titivations ever were.

See, if this 'enhanced partnership' is more than some buzzwords people are throwing around to get funding, I personally think the data research should be the job of Nexus / Transport North East with the operators each putting their share of funds and passenger data in so they can get a full picture of things.

When you've got 3 operators with their own 'turfs' then they're never going to be interested in areas beyond their own areas so the data will always be flawed. It really needs to be someone independent from it all, then working together - build a network which works for everyone with integrated tickets etc. Plus it would be cheaper anyway than having 4 seperate studies doing the same thing pretty much (Metro / GNE / Arriva / Stagecoach).

Not to mention there's conflicts of interests, we need to cut costs, well this estate is a pain in the arse, let's find some 'data' to proove that it's pointless serving there sort of nonsense. There's lots of it, in these 'consultations' that happen anyway.

I seriously question whether the data exists lately, as the councils seem convinced that every car heading over the Tyne Bridge is heading into Newcastle City Centre.

(03 Feb 2024, 9:04 am)Unber43 wrote [ -> ]Between the 21/X10/X21 there is Flexability, 6333, 3 Angles and 6377.

Theres pretty much always atleast 1 X10 off, one-four X21, and 3 21's. However a lot of this is due to incompetent allocating, such as putting them on school routes or the 57.

I doubt very much that you have the knowledge or expertise to assess whether the allocation issues are due incompetence

(04 Feb 2024, 7:10 pm)Bazza wrote [ -> ]I doubt very much that you have the knowledge or expertise to assess whether the allocation issues are due incompetence

Lol

(04 Feb 2024, 7:10 pm)Bazza wrote [ -> ]I doubt very much that you have the knowledge or expertise to assess whether the allocation issues are due incompetence

Well if its due to a fault on the vehcile maybe they should fix the vehicle

(05 Feb 2024, 1:32 pm)Unber43 wrote [ -> ]Well if its due to a fault on the vehcile maybe they should fix the vehicle

Which they do - but you clearly don't know anything about how things work in depots during the morning run-out. There's no way you can discover a defect on a vehicle and have the fitter fix it in the time allocated for a defect check before that working leaves the depot given the allocated time for a defect check is 10 minutes. If the allocated vehicle has a defect, the driver either has to start by defect checking another vehicle or take what is called a 'hot bus' - a spare vehicle already defect checked and ready to go. End of the day, at present, most of the general public would rather have a bus turn up vaguely on time than worry if it has the features.

(05 Feb 2024, 1:52 pm)Kuyoyo wrote [ -> ]Which they do - but you clearly don't know anything about how things work in depots during the morning run-out. There's no way you can discover a defect on a vehicle and have the fitter fix it in the time allocated for a defect check before that working leaves the depot given the allocated time for a defect check is 10 minutes. If the allocated vehicle has a defect, the driver either has to start by defect checking another vehicle or take what is called a 'hot bus' - a spare vehicle already defect checked and ready to go. End of the day, at present, most of the general public would rather have a bus turn up vaguely on time than worry if it has the features.

Realistically it's only things like low coolant/screenwash (although I believe GNE drivers fill these up themselves), low oil, exterior light blown, etc that can be rectified during the first use check time.

Is the 10/A/B still on the cards to be reverted back? Just it seems the only brand to not have had its vinyls updated (I think), suggesting they still plan on reverting back to every 10 minutes?