Rotala Management - Questions & Answers

[PM]

Thanks again for your replies Simon and looking forward to seeing the return of a few buses to service.

[winston]

Peter,

I believe the following

S377TMB - already in use
W366ABD
X183BNH
W572JVV

Simon

Simon,

W572JVV has been back in use at since at least mid October as I've seen it at Merry Hill & Tony has photographed it. It's distinctive in the fact the front LED blind only shows the route number & it has no fleetnames

http://wmbusphotos.com/centralConnect/20572.html

However, it didn't appear re-instated on Tony's Oct Rotala fleetchanges which I'm assuming match the Rotala one that was supplied

[Cedric]

Peter,

I believe the following

S377TMB - already in use
W366ABD
X183BNH
W572JVV

Simon

Simon,

W572JVV has been back in use at since at least mid October as I've seen it at Merry Hill & Tony has photographed it. It's distinctive in the fact the front LED blind only shows the route number & it has no fleetnames

However, it didn't appear re-instated on Tony's Oct Rotala fleetchanges which I'm assuming match the Rotala one that was supplied

saw W 366 ABD in Kidderminster yesterday

[StourportSam]

Peter,

I believe the following

S377TMB - already in use
W366ABD
X183BNH
W572JVV

Simon

Simon,

W572JVV has been back in use at since at least mid October as I've seen it at Merry Hill & Tony has photographed it. It's distinctive in the fact the front LED blind only shows the route number & it has no fleetnames

However, it didn't appear re-instated on Tony's Oct Rotala fleetchanges which I'm assuming match the Rotala one that was supplied

saw W 366 ABD in Kidderminster yesterday

And I did the other day, I think.
Also saw KX03 HZJ or something like that on service 3 about a week or two ago.

[bwsau cymru]

Hi Simon hope you are doing well and congratulations on winning the new services. I also want to say well done on the website its looking brilliant and the posts on Facebook again brilliant. its good to see operators keep customers informed.

I have a few questions

1. do diamond or any other part of rotala plan or are even thinking about a smart phone app?
2. how come the real time information boards that centro use don't feature any real time information for diamond?

3. (now this is the big one), do you think/plan or would you consider a buy out of scotts Yourbus or think about merging with yourbus. (I would love to see Rotala keep expanding and the name becoming more known).

4. finally I would love to see more promotion of your key routes like the 002, 4, 56 in the way of having inspectors or something by where these routes serve (such as at merry hill, Walsall, west brom etc) there to help your customers with information and promote your service. I know there used to be someone like this who looked after the 301 a few years ago, would you consider/look into doin something similar again?

just want to add good choice in buying those b12's that parks used to have they are really good motors, hope you have a really busy Christmas period and keep up the good work!!!!

Best Regards
Danny

[Simon Dunn]

Peter,

I believe the following

S377TMB - already in use
W366ABD
X183BNH
W572JVV

Simon

Simon,

W572JVV has been back in use at since at least mid October as I've seen it at Merry Hill & Tony has photographed it. It's distinctive in the fact the front LED blind only shows the route number & it has no fleetnames

http://wmbusphotos.com/centralConnect/20572.html

However, it didn't appear re-instated on Tony's Oct Rotala fleetchanges which I'm assuming match the Rotala one that was supplied

Winston,

The bus had been removed inbetween these, and I believe the next time you will see it in service the bus will be repainted.



Simon

[Simon Dunn]

Hi Simon hope you are doing well and congratulations on winning the new services. I also want to say well done on the website its looking brilliant and the posts on Facebook again brilliant. its good to see operators keep customers informed.

I have a few questions

1. do diamond or any other part of rotala plan or are even thinking about a smart phone app?
2. how come the real time information boards that centro use don't feature any real time information for diamond?

3. (now this is the big one), do you think/plan or would you consider a buy out of scotts Yourbus or think about merging with yourbus. (I would love to see Rotala keep expanding and the name becoming more known).

4. finally I would love to see more promotion of your key routes like the 002, 4, 56 in the way of having inspectors or something by where these routes serve (such as at merry hill, Walsall, west brom etc) there to help your customers with information and promote your service. I know there used to be someone like this who looked after the 301 a few years ago, would you consider/look into doin something similar again?

just want to add good choice in buying those b12's that parks used to have they are really good motors, hope you have a really busy Christmas period and keep up the good work!!!!

