Rotala Management - Questions & Answers

[Cedric]

The Levantes were on an Operating Lease.  A subsidiary of National Express has taken assignment.

On an on going basis, we look at our fares.  What matters to us, is the money we take per trip, not what we charge.  Our whole pricing strategy is something we need to review again.  I agree with your comments that clearly a day ticket with ourselves with not worth the same value as on NX.  On the NBus panel, I tried to encourage the cost of the NBus product to be no more than NX (or less).  However, this is not something that any other operator or Centro would support.

Simon, Thanks for your responses,

A batch of 11 plate Levante that size was crying out to be snapped up by either NX or a major NX subcontractor, NX especially have large numbers of 06/56 plate Scania/Levate that will need removing from the network. I assume Rotala have still had to pay the monthly lease payments despite having no for them work.

I still think passenger numbers on Diamonds WM commercial services began to fall when fares were brought in line with those of NX, and ultimately those services began to be withdrawn. Obviously the economy has had an affect of passenger journeys across the board, the only thing to differentiate between the two competing operators is service & vehicle quality.

Good news of the 12 x Streetlites, will these be larger capacity DF versions? I take it Rotala are growing increasingly in favour of the Wright Streetlite with recent second-hand versions at Preston & Wessex

National Express have taken all 14 Levantes, and we were responsible for the payments until the assignment.

7 are 10.8m DF versions, 5 are 9.5m versions.  We acquired 3 about a year ago for Preston.  Since then we have been evaluating them.  When we acquire any vehicle we have to assess what is best value for money.  We consider the deal we have done with Wrights to be best value for money at this present moment in time.

Great news about the streetlites being acquired and thanks for your information on the vehicles sold-really helpful as I popped over to kidderminster today to photograph some of the older stuff. Please could you do this in future for other buses sold as it will give those of us who want to photo then a bit of advance warning? Thanks

Are the MAN/centros at redditch having reliability problems at the moment as some of them dont sound very healthy and according to the drivers there they are not very reliable.

On the subject of MAN/centros, 30804 billows black smoke all the time and has done since about last november/december-maybe this one needs a look at?

1.  We have sold some further vehicles last night, which includes all the Ex-First Tridents, the last 2 remaining First darts at Kidderminster and W446DOP and I think W232DNO
2.  We have had problems with the MAN's, but it has been self inflicted.  i.e. Running without water.
3.  30804 - I will get it checked out

Have you kept the ex  first 54 reg darts ?  that where at kiddermister/redditch

[PM]

The Levantes were on an Operating Lease.  A subsidiary of National Express has taken assignment.

On an on going basis, we look at our fares.  What matters to us, is the money we take per trip, not what we charge.  Our whole pricing strategy is something we need to review again.  I agree with your comments that clearly a day ticket with ourselves with not worth the same value as on NX.  On the NBus panel, I tried to encourage the cost of the NBus product to be no more than NX (or less).  However, this is not something that any other operator or Centro would support.

Simon, Thanks for your responses,

A batch of 11 plate Levante that size was crying out to be snapped up by either NX or a major NX subcontractor, NX especially have large numbers of 06/56 plate Scania/Levate that will need removing from the network. I assume Rotala have still had to pay the monthly lease payments despite having no for them work.

I still think passenger numbers on Diamonds WM commercial services began to fall when fares were brought in line with those of NX, and ultimately those services began to be withdrawn. Obviously the economy has had an affect of passenger journeys across the board, the only thing to differentiate between the two competing operators is service & vehicle quality.

Good news of the 12 x Streetlites, will these be larger capacity DF versions? I take it Rotala are growing increasingly in favour of the Wright Streetlite with recent second-hand versions at Preston & Wessex

National Express have taken all 14 Levantes, and we were responsible for the payments until the assignment.

7 are 10.8m DF versions, 5 are 9.5m versions.  We acquired 3 about a year ago for Preston.  Since then we have been evaluating them.  When we acquire any vehicle we have to assess what is best value for money.  We consider the deal we have done with Wrights to be best value for money at this present moment in time.

