(07 Feb 2023, 9:55 pm)ASX_Terranova wrote Why was the 58 moved in the first place?
It was moved to Washington because Go North East guaranteed drivers their choice of depot when Chester-le-Street closed, rather than them being forced to transfer to the depot that needed the most staff (Riverside).
Once driver numbers settled, it was always the plan for services to move back to the depots which they are most suited to operate from - i.e the 58 at Riverside.
Prior to 29 January, lost mileage was almost nil at most depots on most days (as had been observed on this forum), so it was the right time for the first move back to Riverside.
Running services from the wrong depot is not only very costly and inefficient, but also results in extra drivers being needed to run those services, making the recruitment gap even bigger. Presumably the surplus of drivers from the outgoing depot might facilitate frequencies being restored on routes with temporary reductions, ie 8 at Washington and 65 at Deptford.
The 6, 25 and 28/29 are the other non-scholars services which, at some point, will transfer to Riverside.
In the meantime with the transfer of the 58, Riverside are now short-staffed again (hence the rise in short-notice cancellations). Recruitment efforts are being focused on Gateshead, and some drivers from depots which are over-staffed (ie Percy Main, Consett and Washington) are temporarily (and voluntarily) moving to Riverside. In the short-term there will be some disruption at Riverside again, but the company’s financial performance should improve and overall lost mileage will reduce.
As I have said several times now, the company is under new leadership - and they are clearly making every effort to improve the financial performance of the business.
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