(08 May 2021, 6:59 am)Rob44 wrote Playing devil's advocate ( and no i don't work for Nexus or GCT) haven't other bus companies in the regions won contacts then got another company to do them? Im thinking metro replacement?

Also, as a tax payer I like to See value for money. No one is excusing not running the route correctly bus as has been mentioned on here, and from first hand experience they are not the only company to do it! Maybe the reason they get so many is the fact that nexus haven't got the cash to pay Arriva. Gne ect 2,3 or4 times what GCT do it for. Maybe the big 3 could run these services commercially if they think GCT are doing a bad job rather then just running when the make megabucks for shareholder/the german transport network

(08 May 2021, 7:16 am)Dan wrote As a taxpayer I also like to see value for money. Sadly I’d say Gateshead Central Taxis being paid to run services that they don’t operate does not represent good value for money.

I have heard their buses now have posters apologising for missing buses and gaps in service, stating they are not liable and it is due to staff and vehicle shortages. That hardly instils confidence in public transport and is quite damaging in the wider context of building back buses better.

Their investment into new buses over the last year or two is commendable, as is the investment into better specification buses (high back seats, USB charging points etc) but sadly constant suggestion that they aren’t running their contracts as they should be means that their investments are often overlooked.


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(08 May 2021, 7:16 am)Dan wrote I have heard their buses now have posters apologising for missing buses and gaps in service, stating they are not liable and it is due to staff and vehicle shortages. 

(08 May 2021, 11:00 am)mb134 wrote Even this is ridiculous. Vehicle and staff shortages are directly the fault of the company. Don't apply for contracts which you don't have the assets to operate, and provide a better work environment so your staff stay/new ones join.

(08 May 2021, 11:03 am)cbma06 wrote I’m all in favour giving the secured contracts to independents rather than the daytime operator, why should the taxpayer pay for the same bus company to operate the evening service etc.. while there operate the daytime service commercially, what happened a few years ago when northern said that there will start operating some secured services commercially again. (probably because there didn’t want another big operator to run them secured) didn’t GNE started to take on some east Durham network commercially as Arriva were one step away of winning the contracts?

I wonder how much incentives and grants did northern get from the government to purchase adl’s and streetdecks

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(08 May 2021, 11:03 am)cbma06 wrote Didn’t Northern win some contracts and contracted them out to independent operators?

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(08 May 2021, 11:00 am)mb134 wrote Even this is ridiculous. Vehicle and staff shortages are directly the fault of the company. Don't apply for contracts which you don't have the assets to operate, and provide a better work environment so your staff stay/new ones join.

(14 Mar 2021, 5:10 pm)Dan wrote Nexus has invited operators to tender for a number of new contracts, which would commence operation from 16 May 2021.

In all instances, the 'quality' weighting (for better features such as contactless payment methods, USB charging points, Wi-Fi and next stop audio-visual announcements) has been removed, in favour of more weighting towards cost.

These are:

• Service 8 (South Hylton - The Docks): 1 PVR daily (evenings and all day Sunday), Euro 5 vehicle with a minimum capacity of 23 - currently operated by Gateshead Central Taxis.
  
• Service 12 (South Shields - The Lonnen): 1 PVR daily (evenings only), Euro 5 vehicle with a minimum capacity of 23 - currently operated by Stagecoach North East.
  
• Service 79 (Hall Lane - Barnwell): 1 PVR Mon-Sat, Euro 5 vehicle with a minimum capacity of 36 - currently operated by JH Coaches.
  
• Service 79/79A (Barnwell - Easington Lane): 2 PVR (Mon-Sat evenings and all day Sunday), Euro 5 vehicle with a minimum capacity of 23 - currently operated by Go North East.
  
• Services 93/94 and 97 (Gateshead services): 4 PVR (Early morning and late evening journeys), Euro 5 vehicle with a minimum capacity of 36 - currently operated by Go North East.
  
• Services 135/136 (Downhill/Hylton Circular): 3 PVR (Early morning journeys), Euro 5 vehicle with a minimum capacity of 23 - currently operated by Go North East.
  
• Service 592 (Roker - Doxford International): 1 PVR weekdays only, Euro 5 vehicle with a minimum capacity of 23 - currently operated by Gateshead Central Taxis.
  
• Service 593 (Pallion - Doxford International): 1 PVR weekdays only, Euro 5 vehicle with a minimum capacity of 23 - currently operated by Gateshead Central Taxis.
  

There has been lots of discussion on this forum recently regarding the development of bus networks, and what operators do to improve patronage and drive growth on their bus services. There has been a lot of suggestion that the use of better on-board features such as free Wi-Fi, USB charging points and contactless payments help drive growth, whilst next stop announcements improve accessibility. There has also been some suggestions that this isn't enough, and operators should be looking to improve their networks by providing better services which are more catered towards the current market.

It's quite disappointing to see that in this latest batch of tenders, neither of those are deemed important enough (with the same timetables from last year being used again, and the removal of incentive for operators to provide a better quality service).

