Questions for the NXWM Operations Director

[NX OD]

Hi, Simon


1) Any plan for order a more new bendy buses in nearly the future?
2) I would like to see in next October, when the 11/12 need changes frequency from Every 15min to Every 10min from Coventry to University and Every 20min from Coventry to Leamington Spa. And need extra peak times in morning and evening on the 11/12 make turn on the time.
3) I would like Bendibuses can board on peak time on the 11/12 in morning and evening with University term timetable? I am sure there are no problem with tight on the road for bendy buses running on the 11/12.
4) I would like take two board can use the bendy buses running on 20's in Every Saturday only?? and I do know bendy buses can two board mon-friday on the 21.

Thanks many 6013 ;)

Hi 6013,

I am afraid that I do not look after Coventry.  Sorry, I should have made this clear.

There are certainly no plans to buy anymore bendy buses.

I will pass your other comments on to Coventry.

[NX OD]

Hi Simon,

I know you are getting swamped with questions here, and rather you than me having to answer them all.

My question is, after 10pm it is impossible to issue child tickets.
This has led to arguements as parents pay for their children and they expect a ticket, I have to try and explain that I cant issue a ticket and they ask why. Its an awkward situation.

Many thanks

Hi,

Sorry, this was another reply that got lost.

I will have a look at this but you should be able to issue a child value ticket on the Open Values option in the Promotions and Returns menu I think?  I will try and have a look at this as I have not considered it from the point of view you have highlighted.  Good feedback, thanks.

[NX OD]

Another quickie from me.

What was the overall customer feed back like for the experimental livery on 4177? Was it not rolled out as standard because of feedback or were there other factors involved?

Personally I liked it. It would need a few tweaks, such as replacing the orange detail with a different colour, but otherwise, it was very good! A vast improvement on the current livery!

Hi,

It was mixed and not particularly strong either way.  Some people said it was too much like London and this was Birmingham.

We made the concious decision to work on getting everything in to red and white before we started on anything new.

[NX OD]

Hi Simon really glad you are on the forum to answer our questions-it is really appreciated
Just a few quick questions:

1) Why did NX start buying omnilinks and then stop fairly shortly afterwards? Were they cheap initially and then the quality issues esposed?

2) Who came up with the current livery design-i imagine it was in house and certainly not best impressions or if so it is one of the ones they keep more quiet about lol

3) Why was the toothpaste livery never standardised on-brilliant smart livery.... shame it is not the current design

4) Why were vehicles like B10Bs repainted only to be withdrawn shortly when there were b7tl/alx400s which look a mess internally and externally still unrepainted

5) When will the presidents/spectras/tridents be withdrawn?

6) Why were NX in such a rush to refurb the presidents when left pretty much alone vehicles of a similar age until very recently until the good programme of refurbs began?

7) What was the point of the green branding? Did it increase ridership at all or just look cheap and tacky?

8) Why did it take so long to settle on a corporate style?

9) Isn't the current interior a bit sterile and bland-compared to that on the toothpaste buses-the interiors a bit like 50 shades of grey??

10) Why did WMT/TWM avoid buying darts for years?

11) Are routes on which competition has started on recently suffering in terms of patronage-im thinking the 50 here as NX seem to have resorted to desperation tactics-sudden branding, NX officials at the stop in town and buses suddenly short turning at the maypole which they didnt do before tgb upped the frequency?

12) Out of interest, what are relations like between rotala and NX-in the past, weren't relations between competing operators a bit frosty but what about now

Thanks again and look forward to your reply

Hi Peter,

I am afraid that many of your questions I can't really answer either because I was not in the business when the decisions were made (I joined in May 2008) or there is no real answer to the question it kind of just is how it is.  However, I will try some of them:

1. No idea.

2. In house but I have no idea by whom.

3. No idea.

4. They were withdrawn mainly due to not being low floor.  Someone decided to get them painted and so they were, nothing more than that probably.

5. No date set as yet.

6. This was all decided before I joined so I do not know.

7. The point was, as I understand it, to brand all the high frequency corridors in one identity that would represent that they were high frequency, ran all day and evenings and went to Birmingham city centre.

8. I don't know.

9. I think everyone will have their own opinion on what looks good and what does not.  I think they look smart in the new interior.  I am also not sure that passengers really notice much except is the interior clean, tidy and comfortable.

10. I don't know.

11. No comment.

12. No comment.

[6013]

Thank for reply :)

Why not buy order a some more new Mercedes Citaro Single Decker?

