(14 Aug 2016, 8:40 am)Jamie M wrote Timings probably have something to do with this. Calling control and depots to work out what to accept and not accept is a time consuming process - maybe providing drivers with a flyer of what to accept and not to accept depending on the route would be helpful.

(14 Aug 2016, 9:41 am)South Tyne Lad wrote I understand where your coming from, But this driver was stood outside having his Cig while talking to me at the same time.
Once I was aloud on the bus we were sat in Eldon Square for a good 7 Mins before we left.
In this case he would've had a lot of time to do what GX03 posted.

(14 Aug 2016, 6:28 am)LeeCalder wrote Managing Director?

(14 Aug 2016, 9:45 am)Jamie M wrote The issue isn't subjective to the stop you're at - there needs to be a simple standardised solution that can take no more than seconds to use. It doesn't matter whether you're at Blackhall Mill with 35 minutes of spare time or West Rainton with no overlay, this should not be an issue.

(14 Aug 2016, 8:40 am)Jamie M wrote Timings probably have something to do with this. Calling control and depots to work out what to accept and not accept is a time consuming process - maybe providing drivers with a flyer of what to accept and not to accept depending on the route would be helpful.

(14 Aug 2016, 9:41 am)South Tyne Lad wrote I understand where your coming from, But this driver was stood outside having his Cig while talking to me at the same time.
Once I was aloud on the bus we were sat in Eldon Square for a good 7 Mins before we left.
In this case he would've had a lot of time to do what GX03 posted.

(14 Aug 2016, 9:51 am)Dan wrote Chain of command, Lee.

The Managing Director of a company employs others to manage staff in individual departments... You'll often have supervisors, managers and then senior managers to get to, before you hit director level.

In this instance; feedback could be sent to Go North East's Managing Director, but I would expect that he'd pass it on to the relevant senior manager...

(13 Aug 2016, 10:06 pm)LeeCalder wrote I rang up a few weeks ago regarding a spillage at the back of 6011 which had been left to become mouldy, and it stunk.

I rang the customer services, but the bloke for some reason couldn't seem to understand that the bus needed cleaning internally, and everything I said was just responded too with "yeah".

He evidently couldn't care less, and the bus still has the same sh*t at the back of it.

(14 Aug 2016, 11:04 am)LeeCalder wrote Oh, and by the way - it's A Level.

(14 Aug 2016, 12:11 pm)Dan wrote Without wishing to get too far away from Go North East's latest news and discussion - what is A-Level?

(14 Aug 2016, 11:04 am)LeeCalder wrote I have been told to direct complaints to the managing director in the past, if you do not get a decent response off the customer service team. Therefore I will continue to do so.

Oh, and by the way - it's A Level.

(14 Aug 2016, 3:12 pm)ifm001 wrote Why don't you contact the bus appeals body if your (or other persons) complaints aren't being resolved

(14 Aug 2016, 4:47 pm)Adrian wrote Bus Users? Because they're as much use as a wet paper bag.

(13 Aug 2016, 10:07 pm)L469 YVK wrote Maybe the driver didn't have his or her fare stage programmed correctly (either human or technical error). Was it definitely the same stop? Only think I can think off is that GNE are putting a bit of a levy on top with it being a slightly quick service than the 1. Arriva used to do that with a now defunct well known express service (R.I.P) on the Coast Road with some of the fares from Whitley Bay / Preston Grange areas being more expensive than the usual regular stopping service.

(14 Aug 2016, 8:47 am)S813 FVK wrote When my dad worked for GNE, he had a sticker (I think other drivers would have had this too) that he stuck on a file which listed most (if not all) of the different ticket types.

He still has the file with the sticker on (albeit a bit worn) but it would be good if they could have something similar now (if they don't already):

Ambassador wrote Anyway probably going OT, but I really scratch heads at the GNE office seeming to forget they are a service provider and yes they do need to be accountable

(14 Aug 2016, 7:20 pm)Jamie M wrote They are providing public transport, but this is a private company - they aren't accountable for much if they have no desire to be - which they don't if they have no competition.

It's the same with my broadband provider, it's a truely awful service which slow and unreliable. Since there is no competition and the service works (to some dire extent) they will not operate any changes since I cannot swap to other providers without swapping residence - such is true with monopolies. Morals and ethics don't count for much.

