If you had the chance to modify or add any service, what would you do?

[Stu]

Not always, some will stop with an overcrowded bus.
Others will stop and let the bus become to overcrowded until they then switch the engine of and tell people to get off and tell them that they aren't going anywhere till they get of.

If the driver is stopping to load passengers then there is room.

There have been a number of occasions where I have managed to battle my way onto what looked like an overcrowded bus, only to find there are plenty of seats available, just that some people prefer to stand in the most awkward part of the bus, rather than sit next to somebody else.
Then of course you also have those selfish passengers who choose to make seats unavailable by putting their bags/coats etc on the seat next to them. Some will reluctantly move their bags to make a seat available once you indicate to them that you'd like to take a seat, while others will just blatantly ignore you.

[D10]

The Garage. Deckers can't enter the garage.

They can as I have seen Tridents several times. Not sure how much clearance there is though, might be slightly too close for comfort! ;)

[Jack]

There have been a number of occasions where I have managed to battle my way onto what looked like an overcrowded bus, only to find there are plenty of seats available, just that some people prefer to stand in the most awkward part of the bus, rather than sit next to somebody else.
Then of course you also have those selfish passengers who choose to make seats unavailable by putting their bags/coats etc on the seat next to them. Some will reluctantly move their bags to make a seat available once you indicate to them that you'd like to take a seat, while others will just blatantly ignore you.

You mean seat hoggers. That's a pet peeve of mine. Normally because they don't want someone smelly sitting next to them. Though a lot of them huff and puff when you kindly ask them to move their belongings.

They can as I have seen Tridents several times. Not sure how much clearance there is though, might be slightly too close for comfort! ;)

They can be parked in the forecourt, but not inside as they'll turn into Single Deckers! But all of Bordesley's routes need Deckers in the Peaks.

[D10]

You mean seat hoggers. That's a pet peeve of mine. Normally because they don't want someone smelly sitting next to them. Though a lot of them huff and puff when you kindly ask them to move their belongings.
They can be parked in the forecourt, but not inside as they'll turn into Single Deckers! But all of Bordesley's routes need Deckers in the Peaks.

Don't want to start an argument but as I said I have seen double deckers several times in the garage. There used to be a daily run by a bus through the garage when a 97 PM journey used to start from inside the site after a school working, this was worked by a DD most of the time.

[Tony]

You mean seat hoggers. That's a pet peeve of mine. Normally because they don't want someone smelly sitting next to them. Though a lot of them huff and puff when you kindly ask them to move their belongings.
They can be parked in the forecourt, but not inside as they'll turn into Single Deckers! But all of Bordesley's routes need Deckers in the Peaks.

Yes deckers fit in the building.

[Jack]

Yes deckers fit in the building.

Thanks for the clarification - when passing I usually see Deckers parked on the forecourt, but I've always thought it to be tight getting a Decker, so a Trident just about gets under.

[Jack D]

DECKERS on 55!!!!!!

[Jack]

DECKERS on 55!!!!!!

Also the 17! But I doubt BY will have any Deckers.

[Stu]

Also the 17! But I doubt BY will have any Deckers.

The 17 operates just fine with single-deckers.

The problem it has, being a frequent service, is that when there is heavy traffic congestion, and gaps appear in service, the first bus collects up all the waiting passengers and becomes over-crowded; waiting passengers will all try to cram onto an already over-crowded bus, while another one may only be seconds behind. The trailing buses, that are usually less full, overtake the stopping bus, so the passengers who have the decency to let the full bus pass by end up losing on both counts.

Unfortunately, at peak times, there is usually heavy congestion, so this situation is not rare for the 17 (same applies to other high-frequency single-deck services like the 6 and 37). I've been stood at the Bordesley Station stop on Coventry Road and seen more than one fully loaded Omnilink pass by without stopping straight after each other. I've also looked on the NX app and seen up to 20mins before a 17 is due from there, with 5 or 6 following each other in the opposite direction (towards city by McDonalds).

Despite what some people might think, traffic congestion IS a serious issue, and not an excuse for buses to run late, as some people are led to believe.

[Jack]

The 17 operates just fine with single-deckers.

The problem it has, being a frequent service, is that when there is heavy traffic congestion, and gaps appear in service, the first bus collects up all the waiting passengers and becomes over-crowded; waiting passengers will all try to cram onto an already over-crowded bus, while another one may only be seconds behind. The trailing buses, that are usually less full, overtake the stopping bus, so the passengers who have the decency to let the full bus pass by end up losing on both counts.

Unfortunately, at peak times, there is usually heavy congestion, so this situation is not rare for the 17 (same applies to other high-frequency single-deck services like the 6 and 37). I've been stood at the Bordesley Station stop on Coventry Road and seen more than one fully loaded Omnilink pass by without stopping straight after each other. I've also looked on the NX app and seen up to 20mins before a 17 is due from there, with 5 or 6 following each other in the opposite direction (towards city by McDonalds).

Despite what some people might think, traffic congestion IS a serious issue, and not an excuse for buses to run late, as some people are led to believe.

Back when the the 73 came to the city and shared the Stop with the 17, it use to help the loadings in the Peak times for the 17.

[Tony]

Back when the the 73 came to the city and shared the Stop with the 17, it use to help the loadings in the Peak times for the 17.

The reason they were split was because 17 passengers were filling up the less frequent 73 stopping 73 passengers getting on, not the other way around, the 17 has always coped with single decks

[monkeyjoe]

What was the reason the 55 became a single deck route, just curious. Was it because after lea hall shut the freq increased and no other garage apart from by to run it?

[Jack]

What was the reason the 55 became a single deck route, just curious. Was it because after lea hall shut the freq increased and no other garage apart from by to run it?

Couldn't the same be said for the 54?

[Gareth]

What was the reason the 55 became a single deck route, just curious. Was it because after lea hall shut the freq increased and no other garage apart from by to run it?

The route initially moved to BC, and although Mercs were the norm, it wasn't totally uncommon to see the odd Trident allocated. Of course then it moved to BY that as we know has a single deck fleet. on the whole the Scanias cope on the 55, even with the loss of the 70 and 72 along parts of the route. Used to be a lovely route too, especially on a fleetline!

[Jack]

The route initially moved to BC, and although Mercs were the norm, it wasn't totally uncommon to see the odd Trident allocated. Of course then it moved to BY that as we know has a single deck fleet. on the whole the Scanias cope on the 55, even with the loss of the 70 and 72 along parts of the route. Used to be a lovely route too, especially on a fleetline!

I loved riding the Merc's on the 54/55. The Kingshurst terminus was my favourite terminus, until June. Shame nothing serves it anymore.