(04 Sep 2015, 7:50 pm)citaro5284 wrote Affecting not just the North East, but all of the bus side (except London).......looks like big changes in personnel

http://www.route-one.net/industry/apply-...ob-option/

North East & Yorkshire have been effectively merged for a few years now, with the same management team 'controlling' both divisions. Fleet swaps between the two will likely be happening more often, as fleets become more standardised.
It is interesting to see Midlands & Shires being merged together, when you'd expect Shires & Southern Counties would probably be a better fit.
I don't know much about the stuff going on behind the scenes but certainly there is restructuring going on as part of Deutsche Bahn's push for growth across the business, although they have recently announced intentions to float part of Arriva on the stock exchange.

(04 Sep 2015, 9:39 pm)tyresmoke wrote North East & Yorkshire have been effectively merged for a few years now, with the same management team 'controlling' both divisions. Fleet swaps between the two will likely be happening more often, as fleets become more standardised.
It is interesting to see Midlands & Shires being merged together, when you'd expect Shires & Southern Counties would probably be a better fit.
I don't know much about the stuff going on behind the scenes but certainly there is restructuring going on as part of Deutsche Bahn's push for growth across the business, although they have recently announced intentions to float part of Arriva on the stock exchange.

The merging of divisions seems to be a logical step on paper, based on the geographical area they serve, and the size of each operation. It's a huge shame, and an extremely stressful and uncertain time for those involved, but it's been said many a time on here what happens when the shareholders click their fingers.

Do Arriva have like a marketing team, commercial team, etc,  for each bus division? I'd assumed they'd be operating under a shared model, given that they've went that way (for as long as I've known) with customer services. It's not uncommon for companies that size of Arriva to operate in the 'shared service'/'support function' model, as they'll just expect greater utilisation from a smaller pool of staff. Doesn't make it right for those involved though...

(04 Sep 2015, 9:52 pm)aureolin wrote The merging of divisions seems to be a logical step on paper, based on the geographical area they serve, and the size of each operation. It's a huge shame, and an extremely stressful and uncertain time for those involved, but it's been said many a time on here what happens when the shareholders click their fingers.

Do Arriva have like a marketing team, commercial team, etc,  for each bus division? I'd assumed they'd be operating under a shared model, given that they've went that way (for as long as I've known) with customer services. It's not uncommon for companies that size of Arriva to operate in the 'shared service'/'support function' model, as they'll just expect greater utilisation from a smaller pool of staff. Doesn't make it right for those involved though...

Go Ahead is the same to a point, all driver payroll for every Op Co is done at Bensham, IT Service Desk and Accounts Payable are all based at Grey Street.

(05 Sep 2015, 6:26 am)citaro5284 wrote Go Ahead is the same to a point, all driver payroll for every Op Co is done at Bensham, IT Service Desk and Accounts Payable are all based at Grey Street.

The same in some ways, but also crucially different: Go-Ahead's Commercial, Marketing and Customer Services departments all remain at individual op-co level.

I have stated on so many occasions now that Arriva UK's centralised Customer Services department is absolutely useless, as they have no knowledge of the routes or areas in question. As a customer, I was always much more satisfied with the responses I received from Stagecoach and Go North East (the former of whom simply seem to use Customer Services as a tool to forward the complaint to the appropriate manager).

I'd suggest that it's equally as important for Marketing Departments to remain separate; whilst one form of promotion may work well in Brighton or Oxford, there's every chance it would be a complete flop in Sunderland. Whilst discussions between each individual op-co may be frequent owing to previous members of Go North East staff moving on to pastures new at another op-co, I think this is where it should end, as (in my opinion) the amalgamation of business units breeds uniformity and limits the amount of fresh ideas that can be brought to the business.

I'd suggest that Arriva North East's Marketing Department is already amalgamated with the rest of the UK, given that Sapphire and MAX launches in every division (by photos I've seen - have yet to attend one yet given that they insist on weekday launches only) are exactly the same. From the outside looking in, very little seems to be done at op-co level with regards to marketing. The magic recipe for a successful bus launch seems to be a Royal Family lookalike, celebrity from TOWIE, plus bus and members of Arriva staff...

