Rotala Management - Questions & Answers

[BD12TCJ]

Hi Simon,
Please don't take this the wrong way, and it's not intended to be rude, but I think it needs saying.
Services at Bolton have been appalling, a disgrace infact. 100 drivers short, buses short and boards being pulled on a daily basis. I understand you weren't necessarily expecting so many drivers to leave, and that you are having a recruitment drive, but how long can it go on for. This could take over a year to resume some sort of normality. It has now become normal to wait 40 minutes every day for a 10 minute service because you don't have enough drivers; yet you are still competing on routes that already have operators on them (ie 575, 571/2 in Bolton, just to name a few). I honestly think the decent thing to do would be to hang these up, and focus and try and improve the rest of the network,  otherwise you'll see patronage down, and it just then plays into Andy Burnhams franchising argument.

Many thanks,
A regular user.

[Simon Dunn]

Is there any chance Diamond could possibly do evening and sunday services on the 70 between Cannock & Wolverhampton.

It is always best when the operator or operators who operate the day time services also pick up the evenings.

If there was subsidy available we would consider it, but I doubt there is.

[Jack D]

Any company taking over the 53?

[Trident 4194]

Hi Simon, have you thought about interworking the 4 and 4H just at an evening, as the reliability of the 4H is awful no doubt due to the lack of running time given. Tonight there were delays of up to an hour and the last 2 4Hs didn't run to Oldbury due to late running.

Many thanks

[Simon Dunn]

Hi Simon,
Please don't take this the wrong way, and it's not intended to be rude, but I think it needs saying.
Services at Bolton have been appalling, a disgrace infact. 100 drivers short, buses short and boards being pulled on a daily basis. I understand you weren't necessarily expecting so many drivers to leave, and that you are having a recruitment drive, but how long can it go on for. This could take over a year to resume some sort of normality. It has now become normal to wait 40 minutes every day for a 10 minute service because you don't have enough drivers; yet you are still competing on routes that already have operators on them (ie 575, 571/2 in Bolton, just to name a few). I honestly think the decent thing to do would be to hang these up, and focus and try and improve the rest of the network,  otherwise you'll see patronage down, and it just then plays into Andy Burnhams franchising argument.

Many thanks,
A regular user.

I agree - that we have had more reliability issues than we like.  Some of these reliability issues are related to roadworks, and we inherited a position were First were short of drivers.  The introduction of Our Pass has also played a part.

From day one our lost mileage % has been substantially lower than First was, and we have never been 100 drivers short - so I am not sure where that number comes from.

We have more than enough drivers now to deliver service daily - we would like more and we will continue to recruit.  From 27th October we lose some tendered services, on contact retendering and we have removed the 13 service.

So I apologise if you have had issues.  We showed our intent with the acquisition of 25 Euro 6 vehicles, and they were brought in to improve reliability.

We think we are in a much better place now, and you will start to see that daily.


Simon 
   

[Simon Dunn]

Any company taking over the 53?

I believe a trading name of Thandi is picking the service up, although the route is different

[Simon Dunn]

Hi Simon, have you thought about interworking the 4 and 4H just at an evening, as the reliability of the 4H is awful no doubt due to the lack of running time given. Tonight there were delays of up to an hour and the last 2 4Hs didn't run to Oldbury due to late running.

Many thanks

I have not looked at the 4H last night.

However, the flooding created all sorts of problems with reliability yesterday.

Is there a particular journey you would like me to look at?


Simon

[BD12TCJ]

I agree - that we have had more reliability issues than we like.  Some of these reliability issues are related to roadworks, and we inherited a position were First were short of drivers.  The introduction of Our Pass has also played a part.

From day one our lost mileage % has been substantially lower than First was, and we have never been 100 drivers short - so I am not sure where that number comes from.

We have more than enough drivers now to deliver service daily - we would like more and we will continue to recruit.  From 27th October we lose some tendered services, on contact retendering and we have removed the 13 service.

