Questions for the NXWM Operations Director

[NX OD]

I will like to congratulate you Simon on your new Post. And i will like to Thank You SO much for taking the time to answer our questions.

And Thank You for Making the 59 earlier on a Sunday ;D ;) Only joking

I promise you the earlier 59 is being looked at for a Sunday.

[NX OD]

will there ever  ;Dnew buses for 74/5 because old ones are no good

There will be at some point but it is not clear when.  No plans for new ones here in 2014.

[NX OD]

Hi simon, this also goes to tony if he reads this as im aware he is inspector if im right?
Is there anyway you can speak to you drivers on the coventry road to speed up driver changes, im currently sat on the 900 which arrived at the change over point at 1358 and left just after 1405, i and the other passengers all have somewhere to go and waiting here for 10 minutes while the new driver speaks to other drivers sat in the bus stop.
Sorry but has happened on many occasions and is starting to the biscuit a bit

I agree that this is frustrating.  I will have some staff spend some time there to ensure that this improves.

[NX OD]

Can you ask YW engineering to have a look at 4094. It's deafeningly loud. And that's without the fan spinning. Cheers

Yes, will do.

[NX OD]

Better get my question in while I can then (great thread btw).

My query is about the co-ordination of services 27 & 76 between Kings Heath and Hollybank Rd/Chinn Brook Rd.
Both services have a 20 min daytime frequency, however I appreciate that without altering turn-around times it is not possible to achieve a 10 min headway in both directions based on current timetables.
Non-the-less I think the current 1'/19' interval to KH (ie the services run on top of each other) and 13'/'7 from KH could be improved upon.
If the whole (daytime) 27 timetable was brought forward 6 minutes, the 7'/13' interval from KH would be maintained (but now with the DD [76] service leading after the 13'), whilst a slightly better 15'/5' interval to KH would be achieved.

Thanks in advance.

Hi,

This sounds like something we should be able to do.  I will pass it on to the relevant people.

[NX OD]

Dunno if this happens regularly now, but it did when I caught it regularly & it happened again the other week when I had to catch it, but can you please get your Walsall drivers, especially the 529 (I know it's Wolverhampton before you say! ) to pull in at the first available stand to unload instead of waiting for the previous bus to clear the proper stand, as we had to wait 5 minutes on an incoming 529 & some people do need to make urgent connections?

Hi,

It is not always possible and Centro can request that we only use the correct stand so we don't block other services.

[NX OD]

RE: Service 900

This is largely observation and recommendation, I would firstly like to take the time to note that the service has improved compared to the dark days of the Metrobus (the smell haunts me) and I favor using it over Coventry service 7. Please note I am only a customer/passenger/slightly over interested person.

One thing I've noticed is the dead mileage on service 900 when vehicles are taken out of service after terminating in Coventry (Evenings when the timetable goes from every 30 mins to hourly). Surely it'd be more useful to run these buses as a short working Coventry-Airport/NEC at least? Instead of trundling all the way back to the garage empty. Would decrease wasted emissions.
I understand driver working hours and even profitability may be a factor, but there always seem to be people waiting for a 900 in Pool Meadow.

I would like to see better cooperation between Central garage and Coventry garage on service 900.
Before the urrent timetables were put up on the website, I rang Coventry garage ([no way I'd phone that Traveline] and my journey was soley within Coventry) for bus times and they apparently had no access to service 900 information (possibly not even the previous timetable). 
Surely it would make sense to give all garages access to all service information?

Not too long ago there was a large incident which blocked the A45 for some time. To deal with the delays and growing number of passengers waiting, empty buses were sent empty to Coventry, before staring the service . It would have saved delays if temporary vehicles had of been sourced from the Coventry garage instead, and again avoiding dead mileage if the temporary vehicles then worked a round service Coventry-Birmingham-Coventry.
The factors I can see for this not being the case would be: Vehicle availability, Driver route knowledge, correct ticketing/charges and bus signage although these could be easily resolved with perhaps exception with route availability.

I hope this has been constructive, and I wish to say thanks for the opportunity to share this.
I was tempted previously to contact customer service, but this information would be better utilized by operations management. The old adage "I could do a better job" comes to mind, but then again it is probably more complicated than I'd expect.

Hi,

All very interesting.  I will pass it on to BC and Coventry to see if they can get better at communication.

It must be said that the garages are not set up to answer calls about bus times.  This is what Traveline is for and although some people don't like it, it is a useful source of information.

[Sh4318]

Hi Simon,

Could you get someone to check the Sunday timetable for the 80, often in the daytime 05 and 35 journeys from Birmingham, arrive at Blue Gates around 38 and 08, when it's meant to arrive at 33 and 03, presumably arriving in West Bromwich late to enter service onto the 50 and 20 back to Birmingham

[NX OD]

Hi,

I will answer the last few questions later today but I must say that Walsall are in no way 47 drivers short as mentioned on other posts.  I have no idea where this has come from but I want to set the record straight.

Thanks.

[NX OD]

Hi Simon,

Could you get someone to check the Sunday timetable for the 80, often in the daytime 05 and 35 journeys from Birmingham, arrive at Blue Gates around 38 and 08, when it's meant to arrive at 33 and 03, presumably arriving in West Bromwich late to enter service onto the 50 and 20 back to Birmingham

Hi,

Yes I will do.

[NX OD]

Hi,

Thanks for all the posts and questions.  I have really enjoyed it.

That's all for now!

Simon