From the Sunderland echo:

Bus firm pays £10,000 in bonuses to its greenest drivers.

BUS company Stagecoach North East has paid out almost £10,000 in bonuses to eco-friendly drivers.
The firm introduced technology 20 months ago to encourage staff to drive in a more environmentally-friendly way.
The GreenRoad system provides real-time feedback on driving style including speed, braking, acceleration and turning, so drivers they can learn and improve.
Drivers are given a financial incentive to encourage them to comply with the system’s recommendations, with each driver able to earn up to £65 a time. Stagecoach has already paid its Sunderland drivers a collective bonus of £9,990.
Drivers can keep track of their performance with the depot computer or use their phones to access the GreenRoad data and see how they are performing.
Steve Hamilton is Eco Champion at Stagecoach North East’s Sunderland depot. Driving in an eco-friendly way not only reduced impact on the environment but also made journeys more enjoyable for Stagecoach’s customers.
He said: “It’s ultimately the passengers who benefit as the overall driving experience will be improved through good driving.
“Drivers are now much more aware of how the system works and the positives it will bring to their overall driving performance.
“The environment also benefits through a reduction in fuel consumption, which ultimately reduces the company’s carbon footprint.
“Stagecoach North East continues to be one of the top performing regions operating the Eco Driver System in the UK, which is no easy feat, especially as we operate in a number of busy cities. “Our drivers have always taken great care when driving, but now they can keep on track every day.”

Trainer 20551 kicking about on 10s/11s today.

(02 Jan 2014, 1:19 pm)Dan wrote Trainer 20551 kicking about on 10s/11s today.

A trainer on a frontline service??? If they are short of buses why give them away to Newcastle

(02 Jan 2014, 2:36 pm)Acky81 wrote A trainer on a frontline service??? If they are short of buses why give them away to Newcastle

No, as in they are route learning services 10/11 using 20551. Would have put it in the rare/odd workings thread if it was actually in service because that just wouldn't ever happen...really would be a rare working, haha!

One of Stockton's vehicles was involved in an RTC in Middlesbrough this afternoon, unsure which vehicle or what route though. 22063 was the changeover for it.

(02 Jan 2014, 12:11 pm)Michael wrote From the Sunderland echo:

Bus firm pays £10,000 in bonuses to its greenest drivers.

BUS company Stagecoach North East has paid out almost £10,000 in bonuses to eco-friendly drivers.
The firm introduced technology 20 months ago to encourage staff to drive in a more environmentally-friendly way.
The GreenRoad system provides real-time feedback on driving style including speed, braking, acceleration and turning, so drivers they can learn and improve.
Drivers are given a financial incentive to encourage them to comply with the system’s recommendations, with each driver able to earn up to £65 a time. Stagecoach has already paid its Sunderland drivers a collective bonus of £9,990.
Drivers can keep track of their performance with the depot computer or use their phones to access the GreenRoad data and see how they are performing.
Steve Hamilton is Eco Champion at Stagecoach North East’s Sunderland depot. Driving in an eco-friendly way not only reduced impact on the environment but also made journeys more enjoyable for Stagecoach’s customers.
He said: “It’s ultimately the passengers who benefit as the overall driving experience will be improved through good driving.
“Drivers are now much more aware of how the system works and the positives it will bring to their overall driving performance.
“The environment also benefits through a reduction in fuel consumption, which ultimately reduces the company’s carbon footprint.
“Stagecoach North East continues to be one of the top performing regions operating the Eco Driver System in the UK, which is no easy feat, especially as we operate in a number of busy cities. “Our drivers have always taken great care when driving, but now they can keep on track every day.”

Good to see an incentive system in place - a good start at least. I think GNE had something similar, but perhaps just based on fuel economy?

Disappointing that the Echo chose to quote and address the figure as being some huge sum of money though. I don't know what anyone who works there thinks, but to me, a £65 incentive for going over and above the scope of your job isn't really rewarding anyone.

(03 Jan 2014, 1:16 am)aureolin wrote Good to see an incentive system in place - a good start at least. I think GNE had something similar, but perhaps just based on fuel economy?

Disappointing that the Echo chose to quote and address the figure as being some huge sum of money though. I don't know what anyone who works there thinks, but to me, a £65 incentive for going over and above the scope of your job isn't really rewarding anyone.

From the point of view of a long serving driver, 65 quid is nothing. Less than (or equates to) a full shift's wage, and there are better priorities in life, like a fag at Grindon, Doxford Park or Hylton Castle.

As far as I know, it has been treated like a running joke. Or maybe that's just because they didn't even get 65 quid cos their driving is amazing.

On the flip side of the coin, to some drivers, 65 quid is 65 quid. That's a nice bottle of perfume for the missus, and a cheeky bet at Coral.

Of course there's a point at which it would be irrational to roll out such a scheme, for what it's worth. How much more than a total of £10k would you have given out in bonuses?

When does the gas buses go on the road

(03 Jan 2014, 4:11 pm)jamesmccrossan@yahoo.co.uk wrote When does the gas buses go on the road

Not untill February, that's the latest, this due to the re-fueling station not yet built, work has started on it though, the additional 23 are due to arrive later in the year and will be allocated to services 3 and 13.

So by end of 2014, we will have gas buses on the
3
13
16
20.

(03 Jan 2014, 3:56 pm)ADLEnviro wrote Greenroad.