If the business was state owned, then yes, things would be different given it wouldn't just be structured around a savage money making business - it would be a public service business - actually aimed at providing a decent service no matter the turnover.

(14 Aug 2016, 8:21 pm)V514DFT wrote This is why i miss my childhood where there was a bus to everywhere,Forest Hall(my neighbourhood) had 3 buses to Whitley Bay 343,344,355 and then GNE 323 to North Shields from Killingworth and the 319 to Sunderland,now it has no buses to Whitley Bay(directly anyway)leaving residents no choice but to buy a day ticket for a change from 53 to the 54 or 53 to the 51 or gne 42 then the 11

(14 Aug 2016, 8:47 pm)citaro5284 wrote Use to love the 343 all the way to Morpeth from Whitley Bay.....it was like a day trip as they use to put Leyland Leopards on it as well.

(14 Aug 2016, 8:47 pm)citaro5284 wrote Use to love the 343 all the way to Morpeth from Whitley Bay.....it was like a day trip as they use to put Leyland Leopards on it as well.

(14 Aug 2016, 9:42 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote  And the 544 which went to Jarrow and Horsley Hill using the Ceatano Compass bodied Darts.

.

(14 Aug 2016, 8:08 am)GX03 SVC wrote Confusion?! 

If I got refused on a bus because my multi-operator ticket was printed on another operator's ticket stock I'd ask them what would does their multi-operator ticket look like...

Surely, they'd know what CAT, Explorer, Rover are..........and what they're valid on. 

And with GNE, would a quick call through to Control do much harm asking if it's valid or not? Instead, the driver threatened the passenger with refusal of boarding the vehicle the next time he sees them...

(15 Aug 2016, 1:13 am)alibill_36 wrote If you go back to 2006 the 544 was Heworth / Horsley Hill.  South Leam / Brock also had the 542 Jarrow / Boldon Asda which was very handy, and for a limited time the A5 free Asda bus operated by Stagecoach which normally produced 16432. Nowt exotic like that running around these parts anymore.

(15 Aug 2016, 3:08 am)R852 PRG wrote

As aforementioned in the post I made, to which you replied, I stated that bus drivers at Chester-le-Street generally expect to receive a bus ticket when a customer shows a previously purchased ticket to travel, and not a Metro ticket. Irrespective of the validity. At no point did I say that the driver was right for doing what he did, I merely attempted to explain how confusion may have arisen and the subsequent dispute came to fruition. Drivers are not robots; they can and will make errors, just like any other human beings, and it's clear that in this instance, the driver was adamant that South Tyne Lad's ticket was not valid for travel, on the basis that it was a ticket that he'd purchased at a Tyne & Wear Metro station.

I've no doubt that drivers are well aware of what the Nexus CAT, North East Explorer and any other multi-operator tickets are valid for travel on, but on this occasion, the driver was of the understanding that the ticket was invalid for travel. Regardless of the validity of the ticket, drivers at Chester-le-Street will generally see more Nexus CATs printed on bus ticket rolls than produced from ticket machines on the Tyne & Wear Metro. As will be the case at other depots based in County Durham, and not in Tyne & Wear.

At the end of the day, he was permitted travel. And the rather idle ''threat'', if it can really be called that, of not being permitted to travel in a future instance of having the passenger on board his vehicle (which, for the record, is incredibly unlikely to happen. The chances of the driver seeing South Tyne Lad in the future and recognising him as the person he nearly refused travel for attempting to bought with what he thought was an invalid ticket, is very slim indeed) is nothing to lose sleep over.

Let's move on, and not clog up a key news thread with this. Nothing more to say on the matter.

(15 Aug 2016, 9:02 am)GX03 SVC wrote

If drivers expect a bus ticket, tell me how I always either get a dirty look or refused entry when I show my Arriva-issued Explorer when I board a GNE bus?!

(14 Aug 2016, 10:16 pm)V514DFT wrote I remember the metroriders,later replaced by darts on 343 and 344 and 355 until the renowns entered service(i was 6 then) on 355,there was a frequent bus to Killingworth and Whitley,it was absolutely terrific

(15 Aug 2016, 3:44 pm)L469 YVK wrote And don't forget the good old 44! No traffic jams, slip roads or anything, just like s***e of a shovel up and down the Coast Road to and from the Town. Off peak loadings average but peak time + loads on Saturday mornings were cracking!