(15 Feb 2015, 3:47 pm)Robert wrote Still no point. 
The only reason we have a problem with buses been on the wrong routes is because we are enthusiasts and follow all of this stuff. Ordinary passengers tend not to give a shit. You could email them but i really can't see it making much difference. I think it has also been said millions of times that it only happens a lot because buses in the depot replace buses to rectify timings which is better in general. I'm pretty sure providing a better service is more important than making sure the bus is the right colour.

Actually, there is a point in allocating the correct vehicles to bus services.

Since the implementation of the "Sapphire" and "MAX" brands, Arriva North East has placed its services on what could loosely be described as a hierarchy. The services which fall underneath these brands should (in theory) be some of Arriva North East's top performing routes or have the potential to become some of Arriva's top performing routes - making the most profits and/or carrying the most passengers.

The issue with placing services on a hierarchy is simple: there has to be something to separate those services on the hierarchy. Of course, we all know the differences between "Sapphire," "MAX," and a standard Arriva service. Vehicles held under the "Sapphire" brand feature the provision of power sockets, free Wi-Fi, Next Stop Announcements and e-leather seating. Likewise, vehicles held under the "MAX" brand feature the provision of free Wi-Fi and e-leather seating. Customers should not expect any additional features on standard Arriva services, though there are instances whereby some corporate liveried vehicles feature some of the features outlined above.

Services placed under these special brands have seen market growth. Additional features (in the form of new technology) stimulates this market growth. If a service held under one of these special brands is regularly being allocated corporate liveried vehicles - either due to the lack of spare vehicles to the specification of that brand or because they are being allocated elsewhere - then one could argue that customers may look for alternative choices (if possible) and the company may not see the increase in market growth that they had predicted when submitting the capital expenditure to fund the purchase of new vehicles or the refurbishment of existing vehicles in the fleet. The fact that Ashington and Blyth have just received a further branded spare vehicle (for their "Sapphire" and "MAX" services respectively) suggests that management are looking at ways to provide a more constant allocation.

Aside from this, customer confusion is caused. I was on one of Go North East's "SimpliCity" branded Optare Versa the other day, which had been allocated to service 9. Customers on Holmeside put their hands out to signal the driver to stop the bus - not realising that the bus wasn't actually a 2/2A service.

(15 Feb 2015, 4:52 pm)Kuyoyo wrote I wouldn't bother - they'll already know about all the odd workings  ................

And rightly so - there should be no need for input from enthusiasts, 'normal' customers, or even drivers... Systems should be in place to record all incorrect allocations for management to scrutinise, based on data submitted into an ETM. All staff employed by bus operators are (or can be) watched with the technology available nowadays - it's very much like "Big Brother."

Whether management are actually coming down hard on depots is another matter. The fact that Blyth's incorrect allocations are ongoing would suggest one of two things in my mind; that management are turning a blind eye for the alleged reason of it being done so that all services depart on-time, or that sorting the issues out isn't one of management's top priorities.