(19 Nov 2020, 2:00 pm)JP6004 wrote According to bustimes, 8802 is on the 53 today

It wasn’t - has just been used for some testing.


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Looks like all 9 are now branded and ready for service, according to photo's on Snakebites Flickr.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bazza90

Maybe one for Streetdeck’s photoshop skills if he has a minute (hint hint), I think they’d look good with black vinyl at the front and back ends up towards the roof above the curve of the blue cant lights, and also on the sides above the windows up to the line along the roof skirt rather than it being all silver. Then any text up there could be white and really stand out.

(20 Nov 2020, 8:07 pm)ne14ne1 wrote Maybe one for Streetdeck’s photoshop skills if he has a minute (hint hint), I think they’d look good with black vinyl at the front and back ends up towards the roof above the curve of the blue cant lights, and also on the sides above the windows up to the line along the roof skirt rather than it being all silver. Then any text up there could be white and really stand out.

Something a bit like this?

(20 Nov 2020, 8:57 pm)streetdeckfan wrote

Something a bit like this?

Skillz! Just like that!

(20 Nov 2020, 9:01 pm)ne14ne1 wrote Skillz! Just like that!

It does look waaay better with the black on the top like, going back to looking at the actual pictures, it just looks too silver!

(20 Nov 2020, 9:11 pm)streetdeckfan wrote It does look waaay better with the black on the top like, going back to looking at the actual pictures, it just looks too silver!

Why thank you.      
GNE, hit me up.

https://twitter.com/martijngne/status/13...85441?s=21


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(23 Nov 2020, 7:11 pm)TEN 6083 wrote https://twitter.com/martijngne/status/13...85441?s=21


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Nice screens however that final destination is pretty useless after reading the next and upcoming stop. It’s not very informative is it.
I’d have made the street names bold rather than the Newcastle  & Gateshead bits.
Looking forward to seeing what other information gets displayed though, connections, alight for info etc. It would be good if they displayed the Metro and/or Buses & National Rail symbols too at the appropriate stops.


Wonder how long they’ll announce that they are Saltwell Park 53/4’s for.

(23 Nov 2020, 8:04 pm)ne14ne1 wrote Nice screens however that final destination is pretty useless after reading the next and upcoming stop. It’s not very informative is it.
I’d have made the street names bold rather than the Newcastle  & Gateshead bits.
Looking forward to seeing what other information gets displayed though, connections, alight for info etc. It would be good if they displayed the Metro and/or Buses & National Rail symbols too at the appropriate stops.


Wonder how long they’ll announce that they are Saltwell Park 53/4’s for. 

The Saltwell Parks never had NSAs so I doubt it will announce that.

(23 Nov 2020, 7:11 pm)TEN 6083 wrote https://twitter.com/martijngne/status/13...85441?s=21


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Tap on/tap off.
A massive step forward in obtaining passenger data, trends and patterns. 
It would be interesting to know why it has taken so long for it to be introduced on buses in the region and if there is the opportunity to recognise other opco's tickets, Metro printed tickets or Network One offerings.

(23 Nov 2020, 10:51 pm)Andreos1 wrote Tap on/tap off.
A massive step forward in obtaining passenger data, trends and patterns. 
It would be interesting to know why it has taken so long for it to be introduced on buses in the region and if there is the opportunity to recognise other opco's tickets, Metro printed tickets or Network One offerings.

The fact that they're trying it on a single route gives me the impression that most of the people who travel on the 53/54 buy either single or return tickets, as if you 'tap on' a 53, you'd then have to buy a separate ticket if you wanted to get a different bus, defeating the point of it capping the price. 

To me, tap on - tap off is a thing you have to trial on a larger scale to get any benefit

(23 Nov 2020, 11:30 pm)streetdeckfan wrote The fact that they're trying it on a single route gives me the impression that most of the people who travel on the 53/54 buy either single or return tickets, as if you 'tap on' a 53, you'd then have to buy a separate ticket if you wanted to get a different bus, defeating the point of it capping the price. 

To me, tap on - tap off is a thing you have to trial on a larger scale to get any benefit

Agree that it would be better to have it on a larger scale to see real benefits.
However, as a starting point, there is still plenty to glean from having it solely on the 53/54 and there will be more than just those buying singles/returns who are required to tap in and out. 

If they determine there's a load of people boarding at Bensham and heading along to Coatsworth or Saltwell, but data analysis shows the same ticket was used on the 93/94 to/from Team Valley - then it opens up scope to improve links or connections between the two points.

What it can't do, is identify that there's a chunk of people who tap out at Gateshead but board a Metro to a part of Newcastle the metro serves, but the 53/54 don't.

(24 Nov 2020, 9:07 am)Andreos1 wrote Agree that it would be better to have it on a larger scale to see real benefits.
However, as a starting point, there is still plenty to glean from having it solely on the 53/54 and there will be more than just those buying singles/returns who are required to tap in and out. 