Our marketing department is shared with Yorkshire but otherwise each division has their own. With the Sapphire and MAX launches there is a specific specification that must be stuck to, in order to keep the brand identities the same across all of the launch events. It does get very repetitive though!
Sapphire, however, is still a UK Bus lead project whereas the MAX brand was developed by North East & Yorkshire together, though has since been adopted by other regions with the next route to gain it being the 34/35 in Guildford.

(04 Sep 2015, 8:28 pm)BusLoverMum wrote The best seats for legroom are the second to back row, next to the fire door. We sat there on the way home on the 58, this afternoon. Room to put bags down and for big'un to stretch his ever growing legs out periodically.

That used to be a terrible seat to sit in on Prestiges as the backrest seemed to be too vertical or even angled forward!

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(04 Sep 2015, 9:39 pm)tyresmoke wrote North East & Yorkshire have been effectively merged for a few years now, with the same management team 'controlling' both divisions. Fleet swaps between the two will likely be happening more often, as fleets become more standardised.
It is interesting to see Midlands & Shires being merged together, when you'd expect Shires & Southern Counties would probably be a better fit.
I don't know much about the stuff going on behind the scenes but certainly there is restructuring going on as part of Deutsche Bahn's push for growth across the business, although they have recently announced intentions to float part of Arriva on the stock exchange.

I was going to say it doesn't mention the North East!

(05 Sep 2015, 7:06 am)Dan wrote The same in some ways, but also crucially different: Go-Ahead's Commercial, Marketing and Customer Services departments all remain at individual op-co level.

I have stated on so many occasions now that Arriva UK's centralised Customer Services department is absolutely useless, as they have no knowledge of the routes or areas in question. As a customer, I was always much more satisfied with the responses I received from Stagecoach and Go North East (the former of whom simply seem to use Customer Services as a tool to forward the complaint to the appropriate manager).

I'd suggest that it's equally as important for Marketing Departments to remain separate; whilst one form of promotion may work well in Brighton or Oxford, there's every chance it would be a complete flop in Sunderland. Whilst discussions between each individual op-co may be frequent owing to previous members of Go North East staff moving on to pastures new at another op-co, I think this is where it should end, as (in my opinion) the amalgamation of business units breeds uniformity and limits the amount of fresh ideas that can be brought to the business.

I'd suggest that Arriva North East's Marketing Department is already amalgamated with the rest of the UK, given that Sapphire and MAX launches in every division (by photos I've seen - have yet to attend one yet given that they insist on weekday launches only) are exactly the same. From the outside looking in, very little seems to be done at op-co level with regards to marketing. The magic recipe for a successful bus launch seems to be a Royal Family lookalike, celebrity from TOWIE, plus bus and members of Arriva staff...

Not had a reply re my complaint about Whitby yet from a fortnight ago.

(04 Sep 2015, 3:52 pm)Jimmi wrote My fear with that is there can often be traffic pulling off the A66 at the slip road for Teesside Park.

That's what its there for!

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(04 Sep 2015, 7:23 pm)BusLoverMum wrote It's got Pulsars. There's been a few E200s on it, this week, but they'd need a heck of a lot of work to lift them to Sapphire specification as they have the seats that shall not be named.

ETA unless we're talking at cross purposes and oyu mean E400s?

Estimated Time of Arrival??!

(05 Sep 2015, 10:16 am)Cock Robin wrote That's what its there for!

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Estimated Time of Arrival??!

Edited to add

2837s new Quorum branding: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nebp2/2054...ateposted/

That arriva logo is irritating. Could have at least put it above the doors!

(05 Sep 2015, 4:28 pm)S813 FVK wrote 2837s new Quorum branding: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nebp2/2054...ateposted/

That arriva logo is irritating. Could have at least put it above the doors!

Or on the front of the bus, which looks very plain?

(05 Sep 2015, 4:47 pm)Dan wrote Or on the front of the bus, which looks very plain?

Some fantastic branding skills by Arriva.

(05 Sep 2015, 4:47 pm)Dan wrote Or on the front of the bus, which looks very plain?

The logo was put there before the branding went on. I'd expect it'll get moved with a DB logo going on too.
See also the legal address on the windows

(05 Sep 2015, 4:48 pm)R852 PRG wrote Some fantastic branding skills by Arriva.

Guess brand designs are always going to be subject to opinion!

