(05 Sep 2021, 4:10 pm)Dan wrote Riverside operated the X30 long before it was upgraded to X-lines.I think a wrong branded or coloured bus on any service isn’t particularly great. One off occurrences is fine and it’s always been the case a bus of any colour is better than none at all. However I do think allocations purposely being wrong is flawed as a concept. Evenings is bad enough, but wrong allocations to be done throughout the day on Sundays is particularly bad. The minibus vs double decker is the most complex one yet, because while I fully understand the business related matters as to why this occurs (and I believe Venture solos have done the evening X5/X15/15/15A since those buses were bought) going from a spacious double decker to a small than average single decker is a downgrade in customer experience and they’re not the same standard as XLINES or as new inside.
It was always said when Go North East diverted some of its StreetDecks to Oxford Bus Company that a new interworking pattern was planned to make use of the vehicles that remained at Go North East. These new interworking patterns were always going to see the evening X30 become operated by Consett (I think this has been said before too), but we have been in a global pandemic for the past year and a half which has prevented these schedule changes from taking place (due to the conditions of the government support package).
Whilst the plan has actually since evolved over the past 18 months, following local authority feedback, seeing the creation of services like the 47/47A and the curtailment of the X30 at Stanley, the schedule changes have been brought in at the earliest opportunity (and with that, the evening operation of the X30 transferring to Consett) and this issue addressed.
Whilst the point you make is the same, operationally the X15 is slightly different and a more difficult one to resolve. It is one that Go North East are aware of, but at this stage couldn't be resolved. The Venture minibuses are used on a night because minibus drivers (who are paid less than a 'big bus' established driver with more years experience) operate this service. It'd be massively inefficient and add a lot of extra cost to have the X15 operated by X-lines buses on a night, when passenger numbers are considerably lower than they are during the day.
I haven't checked and no doubt someone will quite quickly come back and tell me I'm wrong and this has been missed, but a note should have been put in the timetable to highlight that those journeys aren't operated by an X-lines bus (the least Go North East could do!)
For other areas, such as Deptford’s Berries and Blues on the 2A and 61, could something not be done for instance having two buses at the interchange so while the driver has duty board 61-61-2A-2A, he/her doesn’t stay with the same bus and transfers to the correct branded vehicle waiting for them at the interchange? This may have been explored, just popped into my head when you often see vehicles just waiting in the layover areas of bus stations. Perhaps not practical during Monday-Saturday daytimes but it’s mainly evenings and Sundays I’m thinking here.