Social Travel

[646]

..........] has tried his best with the 74's and if it can't happen, that's the way it goes. It is also good to know of a Manager who has took Drivers into account unlike what rumours from Diamond which are flowing out at the moment...


I agree that this is a good decision based on drivers feedback

Although surely an occupational hazard running a Stafford service out of a yard in Smethwick?

Good luck with redeployment of the moped too Steve.

[LG]

Although surely an occupational hazard running a Stafford service out of a yard in Smethwick?

Good luck with redeployment of the moped too Steve.

There is that issue as well, true

[Steveminor]

@646 regarding the moped well that's a personal issue please keep those out of this. Personal issues have nothing to do with these forums it's not supposed to be a personal attack on anyone individual & I would thank you to keep it that way.
Thank you for those of you who realise that I also have to consider well not only my drivers but mechanics. It really is a shame as we did really want our own route but we have to realise it wasn't meant to be. Not yet at any rate. Regarding accusations about the tc, well they will know exactly what has gone on as they have full evidence & it has been documented on cctv by ourselves & the authority so I really look forward to any comments they may have about our operations as I can provide full evidence to other bodies should I need to. As I have said there are another 2 months to run on the route yet & should things change there are opportunities & ways to keep the service alive. If I were arriva I certainly would keep watching my back as you HAVE messed with the wrong family here  we do have the resorcez for a very very long sustainable battle should we choose, but in this instance at this moment we choose not to. We have proved with the sunny travel 71e we can take on 2 operators with a high frequency in a fair competitive environment long term & come out strong should we wish.
This is not the end to our families involvement in the staffordshire area.

[Steveminor]

If it seems like I'm ranting please forgive me  it's my 40th birthday today & I am a little drunk. But sometimes when you're drunk you see some things more clearly.
Love to you all anyway though.

[Bryan]

Will they use 2 buses or, 4 on the 11C this time?

Whatever they run on the 11C, they are not providing customers with a return journey!

[Bryan]

Whatever next? An identity? Or perhaps something sustained and original?

A great thought but I suspect very unlikely based upon past history.

[646]

@646 regarding the moped well that's a personal issue please keep those out of this. Personal issues have nothing to do with these forums it's not supposed to be a personal attack on anyone individual & I would thank you to keep it that way.
Thank you for those of you who realise that I also have to consider well not only my drivers but mechanics. It really is a shame as we did really want our own route but we have to realise it wasn't meant to be. Not yet at any rate. Regarding accusations about the tc, well they will know exactly what has gone on as they have full evidence & it has been documented on cctv by ourselves & the authority so I really look forward to any comments they may have about our operations as I can provide full evidence to other bodies should I need to. As I have said there are another 2 months to run on the route yet & should things change there are opportunities & ways to keep the service alive. If I were arriva I certainly would keep watching my back as you HAVE messed with the wrong family here  we do have the resorcez for a very very long sustainable battle should we choose, but in this instance at this moment we choose not to. We have proved with the sunny travel 71e we can take on 2 operators with a high frequency in a fair competitive environment long term & come out strong should we wish.
This is not the end to our families involvement in the staffordshire area.

I feel that actions of this nature are damaging to the industry we work in and contribute significantly to its negative perception. The manner in which this small, seemingly anonymous company has jumped ship from one service to another and then back again is demonstrative of nothing other than flawed commercial instinct and shows no recognition of the fact that, whilst we operate in a deregulated environment and seek survival as a business, we are serving the general public.

Casting aside the fact that the Staffordshire episode too was ultimately a cherry-picking venture (mindful of the extremely short-lived variations recently), there is still no finesse or quality demonstrated. The service is operated with ropey, unnamed vehicles wearing an assortment of purple pyramids and balloon vinyl and no effort has been made to publicise the operation. The tactics engaged, though now perceived as a "personal issue", were dubious and at best utterly unprofessional - and again surely are contributing to a poor perception of this industry.

I strongly doubt the stated reasons for cancellation, though I respect that you do not have to publicise your reasons on an industry enthusiast's forum. However, to suggest that this is the case when on here alone there is suggestion that vehicles are regularly missing from the registered timetable is a little questionable.

And so  resources are gathered up and are flitting back to something equally uninspiring, festering in the "gaps" left by a reputable operator - somewhat risibly given that Social will presumably be operating in one direction around a circular again.

[barry619]

I absolutely agree with @646's post. It sums the whole thing up. These 'operators' that think that creaming off someone else's passengers represents some kind of service should be removed from the bus industry for good. They do nothing other than destabilise existing routes and there is no reason for their existence.

I also had a hearty chuckle at this Minor character's assertion that Arriva has picked on the wrong family(!). Are you for real? Who do you think you are, the mafia? Arriva measures its turnover in billions. It could crush Social Travel and the associated outfits with very little effort.

Stick to the lemonade in future, son.

[justlookingaround]

To ask a simple question, where should Social Travel have moved onto instead of going back to the 11C?

[sonic84]

To ask a simple question, where should Social Travel have moved onto instead of going back to the 11C?

I've suggested before that they could restart the 006 circular in Halesowen. A simple service which only requires one bus to provide a decent 30 minute frequency. If it took in the original route serving Quarry Lane, Uffmore Lane, Hayley Park Road, Mendip Road and Hambleton Road there are a lot of additional passengers they could pick up.

Hansons managed to successfully bring back the 004 so I see no reason why this might not work either.

[Trident 4194]

I've suggested before that they could restart the 006 circular in Halesowen. A simple service which only requires one bus to provide a decent 30 minute frequency. If it took in the original route serving Quarry Lane, Uffmore Lane, Hayley Park Road, Mendip Road and Hambleton Road there are a lot of additional passengers they could pick up.

Hansons managed to successfully bring back the 004 so I see no reason why this might not work either.

Very true, and not much dead mileage

[2206]

Very true, and not much dead mileage

@Trident 4194 its been mentioned on the Forum before that Green Bus tried it and withdrew it after a few months, if it was well used why isn't it still around today?

The 006 only needs 1 bus to get a decent 30 minute frequency out of it.

Admitted Green Bus tried it and withdrew after a few months, but Ludlows ran it very successfully for a number of years and so with a bit of marketing a persistence I am sure it could be successful again.

Another idea could be running the 19 from Hayley Green to Birmingham.  The people of Hayley Green really need a direct link into the city centre especially since the 192 was cut short, even if only a peak time. The AM journeys had a lot of regular passengers so I am sure as long as it is given time to build custom it could be successful too.

[winston]

@Trident 4194 its been mentioned on the Forum before that Green Bus tried it and withdrew it after a few months, if it was well used why isn't it still around today?

The Green Bus only operated it during Mon -Fri shopping hours and missed out on am / pm peak traffic.

[PM]

The Green Bus only operated it during Mon -Fri shopping hours and missed out on am / pm peak traffic.

Is there much difference between the 006 and the 4H round Hayley Green?

[sonic84]

It runs basically the opposite way to the 4H but it takes in more of the estates rather than the main roads.

Like mentioned green bus missed out the peak times which were very popular.

You could argue the 004 was withdrawn by Diamond but Hansons were able to make ago of it very successfully when they revived it.

Anyway just a suggestion