So I apologise if you have had issues.  We showed our intent with the acquisition of 25 Euro 6 vehicles, and they were brought in to improve reliability.

We think we are in a much better place now, and you will start to see that daily.


Simon 

Again, without being rude, this isn't what I've been experiencing and it's what a lot of your drivers are saying. Just yesterday there where many buses dumped on stand at Bolton Interchange with no driver, with TFGM then having to run around trying to find someone to shift it off stand.  And it's not unusual to have 1, 2 or even 3 consecutive boards not running on some of the busiest services ie 471 &5 582 leading to overcrowding etc. The 100 driver figure came from just before you took over in August, and had come from people who's information is normally very reliable.

I think the new buses being brought in is fantastic, and well needed in the areas Bolton now cover.

[l.murphy123]

@Simon Dunn Hi Simon - have you considered running an X35 between Walsall and Lichfield? The short route you do on a Saturday evening (missing Aldridge) is really good and half the time of the 10A. I think Arriva used to do a similar route when they had the 35?

Also the old central bus vehicles have USB sockets but theres no mention you should put a decal on the side advertising this!

[Simon Dunn]

@Simon Dunn Hi Simon - have you considered running an X35 between Walsall and Lichfield? The short route you do on a Saturday evening (missing Aldridge) is really good and half the time of the 10A. I think Arriva used to do a similar route when they had the 35?

Also the old central bus vehicles have USB sockets but theres no mention you should put a decal on the side advertising this!

Our new bus order this year has specified all new buses with USB sockets.  When we launch these vehicles, we will start to advertise this feature more.

The 35 is part subsidised and being so, there are parts of the route the service needs to operate via which means it cannot operate direct.


Simon

[IMarkeh]

Our new bus order this year has specified all new buses with USB sockets.  When we launch these vehicles, we will start to advertise this feature more.

The 35 is part subsidised and being so, there are parts of the route the service needs to operate via which means it cannot operate direct.


Simon

Are there any orders with other manufacturers or is it just the huge order with Wright Bus for the Bolton Streetdecks?

[Simon Dunn]

Are there any orders with other manufacturers or is it just the huge order with Wright Bus for the Bolton Streetdecks?

We have 7 x Mellor vehicles turning up this week/next few weeks for the West Midlands.  Although the Wrights order does include StreetDecks for Bolton, there are also Streetlites for the West Midlands/ Heathrow for Hoppa.

The original order was due to start delivery from 1st November.  I have been advised that delays the effect of the recent problems means we wont see anything until April.  I am not sure how that works, and we are waiting on a properly delivery plan and we are now looking at how that affects the commitments we have

[Solo1]

What service are the streetlites & Mellors for in the west midlands thanks

[Simon Dunn]

What service are the streetlites & Mellors for in the west midlands thanks

The Mellors are for

57   2
66   1
80   1
224   1
41/41A   2

Streetlites

1.  40 service
2.  Replace 13 plate Volvo B7RLE's - which return off lease
3.  We have 2 x 9.6m on order for 50/69.  We need to assess with delivery delays how we deal with this



Simon

[winston]

The Mellors are for

57   2
66   1
80   1
224   1
41/41A   2

Streetlites

1.  40 service
2.  Replace 13 plate Volvo B7RLE's - which return off lease
3.  We have 2 x 9.6m on order for 50/69.  We need to assess with delivery delays how we deal with this

Simon

Simon,

2. If the 13 plate Volvo's are due to be retuned off lease, how does that affect the WMCA jointly operated 31/32 routes? As 30938/940-2 are in that livery & branded.

Then you have 30943 / 30949 at Diamond Bus WM, plus 30936/7/9 & 30948 at Bolton (575 branded) if the lot are included.

Surprised you're not considering buying the 13 plate Eclipse 2's off the leasing company. Are the 62 plates B7RLE/Eclipse also leased?