Travel Express / Lets Go

[Tony]

@fleetline6477 @Tony - I know that some people have other opinions but i was always happy with the service whenever i used Travel Express in the past.

Yes we know you are always happy with any crap service offered as long as it is by a small operator giving change (oh hang on they don't as a company, oooops). DVSA and the Traffic Commissioner who actually employ professional people to check the standards of operation thought otherwise

[BK63 YWP]

The time they ran the 529, i rode it from willenhall to wolves and the driver drove dangerously and loved to cut up nx 529 to gain passenger and would move from the dale stop in Willenhall with the NX529 behind waiting to pull into the stop and blocking the island behind. I like independent bus companies i.e. Hansons, they have competition from NX on there 250/251/228 services between stourbridge and Merry Hill. To be fair those buses are long established with regular customers and you don't see them cutting up nx on those routes and driving without due care and attention.

Travel Express needs a company image, livery, uniform, better buses and better maintence, stick to a route and they could pick themself up. Then maybe i will change my opinion on them. One 529 Travel Express Journey was enough.

[countryliner]

@Tony - Well i have certainly seen far worse bus operators including one certain bus operator (outside of the West Midlands) who are still using at least six non DDA compliant single decker buses in service every day. So i do not think that Travel Express were really that bad (at least in my experience of using them).

@Chris - That is interesting to hear. I never experienced any of that when i used them (but i was not a regular passenger on them). I do not think that a driver uniform is really necessary for them to have. Most small independent bus operators do not have uniforms.

[fleetline6477]

@fleetline6477 @Tony - I know that some people have other opinions but i was always happy with the service whenever i used Travel Express in the past.

You may have felt happy at the time you travelled. However, in light of the serious failures found by the TC in basic maintenance and service reliability would you still be happy to travel on buses found to be in the state the TC's enquiry found?

[winston]

Unfortunately, it looks as though Travel Express may be back soon. They are advertising for a transport manager in this weeks R1

[Stuharris 6360]

Countyliner, I would happily catch Diamond, Hansons who provide a decent service, but there are certain operators who I wouldn't go near, I would rather walk.

Being a small operator, giving change etc don't all add together to make a good bus company, you have to have trust as well. Considering how much publicity Travel Express have received from there dealings with the TC and the amount of stuff which has been made public, I can't see many people putting there trust back in Travel Express.

[Kevin]

I can't see people putting trust in a random liveried dart that turns up at a seemingly random time.
BUT
I can see people trusting a smart (ish) bus in a company livery (no matter how simple that livery is) that turns up at the time the timetable says it should, ie a customer can rely on them.
There is potential. There always is. If Travel Express do start up again then those are the sort of things they need to do.

[Stuharris 6360]

IMHO, if Travel Express are to return they need to make a fresh start and behave like normal bus companies behave.

A smart new livery, buses maintained correctly, running to a proper timetable, drivers with uniforms, letting the Transport manager carry out his job without interference, the list goes on!!

[MW]

I don't think any of you guys should feed the troll.

Countryliner will not read/understand/accept the truth.

[barry619]

Regardless of whether Travel Express has any buses that comply with the accessibility regulations, the biggest task that it is going to face is actually securing an O-Licence. The contact details for the TM's job advertised this week are for a Kishan Chumber. When Travel Express's O-Licence was revoked last year, Nick Jones (the West Midland TC) said:

...this was a bad case and a new TM was clearly not the complete answer, especially where the new person would probably be appointed by Mr Chumber and would then be employed by a company that had Mr Chumber as controlling mind.

Will Nick Jones grant Travel Express a new O-Licence? I think I know the answer to that when the above quote from Mr Jones is taken into account. The whole sorry story about Travel Express's demise is at the following link - and it should be required reading for the usual poster who believes that a small operator is automatically a good operator:

http://www.route-one.net/legal/licence-lost-after-grace-period-expires/

It is an insult to the industry's reputable, well-run businesses that outfits like this (and others that also feature in this sub-forum) are permitted to compete with them.

[countryliner]

@barry619 - You are entitled to your own opinion but i really do not believe in my opinion that Travel Express were as bad as many people say. Even if a bus operator make mistakes all companies should be given a second chance. There are some much worse bus operators out there. It is not an insult to the industry at all. Also i do not think that all independent operators are good. I have had some bad experiences with some of the independent bus operators in the West Midlands. I remember a few years ago a Hansons driver shouted "F**K off you sad C**T" out of the drivers window because he did like the fact that i was taking a photo of his bus also a few years ago a Claribels driver stuck his middle finger up at me also for taking a photo of his bus. I am not saying that all Hansons and Claribels drivers are bad as i have seen some good ones as well. I will also add that i met Kishan Chumber just recently and i had a look their buses at their depot and he certainly seems like a good owner who knows what he is doing and the buses were all in good condition.

@Stuharris 6360 @Kevin - I think that many people will be happy to use Travel Express if they start running again especially as they charge cheap good value fares.

@fleetline6477 - Well i did travel on their buses sometimes and i could never see anything wrong with the vehicle conditions.

@MW - I am not a troll. I am stating my opinions and experiences. Just because you do not agree it does not make me a troll.

Well i cetainly hope that Travel Express are able to start running their services again.

If anyone is interested this is what the TM advertisment that @Winston mentioned says.

I have copied and pasted it so the format might not be good.

➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖

Travel Express Ltd – Transport Manager  0
BY DAN ROBERTS ON    JANUARY 27, 2016 MANAGEMENT, OPERATIONS
Travel Express Ltd are looking to recruitment a Transport Manager to be based in Wolverhampton.

Job Title: Transport Manager

Company: Travel Express Ltd

Job Description:

Transport Manager wanted for local service bus operation.

Travel Express Ltd are seeking to recruit a Transport Manager. We are a small family company that is looking to run buses on local services in Wolverhampton.

Knowledge of all DVSA requirements is essential and a PCV license is desirable. This position would suite a person who is self motivated and able to drive the business to future expansion. This is a full time position.

Salary is negotiable depending on experience.

Please apply to kishan.chumber@sky.com or phone 01902 256436, mobile 07545164579



This Job At a Glance:

Information   
Company Name    Travel Express Ltd
Job Location
Wolverhampton
Job Location Postcode    –
Salary Band Minimum    Salary is negotiable depending on experience
Salary Band Maximum    Salary is negotiable depending on experience
Application Contact    Kishan Chumber
Application Email    kishan.chumber@sky.com
Application Phone Number    01902 256436 or 07545164579
Closing Date    –

➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖

Here is the link to the advertisement page - www.route-one.net/jobs/management/travel-express-ltd-transport-manager/

I certainly wish Kishan Chumber the best of luck and look forward to using Travel Express again.

[barry619]

@barry619 - You are entitled to your own opinion but i really do not believe in my opinion that Travel Express were as bad as many people say. Even if a bus operator make mistakes all companies should be given a second chance.

FFS man, read the link to the report of Travel Express's Public Inquiry. It had already been given a second chance!!

[countryliner]

@barry619 - I have read the link that you provided.

[Tony]

@barry619 - I have read the link that you provided.

So you are calling Mr Jones and his team liars then? You say they are not that bad I presume you must be.

[countryliner]

@Tony - No i am not saying that they are liars. But i do not believe everything. The TC seem to like to pick on all of these small independent bus operators while they let the large big group bus operators get away with a lot more.