Diamond Bus - Discussion

[bwsau cymru]

Its completely shocking yet again a demonstaration of the dreadful management currently running the day to day operations of diamond. Im not saying its senior management mainly im pointing the finger at the duty managers who are allocating buses to routes etc. Diamond is being run into the ground and if they continue I really don't see how they are going to survive with Arriva

[Ash]

Buses running late today was not helped by Bradford Place bus stop changes buses were being stuck entering the bus station and then queuing to load with passengers. Also there was an accident in Halesowen today involving a bus which is not going to help traffic. If extreme events happen like this you can't blame diamond fully for buses running late in one positive at least they turned up at all even if they were together.

[Mike360]

http://www.halesowennews.co.uk/archive/2013/04/29/Latets+%28redd_news_latest%29/10385680.Redditch_councillor_sends_list_of_complaints_to_bus_company/

http://www.halesowennews.co.uk/archive/2013/04/25/Letters+%28redd_news_letters%29/10375019.Nightmare_on_the_number_57/

Diamond's problems in Redditch.

[Ash]

The big issue is are diamond arent' going to invest in double deckers or up the frequency for the 57/58 until everything is cleared with diamonds takeover.

[jc]

Had a half hour wait for a 57 Sunday ... There meant to be every ten, in the end I gave up and got the 248

[bususer12]

Caught the 1750 "swift" 226 from Merry Hill today, having seen drivers play the "no ticket - machine Kaput" game before in order to pocket the money as the tickets wouldnt go through the machine. This is a new low - the driver was giving passengers scrumpled up used tickets, presumably in order to pocket the fares himself. Driver was also driving very aggressively.

Vehicle No. Diamond 20535 driven by a black driver with shades on and a bald head. I have passed this on to Centro and Diamond.

[Isle of Stroma]

Caught the 1750 "swift" 226 from Merry Hill today, having seen drivers play the "no ticket - machine Kaput" game before in order to pocket the money as the tickets wouldnt go through the machine. This is a new low - the driver was giving passengers scrumpled up used tickets, presumably in order to pocket the fares himself. Driver was also driving very aggressively.

Aha, another job for the Tividale (ex Long Acre) coverts to investigate.

Oh, ermm.......

[bwsau cymru]

Caught the 1750 "swift" 226 from Merry Hill today, having seen drivers play the "no ticket - machine Kaput" game before in order to pocket the money as the tickets wouldnt go through the machine. This is a new low - the driver was giving passengers scrumpled up used tickets, presumably in order to pocket the fares himself. Driver was also driving very aggressively.

Vehicle No. Diamond 20535 driven by a black driver with shades on and a bald head. I have passed this
on to Centro and Diamond.

Should contact diamond to inform them of the going's on, hopefully that could be another dreadful driver out! Ive watched a few times drivers take money and not issue tickets on the 97 and gladly reported it everytime!

[PM]

Caught the 1750 "swift" 226 from Merry Hill today, having seen drivers play the "no ticket - machine Kaput" game before in order to pocket the money as the tickets wouldnt go through the machine. This is a new low - the driver was giving passengers scrumpled up used tickets, presumably in order to pocket the fares himself. Driver was also driving very aggressively.

Vehicle No. Diamond 20535 driven by a black driver with shades on and a bald head. I have passed this on to Centro and Diamond.

Ha think I know which driver u mean He used to drive for golden line and Ive seen him do this before. Usually diamond drivers are very honest all the polish ones I know on the 50 are and use ticket books if the machine is broken

[bwsau cymru]

http://www.halesowennews.co.uk/archive/2013/04/29/Latets+%28redd_news_latest%29/10385680.Redditch_councillor_sends_list_of_complaints_to_bus_company/

http://www.halesowennews.co.uk/archive/2013/04/25/Letters+%28redd_news_letters%29/10375019.Nightmare_on_the_number_57/

Diamond's problems in Redditch.

The actual problem is not that buses are over crowded the actually issue is that the average joe wont actually know how many people buses can carry. for example the new wright eclipse buses at long achere, tivadale and Wessex hold 100 people, that's going to be bad, but the bus is running as normal. This is actually a better capacity than double deckers so would deckers actually be any use if its really that bad?
The other thing is when buses get busy you still get people with bags on seats and people who chose to stand rather than sit down. this makes the bus seem more busy that it really is. If everyone used every seat and when they stand actually stand as far to the back as possible I honestly believe the problem would go. But sadly passengers aren't educated enough on how to travel on a bus efficiently!

[PM]

http://www.halesowennews.co.uk/archive/2013/04/29/Latets+%28redd_news_latest%29/10385680.Redditch_councillor_sends_list_of_complaints_to_bus_company/

http://www.halesowennews.co.uk/archive/2013/04/25/Letters+%28redd_news_letters%29/10375019.Nightmare_on_the_number_57/

Diamond's problems in Redditch.

The actual problem is not that buses are over crowded the actually issue is that the average joe wont actually know how many people buses can carry. for example the new wright eclipse buses at long achere, tivadale and Wessex hold 100 people, that's going to be bad, but the bus is running as normal. This is actually a better capacity than double deckers so would deckers actually be any use if its really that bad?
The other thing is when buses get busy you still get people with bags on seats and people who chose to stand rather than sit down. this makes the bus seem more busy that it really is. If everyone used every seat and when they stand actually stand as far to the back as possible I honestly believe the problem would go. But sadly passengers aren't educated enough on how to travel on a bus efficiently!

Diamond need to watch out though as the oft will see people are complaining and block the takeover if theyre not careful

[Isle of Stroma]

Diamond need to watch out though as the oft will see people are complaining and block the takeover

Only if they're lucky.....

[Ash]

Are drivers able to cancel a ticket when they issued one on the wayfarer ticket machines, especially when children have boarded and given them a £1 coin and boarded without a ticket, no ticket gets issued and I wonder where the money goes   ::), also saw drivers issue tickets that are not proper tickets just blank tickets essentially.

[Ash]

Well after the changes to Bradford Place in Walsall I have to say although chaotic diamond seems to have gained in passenger numbers 30204 cadet arrived in on the 4 this afternoon in Walsall no other 4's of either diamond or NXWM was present and picked up as many passengers as it could with a queue of about 60 this bus left absolutely rammed to the front window with standing room only if people could squeeze on. In the opposite direction as i got the diamond after a NXWM was heading towards Walsall absolutely rammed full missing out people in the stops in Caldmore. At the moment the NXWM buses seem to be stuck in 2's and 3's and diamond seems to be catching the passengers in the gaps where NXWM are missing out due to the grouping of buses at this rate diamond will need some double deckers :).

Also John-s-91's  the photo of BK13NZT you have uploaded onto your flickr account has me on it sitting on the front seat on the 4M at the time. I didn't see anyone with a camera either there were 2 lads that looked liked spotters unless you were one of them. Then you might have saw 30204 leave full the bus I commented on earlier that left about 10 mins before this one did.

[winston]

I notice from the latest fleet changes that Rotala have now sold a further two Dart SLF/MCV to New Zealand i.e. 30018 (Signature Livery) & 30021 in new Diamond blue livery & re-instated four of the ex First P--MLA Darts/Plaxton to Redditch