The Green Bus

[PM]

New favourite photo from the main site:

http://wmbusphotos.com/greenbus/502.html

You couldn't make this one up, could you?

A non-compliant bus ahead of another 3, totally blocking the area where Diamond often do driver changes.

Add to that, I have often seen TGB do driver changes on stand, completely blocking Diamond/NX/Johnsons plus other services from the stand just below.

Probably one sat on the main 50 stand as well...  ::) :P

[Tony]

New favourite photo from the main site:

http://wmbusphotos.com/greenbus/502.html

You couldn't make this one up, could you?

A non-compliant bus ahead of another 3, totally blocking the area where Diamond often do driver changes.

Add to that, I have often seen TGB do driver changes on stand, completely blocking Diamond/NX/Johnsons plus other services from the stand just below.

Probably one sat on the main 50 stand as well...  ::) :P

Just after I took that photo a fifth joined the line, I have a photo from the rear of all 5 on my phone. That stop is also a stop for the 58, 59, 60, 97, 900 & 957, not sure how they were supposed to drop their passengers off

[Stuharris 6360]

Just seen ex Dublin Bus Olympian 922 S922YOO on the 50 leaving Moor Street. Not one of their fleet I have seen before.

That was me  ;)

Welcome back Matt  :) :)

[Mike K]

Just seen ex Dublin Bus Olympian 922 S922YOO on the 50 leaving Moor Street. Not one of their fleet I have seen before.

That was me  ;)

Welcome back Matt  :) :)

Cheers bud, good to hear from you

Yes, good to have you back on board Matt

[Kevin]

Just seen ex Dublin Bus Olympian 922 S922YOO on the 50 leaving Moor Street. Not one of their fleet I have seen before.

That was me  ;)

You driving for them now?

[PM]

Just seen ex Dublin Bus Olympian 922 S922YOO on the 50 leaving Moor Street. Not one of their fleet I have seen before.

That was me  ;)

You driving for them now?

Hi Kevin - nope, I'm not a driver. My most common role is controller when the usual staff are out driving or off work. It was I who sent 922 out to replace an unwell 380 (no low floors available). That's the only time I've sent a step on the 50, I'm good usually ;)

I also do running boards & bus destys, and loads of admin stuff which is too complicated (and confidential) to explain

They shouldn't EVER be on there though, surely?

[PM]

DiamondDart, they are not supposed to be, but when the only alternative is to lose mileage, what would you do?

Ensure there are sufficient low floor euro3 vehicles available, like every other operator operating into the Birmingham SQBP area.

[PM]

DiamondDart, they are not supposed to be, but when the only alternative is to lose mileage, what would you do?

Ensure there are sufficient low floor euro3 vehicles available, like every other operator operating into the Birmingham SQBP area.

Unfortunately I don't have any control of what vehicles we have in the fleet but if I did rest assured I would not have a low floor fleet of 22 Tridents!

How come? Reliability/fuel economy/ride quality/power?

[PM]

DiamondDart, they are not supposed to be, but when the only alternative is to lose mileage, what would you do?

Ensure there are sufficient low floor euro3 vehicles available, like every other operator operating into the Birmingham SQBP area.

Unfortunately I don't have any control of what vehicles we have in the fleet but if I did rest assured I would not have a low floor fleet of 22 Tridents!

How come? Reliability/fuel economy/ride quality/power?

Unreliable

Presumably ex London ones worse than the others? Tbh though some are at the end of what many would call their working lives ie 16 years old so it's understandable.

The 50 PVR is 6/7 (correct me if I'm wrong) and there are 23 tridents, at least 10 of which are compliant for the SQBP. So, with spare SQBP compliance of at least 30%-far higher than most operators-why is it any non euro3 vehicle ever appears on there?

Including other tridents, there are 16 spare vehicles, more than three times the number of vehicles the 50 needs. So, if the 3 spare euro3 vehicles are VOR are fair enough. But all the other 16 low floor tridents? Really?

Surely there are sufficient Olympians/Spectras for Private Hire at this time of the year and there is zero excuse for non compliant vehicles.

If the above is true, perhaps vehicle availability would have more to do with standards of maintenance than reliability. Interestingly enough, the most recent operator to use trident reliability as an excuse was Western Greyhound! :P


Unless of course, there are far more than 6/7 vehicles on the 50. Tony's photo: http://wmbusphotos.com/greenbus/502.html appears to show 4, later became 5, all in one place at the same time. This suggests big gaps in service or that far more vehicles are running on there than the timetable suggests.

[PM]

On the subject... Trident 118 came back from the dead this week. It was on the 50 yesterday. As far as I know the rest of 115 - 119 remain withdrawn. They and 108 have not had their MOTs renewed

Do you agree with the numbers I've posted above about PVR's and Percentage Spare Capacity-there are 18 vehicles to cover 7 vehicles work!!

Presumably withdrawn due to loss of/lack of work?

Why is it that newer tridents have been withdrawn in preference to older ones eg 106-8? Higher sale value?

Would it not make sense to sell vehicles that don't comply with SQBP instead of some of the, admittedly many!, which do, if TGB are still struggling to allocate the right vehicles onto the 50?!

[PM]

In response to your comments DiamondDart

I agree with your comment about ex London buses. The problem is not necessarily the maintenance here (Greenbus consistently receive positive feedback from VOSA) but the maintenance in London

The Tridents are withdrawn because they are unfit to be on the road - there is no point withdrawing perfectly good vehicles. All I can say on this matter is that all will become clear in time

There are 22 Tridents not 23. At least 5 of those are withdrawn/long term VOR. 6 more are not allowed on the 50. This leaves 11 SQBP Tridents available, of which many are likely to be unroadworthy or on their VI day. This should still be enough to keep the 50 SQBP, and it is - it's very rare a 'naughty' bus gets put on there. This is only necessary when excessive work is undertaken

1) Is it not true though that TGB vehicles weren't allowed on Commonwealth Games work due to maintenance and condition?

2) Unfit to be on the road? They're not the oldest ones withdrawn-most likely to be in worst condition-but some of the more modern tridents?

3) 11 tridents to cover a PVR of 7? That's nearly 37% spare capacity, way higher than anyone else in the area, and yet it's still happening. I find it astonishing. 1 VOR a day, yes, 1 FTS possibly but are you honestly saying 4/11 vehicles are unfit for service on a fairly regular basis. I'll bet this isn't happening that rarely at all...

4) Why is it the company willingly overstetches itself though? Other operators could get more money if they did overstretch themselves but they don't as they want to respect Centro's rules and bear it in mind.

Just explain to me-how is it fair TGB seem to just be about overstretching the fleet to get max profits when if other operators did this eg Thandi then people would be up in arms.

I'll also bet the PVR of the 50 is higher than 7...

[Ossie]

202 noted parked up at the bottom of South Parade, Sutton Coldfield this morning.  I don't think I've ever seen a Green Bus up in Sutton town centre before ....  :)

[danny]

Bit late but welcome back Matt  :)

[notepanel]

Are Green Bus coming off the 50?
-----
Quote from there website...
Service 50
2014-12-15

Please note that the final operating day for this service will be Friday 19th December 2014.

We would like to thank all passengers for using The Green Bus and take this opportunity to wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

----
I wondered if this was for Xmas, but the NWM website mentions services aren't running after Xmas until 4th Jan, with a Saturday service next Monday-Wednesday. Surely if it was the message would say when they'd be back!

[Stuharris 6360]

Have they any plans to operate anymore routes Matt or are they pulling out of bus services if you are allowed to say?