(29 Oct 2019, 9:43 pm)streetdeckfan wrote

You're right there, GNE does disappoint me, not because I don't like what they do, but because I know they could do it so much better!

I don't not like the Xlines livery, in fact I do very much like it, I just think it's so generic, if I didn't know anything, I'd think it was just an updated Stagecoach Gold livery! One of the things GNE is known for is that their 'brightly coloured buses are almost as recognisable as the iconic landmarks they visit', but they're not anymore.

To me it seems like a lot of the time they have great ideas, but then execute them so poorly.

Take the recent changes to the under 19 tickets, why didn't they work with colleges to accept student ID as proof of age before the changes rather than wait for all the complaints to come in and only then do something about it?

If they had actually bothered to take notice of the market research they would have known that nobody wants to carry around their passport just to get a reduced fare.

Why did they remove the ability to get young person tickets on The Key? The only reason I can think of is because it means they don't have to pay someone to check people are entitled to the ticket, why hire someone else when a driver could just do it. But the downside of that is it makes it way less convenient for people to travel by bus, buses spend more time stopped because the driver has to check everyone's ID, and people have to rely on GNE's app for monthly tickets, and as I've said many times, GNE's app is about as reliable as that Metrocity EV!

Sorry to bring this up again, but there's the NSAs on the X21. Why weren't the new announcements ready for the launch of the new route? There were already announcements for both the X21 and 18, so they would have only had to record I think 9 new stop names as well as the new route name (and program it all in). This could all have been done well in advance of the launch of the new route, but 6 months later we're still without them!

In all honesty, I don't really care that the NSAs on the X21s aren't working, I know the route so it doesn't affect me in the slightest, but when it's in the timetables and in massive writing on the bus that it's a 'talking bus', passengers will get on board expecting the bus to actually talk.

I'm no legal expert, but to me that is a grade A case of false advertising, and that's why I get so frustrated by it!

Instead of complaining about GNE, why not complain about Arriva who also operate in Bishop Auckland (where you say you travel from) and quite clearly offer a worse service in terms of investment & punctuality...

Also take your complaints to HQ instead of complain on here