Arriva Leicester

[Tony]

The major differences in this case are the length of time the issues have been going on and the fact that the depot has taken delivery of 36 new vehicles since the issues started and the arrival of the new vehicles has failed to lead to any real improvements in the situation despite the reliability of the new vehicles being as good if not better than could have been expected.
The combination of the above points moves this particular situation away from short term reliability issues that could have struck anywhere towards structural and ongoing failures by the management team both on a local and a national level to provide a reliable service due to a failure to understand the realities of the situation on the ground.

It's always people who don't work at bus companies that seem to know all the problems and how to run the company better than the managers doing it day in, day out. I have no idea what the problem is there and have no intention of putting 'theories' on the internet, but as an example the garage I am based at, NX Birmingham Central currently has 9 buses long term VoR (over 28 days). On a fleet of 200 buses that is nearly 5% of the fleet missing due to problems not quickly fixable, RTC damage, engine failures etc. When you then take out vehicles off for regular inspection, MoT preperation, exhaust system cleaning that soon eats into 10-15% spares which is the industry average

[leicesterbusadventurer]

Which would either suggest they are absolutely awful at maintaining vehicles (either directly or indirectly by consistently allocating buses to routes they are unsuited to) or there is a non unsubstantial number of vehicles that are in need of urgent withdrawal.

The problem is that because the drivers prefer driving them over anything else, they're trying to keep the DB250s going for as long as possible until the electrics arrive. Currently they're at the point where the smallest fault is uneconomic to repair, and even the Olympuses aren't doing very well either. This is resulting in the shortages.

[Glenfieldmathk1]

And yet again Thurmaston is short of serviceable vehicles leading to cancellations mostly in the AM peak but continuing throughout the day. If an independent were this shocking at being able to provide sufficient buses to run the advertised service they would have been up in front of a traffic commissioner long ago. In a piece of spectacularly intelligent allocation they also decided to run a service directly behind two consecutive cancellations with a versa vice the booked decker on a route that also left people behind yesterday evening using a streetlight.

How do you know they are short of vehicles? Maybe they are short of staff?

[leicesterbusadventurer]

How do you know they are short of vehicles? Maybe they are short of staff?

That's also a problem. Many Wigston drivers refused to transfer to Thurmaston when it closed, and sought employment elsewhere.

[xmj-signal]

And yet again Thurmaston is short of serviceable vehicles leading to cancellations mostly in the AM peak but continuing throughout the day. If an independent were this shocking at being able to provide sufficient buses to run the advertised service they would have been up in front of a traffic commissioner long ago. In a piece of spectacularly intelligent allocation they also decided to run a service directly behind two consecutive cancellations with a versa vice the booked decker on a route that also left people behind yesterday evening using a streetlight.

I was in Leicester on Tuesday morning. There didn't seem to be many cancelled Arriva services during the peak period itself but, from around 1000, I noticed a (small) number of vehicles arriving into the city centre then being parked up at either Haymarket Bus Station or St Margaret's Bus Station with the drivers leaving, presumably to go on breaks.

These buses would obviously be missing their next workings even though they were available for service. This would seem to support the suggestion that any cancellations are more likely to be as a result of a shortage of drivers than of actual buses.

[leicesterbusadventurer]

2979 and 2982 have now gone to High Wycombe. 4755 and 4758 have been stripped and are awaiting disposal. It remains to be decided if 4746 will follow.

[Fin W]

4746 is back in service

[Tony]

April fleet moves are now on the main site
Arriva Midlands Fleet changes (wmbusphotos.com)

Before anyone askes 4755 is marked for disposal on the company fleet list, but still allocated to Thurmaston, so not mentioned this month

[leicesterbusadventurer]

4524 has now gone to Kent, meaning all the MMCs that were expected to do so have now left. It has been replaced by returnee 4106.

[Fin W]

4524 has now gone to Kent, meaning all the MMCs that were expected to do so have now left. It has been replaced by returnee 4106.

Glad to hear 4106 is back

[STierBusEnthusiast]

Is it true that 3807 and 3808 will be transferring to Kent soon?

[Fin W]

doubt Thurmaston can afford to loose anymore buses currently

[SSmith09]

Is it true that 3807 and 3808 will be transferring to Kent soon?

I've heard this too and with the recent changes to the 158 (the route they're branded for) it does seem possible.

Service 158 now only needs six buses instead of nine.

[STierBusEnthusiast]

I've heard this too and with the recent changes to the 158 (the route they're branded for) it does seem possible.

Service 158 now only needs six buses instead of nine.

If it is true, I assume they'd have to be repainted and debranded from the 158. Also wonder what depot they would be heading for too.

[Fin W]

I've heard this too and with the recent changes to the 158 (the route they're branded for) it does seem possible.

Service 158 now only needs six buses instead of nine.

Presumably why 3799 & 3808 show as being at Thurmaston on bustimes.org