Best Regards
Danny

Danny,

1.  To provide what information? 
2.  The Centro RTI displays need a data feed from an RTI unit.  There has been on going discussions about taking a feed from our RTI source. 
3.  Rotala is a listed business, and as such needs to continue to grow.  You can never say never, however in its current form, some of the markets it operates I doubt it very much.
4.  We are looking at increasing our on the road supervision.


Thank you


Simon

[winston]

Hi Simon,

Thanks for all your replies, there were a couple of other queries that I'd asked which you may have missed either whilst on holiday or catching up on your return:

Thanks Simon,

Are those 'specific resources' you intend to place of the 002, 4's from the existing fleet or further new/used acquisitions?

I appreciate that you may be wishing to improve the quality/consistency of the vehicles that operate those routes first especially the 4's, but the general consensus on here appears to be that the 002 at least would benefit passengers from running later in to the evenings to coincide with Merry Hill Centre opening times and a Sunday daytime service provided. If another operator was to see the potential and try its hand at providing these services after Diamond have finished, do Diamond not run the risk of potentially being on the receiving end of competition on the Mon -Sat daytime 002 services as well? I'm assuming the 002 is an important/profitable route for Diamond....

Hi Simon,

Is there any significance behind some of the Wessex double decker fleet being re-registered?

So far noted are:

02 reg Trident/ALX400 now W555EXR
http://www.flickr.com/photos/68628359@N04/10096876835/in/pool-rotala-group

02 reg Trident/ALX400 now R3WSX (ex LG02FDV?)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/59115230@N06/10385157023/

02 reg Trident/ALX 400 now K3WSX
http://www.flickr.com/photos/59115230@N06/10296945474/

Scania Omnicity Double Decker BU52UWE which appears to be one of the 61 reg examples re-registered
http://www.flickr.com/photos/59115230@N06/10309044595/

How many have been/are due to be done?


In addition, from Tony's fleetlist updates if appears that these re-registrations may also be missing off Rotala's own fleetlist

Cheers,

Winston

[Simon Dunn]

Hi Simon,

Thanks for all your replies, there were a couple of other queries that I'd asked which you may have missed either whilst on holiday or catching up on your return:

Thanks Simon,

Are those 'specific resources' you intend to place of the 002, 4's from the existing fleet or further new/used acquisitions?

I appreciate that you may be wishing to improve the quality/consistency of the vehicles that operate those routes first especially the 4's, but the general consensus on here appears to be that the 002 at least would benefit passengers from running later in to the evenings to coincide with Merry Hill Centre opening times and a Sunday daytime service provided. If another operator was to see the potential and try its hand at providing these services after Diamond have finished, do Diamond not run the risk of potentially being on the receiving end of competition on the Mon -Sat daytime 002 services as well? I'm assuming the 002 is an important/profitable route for Diamond....

Hi Simon,

Is there any significance behind some of the Wessex double decker fleet being re-registered?

So far noted are:

02 reg Trident/ALX400 now W555EXR
http://www.flickr.com/photos/68628359@N04/10096876835/in/pool-rotala-group

02 reg Trident/ALX400 now R3WSX (ex LG02FDV?)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/59115230@N06/10385157023/

02 reg Trident/ALX 400 now K3WSX
http://www.flickr.com/photos/59115230@N06/10296945474/

Scania Omnicity Double Decker BU52UWE which appears to be one of the 61 reg examples re-registered
http://www.flickr.com/photos/59115230@N06/10309044595/

How many have been/are due to be done?


In addition, from Tony's fleetlist updates if appears that these re-registrations may also be missing off Rotala's own fleetlist

Cheers,

Winston

Winston

Sorry, I thought I had answered these.

Anyway.

1.  The resource I am talking about is an increased number of people, focused on our West Midlands Bus Business
2.  Our primary focus is to improve what we do now before we do anything, and therefore we will not be increasing the 002 or any service in the short term. 
3.  There is no significance in the re-registrations of the deckers.
4.  I may be wrong, but I thought our fleet list sent to Tony included these changes.  If they didnt, they certainly do now.



