(23 Feb 2015, 7:57 am)Dan wrote I wonder if this is the reason why Arriva takes so long to reply to complaints?

Although Arriva also has access to an AVL system, perhaps they are interviewing drivers before giving customers any feedback..? This results in a response time of about a month, and hardly ideal for the customer who probably just wants to know that the company is aware there is a problem and they will work to fix it. 

If this is the case, I think I'd prefer the response time to be within 12 hours and let the company deal with everything after they've told me that they're going to progress the complaint further. The difference is a customer being happy with the response (Tom) and being incredibly peeved by the time they had to wait (see multiple instances of this in the Customer Services thread - myself and aureolin have shared a few alone).

There could be a number of reasons for the delay, but of course interviewing a driver can cause a delay, if they're off shift or on leave for example. You'd expect to be able to interview the majority of drivers on their next shift, but again, it comes down to the urgency the management team put on it. 

If a company comes back to me in less than 24 hours, and tells me that a service did indeed run early for example, it doesn't serve me any purpose. If I've made the complaint, then I'm already aware that the service has ran early. I'd rather the customer services team used the prescribed limits (whether that be 5 days or otherwise) to speak to whoever they need to, and come back to me with an informative response. I don't expect to know the ins and outs of the conversation with the driver, who was in the wrong or what action has been taken, but I would like a personal response, an apology, and a commitment that the issue is being addressed. 

My main gripe tends to be that I haven't received an acknowledgement and/or response within the prescribed limits, and I also haven't been given the courtesy of someone telling me that there's been a delay, and resetting my expectations in the process. Coming a close second are template responses. I don't want to see the same template that I've seen time and time again. I want something personal that I can relate to.

(23 Feb 2015, 4:53 pm)Michael wrote  
Seems they're getting rid of low cost units... Peterlee's to go next?

I guess there's more sense in the Consett/Stanley and Saltmeadows/Riverside, rather than Peterlee/Deptford, because of the distance. I'd love to see Peterlee expanded into a main depot though, with an aim to increase footprint in County Durham.