Claribels

[Steveminor]

Frontline was formed when Alan hodnet bought out Burman Travel

[Rob H]

YJ56KCV unexpectedly came up my road late this afternoon because of traffic on Sheaf Lane in Sheldon it came up Rectory Park Road then turned right onto Coalway Avenue then it got stuck halfway down and then backed up all the way back to the top of Coalway Avenue then it carried on backing up until it was facing down Rectory Park Road and then went back down Rectory Park Road to rejoin Sheaf Lane

[Gareth]

Brand new YJ62JZH is on the 94 today.

[broma1k]

Claribels new one is YJ62 KZG or they have had 2 as I saw this today on the 94 this lunchtime & earlier this week on Wednesday.

[broma1k]

Sorry JZG not KZG

[Gareth]

Must have 2 then, as I've seen JZH twice too

[Discodave]

Clariblels are doing what diamond should do.  They concentrate on building a good customer base on high frequency core routes and using good decent kit.  Yes any dunce can set up a route against NXWM but Claribels are doing something right and make money and with regards to the 2 mins infront of NXWM they are not much better if they cannot put short turning E buses on they will flood the route or sections with other different services (Walsall/Bloxwich is a prime example) do not slag off an operator trying to make cash.  NXWM and other big boys are just as bad.

[andy]

Clariblels are doing what diamond should do.  They concentrate on building a good customer base on high frequency core routes and using good decent kit.  Yes any dunce can set up a route against NXWM but Claribels are doing something right and make money and with regards to the 2 mins infront of NXWM they are not much better if they cannot put short turning E buses on they will flood the route or sections with other different services (Walsall/Bloxwich is a prime example) do not slag off an operator trying to make cash.  NXWM and other big boys are just as bad.

My problem with operators registering a service 2 minutes in front is nothing to do with loyalty to a particular operator or 'big boy', it is the fact that it offers absolutely no benefit whatsoever to the passenger. A good example is VIP on the 966. 5 minutes in front of nearly every NX trip on a half hourly service. Why not register at 15 minute intervals? That would increase frequency and probably increase passenger base overall.  As things stand you still have to wait 25 minutes if you've just missed one. Where's the benefit of then having 2 arrive together? It's lazy competition.

[Discodave]

Fair enough it just seems a lot of posts just bash an operator usually a small independent yes there are a lot of cowboys around but claribels is trying to show a better image.

[Steveminor]

Andy regards the registering 2 mins in front of another operator, well west midlands travel has also done this in the past. The 119 & 638 against Petes travel springs to mind.
Both of these were Petes Travel routes which did not copy TWM so it can't be seen as diffensive.
So everyone is guilty of that little action, it's called gaining a commercial competitive edge & is good business sense. I agree not an ideal situation for passengers but then that's the way it's been since 1986.

[Discodave]

Andy regards the registering 2 Min's in front of another operator, well west midlands travel has also done this in the past. The 119 & 638 against Petes travel springs to mind.
Both of these were Pete's Travel routes which did not copy TWM so it can't be seen as defensive.
So everyone is guilty of that little action, it's called gaining a commercial competitive edge & is good business sense. I agree not an ideal situation for passengers but then that's the way it's been since 1986.

Proves my point the I was at Pete's when the 119 was doing well as soon as NXWM went on revenue dropped like a stone commercial advantage yes I agree but Andy looks like NXWM are Lazy competetors too.

[andy]

Andy regards the registering 2 Min's in front of another operator, well west midlands travel has also done this in the past. The 119 & 638 against Petes travel springs to mind.
Both of these were Pete's Travel routes which did not copy TWM so it can't be seen as defensive.
So everyone is guilty of that little action, it's called gaining a commercial competitive edge & is good business sense. I agree not an ideal situation for passengers but then that's the way it's been since 1986.

Proves my point the I was at Pete's when the 119 was doing well as soon as NXWM went on revenue dropped like a stone commercial advantage yes I agree but Andy looks like NXWM are Lazy competetors too.

I get annoyed when any operator does this, however big or small. It annoys me on 2 fronts. Firstly the one I've already explained, where there is no overall frequency benefit to the passenger. And secondly where an operator registers 2 minutes in front for only the profitable periods, leaving the other operator to run the service when it isn't so lucrative. That operator then neglects the service as overall it isn't as profitable.

The 1986 act is well overdue an overhaul and in my opinion it should include a clause whereby an operator can still register on any route and compete, but to have the registration accepted they should also have to present a business case to the authority to evidence how their introduction is going to benefit the passenger and provide growth in overall passenger numbers. If the business case doesn't add up, then the authority should have the ability to insist that the operator registers at intervals that are beneficial to the travelling public, making sure of course that the journeys will fit onto the required amount of running boards that the operator was looking to use, but if necessary reducing it.

This would put an end to people registering only on profitable sections or at profitable times, unless the operator could prove that numbers warranted it (ie where there is regular overcrowding of vehicles).

[Discodave]

Its a good idea look at the 301 my local route NX and diamond together and no bus for ages supposed to be diamond 6 buses any hour NX between 8 and 12 an hour but forever in 2 and 3 bunches either operator then you cant breath for buses along bloxwich road the area is over bussed.  Operators need to be forced to re route some along A34 into Walsall from Bloxwich. Arriva only run to the 4 crosses but turn off to bloxwich road the only alternative is quality contracts one operator set frequency and route monitored by authority and VOSA compliance officers.

[Ash]

Its a good idea look at the 301 my local route NX and diamond together and no bus for ages supposed to be diamond 6 buses any hour NX between 8 and 12 an hour but forever in 2 and 3 bunches either operator then you cant breath for buses along bloxwich road the area is over bussed.  Operators need to be forced to re route some along A34 into Walsall from Bloxwich. Arriva only run to the 4 crosses but turn off to bloxwich road the only alternative is quality contracts one operator set frequency and route monitored by authority and VOSA compliance officers.

Bunching is due to traffic congestion and often congestion along Bloxwich high street, normally when its quite bad NXWM turn buses around just before Bloxwich or start them from there, diamond buses seem to just to operate in 2's or 3's when the congestion is bad so in theory you could be waiting 20/30 minutes for a diamond bus. NXWM have started on the 4H which has been ran by ludlow and then diamond for a long time as the 417 by the looks of patronage NXWM seems to be suffering between Halesowen and Blackheath section where diamond seems to pick up alot of passengers between Halesowen and Hayley Green section and probably due to running every 20 minutes and not using the same stop at Halesowen to pick up passengers heading in the West Bromwich direction. Also the 4H of both diamond and NXWM at some points on the timetable run at the same time so you end up with 2 buses together not ideal and certainly not increasing passenger numbers. Centro did get involved on the 226 when diamond registered there services a few minutes before Hansons looking at the loadings today diamonds 226 seems to have picked up not sure about Hansons as i dont use the 226 service so rarely see their buses.

[Tomjusttom]

Hansons seem to be getting a load of pax on the 226 and 225. Most of the trips are standing only on Hansons