The front of the vehicle is arguably quite an important part of the design though, given that this is the part of the bus you see as a customer when the bus approaches you. I believe it's part of the reason why Go North East added the 'free Wi-Fi' logos to the upper-deck windscreen of most branded Volvo B9TLs.

(05 Sep 2015, 4:57 pm)tyresmoke wrote The logo was put there before the branding went on. I'd expect it'll get moved with a DB logo going on too.
See also the legal address on the windows

Aye - let's hope that window doesn't get put out, eh?

The branding looks like a "rush job", the vehicle may have been required before they managed to finish it? Fleet numbers and legals on windows are the sort of giveaways that it hasn't quite been finished. Look at 8266 before you all dig at Arriva, no front branding before GNE put branding on one of the front panels...

Correct me if I'm wrong but don't the Frequenta Solos at Darlington have WiFi but EcoCitys 4801-4808 (Freqenta 2) and 4809, 4810 don't appear to have WiFi. Any reason why?

(06 Sep 2015, 10:25 am)Jimmi wrote Correct me if I'm wrong but don't the Frequenta Solos at Darlington have WiFi but EcoCitys 4801-4808 (Freqenta 2) and 4809, 4810 don't appear to have WiFi. Any reason why?

I thought it was just the ex-Durham P&R ones which had Wi-Fi?

(06 Sep 2015, 10:25 am)Jimmi wrote Correct me if I'm wrong but don't the Frequenta Solos at Darlington have WiFi but EcoCitys 4801-4808 (Freqenta 2) and 4809, 4810 don't appear to have WiFi. Any reason why?

(06 Sep 2015, 10:40 am)Dan wrote I thought it was just the ex-Durham P&R ones which had Wi-Fi?

Dan is correct - 2852-61 are the only Frequenta Solos to have WiFi. Presumably it will be fitted eventually but it might take a while. Stockton's 15 and Sunday 7As (and possibly evening 7As as well if that duty stays as it presently is) will have WiFi from the launch as 1457-60/84-92/4 have had WiFi since the early part of the year.

(06 Sep 2015, 10:40 am)Dan wrote I thought it was just the ex-Durham P&R ones which had Wi-Fi?

I may be wrong but I think I rode one of the 08/58 Solos on the 8 just before they applied the branding and I think "Arriva WiFi" came up in the list of available networks. Not really sure as I almost never ride the Solos unless they end up on the 5/5A and I have the EcoCitys on a Sunday, currently on 4808 now.

EcoCitys are back on the 1B today.

I know this probz stupid things to ask might alright been said but dose darlington X1 Streetlite still park up in Bishop Auckland or they park in darlo depot

They are still based at Garnetts depot.

(04 Sep 2015, 7:35 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Not the same as the one I caught on the 64, the other week, then. They had the fabric versions. (Noticed today that Scarlet Band's E200s have actual Urban 90s. My back still hasn't forgiven me.)

Scrap that - I misremembered - big'un said they were e-leather.

Why complain about an URBAN 90?!?!

(06 Sep 2015, 2:22 pm)NK53 TKT wrote Why complain about an URBAN 90?!?!

You've been told before to pack that in.

(06 Sep 2015, 1:42 pm)John_R wrote They are still based at Garnetts depot.

Thank you

I wonder if Arriva chose the B7TL for the X20 as they've been trialling them on there for a while...? Two out of the three boards are/were allocated Volvo B7TLs...

(06 Sep 2015, 5:16 pm)GX03 SVC wrote I wonder if Arriva chose the B7TL for the X20 as they've been trialling them on there for a while...? Two out of the three boards are/were allocated Volvo B7TLs...

the depot manager was at the bus station and he said the 2 volvo b7tl's where on trial.

(06 Sep 2015, 6:24 pm)buss14 wrote the depot manager was at the bus station and he said the 2 volvo b7tl's where on trial.

I know. I talk to him everytime i see him.

(06 Sep 2015, 6:43 pm)GX03 SVC wrote I know. I talk to him everytime i see him.

ok and does anyone know if 7445/7446 have moved to ashington yet

(06 Sep 2015, 6:50 pm)buss14 wrote ok and does anyone know if 7445/7446 have moved to ashington yet

I don't know, I'll check tomorrow. They should be here by Tuesday.