Chaserider

[ContainsNuts]

Perhaps they could maintain whqt they have then to aroadworthy level? 2 no 71s,an hourly service,broke down one aftee another testerday....imagine thats as your first impression as a passenger

So why not start the 'Bob Bus Company' then? It would be better than sitting in your chair scouring the internet for evidence of missing buses then making assumptions that they have broken down because they are 'clapped out' or the staff are 'incompetent'. I doubt you have actually witnessed the majority of 'breakdowns' that you continually allege.

If you did start your own company I'm sure it would be more successful than Chaserider as you seem fully qualified and make it sound so easy. Have you actually ever worked for a bus operator? I doubt it, but then again we live in a society experience and knowledge doesn't really matter as long as you keep banging on about something on the internet until enough people start to agree with you.

You could always offer to buy Chaserider. I'm sure a serious offer would be considered. As others have advised, money is so easy to come across and you can just borrow what you need from the bank, and replace the entire fleet once you take over - all of the 'clapped out' Solos could be scrapped and replaced with 'decent' vehicles like the Metrocity (the one that is identical to a Solo underneath but seems to qualify as a 'proper' bus due to the front wheels being in a slightly different place). The 'Bob Bus Company' will be the best thing that's ever happened to buses in the Cannock area.

I suppose you could always apply for a job at Chaserider. Your vast knowledge of diagnosing faults on buses would be invaluable to any operator, or you could get an operations role where you can ensure that a 'clapped out' Solo never makes it onto an interurban route. Or you could go and drive the buses and never be miserable despite the grief that drivers get from passengers on a daily basis.

Some decent suggestions there for you, or is the armchair too comfortable to leave?

[Capitalpotter]

I never understand the constant slaying of an optare solo. These along with the Dennis dart are 2 of the most successful buses of the modern era.
Borrowing money to purchase buses is far from the best way to go. The last thing a struggling company needs is to be laden with more debt. When a bus is purchased outright the value is added to your business

[Lukeee]

I never understand the constant slaying of an optare solo. These along with the Dennis dart are 2 of the most successful buses of the modern era.
Borrowing money to purchase buses is far from the best way to go. The last thing a struggling company needs is to be laden with more debt. When a bus is purchased outright the value is added to your business

As someone that has drove Optare solos I have found them rather reliable. Also I would like to agree with the above points, if a company is struggling to turn a profit then replacing the whole fleet isn't going to happen. 

[Capitalpotter]

As someone that has drove Optare solos I have found them rather reliable. Also I would like to agree with the above points, if a company is struggling to turn a profit then replacing the whole fleet isn't going to happen.

It certainly doesn't make sense to replace vehicles that you own outright to lease or borrow money to buy.

[Budgie]

Well said Contains Nuts in #1440. I think there needs to be a serious reality check. Chaserider took over Cannock in Jan 2021 I believe.  Am I right to think the newest buses they were left with were a couple of 09 plates. Everything else Arriva had shipped out to live their final years in other depots. Bus Times has the fleet as 48 buses at the moment with the following breakdown. If you take into account the amount of investment say Arriva has made since then or indeed NX in its Black Country routes and compare that to Chaserider, I'd take Chaserider's investment any day. Sure, buses are often not new but they are better than what was inherited. What more do people demand, especially given the current climate, and how unreasonable are those demands (ask the people of Kent!):

 

Age of bus	Count of Age	Reg of bus
0.1	1	23
0.5	1	72
1	2	22
4.5	1	68
6	2	17
7	1	16
7.5	2	65
8.5	3	64
9	1	14
9.5	4	63
10	1	13
10.5	2	62
12	2	11
12.5	1	60
14	6	09
14.5	10	58
15	3	08
15.5	2	57
17	2	06
18	1	05
Grand Total	48	72

[Budgie]

I've just gone back to Tony's list of movements for when D&G bought Chaserider. That points to 46 buses being transferred as part of the sale, indeed including a few 09 plates but also an 02 plates, 54 plates etc. I think the transformation to what they have now is pretty staggering. It is something to be proud of, not something worthy of serious continuous criticism.  

Having done the very quick analysis I have this evening, I feel very sorry that those running Chaserider have to put up with the comments they do on this forum given the transformation, and it is a transformation, of the fleet.... and yes the massive improvement they have made to the fleet in the very short time they have owned it. Especially given most of the time we have had Covid and the after effects since they bought it

[winston]

Well said Contains Nuts in #1440. I think there needs to be a serious reality check. Chaserider took over Cannock in Jan 2021 I believe.  Am I right to think the newest buses they were left with were a couple of 09 plates. Everything else Arriva had shipped out to live their final years in other depots. Bus Times has the fleet as 48 buses at the moment with the following breakdown. If you take into account the amount of investment say Arriva has made since then or indeed NX in its Black Country routes and compare that to Chaserider, I'd take Chaserider's investment any day. Sure, buses are often not new but they are better than what was inherited. What more do people demand, especially given the current climate, and how unreasonable are those demands (ask the people of Kent!):

 

Age of bus	Count of Age	Reg of bus
0.1	1	23
0.5	1	72
1	2	22
4.5	1	68
6	2	17
7	1	16
7.5	2	65
8.5	3	64
9	1	14
9.5	4	63
10	1	13
10.5	2	62
12	2	11
12.5	1	60
14	6	09
14.5	10	58
15	3	08
15.5	2	57
17	2	06
18	1	05
Grand Total	48	72

No reality check required, 16 of the 48 buses listed were originally Arriva buses acquired with the Cannock Business in Jan 2021, they are still in service with Chaserider as follows:

