Jaguar Land Rover contract

[Tony]

The MD in an email today confirmed that National Express have won the JLR contract currently run by DeCourcey & Silverline

[winston]

That's a fair chunk of additional work for NX I believe, with both Coaches & Buses currently employed.

I bet that's come as a shock to DeCourcey & Silverline.

[Solo1]

I take it those coaches nx  got a few weeks ago will be used along with
buses from different depots ,Will the staff on the  contacts  move
To nx to run them

[Trident 4194]

No doubt nx offered the cheapest price there- that the likes of the small operators couldn't really match

[966]

Will they be using the second hand buses that Tony mentioned are due into the fleet? Or is it all too early to say?

[Tony]

No doubt nx offered the cheapest price there- that the likes of the small operators couldn't really match

No. Small operators can normally beat NX on price hence why most all day TfWM tenders are other operators. It is more than just cost.

[Trident 4194]

No. Small operators can normally beat NX on price hence why most all day TfWM tenders are other operators. It is more than just cost.

But nx makes more money off commercial services than tenders hence its lack of tendered routes?

[Tony]

But nx makes more money off commercial services than tenders hence its lack of tendered routes?

So why would they bid for the JLR then? The reason NX cannot make money of TfWM tenders is because smaller operators can run them cheaper so win the bids.

[Trident 4194]

So why would they bid for the JLR then? The reason NX cannot make money of TfWM tenders is because smaller operators can run them cheaper so win the bids.

Why can't nx make money of tenders?

[Tony]

Why can't nx make money of tenders?

As I've put above, smaller operators can put in cheaper bids, so to win a tender you need to match that price or lower, so if your costs are higher (NX pay the highest wages of the stage carriage operators) even if you win the tender you don't make money. Diamond have the same problem bidding against Igo.

Tenders for odd journies are different because if it is on a route NX already run then it is cheaper for NX to send a bus out for an extra hours than for another operator to send a bus from garage for one trip unless they also have a route starting after the tendered run finishes

[Trident 4194]

As I've put above, smaller operators can put in cheaper bids, so to win a tender you need to match that price or lower, so if your costs are higher (NX pay the highest wages of the stage carriage operators) even if you win the tender you don't make money. Diamond have the same problem bidding against Igo.

Tenders for odd journies are different because if it is on a route NX already run then it is cheaper for NX to send a bus out for an extra hours than for another operator to send a bus from garage for one trip unless they also have a route starting after the tendered run finishes

Oh I see I've never thought about it like that regarding nx paying the best. Thanks for the useful info.

[Nxwm]

Let's see if Perry Barr get some of this JLR work be good to see them on it too aswell as other garages

[MW]

What's the starting rate per hour at NX and what's the length of an average duty?

[John]

Let's see if Perry Barr get some of this JLR work be good to see them on it too aswell as other garages

Considering we are so many drivers short at the minute, unless things improve then I can't see us getting anything at the time being

[Other Walsall Tony]

So is it a little odd that NXWM will operate the evening and Sunday journeys on Walsall 37? Does it make a difference that many of them interchange with the 41?