Great news about the streetlites being acquired and thanks for your information on the vehicles sold-really helpful as I popped over to kidderminster today to photograph some of the older stuff. Please could you do this in future for other buses sold as it will give those of us who want to photo then a bit of advance warning? Thanks

Are the MAN/centros at redditch having reliability problems at the moment as some of them dont sound very healthy and according to the drivers there they are not very reliable.

On the subject of MAN/centros, 30804 billows black smoke all the time and has done since about last november/december-maybe this one needs a look at?

1.  We have sold some further vehicles last night, which includes all the Ex-First Tridents, the last 2 remaining First darts at Kidderminster and W446DOP and I think W232DNO
2.  We have had problems with the MAN's, but it has been self inflicted.  i.e. Running without water.
3.  30804 - I will get it checked out

Have you kept the ex  first 54 reg darts ?  that where at kiddermister/redditch

Yeah went on them on monday and theyre being repainted gradually I think

[Ash]

Hi Simon, I just wondered what you consider or are the flagship services of Rotala within the West Midlands.

[woody38]

Hi Simon further to your post about the review of services in the West Midlands asking what us members thing, the service that I used to use all the time was the 56 Birmingham-Brownhills, the only thing that stopped me using the service was it became very unreliable, taking to other people they all agree with me that when Diamond changed the route along the A34 to avoid the flyovers & underpasses the service went downhill fast.  Buses turn up late or not at all, that might be why NXWM but on the 936 because so many people where unhappy with the Diamond service.  The time's I,ve used the service nobody ever gets on or of at Perry Barr or Aston.  If the Service was to go back to the old route Limted stop down the A34 using the underpasses & flyover also the Lancaster tunnels surely the service would become faster & more reliable.  People might come back to using it, because what people from Aldridge & Brownhills want is a reliable, fast service into Brum.

[Cedric]

what services will the streetlite's be uses on

never seen a streetlite  who makes it and  is it a big bus or a small one like mpd size

[John]

never seen a streetlite  who makes it and  is it a big bus or a small one like mpd size

Made by Wright, and it is a small bus. There are different lengths, here are 2 pictures of mine showing different configurations/length

Door Forward version
http://www.flickr.com/photos/john-s-91/8557316779/

Wheel forward version
http://www.flickr.com/photos/john-s-91/8329924473/

[Simon Dunn]

What was the point of Black, Red Diamond etc?

You couldn't move the buses around without them looking out of place,  eg Red Diamond's appearing on Black Diamond 301 for instance.

Why didn't you stick with the red & white livery instead?

Twm tried branding with the local garage name which didn't work.

We acquired Diamond Bus in 2008.  We didn't like the Red & White livery and we have tried some different liveries, and route branding.  Today, we want one consistent livery for the West Midlands and we have decided on the Blue.  Clearly the Signature services will stay in their current Silver livery

[Westy]

What was the point of Black, Red Diamond etc?

You couldn't move the buses around without them looking out of place,  eg Red Diamond's appearing on Black Diamond 301 for instance.

Why didn't you stick with the red & white livery instead?

Twm tried branding with the local garage name which didn't work.

We acquired Diamond Bus in 2008.  We didn't like the Red & White livery and we have tried some different liveries, and route branding.  Today, we want one consistent livery for the West Midlands and we have decided on the Blue.  Clearly the Signature services will stay in their current Silver livery

Aah didn't realise the red & white was from the old regime.

[bususer12]

The seating on 20543 is quite scruffy, it was on the 205 last night. It may be because the seats are non standard, but its not that inviting, By the look of it they're from new (12 years). On the other hand it's good to hear that the buses and routes will be reviewed after the tender changes. I also would like to see the stance on NX Travelcards change, but i don't think that will happen, unless swift operates similar to Oyster with there being a daily cap, in which case the competitiveness of the travelcard may fall.

[PM]

The seating on 20543 is quite scruffy, it was on the 205 last night. It may be because the seats are non standard, but its not that inviting, By the look of it they're from new (12 years). On the other hand it's good to hear that the buses and routes will be reviewed after the tender changes. I also would like to see the stance on NX Travelcards change, but i don't think that will happen, unless swift operates similar to Oyster with there being a daily cap, in which case the competitiveness of the travelcard may fall.

