Platinum

[John]

That's not a very helpful reply - do you know what is the bandwidth limit? Unusual to be limited by that - more usual for public transport wifi to be time limited (certainly is on trains, with the option to buy more. I wouldn't have thought a bus journey was long enough to use that much anyway.

I think you may be allowed 40 minutes a day

[Trident 4194]

I think you may be allowed 40 minutes a day

40 mins a day is about right as I got timed out after having been on the bus 35 mins.

With journeys such as the X1 this means you only allow half your journey on wifi

[andyr]

Just sitting on WN 6769 on a 529 service. The bus itself seems clean and tidy although I am sitting downstairs. Just a pity that the driver is not smartly dressed as they were when Platinum service was first introduced. Seems to let down the image.

[ARBB]

Just sitting on WN 6769 on a 529 service. The bus itself seems clean and tidy although I am sitting downstairs. Just a pity that the driver is not smartly dressed as they were when Platinum service was first introduced. Seems to let down the image.

What would you class as smartly dressed ? @andyr

[karl724223]

What would you class as smartly dressed ? @andyr

must admit wolves drivers do look scruffy on the 126

[Westy]

The regular driver on the morning Plattie I catch never wears one.

Think I've only ever seen one Walsall driver wear the proper Plattie uniform & that was early in the Walsall Platties life!

[ARBB]

The regular driver on the morning Plattie I catch never wears one.

Think I've only ever seen one Walsall driver wear the proper Plattie uniform & that was early in the Walsall Platties life!

They're not issuing the uniform anymore, just 2 ties and a pullover

[winston]

They're not issuing the uniform anymore, just 2 ties and a pullover

Cost cutting?

[andyr]

What would you class as smartly dressed ? @andyr

ironed shirt and a tie neatly tied. a aknowledgment when you board the bus not a indifferernt scowl

[MW]

ironed shirt and a tie neatly tied. a aknowledgment when you board the bus not a indifferernt scowl

I don't understand passengers like you. I could complain about passengers not wearing a ironed shirt and a neat tied tie. You seem to think you're boarding a Rolls Royce.

It's a bus.

You're paying under a fiver.

[karl724223]

ironed shirt and a tie neatly tied. a aknowledgment when you board the bus not a indifferernt scowl

look at other bus company drivers  jeans and t shirt  or shorts this weather  radio plugged into one ear

[monkeyjoe]

I see both sides, however if NX are putting in significant investment in trying to create and brand image and increase passengers, the drivers should follow the basic standards if they are on those routes. The same way the people in other service industry jobs are expected too. I've never been on one of these buses and not sure if they brought them to my area would make me ditch the uber, be interested to see how newish routes x61 & x12  & the Platinum sub brand overall performs when they release end of year figures.

[andy41]

I see both sides, however if NX are putting in significant investment in trying to create and brand image and increase passengers, the drivers should follow the basic standards if they are on those routes. The same way the people in other service industry jobs are expected too. I've never been on one of these buses and not sure if they brought them to my area would make me ditch the uber, be interested to see how newish routes x61 & x12  & the Platinum sub brand overall performs when they release end of year figures.

I don't think NX are likely to break their figures down into Platinum operations and non Platinum. But you can draw some conclusions from the facts that Platinum has been around for a couple of years now and that in that time NX's figures have revealed a consistent, if very minimal, drop in revenue at U.K. Bus. At the same time there is also a very sudden and unexpected rationalisation programme (i.e. East Birmingham ) and a move towards discounting, a policy NX have rarely if atall resorted to so widely as they appear to be now. So perhaps there are conclusions to be drawn from that evidence.

[winston]

I don't think NX are likely to break their figures down into Platinum operations and non Platinum. But you can draw some conclusions from the facts that Platinum has been around for a couple of years now and that in that time NX's figures have revealed a consistent, if very minimal, drop in revenue at U.K. Bus. At the same time there is also a very sudden and unexpected rationalisation programme (i.e. East Birmingham ) and a move towards discounting, a policy NX have rarely if atall resorted to so widely as they appear to be now. So perhaps there are conclusions to be drawn from that evidence.

Plus Platinum buses have had ad frames / adverts fitted to increase revenues (Something you'd never see on Megabus Gold or Sapphire), the Platinum uniform appears to be being dropped, NX have been upgrading elderly Tridents & B7TL's that are worthy of Crimson refurbs with full Euro 6 upgrades & there's still no sign of a new bus order.

NX UK bus is the only division within NX that isn't growing profits, they are in fact reversing.... it will be interesting to see what further changes UK coach management make within UK bus to reverse it's fortunes.....

[andy41]

Plus Platinum buses have had ad frames / adverts fitted to increase revenues (Something you'd never see on Megabus Gold or Sapphire), the Platinum uniform appears to be being dropped, NX have been upgrading elderly Tridents & B7TL's that are worthy of Crimson refurbs with full Euro 6 upgrades & there's still no sign of a new bus order.

I think those (and particularly the last one) points are especially significant and indicative. When you upgrade and rebrand in such a fashion as Platinum, the investment is supposed to be rewarded with passenger growth and increased revenue in order to help cover it. On bus advertising should be a seperate revenue stream and should certainly not be occupying space on vehicles that you invested in specifically to increase your own marketing and brand awareness, it's almost an admission that you're not pushing the brand anymore and are just looking to recoup the costs of the vehicles in other ways.