Social Travel

[Steveminor]

But if we can make it work & provide new links & links which have been lost isn't that worth the risk.
People have said on here about smaller operators not trying new routes and just cherry picking, well we're not we are trying to provide our own service.

[Ashley 60171]

But if we can make it work & provide new links & links which have been lost isn't that worth the risk.
People have said on here about smaller operators not trying new routes and just cherry picking, well we're not we are trying to provide our own service.

If it's any consolation @Steveminor I hope and I'm sure it will work out. Some late night punditry for predicting next years happenings there.

[countryliner]

@Winston @LG @Bryan - I think that sometimes it is best for small independent bus operators to just concentrate on one route. Many small independent bus operators in the West Midlands just operate mainly on one route (such as Discount Travel / Hi Ride / Sandwell Travel / Social Travel / Sunny Travel / Thandi Travel / etc). If they just operate one route at a time then they will eventually be able to find which route is the most commercially viable and successful to operate. And also as @Steveminor says if it does not work out then at least they tried it.

I think that Social Travel are trying their best - they have a smart livery / nice modern bus fleet / new routes / i believe that they charge cheaper fares - so hopefully they will be successful with their new 74 / 74A / S74 services. I wish them the best of luck.

@Steveminor - Do you have any details yet of the new buses (MPDs) registration numbers that you said were coming for Discount / Social / Sunny and have any of them entered service yet.

[winston]

But if we can make it work & provide new links & links which have been lost isn't that worth the risk.
People have said on here about smaller operators not trying new routes and just cherry picking, well we're not we are trying to provide our own service.

But if Arriva decided to flood the 74 corridor with extra buses offering special promotional fares that matched Social's (which it could do easily) and it tempted the majority of Social's passengers back on to Arriva buses, worst case scenario Social could find themselves with drastically reduced revenues & potentially having to find new work for the whole fleet & drivers.

No business should puts all its eggs in one basket. If something was to go wrong / change significantly, it's going to hurt.

[LG]

But if Arriva decided to flood the 74 corridor with extra buses offering special promotional fares that matched Social's (which it could do easily) and it tempted the majority of Social's passengers back on to Arriva buses, worst case scenario Social could find themselves with drastically reduced revenues & potentially having to find new work for the whole fleet & drivers.

No business should puts all its eggs in one basket. If something was to go wrong / change significantly, it's going to hurt.

I have to agree Winston.  And like I said before I am a regular traveller on the 74 and 75 and it seems to be very reliant upon students.  Come college breaks there are very few passengers around.  Its very risky putting all your eggs in 1 basket

[Bob]

Passengers will lose out in the end, if social withdrew then arriva would reduce the frequency  and put the fares back up...

[Steveminor]

But what I'd we weren't to take the risk what then fir the people of Brocton & walton on the hill. As I said yes it's a risk but we think it's a risk worth taking. Too many people have sat by watching encumbents cut routes & saying why doesn't someone step in & do something. We

Passengers will lose out in the end, if social withdrew then arriva would reduce the frequency  and put the fares back up...

[Bob]

Come January there'll be about five buses an hour between Cannock and Stafford no way is that sustainable for you guys or arriva surely?

[Busman Jamie]

at least 3 commanders on 74/75 today

[countryliner]

@Winston @LG @Bob - Whilst it is always going to be a risk to start new services - if Social Travel never try then they will never know what will happen - yes there is a chance that Arriva could increase their services and lower their fares but then there is also a chance that Social Travel could actually become really successful on their new 74 / 74A / S74 services. So i think that we just need to give Social Travel a chance and wait and see what happens. As @Steveminor said it is a risk that is worth taking. So hopefully it will work out and be successful.

[winston]

@Winston @LG @Bob - Whilst it is always going to be a risk to start new services - if Social Travel never try then they will never know what will happen - yes there is a chance that Arriva could increase their services and lower their fares but then there is also a chance that Social Travel could actually become really successful on their new 74 / 74A / S74 services. So i think that we just need to give Social Travel a chance and wait and see what happens. As @Steveminor said it is a risk that is worth taking. So hopefully it will work out and be successful.

@countryliner - you're completely missing the point. It is not the risk of introducing a new service that I'm concerned about, it is the fact that 100% of Social's revenue will be derived from the 74 corridor & ultimately competing against Arriva. Me personally, I would split the revenue streams 50/50 and have another route elsewhere either competing against incumbent or own route, then one could help support the other if the situation changed. It's very risky putting all your eggs in one basket & Social have effectively gone 'all in' on the 74 corridor. 

[Bryan]

@countryliner - you're completely missing the point. It is not the risk of introducing a new service that I'm concerned about, it is the fact that 100% of Social's revenue will be derived from the 74 corridor & ultimately competing against Arriva. Me personally, I would split the revenue streams 50/50 and have another route elsewhere either competing against incumbent or own route, then one could help support the other if the situation changed. It's very risky putting all your eggs in one basket & Social have effectively gone 'all in' on the 74 corridor.

I agree with Winston.

Also, taking into account the previous history of Social Travel, which routes have they been successful on and retained?

[countryliner]

@Winston @Bryan - Yes i do see your point. But if Social Travel run their new enhanced 74 / 74A / S74 services as well as another route as well then it will of course cost more to operate - they would need more vehicles / more drivers / etc - and it might therefore not be commercialy viable to operate both. Also i presume that the Discount Travel 966 and the Sunny Travel 71 could help support Social Travel if the 74 / 74A / S74 dont go as well as they would like it to as i believe that all 3 companies are closely related (i think that they are owned by the same people - i am sure that @Steveminor will know more about this). And if their new 74 / 74A / S74 services dont work out then i am sure that Social Travel can find another route to operate instead.

[Adam 404]

@Winston @Bryan - Yes i do see your point. But if Social Travel run their new enhanced 74 / 74A / S74 services as well as another route as well then it will of course cost more to operate - they would need more vehicles / more drivers / etc - and it might therefore not be commercialy viable to operate both. Also i presume that the Discount Travel 966 and the Sunny Travel 71 could help support Social Travel if the 74 / 74A / S74 dont go as well as they would like it to as i believe that all 3 companies are closely related (i think that they are owned by the same people - i am sure that @Steveminor will know more about this). And if their new 74 / 74A / S74 services dont work out then i am sure that Social Travel can find another route to operate instead.

@countryliner If you read previous posts, you would be aware that the three companies are owned by three brother and are separate from each others businesses, I remember @Steveminor saying that each sale of a vehicle between the companies are a legitimate purchase, not a trade. Therefore, the three companies are more friends than allies. They don't work together as they are all on completely separate routes. Unless I have read wrong somewhere perhaps...

[Steveminor]

Yes adam you are correct although they are related all three companies are run separate from each other.
However it's not just bus companies that the brothers own they also own other business's, so they are not solely reliant on the income the buses generate..
The only route social travel have come off was the 97.
Yes we have now withdrawn the 11 & 71. The 71 for operational reasons the 11 because we want to provide our own service.
yes we could have just altered the 74 but that is doing fine & remember the rule if it ain't broken don't try & fix it.