Simon

[Tony]

Hi Simon

I've only just noticed the fleetlist has two 14518s on it
14518   KY63VTM
14518   VX08HZS
Both Vario coaches, do you still have both

[Tony]

Hi again Simon

Do you know anything about these clowns
http://cityfoxgroup.com/board-of-directors/4573019338

2nd director claims to have worked for you, along with almost everyone else in 6 years!

They are claiming to have taken Claribels over on facebook
https://www.facebook.com/cityfoxtraining?ref=stream
(The photo of YJ12HJD) has been stolen from my website and Claribels have always contacted me if they want to use one so don't believe they have anything to do with Claribels.

If you plough through all the rubbish they have put on the internet they are also using your Diamond Logo on a company called DiamondBristol which with you operating in Bristol is a bit close to home

[Simon Dunn]

Hi Simon

I've only just noticed the fleetlist has two 14518s on it
14518   KY63VTM
14518   VX08HZS
Both Vario coaches, do you still have both

Tony,

You are correct, we will change KY63VTM to 14519

[PM]

Hi Simon

Just a few more questions for you if that's ok?

1) Why were the 04 reg eclipses sold as the eclipse seems a good product
2)It seems that a lot of the repaints of the existing diamond fleet have stopped-is this because paint booths are being occupied by acquired buses/primos going back to service etc? For instance, are there plans to repaint the cadets?
3)Why was W767URP renumbered from 20506 to 20867. Is rotala trying to fill in the gaps in terms of fleet numbering, as I see the preston citaro is also renumbered.  Would it not be easier to have a block for solos, a block for MPDs, e200s and another for primos.
4) Is 30929 permanently moved to long acre now as this is where it has worked from for some time?
5) Will 30000 be heading back to wessex?
6) Will 20656 or 20182 be coming back into service?
Lastly, how does rotala decide which buses to repaint. In other words, how many years' life would rotala expect out of a bus that had been repainted recently as a minimum-for instance the HEC, SVV darts that have recently been returned to service.

Many Thanks and just to say what a brilliant idea I think the free travel for armed forces people is-a credit to the company and whoever came up with it. Best of luck with continuing to run a good operation in the run up to Christmas.

Peter

[Simon Dunn]

Hi again Simon

Do you know anything about these clowns
http://cityfoxgroup.com/board-of-directors/4573019338

2nd director claims to have worked for you, along with almost everyone else in 6 years!

They are claiming to have taken Claribels over on facebook
https://www.facebook.com/cityfoxtraining?ref=stream
(The photo of YJ12HJD) has been stolen from my website and Claribels have always contacted me if they want to use one so don't believe they have anything to do with Claribels.

If you plough through all the rubbish they have put on the internet they are also using your Diamond Logo on a company called DiamondBristol which with you operating in Bristol is a bit close to home

Tony,

I have met Mr Hands.  He worked for our Avonmouth depot, firstly as a cleaner/shunter several years ago and more recently he helped route train a number of drivers.

Mr Bearman had two spells at a driver in our business.  I am told his second spell ended when his employment was terminated in his probationary period.

They are nothing to do with Rotala, and I clearly have views on some of the other comments you have made which I have no desire to put on a public forum



Simon

[Stu]

Hi again Simon

Do you know anything about these clowns
http://cityfoxgroup.com/board-of-directors/4573019338

2nd director claims to have worked for you, along with almost everyone else in 6 years!

They are claiming to have taken Claribels over on facebook
https://www.facebook.com/cityfoxtraining?ref=stream
(The photo of YJ12HJD) has been stolen from my website and Claribels have always contacted me if they want to use one so don't believe they have anything to do with Claribels.

If you plough through all the rubbish they have put on the internet they are also using your Diamond Logo on a company called DiamondBristol which with you operating in Bristol is a bit close to home

I find this a little incredible:

Rhys Hand

Regional Managing Director

Aged 18, has operational responsibility for the business of the group. He has been employed in the transport industry all of his working life and has been working for transport businesses since 2007. He previously worked for various businesses such as National Express, Rotala Plc & Western Greyhound.

A director aged 18? And working for transport businesses since he was 12?  ::)