Don't have a lot of details at hand but, Green road payment is about 30p per day for all days you drive within the standards the system is set at. Working days are about 240 a year so total up to around £65 a year, I just cant remember if you lose 1 day, week or month if you don't hit the standards. So its a max payment of £65 emmm minus the tax on it, still not a bad bonus though.

Any idea if these payments are tax deductable expenses from the Stagecoach accounts?

(03 Jan 2014, 3:56 pm)ADLEnviro wrote Greenroad.

Don't have a lot of details at hand but, Green road payment is about 30p per day for all days you drive within the standards the system is set at. Working days are about 240 a year so total up to around £65 a year, I just cant remember if you lose 1 day, week or month if you don't hit the standards. So its a max payment of £65 emmm minus the tax on it, still not a bad bonus though.

It was an averaged score over the week (Sun-Sat to match the rotas) and if you were below a specific figure you got the bonus for that week. Of course you had to get the right score for all 4 weeks to get the £5 bonus that month. It was paid just before Christmas.

It seems 24105 has joined 24106 at Newcastle for engine work - towed by Mr. Ian Bradley today, as seen here.

(03 Jan 2014, 8:04 pm)andreos1 wrote Any idea if these payments are tax deductable expenses from the Stagecoach accounts?

I'd doubt it. Anything above £25 in cash is subject to tax & NI and must be recorded on a payslip iirc?

(03 Jan 2014, 3:56 pm)ADLEnviro wrote Greenroad.

Don't have a lot of details at hand but, Green road payment is about 30p per day for all days you drive within the standards the system is set at. Working days are about 240 a year so total up to around £65 a year, I just cant remember if you lose 1 day, week or month if you don't hit the standards. So its a max payment of £65 emmm minus the tax on it, still not a bad bonus though.

I really don't think that the equivalent of 30p a day is an incentive for the amount of extra thinking you'd have to do to please the system. I've never driven a bus, but I'd imagine drivers have enough to think about (driving aside), without having to try and make a telematics system happy.

Just had a quick look on HMRC.
You are probably right in the bonus scheme, but there is a 100% first year capital allowances - for investments in green technologies.

I imagine this system falls into the green technology category.

Go north east have a similar thing on all their optare buses

Does anyone know if Sunderland's gas buses will have WIFI?

Since its on a few services in Newcastle, was just wondering

I hope they have stop announcements to.

(04 Jan 2014, 7:42 pm)ADLEnviro wrote Interior wise its just a bog standard Enviro 300, only thing i have found unusual is the large seat at the near side front, already named as the fat ar@@ seat.

Will see if I can get a pic to work.

Bagsy the fat arse seat!!

Do they still have the "new bus smell"?

How is the progress with the re-fueling station?

ADLEnviro do you work for Stagecoach Sunderland? - just a general question

Michael. Is 22021 still at sunderland have not seen it for a while. can you send me a Photo of it. Regards Robin

(04 Jan 2014, 10:58 pm)ROBIN wrote Michael. Is 22021 still at sunderland have not seen it for a while. can you send me a Photo of it. Regards Robin

Appeared to be at Shields last time I saw it, after the brief stint at Sunderland? Thought it was something to do with the engine, but not 100% on that one.

Thanks Dan For Info. 33101 was out today along side 35190, 33492 is still in use 21156 is now at Teesside. 22669 is in Shields Depot getting Engine Repaired. Regards Robin

(04 Jan 2014, 10:58 pm)ROBIN wrote Michael. Is 22021 still at sunderland have not seen it for a while. can you send me a Photo of it. Regards Robin

I'm not sure Robin, i haven't been on the buses much over the last 3 weeks, ill be using them all week from Monday, ill keep a look out.

Thanks Michael. Happy New Year By The Way. Regards Robin

(04 Jan 2014, 11:33 pm)ROBIN wrote Thanks Michael. Happy New Year By The Way. Regards Robin

Your welcome, Happy New Year

22466 back in use at Stockton after having been away at Shields.

33121,33125 and 33128 are now at Alpha's scrap yard along with another unknown dart (could not see the fleet number but had faded stagecoach logos above the drivers cab)

(05 Jan 2014, 1:04 pm)dans_bus_photos wrote 33121,33125 and 33128 are now at Alpha's scrap yard along with another unknown dart (could not see the fleet number but had faded stagecoach logos above the drivers cab)

33118/120/122/124/127/128/484/485/825/828/829 all due imminently, if not already.

(06 Jan 2014, 5:07 pm)mattdw92 wrote 33118/120/122/124/127/128/484/485/825/828/829 all due imminently, if not already.

The Sunderland ones (33484/829) departed w/c 23rd December 2013, as we originally discussed on the forum at the time after I noted them go. At the same time, ALX200s 33118/124/483/485 were collected from Newcastle too. Dan confirmed this here.

To get an idea of the ones which have departed, you may be interested in reading this news article which was written last month.

To confirm, the remaining known examples which remain to be collected are:
33120/122/127/825/828

33829 was still parked up round the back of Sunderland's depot yesterday when i passed.

(06 Jan 2014, 5:35 pm)dans_bus_photos wrote 33829 was still parked up round the back of Sunderland's depot yesterday when i passed.

Oh, I see...

I can only assume it was moved in the depot briefly then. Originally I only confirmed 33484's sale (the message I had passed on) but as 33829 wasn't round the back a week or two ago, assumed it had gone too.