(08 May 2021, 7:33 am)Micheal Aaron wrote Then the big questions is why do nexus give them contacts. There giving more contracts to them and they haven't got the buses or drivers. It's no wonder  L&B are having to run the SNS contract on there behalf. Even the Ferry Replacement contract. God knows why GNE lost that

(09 May 2021, 6:42 am)Rob44 wrote i get the feeling the some people on here would like NECUS to bot allow GCT to run any route. I am sure they wont be happy if that happens and ANE, GNE Stagecoach start running them at a much higher price meaning some services have to go and taxes go up ( for those who pay it! ) There is no magical money tree as someone once said!

(09 May 2021, 6:57 am)Dan wrote A cynic would suggest that Gateshead Central Taxis can offer such low prices because they do not run the contracts as they should. False economy for the winning bid to be cheaper, if it comes at the expense of the contract not running as it was tendered.

I think what most people want is for Gateshead Central Taxis to operate the contracts as Nexus have tendered them - ie, no repeated missing journeys on the same contracts, time and time again - and for action to be taken if this does happen (which we know it does). I suspect as enthusiasts we don’t really care who runs the contract as long as it does actually run. 


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(09 May 2021, 8:45 am)Andreos1 wrote Looking at the comments and rhetoric on here towards GCT over the years versus that of the operators who can do no wrong - I think you're barking up the wrong tree with that one.

(09 May 2021, 11:04 am)Micheal Aaron wrote I think people just want GCT to do better

(09 May 2021, 10:42 am)Dan wrote My question to you, if that’s what you believe, is why other independent operators such as JH Coaches and Stanley Travel don’t receive anywhere near as much criticism as Gateshead Central Taxis. They have been awarded contracts previously ran by ‘operators who can do no wrong’. 

Surely the difference is the perception that Gateshead Central Taxis don’t fulfil their contractual obligations..?


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(09 May 2021, 6:57 am)Dan wrote A cynic would suggest that Gateshead Central Taxis can offer such low prices because they do not run the contracts as they should. False economy for the winning bid to be cheaper, if it comes at the expense of the contract not running as it was tendered.

I think what most people want is for Gateshead Central Taxis to operate the contracts as Nexus have tendered them - ie, no repeated missing journeys on the same contracts, time and time again - and for action to be taken if this does happen (which we know it does). I suspect as enthusiasts we don’t really care who runs the contract as long as it does actually run.


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(09 May 2021, 12:04 pm)Andreos1 wrote We all know that GCT aren't unique in not being able to fulfil contracts 100% of the time. We've seen commercial operators failing to fulfil some of their commercial work too.

(09 May 2021, 2:43 pm)Ambassador wrote Let’s be honest here, nobody outside this group cares about the missed mileage, vehicle presentation or awful on board musical choices.

And why? Because these are barely used tendered routes used by low socio economic folk and of no economic value to anyone. They could complain but the routes are a nuisance, they don’t generate enough profit and in honesty the users are less likely to vocalise their complain.

It’s not right but it’s a sad truth.

(09 May 2021, 2:43 pm)Ambassador wrote Let’s be honest here, nobody outside this group cares about the missed mileage, vehicle presentation or awful on board musical choices.

And why? Because these are barely used tendered routes used by low socio economic folk and of no economic value to anyone. They could complain but the routes are a nuisance, they don’t generate enough profit and in honesty the users are less likely to vocalise their complain.

It’s not right but it’s a sad truth.

(09 May 2021, 2:43 pm)Ambassador wrote Let’s be honest here, nobody outside this group cares about the missed mileage, vehicle presentation or awful on board musical choices.

And why? Because these are barely used tendered routes used by low socio economic folk and of no economic value to anyone. They could complain but the routes are a nuisance, they don’t generate enough profit and in honesty the users are less likely to vocalise their complain.

It’s not right but it’s a sad truth.

(09 May 2021, 7:41 pm)Ambassador wrote Sorry folks, I wasn’t clear. I agree these services are critical to those communities they serve but politically for Nexus or local councils, there is no political benefit at all to fight for them and that’s the game in play here and that’s why we are in the place we are with them.

I can’t see Bus Back Better being anything than a few key marginals or Tory controlled areas getting a wee boost or Low Fell getting a shiny new bus lane to please the chattering classes.

Call me an Andreas level of cynicism but hey ho! 

(09 May 2021, 1:40 pm)Dan wrote I suppose the difference between Gateshead Central Taxis and commercial operators, is that it's easier for customers to identify when commercial operators don't fulfil their contracts and/or commercial work, as they offer live tracking on mobile apps, and have social media pages where service updates are added during times of service disruption. For their commercial work, services are much more frequent than contracts, which run far less often and could cause more inconvenience to intending passengers if they do not operate (on-time or at all).

Of course, if Gateshead Central Taxis had fulfilled their BODS requirements on-time, this possibly wouldn't be the case...