[NX OD]

Hi Simon:

1.why pink branding on red fronted vehicle, if your supporting breast cancer great idea but there's no ribbon, don't thinks it's that eye catching for the general public to really notice it.

2.As for these gold corridors I've heard about i'm assuming the buses wont be painted gold/white but branding similar to WN 1 service would catch the eye of most people it certainly did for Wolverhampton looks great.

3.I also think it would be great if another of your colleagues would be kind enough to answer questions we may have regarding vehicle movements and new buses coming to the region, I know info regarding new buses is vague, but would be nice to know what type of buses you have ordered when this batch of 300 start arriving.

Many thanks pb2012.

Hi.

1. The Marketing people designed it and so it was put on.  Nothing more than that.

2. We haven't got to that stage of detail yet.

3. Certainly the Commercial Director told me today that he would be happy to answer some questions at some point.  Other than the 26 buses for the end of this year nothing else has been ordered.

[NX OD]

Just a quick question from me

Could you tell me why certain busy routes (59 and 529 mainly) start late on a sunday as they always seem to be busy on the first journey).First 59 journey on a sunday is 08:50 from Ashmore Park and 09:20 from Wolverhamton

Could you possibly look into possibly starting say an hour earlier (7:50 from Ashmore Park and 08:20 from Wolverhampton) as it can get very busy on the first journey and the amount of times i've heard other passengers moan about how late it starts on a sunday.

Very sorry for the 1001 questions i am asking its just there are many questions i would like to ask

Hi,

Yes we will look at this. 

Certainly on some routes where we have started Sunday journeys earlier it has made sense such as on Soho Road.

[NX OD]

Thank for reply :)

Why not buy order a some more new Mercedes Citaro Single Decker?

We might do but it comes down to the price, quality. reliability and service we negotiate with the manufacturers.  This is often handled at Group level with some UK Bus input and is not simply a case of what we like or don't like.

[winston]

Hi Simon,

Next time you are all in the board room, is there any chance that you could have a word in the engineering directors and persuade him by whatever means necceassary to order a batch of Citaros?

[NX OD]

I think I am up to date with replies now.  Thanks for the questions, it has been interesting to read them all and if there are more please do ask them.

Sometimes things just are what they are for no particular reason and often decisions made at the time seem like good ones but looking back on them can sometimes seem to make no sense. 

The liveries over the years have all been done for good reasons often as a result of new people in the business.  Like all things people and time move on and ideas change.  I think we worry less about the colours these days and more about punctuality, reliability and presentation as that is what we think passengers really value most.  We could all (believe me) spend a whole board meeting on the colour!

[Stuharris 6360]

I think, personally, it would be nice to have the whole fleet in the same colour, though it will probably never happen.

However as the latest livery is pleasing to the eye, maybe it is time to give livery changes a rest.

Like everyone i do like branding, but to me sometimes it can restrict what buses you can use on a particular route.

[NX OD]

Hi Simon

I was just wondering when will Walsall Tridents be Refurbised/Repainted some buses have not been repainted since new

4307/4308/4309/4329/4331/4332

Being 12 Years Old

Thanks

Hi lynx1103,

I am not sure to be honest.  I will try and find out.

The next WA repaints will be the toothpaste E400's just transferred from PB; the TWM liveried Tridents should follow them

[Trident 4609]

Thanks for the reply Simon :) I would be extremely greatful if something does happen as Mon-Sat it does start quite early (5AM from Ashmore Park) so as i suggested that if it could possibly start an hour earlier at 07:50 from Ashmore Park.

Also another question (Highlighted by My friend matt who is on holiday atm and is a forum member so may ask you some questions but on his behalf). He is an very very regular user of the 9 and he thinks that the sunday service frequency should be increased from 20 minutes to say 15 minutes. I also now use the 9 on a regular basis and agree that it is still very busy on sundays  and could do with a slight increase.

Also another route me and matt were discussing were the frequency of the 140/241.

Especially on a sunday the 140/241 are hourly and do need to be increased to half hourly namely the 140 which a couple of times on a sunday when we have caught the 140 to Birmingham the bus has been packed with standees only and one occasion passengers turned away.

I possibly suggest a half hourly service on the 140/241 on sundays. Also another option we discussed was keep the hourly frequency but use E400's instead of B7RLE's on Sundays.

[pb2012]

Hi simon:

Do you know or could you tell us all if/when and into what livery will 2153 be painted.

thanks.

[Tony]

Hi simon:

Do you know or could you tell us all if/when and into what livery will 2153 be painted.

thanks.

A batch of red seats appeared at Miller Street today, so I suspect it may have got to Walsall