September Service Changes
September Service Changes
(02 Sep 2021, 5:43 pm)Washingtonian That's fair enough and I can see where you are all coming from, particularly about new buses being replaced with much older ones not long after receiving an upgrade. I do think however it would be nice to see new buses that are bought being placed on a route and it lasting on that route for a decent period of time. I think the duration the buses have generally lasted on the 4 and X1 are about right, with upgrades every 10 years or so. That;s fair enough for the core routes really. Suppose that's just the way I am really as I get attached to certain buses and find it a bit sad when they move on. I was a bit disappointed when they moved the B9s on from the X1 as I always loved a ride on those.
(02 Sep 2021, 5:43 pm)Washingtonian That's fair enough and I can see where you are all coming from, particularly about new buses being replaced with much older ones not long after receiving an upgrade. I do think however it would be nice to see new buses that are bought being placed on a route and it lasting on that route for a decent period of time. I think the duration the buses have generally lasted on the 4 and X1 are about right, with upgrades every 10 years or so. That;s fair enough for the core routes really. Suppose that's just the way I am really as I get attached to certain buses and find it a bit sad when they move on. I was a bit disappointed when they moved the B9s on from the X1 as I always loved a ride on those.
(02 Sep 2021, 7:18 pm)Keeiajs I would rather get 6334/5 over the 67' Plates ngl.
(02 Sep 2021, 7:18 pm)Keeiajs I would rather get 6334/5 over the 67' Plates ngl.
(02 Sep 2021, 7:16 pm)streetdeckfan I personally don't mind an older vehicle (say 15 years old) as long as it meets the specification promised on the route.Wouldnt it be the case of big macs arent available at the moment, so choose something else from the menu...
If I'm getting the X21, I expect to get a bus with high-back seats, WiFi, USB ports and tables as that is what is advertised. Anything less I consider to be false advertising.
If you go to McDonalds and order a Big Mac, and get given a saver menu hamburger, you wouldn't be happy. If they turn around and say "well, it's still food", you'd tell them to shove it. So why is it alright for an operator to turn around and says "it's still a bus" and that's the end of it?
As for the likes of the Olympians, the reason they're still 'solid as a rock' is because people will have spent far more than the vehicle is worth restoring them, and keeping them on the road!
(02 Sep 2021, 7:16 pm)streetdeckfan I personally don't mind an older vehicle (say 15 years old) as long as it meets the specification promised on the route.Wouldnt it be the case of big macs arent available at the moment, so choose something else from the menu...
If I'm getting the X21, I expect to get a bus with high-back seats, WiFi, USB ports and tables as that is what is advertised. Anything less I consider to be false advertising.
If you go to McDonalds and order a Big Mac, and get given a saver menu hamburger, you wouldn't be happy. If they turn around and say "well, it's still food", you'd tell them to shove it. So why is it alright for an operator to turn around and says "it's still a bus" and that's the end of it?
As for the likes of the Olympians, the reason they're still 'solid as a rock' is because people will have spent far more than the vehicle is worth restoring them, and keeping them on the road!
(02 Sep 2021, 7:43 pm)JP6004 Wouldnt it be the case of big macs arent available at the moment, so choose something else from the menu...
(02 Sep 2021, 7:43 pm)JP6004 Wouldnt it be the case of big macs arent available at the moment, so choose something else from the menu...There is a bit of a difference, you arn't promised a big mac they don't say there will always be big macs The X21 is advertsied as tables/wifi. BigMac doesn’t say always be avaialble.
(02 Sep 2021, 7:43 pm)JP6004 Wouldnt it be the case of big macs arent available at the moment, so choose something else from the menu...There is a bit of a difference, you arn't promised a big mac they don't say there will always be big macs The X21 is advertsied as tables/wifi. BigMac doesn’t say always be avaialble.
(02 Sep 2021, 8:44 pm)Keeiajs I don't think the 25 needs double deckers, Versa's are perfectly fine But they do need Euro 6.They really do, in rush hour sometimes the Versa's get completely full. IMO it would be the best if they brought back the 16 plate Streetdecks onto the 25.
(02 Sep 2021, 8:44 pm)Keeiajs I don't think the 25 needs double deckers, Versa's are perfectly fine But they do need Euro 6.They really do, in rush hour sometimes the Versa's get completely full. IMO it would be the best if they brought back the 16 plate Streetdecks onto the 25.
(02 Sep 2021, 9:06 pm)transportintyneandwear They really do, in rush hour sometimes the Versa's get completely full. IMO it would be the best if they brought back the 16 plate Streetdecks onto the 25.In rush hour, that is the same for many services. Don't go upgrading all them to double deckers.
Mod note: Moved posts around the Newcastle Clean Air Zone to this thread -
Newcastle Clean Air Zone: services which need to be upgraded
(02 Sep 2021, 7:16 pm)streetdeckfan I personally don't mind an older vehicle (say 15 years old) as long as it meets the specification promised on the route.
If I'm getting the X21, I expect to get a bus with high-back seats, WiFi, USB ports and tables as that is what is advertised. Anything less I consider to be false advertising.
If you go to McDonalds and order a Big Mac, and get given a saver menu hamburger, you wouldn't be happy. If they turn around and say "well, it's still food", you'd tell them to shove it. So why is it alright for an operator to turn around and says "it's still a bus" and that's the end of it?
As for the likes of the Olympians, the reason they're still 'solid as a rock' is because people will have spent far more than the vehicle is worth restoring them, and keeping them on the road!