If they determine there's a load of people boarding at Bensham and heading along to Coatsworth or Saltwell, but data analysis shows the same ticket was used on the 93/94 to/from Team Valley - then it opens up scope to improve links or connections between the two points.

What it can't do, is identify that there's a chunk of people who tap out at Gateshead but board a Metro to a part of Newcastle the metro serves, but the 53/54 don't.

But my point is that the only people who will really be using TOTO are the people that will just be travelling along the route, with no onward travel with another GNE service, otherwise they'd probably be better served buying a day ticket, which obviously isn't available using that payment method. 

In my eyes, they have to at least expand the trial to connecting services at Gateshead and Newcastle for it to get any useful data. 

If it'd be possible to register my bank card to take advantage of 5-25 ticket pricing, I'd sign up instantly. It'd probably be the closest I'd get to using The Key, which I still believe is far superior to using the app.

Quite like the tap in, tap out. Makes it easier for passengers who don't have a clue what the numerous different ticket types are. Assuming it'll automatically cap fares at weekly / monthly fares like Oyster though? It's the sort of thing that are actually useful for people.

(24 Nov 2020, 10:35 am)streetdeckfan wrote But my point is that the only people who will really be using TOTO are the people that will just be travelling along the route, with no onward travel with another GNE service, otherwise they'd probably be better served buying a day ticket, which obviously isn't available using that payment method. 

In my eyes, they have to at least expand the trial to connecting services at Gateshead and Newcastle for it to get any useful data. 

If it'd be possible to register my bank card to take advantage of 5-25 ticket pricing, I'd sign up instantly. It'd probably be the closest I'd get to using The Key, which I still believe is far superior to using the app.

You do realise not everyone rides around on buses all day for the sake of it? The majority of customers on the 53/54 will go to Newcastle and Gateshead and that's it. It's by the far the best route to trial it on as it doesn't really connect with anything and it's the only bus on most of route ie. Coatsworth Road. I'm sure if it works on the 53/54 then it'll be expanded to other routes aswell.

(24 Nov 2020, 10:35 am)streetdeckfan wrote But my point is that the only people who will really be using TOTO are the people that will just be travelling along the route, with no onward travel with another GNE service, otherwise they'd probably be better served buying a day ticket, which obviously isn't available using that payment method.  

In my eyes, they have to at least expand the trial to connecting services at Gateshead and Newcastle for it to get any useful data. 

If it'd be possible to register my bank card to take advantage of 5-25 ticket pricing, I'd sign up instantly. It'd probably be the closest I'd get to using The Key, which I still believe is far superior to using the app.

How do you work out they're not travelling on an onward service?

Commuting to Team Valley, heading on to the College? The business park at Scotswood? Somewhere on the Metro route not served by bus?

(24 Nov 2020, 11:57 am)Andreos1 wrote How do you work out they're not travelling on an onward service?

Commuting to Team Valley, heading on to the College? The business park at Scotswood? Somewhere on the Metro route not served by bus?

Because unless you're buying an under 19 ticket (which I'm guessing won't be available using TOTO), it basically never makes sense to buy a single ticket unless you're just using the one bus.

And, if the onward service is using another operator or Metro, then they can't track their journey anyway, just where they got off. But then again, if that person is doing that journey with any regularity, they'll probably have a Network One ticket.

(24 Nov 2020, 12:10 pm)streetdeckfan wrote It basically never makes sense to buy a single ticket unless you're just using the one bus.

From my experience, single tickets are frequently sold. Now, I don't understand passenger models, but since it's my job to sell them, I'd be inclined to say you're wrong about that.
With the pandemic, there has been a huge pick-up in scanning passes too, which leads me to believe passengers generally either have prepaid cards, codes, or ENCTS or want a single. I'd say the day of the return is dying a death. This would make the TOTO scheme a great tool to pin point where people board/exit in an identifiable way. Currently Ticketer just tells you numbers of people getting on/off, which doesn't give the best picture of journey's being made. You have to assume some passenger's activity, where as a scanning tool, will allow a direct log of journeys - real data vs assumed data.

(24 Nov 2020, 12:25 pm)Jamie M wrote From my experience, single tickets are frequently sold. Now, I don't understand passenger models, but since it's my job to sell them, I'd be inclined to say you're wrong about that.
With the pandemic, there has been a huge pick-up in scanning passes too, which leads me to believe passengers generally either have prepaid cards, codes, or ENCTS or want a single. I'd say the day of the return is dying a death. This would make the TOTO scheme a great tool to pin point where people board/exit in an identifiable way. Currently Ticketer just tells you numbers of people getting on/off, which doesn't give the best picture of journey's being made. You have to assume some passenger's activity, where as a scanning tool, will allow a direct log of journeys - real data vs assumed data. 

That's the key to this. Whilst a fleetwide roll out can make a huge difference, seeing it introduced now is pleasing to see. 
To think how many changes and revisions there have been based on data (which to be totally frank, is flawed on so many levels), is scary.
People's lives and commutes have been impacted on the assumed data impacting on the vast revisions to services seen in the last 14/15 years.

