Rotala Management - Questions & Answers

[Simon Dunn]

Thanks for that @Simon Dunn, I don't suppose you know who is going to operate these routes once Diamond come off them? 

No

[MX05WHR-Enjoyer]

Simon, do you have any idea when the sk63 plate streetlites will be entering service and what garages they will be going to?

[2206]

As a result of the bridge works in Bewdley we are experiencing substantial traffic delays.  The impact, and the direction of works has not yet been decided.  We have put in place an initial three week plan which is communicated on our website and going on our buses in the next few days.

In terms of Bus Stops - we have asked on numerous occasions to be able to take control of the stops.  We have the equipment to manage the stops like we do in Burton.  However, the ownership of the stops is unclear, we have asked for permission to remove/ hand back and replace. 

WCC prefer to roll out technology on stops - and we are working with them to deliver on their strategy.

Thankyou.

Having used the Rifle Range 8 on a number of occasions recently I notice there seem to be a number of stops missed of the stop list/route map on the Diamond Website.  These being located on Stretton Road, Greatfield Road and Sutton Road. On each occasion I have used it the bus has stopped at these stops. 

There seem to be a few elderly people who travel round the whole rifle range circle to get to these stops. Operating in both directions rather than as a loop would probably be beneficial I think. 

[Simon Dunn]

Simon, do you have any idea when the sk63 plate streetlites will be entering service and what garages they will be going to?

2 are for Eccles, and I think 9 will go to Kidderminster.

[AlexW480]

Simon,

What happened to the funding passed to Rotala for the 582 which was initially awarded to First in 2019. I'm aware you were trialing electric vehicles for the route and then all went quiet. I imagine this had something to do with the franchising pot of funding? 

[Simon Dunn]

Thankyou.

Having used the Rifle Range 8 on a number of occasions recently I notice there seem to be a number of stops missed of the stop list/route map on the Diamond Website.  These being located on Stretton Road, Greatfield Road and Sutton Road. On each occasion I have used it the bus has stopped at these stops.

There seem to be a few elderly people who travel round the whole rifle range circle to get to these stops. Operating in both directions rather than as a loop would probably be beneficial I think.

The rifle range, isn't very well used for the resource that is currently deployed.  It would therefore be difficult to increase frequency.

[Simon Dunn]

Simon,

What happened to the funding passed to Rotala for the 582 which was initially awarded to First in 2019. I'm aware you were trialing electric vehicles for the route and then all went quiet. I imagine this had something to do with the franchising pot of funding?

We looked at the funding.  The position with Franchising, the unknown nature at the time on how vehicles in a RV pool would be treated, made it difficult to consider investment in Electric vehicles.

[Trident 4194]

I do wonder about some of the drivers currently employed and how much lost mileage you are incurring as a result. Take 30715 for example today. Parked in Halesowen for over 2 hours NIS was on the 4H. No issues from what I could see. This seems to be a regular occurrence with buses only doing part route too. Are you still short staffed? 

[Simon Dunn]

I do wonder about some of the drivers currently employed and how much lost mileage you are incurring as a result. Take 30715 for example today. Parked in Halesowen for over 2 hours NIS was on the 4H. No issues from what I could see. This seems to be a regular occurrence with buses only doing part route too. Are you still short staffed?

The driver churn is extremely high, this started during COVID and the escalation in wage rates has also played a part.

Overall we have sufficient numbers of drivers.  We train a substantial number from car license to PCV, and although we lose drivers to other operators like NX we trade more or less the same number.  The churn though is massive.

In this churn we spend time training, monitoring performance, and we daily look through data on operated journeys, early operation, and excessive later operation.   

There are routes which have been badly affected by roadworks, and there has been a large number of unnotified occurrences of this.  The impact of these roadworks is inconsistent.  

With regards to what you have identified - although we review all this data - the truth is there is a mammoth amount to look at, and we rely upon feedback to help pin point potential problems.

Now I have your message, I will get one of our Assistant Operations Managers to review.

Thank you

[2900]

just seen a video online of a diamond bus in a workshop that has slipped off the mobile jacks, i hope every one involved is ok ,its very sobering to watch, having a back ground in the motor trade i have seen cars fall off ramps with serious fatal out comes. 

[Tony]

just seen a video online of a diamond bus in a workshop that has slipped off the mobile jacks, i hope every one involved is ok ,its very sobering to watch, having a back ground in the motor trade i have seen cars fall off ramps with serious fatal out comes.

This was many months ago

[Westy]

Can I ask where I stand legally on this please?

My Swiftcard today was accepted on a Diamond 31, an Nx 529 this morning & a Nx 31 this afternoon, but not the Diamond 326.

I say your machine on the 326 vehicle wasnt working correctly, but the driver said he'd had no problems.

For the record, despite the Swiftcard being dual branded for Nx & Swift, the pass has never had any Nx only products loaded on it, only Nbus products.

I stood my ground, helped by a fellow passenger shouting 'Let him on driver!', & he let me sit down, but I even showed him the receipt from the Swiftcard machine & he was still debating to let me on or not, but I don't see why I had to have this conversation.

It's not my fault your machine is not accepting my pass.

I've paid & kept my receipt, which should prove my right to travel!

I was even prepared to show him on the Swift collector app, that the card was working.

(The pass was even renewed on Wednesday for the next month, starting on Monday, so I know it was working!)

[Solo1]

have the 2 versa's at tamworth been withdrawn as not tracked from early august & 37000 when will that entrer service as last tracked may thank you 

[Simon Dunn]

This was many months ago

I cannot remember when, but I believe this incident happened over a year ago.  Maybe 2-3.  

[Simon Dunn]

Can I ask where I stand legally on this please?

My Swiftcard today was accepted on a Diamond 31, an Nx 529 this morning & a Nx 31 this afternoon, but not the Diamond 326.

I say your machine on the 326 vehicle wasnt working correctly, but the driver said he'd had no problems.

For the record, despite the Swiftcard being dual branded for Nx & Swift, the pass has never had any Nx only products loaded on it, only Nbus products.

I stood my ground, helped by a fellow passenger shouting 'Let him on driver!', & he let me sit down, but I even showed him the receipt from the Swiftcard machine & he was still debating to let me on or not, but I don't see why I had to have this conversation.

It's not my fault your machine is not accepting my pass.

I've paid & kept my receipt, which should prove my right to travel!

I was even prepared to show him on the Swift collector app, that the card was working.

(The pass was even renewed on Wednesday for the next month, starting on Monday, so I know it was working!)

Can you email a copy of your card, specific journey details, and vehicle registration number/ fleet number if you have it for the trip which didn't accept your card.

From this, I will be able to trace the card being accepted/ and which vehicle that didn't accept.

Once I have this, I can look at the facts.  If I am honest, I see every complaint and this is not something I have seen complained about before.  Historically such occurrences have been highlighted as passenger not acquiring the correct pass.  It would be difficult to believe this is the case, in this circumstance.