(02 Sep 2021, 7:16 pm)streetdeckfan I personally don't mind an older vehicle (say 15 years old) as long as it meets the specification promised on the route.
If I'm getting the X21, I expect to get a bus with high-back seats, WiFi, USB ports and tables as that is what is advertised. Anything less I consider to be false advertising.
If you go to McDonalds and order a Big Mac, and get given a saver menu hamburger, you wouldn't be happy. If they turn around and say "well, it's still food", you'd tell them to shove it. So why is it alright for an operator to turn around and says "it's still a bus" and that's the end of it?
As for the likes of the Olympians, the reason they're still 'solid as a rock' is because people will have spent far more than the vehicle is worth restoring them, and keeping them on the road!
(02 Sep 2021, 7:32 pm)Storx I think it's more about downgrading rather than age. Like I live up Blyth way and we have the Gemini's and tbh they're perfectly fine and I have no problems with them. Now if you gave us brand new buses with tables which have a nicer interior etc. I wouldn't be too happy to then get the Gemini's back a year later while the other Blyth bus routes keep there brand new buses because they want to move them to Ashington for the X21/X22 instead while I still pay the same price as the other punters with their brand new buses (which would be actually more here because of Coastliner and Cramlington discounts).
Like in your case you didn't want the B9's to go but next year you probably wouldn't want them back either when you've had brand new Streetdecks for the past 2 year.
Also whoever mentioned the old Metrobuses/Olympians in the 00's they were mid 80's buses if I'm right so no older than the 03/04 plate Omnidekkas running around now.
(02 Sep 2021, 7:32 pm)Storx I think it's more about downgrading rather than age. Like I live up Blyth way and we have the Gemini's and tbh they're perfectly fine and I have no problems with them. Now if you gave us brand new buses with tables which have a nicer interior etc. I wouldn't be too happy to then get the Gemini's back a year later while the other Blyth bus routes keep there brand new buses because they want to move them to Ashington for the X21/X22 instead while I still pay the same price as the other punters with their brand new buses (which would be actually more here because of Coastliner and Cramlington discounts).
Like in your case you didn't want the B9's to go but next year you probably wouldn't want them back either when you've had brand new Streetdecks for the past 2 year.
Also whoever mentioned the old Metrobuses/Olympians in the 00's they were mid 80's buses if I'm right so no older than the 03/04 plate Omnidekkas running around now.
(03 Sep 2021, 1:19 am)Washingtonian I understand what you are saying about the specification of a bus matching the expectations of a route and getting what's advertised and I never said anything to suggest otherwise! However, some people seem to be a bit obsessed with saying "this service needs new buses because it's currently using buses that are 10 or 11 years old etc". And I'm sure people on here have said stuff like the Versas need withdrawing because the are 09 plates. That's just ridculous! Those buses have plenty of life in them and cost a lot of money to buy in the first place so theres nothing wrong at all with them being in service for around 20 years or so. Of course every bus company needs to upgrade it's vehicles every so often, but not as often as some people suggest.I don't think I was disagreeing with you (was I? I can't remember).
Not trying to be funny here but going off your second point most GNE buses have high backed seats, WiFi, USB ports etc. Even the older buses have had upgrades to accomodate such things, such as the Versas that have gone onto the Sunderland District Berries.! So what does the age matter and why are people so obsessed whether a bus is new or not? Go North East have always looked after their fleet very well with regular repainting (as we all know!), regular refurbishments and regular maintainence etc. As well as the stuff you already mentioned, as long as the buses provided are clean, tidy, smart, well maintained, safe, warm and comfortable what does the bus's age matter? Buses that do tend to look untidy in the fleet tend to be the ones they are planning on withdrawing very soon and rarely turn up on the major routes from what I can see.
As for your point about the Olympians, some of them were still in service with the likes of Refearn Travel and Herbert's travel as recently as 2018 so they must be solid!
(03 Sep 2021, 1:19 am)Washingtonian I understand what you are saying about the specification of a bus matching the expectations of a route and getting what's advertised and I never said anything to suggest otherwise! However, some people seem to be a bit obsessed with saying "this service needs new buses because it's currently using buses that are 10 or 11 years old etc". And I'm sure people on here have said stuff like the Versas need withdrawing because the are 09 plates. That's just ridculous! Those buses have plenty of life in them and cost a lot of money to buy in the first place so theres nothing wrong at all with them being in service for around 20 years or so. Of course every bus company needs to upgrade it's vehicles every so often, but not as often as some people suggest.I don't think I was disagreeing with you (was I? I can't remember).
Not trying to be funny here but going off your second point most GNE buses have high backed seats, WiFi, USB ports etc. Even the older buses have had upgrades to accomodate such things, such as the Versas that have gone onto the Sunderland District Berries.! So what does the age matter and why are people so obsessed whether a bus is new or not? Go North East have always looked after their fleet very well with regular repainting (as we all know!), regular refurbishments and regular maintainence etc. As well as the stuff you already mentioned, as long as the buses provided are clean, tidy, smart, well maintained, safe, warm and comfortable what does the bus's age matter? Buses that do tend to look untidy in the fleet tend to be the ones they are planning on withdrawing very soon and rarely turn up on the major routes from what I can see.
As for your point about the Olympians, some of them were still in service with the likes of Refearn Travel and Herbert's travel as recently as 2018 so they must be solid!
Seems to be 3 buses tracking as the 65 this morning (and have been all week, looking back), despite the service not starting until 5th September... https://bustimes.org/services/65-seaham-...2021-09-03