(17 Sep 2021, 10:08 pm)Malarkey wrote I finished work at 8pm and got my usual 309 into Newcastle without issue getting into Eldon Square at around 20:35 just missing the 21 departure around this time due to Percy Main's very slow drivers changes as always at New York the driver thereafter being in James May mode into town knowing he/she will leave town on the 310 on time, does not help those needing a connecting service.
As has been the case since Tuesday the 20:45 (21) was cancelled which would be the one i'd usually get home, I knew at this point the next one was 21:00 with a 28B at the same with both cancelled at this point the next bus was the X21 at 21:15 by which time I decided to get a Taxi as I did want to wait any longer as did a number other potential passengers, there was around 20 people waiting when I got into Eldon Square by the time I decided to leave there was 6 left waiting, one bloke was going to get a 21 to Chester-Le-Street and then from there the 8 to Stanley, I advised him to go up the top and wait for one of the expresses as would get home quicker.
I personally think it is quite shocking that whilst I understand there is so called "Driver Shortage" that it is unacceptable for the operator to allow so many services to be cancelled along one corridor in the late evening, more so when you 52,000 Mags watching Newcastle at home this evening against Leeds, how are they getting home this evening I wonder?
I think the independent operators were possible like we seen in Manchester during the Go North West strike need to be drafted in to keep services operating as these sort of cancellations simply cannot continue, more so when on a day by day basis it is different journey's that are being cancelled left, right and centre.
It's not a "so called driver shortage", there's a national shortage of labour. It's been experienced across multiple industries, especially those with lower pay and conditions, such as transport and hospitality. It's also been reported over the media for months now: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po...14605.html
I agree that its poor to have multiple services cancelled around the same time on one corridor, but given how tightly/'efficiently' operators seem to schedule (with duty boards are scheduled to the minute in terms of start times, finish times and legal breaks), I'd imagine it removes much flexibility in terms of asking Joe Bloggs to cover a 21 instead of a 34. With any leading drivers most likely already on the road.
As I understand CBBSG ended in August, I doubt trying to sub-contract commercial work out on a larger basis is affordable. Of course, that's on the assumption that independent operators aren't in the same boat... GCT seemed to hit this problem a few month ago.
I do however think there's been a lack of foresight here. As mentioned, national labour shortages have been in the media for months now, so I'd be really surprised if these so-called industry insiders weren't briefing operators even before then. I'm more surprised that we haven't seen the implementation of a reduced/emergency timetable by operators yet, reducing some of the high frequency services to allow some staff to be used as 'hot spares' to cover short-notice sickness etc. It would feel like a better solution than the current firefighting.