Know what you mean here. In fairness to diamond, theyve got so many different types of seat with so many different moquettes, patching up or redoing any seats must be really difficult. I guess there is not much point redoing the seats for a fairly old bus

[winston]

The seating on 20543 is quite scruffy, it was on the 205 last night. It may be because the seats are non standard, but its not that inviting, By the look of it they're from new (12 years). On the other hand it's good to hear that the buses and routes will be reviewed after the tender changes. I also would like to see the stance on NX Travelcards change, but i don't think that will happen, unless swift operates similar to Oyster with there being a daily cap, in which case the competitiveness of the travelcard may fall.

Know what you mean here. In fairness to diamond, theyve got so many different types of seat with so many different moquettes, patching up or redoing any seats must be really difficult. I guess there is not much point redoing the seats for a fairly old bus

That's one of the problems of buying second-hand with buses all different internal / mechanical specs

If you had a few of the same batch, there is nothing stopping Diamond replacing the cushion on the one with Diamond moquette and retaining the old cushions to use as replacement on other vehicles from the same batch

[PM]

The seating on 20543 is quite scruffy, it was on the 205 last night. It may be because the seats are non standard, but its not that inviting, By the look of it they're from new (12 years). On the other hand it's good to hear that the buses and routes will be reviewed after the tender changes. I also would like to see the stance on NX Travelcards change, but i don't think that will happen, unless swift operates similar to Oyster with there being a daily cap, in which case the competitiveness of the travelcard may fall.

Know what you mean here. In fairness to diamond, theyve got so many different types of seat with so many different moquettes, patching up or redoing any seats must be really difficult. I guess there is not much point redoing the seats for a fairly old bus

That's one of the problems of buying second-hand with buses all different internal / mechanical specs

If you had a few of the same batch, there is nothing stopping Diamond replacing the cushion on the one with Diamond moquette and retaining the old cushions to use as replacement on other vehicles from the same batch

It is the problem but makes it a lot more interesting for enthusiasts!! And yeah think S404JUA had seats from another withdrawn dart but for example the X808NWX cadet has this bright moquette thats on no other bus so so has had to have one cushion replaced by one in "diamond" moquette-the red one with dots and swirls if anyone knows what Im on about??

[Simon Dunn]

How many MPDs are arriving at kidderminster from wessex out of interest and what fleetnumbers will the new streetlites have?

Thanks

To enable us to sell and move some vehicles around we are putting all the Blue V***HEC series MPD's into Kidderminster.  This will give us time to assess what we actually need

Thats a good idea-will they have royal bath branding removed and diamond logos slapped on? Is that the plan? Never been on one of these so looking forward to that tomorrow

1.  We have sold some further vehicles last night, which includes all the Ex-First Tridents, the last 2 remaining First darts at Kidderminster and W446DOP and I think W232DNO
2.  We have had problems with the MAN's, but it has been self inflicted.  i.e. Running without water.
3.  30804 - I will get it checked out

Which 2 darts at kidderminster are these-P403MLA and R610YCR?

That explains the MANs sounding unhealthy but hope that hasnt caused any damage

Thanks

1.  I understand the V registration darts are all now at Kidderminster, and before entering service all the branding relating to Bath will be removed.
2.  Yes - P403MLA and R610YCR


Simon

[Simon Dunn]

Hi Simon, I just wondered what you consider or are the flagship services of Rotala within the West Midlands.

Centro consider the signature services we operate to their Flagship services.  From our perspective for commercial reasons I would rather not comment

[Simon Dunn]

Hi Simon further to your post about the review of services in the West Midlands asking what us members thing, the service that I used to use all the time was the 56 Birmingham-Brownhills, the only thing that stopped me using the service was it became very unreliable, taking to other people they all agree with me that when Diamond changed the route along the A34 to avoid the flyovers & underpasses the service went downhill fast.  Buses turn up late or not at all, that might be why NXWM but on the 936 because so many people where unhappy with the Diamond service.  The time's I,ve used the service nobody ever gets on or of at Perry Barr or Aston.  If the Service was to go back to the old route Limted stop down the A34 using the underpasses & flyover also the Lancaster tunnels surely the service would become faster & more reliable.  People might come back to using it, because what people from Aldridge & Brownhills want is a reliable, fast service into Brum.

I have past your comments onto the Commercial team.  I am told the service was changed in 2009, is this the change you are talking about?