Optare Solo SR
162 YJ58CCN
163 YJ09MLL
166 YJ09MLN
167 YJ09MLO

Optare Solo
180 YK57FHH
181 YK57FHJ
182 YJ58PKD

VDL SB200 / Wright Commander
187 FJ06ZTK

Volvo B7RLE / Wright Eclispe
191 FJ58HYP
192 FJ58HYR
193 FJ58HYS
194 FJ58HYT
195 FJ58HYU
196 FJ58HYV
197 FJ58HYW
198 FJ58HYX

The newest 6 buses in the Chaserider fleet are all employed on new tendered work centred around Wellington (with Travel Telford branding), they haven't replaced anything, it was a contractural requirement to operate Euro 6 buses. These weren't acquired for former Arriva Cannock services, it is completely new work:

ADL E200MMC's:
538 YX68UMT
539 YX17NKZ
540 YX22OGG
541 YX22OGH
542 YX72ONL
543 YX23OTE

By my claucaltions:

Chaserider Fleet = 48 buses

          - 6 acquired for new Wellington Contracts (Telford Travel branded)
          -16 originally ex Arriva Cannock

= 26 Chaserider replacements acquired / transferred in from Centrebus Group Subsidaries

One odd replacement was 625 an 06 plate Volvo B7RLE originally ex First Manchester & still in allover white livery.

[Bob]

I've just gone back to Tony's list of movements for when D&G bought Chaserider. That points to 46 buses being transferred as part of the sale, indeed including a few 09 plates but also an 02 plates, 54 plates etc. I think the transformation to what they have now is pretty staggering. It is something to be proud of, not something worthy of serious continuous criticism. 

Having done the very quick analysis I have this evening, I feel very sorry that those running Chaserider have to put up with the comments they do on this forum given the transformation, and it is a transformation, of the fleet.... and yes the massive improvement they have made to the fleet in the very short time they have owned it. Especially given most of the time we have had Covid and the after effects since they bought it

Those new purchases as stated , arent used on their interurban services. In the main, elderly unreliable vehicles are. 74 825 826 etc are generally operated with 15 yr old full sized vehicles, whilst Solos of a dimilar age are used on other Cannock/Stafford services. Also if improvement has been so good, why has reliability been so abysmal. Are NX services for example suffering two hour gaps in services cos buses are vonstantly breaking down, or as happened last week on the 60, 75 perc of the buses allocated ( 3 of 4) breaking down before 10am?

[Budgie]

Bob, as I have said before, I bought a car exactly because that was what was happening on NX routes. Admittedly it was 10 years ago. Premier 997 using 57 plated buses forever breaking down, the favoured spot being the James Watt college Birmingham bound stop to break down. Sunday hourly's to Walsall frequently not turning up. The final straw for me was the Sunday the 997 short to Pheasey turned up at exactly the time the Walsall bus was due and then waiting forever for the Walsall one to show having been on said breakdown buses during the week.  Alternative from Rushall was to go into Walsall and get X51 but the one due approx 08:20 was often a no show, this being the days before the Platinum's started a 10 minute service. I got the impression that was either the last or nearest to last bus from the garage so if they didn't have a driver, that bus got dumped but we didn't have Bus Times to check maps in those days.

My point is I had exactly that experience with NX and with what was relatively new "Premier" buses and the now esteemed X51

[ellspurs]

This morning, I overtook one of the 68 plate Telford-branded buses on the m54 heading towards Telford. For some reason, it was driving slowly, and it stuck its hazards on as I approached. It made no attempt to go onto the hard shoulder, so I assume it was driving dangerously slowly so it didn't get to its destination too early.

[Lukeee]

This morning, I overtook one of the 68 plate Telford-branded buses on the m54 heading towards Telford. For some reason, it was driving slowly, and it stuck its hazards on as I approached. It made no attempt to go onto the hard shoulder, so I assume it was driving dangerously slowly so it didn't get to its destination too early.

If its still drivable surely it's safer to carry on till the next exit than sit in the hard shoulder with a bus full of passengers 

[winston]

This morning, I overtook one of the 68 plate Telford-branded buses on the m54 heading towards Telford. For some reason, it was driving slowly, and it stuck its hazards on as I approached. It made no attempt to go onto the hard shoulder, so I assume it was driving dangerously slowly so it didn't get to its destination too early.

More likely a fault had developed & was driving in limp mode. 

[ellspurs]

If its still drivable surely it's safer to carry on till the next exit than sit in the hard shoulder with a bus full of passengers

This was 4.15am~ish, it was empty.

More likely a fault had developed & was driving in limp mode.

Quite possibly, but wouldn't you pull over at one of the SOS phones rather than limp along a motorway?

I looked on bustimes and the only 68 plate listed under Chaserider was apparently on the Pye Greens yesterday. It is a mystery.

[hlliwmai]

It looks as if Chaserider could potentially end up loosing the A51 when this happens, I can envisage Diamond taking on the service or it could possibly bounce back to NX Walsall who operated previously. 
 https://www.expressandstar.com/news/business/2023/06/28/giant-rugeley-amazon-site-to-close-and-be-replaced-by-bigger-sutton-coldfield-centre/

[Westy]

It looks as if Chaserider could potentially end up loosing the A51 when this happens, I can envisage Diamond taking on the service or it could possibly bounce back to NX Walsall who operated previously.
 https://www.expressandstar.com/news/business/2023/06/28/giant-rugeley-amazon-site-to-close-and-be-replaced-by-bigger-sutton-coldfield-centre/

Hmm. Wonder whereabouts in Sutton? (For the benefit of my second cousin!)