(24 Nov 2020, 12:25 pm)Jamie M wrote From my experience, single tickets are frequently sold. Now, I don't understand passenger models, but since it's my job to sell them, I'd be inclined to say you're wrong about that.
With the pandemic, there has been a huge pick-up in scanning passes too, which leads me to believe passengers generally either have prepaid cards, codes, or ENCTS or want a single. I'd say the day of the return is dying a death. This would make the TOTO scheme a great tool to pin point where people board/exit in an identifiable way. Currently Ticketer just tells you numbers of people getting on/off, which doesn't give the best picture of journey's being made. You have to assume some passenger's activity, where as a scanning tool, will allow a direct log of journeys - real data vs assumed data.

I personally don't understand why so many people buy single tickets, other than, like I say the £1.20 under 19 ticket. 90% of the time, you'll be going home the same day, and a return is almost guaranteed to be cheaper than two singles. Plus, with return tickets being capped at the price of a day ticket, unless you're only going a couple stops, they rarely make financial sense anyway. 

I think a lot of it has to do with people just not knowing how much better value day tickets are. I have a friend that doesn't really know much about the buses so I'm constantly getting asked 'Am I better off getting two singles or a day ticket', and my answer is always 'Just get a day ticket' because a single alone is the best part of £4, and a day ticket for her is only £4.50! 

I'm not saying TOTO is bad, in fact I'd absolutely love for it to be rolled out everywhere, I just think isolating the trial to one route is a strange decision.

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(24 Nov 2020, 12:52 pm)Andreos1 wrote That's the key to this. Whilst a fleetwide roll out can make a huge difference, seeing it introduced now is pleasing to see. 
To think how many changes and revisions there have been based on data (which to be totally frank, is flawed on so many levels), is scary.
People's lives and commutes have been impacted on the assumed data impacting on the vast revisions to services seen in the last 14/15 years.

Definitely, I'm surprised it's taken them this long to roll something like this out.
Something similar has been in operation on the Metro for years now, using the same POP cards that are accepted on GNE services.

While I'm not sure of the technical crap behind the Ticketer machine, I'd assume it's just a software change and an additional RFID reader, so realistically it'll not be that expensive to roll out fleet wide. But then again, an RFID reader that costs at most £1 to make will no doubt cost at least £100 once you'd tacked on the 'commercial use' tax on to it!

This is on GNE’s Instagram stories which indicates they enter service on Friday


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The Electric buses will be out tomorrow morning.

https://twitter.com/MartijnGNE/status/13...3889405954


Who will be the first to get all 9 photographed?

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Edit: The GNE website indicates that, they enter service in 11 hours and 10 minutes - (current time of posting is 19:50pm) - https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/voltra


Promo: https://twitter.com/gonortheast/status/1...2875699204
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With the Yutong buses entering service tomorrow, I wonder where the Streetlites will be allocated?

Who likes the promo video then....the switch is flipped!

https://twitter.com/gonortheast/status/1...2875699204

(26 Nov 2020, 8:28 pm)citaro5284 wrote Who likes the promo video then....the switch is flipped!

https://twitter.com/gonortheast/status/1...2875699204

They look impressive on a night.

Will the promo be on TV? haha

(26 Nov 2020, 8:28 pm)citaro5284 wrote Who likes the promo video then....the switch is flipped!

https://twitter.com/gonortheast/status/1...2875699204

Is it just me, or is it like a Mill Volvo advert from a few years back?
The bit at the end especially 

https://youtu.be/VoOvdYmftUg

(26 Nov 2020, 8:28 pm)citaro5284 wrote Who likes the promo video then....the switch is flipped!

https://twitter.com/gonortheast/status/1...2875699204

Cheer up Martijn! The government are covering your losses!

Young Martjn likes his publicity doesn’t he? We’ve seen him more than any other GNE exec in history! (Not necessarily a negative)

(26 Nov 2020, 9:37 pm)Ambassador wrote Young Martjn likes his publicity doesn’t he? We’ve seen him more than any other GNE exec in history! (Not necessarily a negative)

Which is good, don't see Stagecoach NE and Arriva NE doing that though.

I'm baffled at who the campaign is targeted at tbh. Bus enthusiasts? As I really can't see it appealing to anyone else as it doesn't advertise anything ie missing important details ie. where they run etc. Also after one minute it looks like some boss who wants to be in the spotlight for absolute no reason at all with the staff who are actually important giving him a ceremony as he's their boss (from an average passenger). No offence.

(26 Nov 2020, 10:15 pm)Michael wrote Which is good, don't see Stagecoach NE and Arriva NE doing that though.

Do we care? Enthusiasts possibly but the general public don’t. Souter is the face of Stagecoach, Arriva are to some the German group...

I honestly felt like I was watching a Michael Scott scene mixed with some Partridge? I’ve no idea why he’s more prominent then the route. It’s just weird.