Electric Buses

[Jack]

That's stating a fact, not moaning. The 33 makes nowhere near 40% profit, so you cannot increase the costs by 40%

So it's alright for passengers to be told to get off then because these new Deckers can't handle the loads? A frequency increase is needed even if it's every 10 minutes.

Remind me how many years the 33 and 51 were every 8 minutes for?

[Steve3229vp]

That's stating a fact, not moaning. The 33 makes nowhere near 40% profit, so you cannot increase the costs by 40%

Thank you Tony, like yourself I would love to see more buses but it's not as simple as that. We all know the biggest enemy of the bus industry is traffic congestion
e.g - my 907 uses (I think) 6 buses in peaks at a frequency of every 20 minutes. 20 years ago the 107 used to also use 6 buses in peaks but at a frequency of every 15 minutes.

[Tony]

So it's alright for passengers to be told to get off then because these new Deckers can't handle the loads? A frequency increase is needed even if it's every 10 minutes.

Remind me how many years the 33 and 51 were every 8 minutes for?

And a 10 minute frequency is a lot cheaper than an 8 minute frequency. The 51 a quite short length of time. There is only a very short period of time when buses are even full, let alone not clearing. Whenever I catch one back during the day from Perry barr to City after dropping the electrics off you are lucky to see more than 40 passengers on a bus.

[Straightlines]

I notice various Perry Barr routes are running at lower frequencies since before the Electrics started. So there's a combination of less seats and less frequency! 

[Tony]

I notice various Perry Barr routes are running at lower frequencies since before the Electrics started. So there's a combination of less seats and less frequency!

Only temporarily during September as usual. There's the usual step up from 29th September when Universities return

[BlackCountryBusSpotter]

Moaning about running costs over a frequency increase which would help the overcrowding. Either way, Electric or Platinum, they will both be overloaded no matter which type. A frequency increase will help them not having to be overfilling and passengers turfed off. An extra few seats won't make much difference, knowing how quickly the 33 and 51 fill up in the City Centre.

Not being funny I use the 51 and X51 sometimes. The X51 can get busy around Half Severn and Eight from Walsall and the Cannock buses get busy coming out of the City if the Walsall one has not turned up or late. Due to the X51 and the plethora of other PB Services the 51 doesn't get busy it can be busy at times all Buses can, even the 79 can get full and standing.

You want full and filling up quick try getting the WN1 from Wolverhampton to Tettenhall or from Tettenhall to Wolves between 7.45 and 8.45 and 3PM and 4.30 that is the definition of getting busy quickly due to College and School Kids. In fact WN send loads of DD's up to Tettenhall of an afternoon and pretty much between 3 and 3.30 and 8 and 8.30 it is absolutely rammed. After that it empties out. The 51 by comparison doesn't get anywhere near as busy or fill up as Quick. The WN1 is also usually full before Wolves and the College Bus Stop and it is usually a rugby scrum to get on one.

The 51 used to be 8 minutes the 529 used to be every 7 I think it is about every 9 to 10 now, the 79 used to be every 8 then 30 then 20 then 15 then 12 then 10 then 8 then 12 now it is between 10 and 12 minutes. Services have had reductions, Costs have risen so the company can't operate as many buses as it used to be able to, there is a Driver shortage/Bus Shortage and Congestion and extended running times not NX's fault doesn't help so even if the 51 is every 8 minutes If the A34 gets snarled up or the M6 screwed or M5 or even A38 you might be waiting longer and when two buses turn up together a few people use there brain and get on the 1 behind realising actually this one will be less full it will overtake the 51 that is in front and will get to Walsall quicker, most people will just rush onto the first bus that turns up and hence it gets full quickly.

[Mike K]

Moaning about running costs over a frequency increase which would help the overcrowding. Either way, Electric or Platinum, they will both be overloaded no matter which type. A frequency increase will help them not having to be overfilling and passengers turfed off. An extra few seats won't make much difference, knowing how quickly the 33 and 51 fill up in the City Centre.

The new electrics on the 33 have 12 seats fewer than the E400s they replace. At the current frequency that's 60 lost seats per hour. Or to put it another way, you need around 6 electrics to carry roughly the same amount of people as 5 E400s. That's a big difference, so I don't agree with the statement that a few extra seats won't make much difference. 

I don't use the 33 but my local route (23) is already overcrowded in the evening peak from city, and the loss of 10-12 seats per bus on that route would make a big difference. 

[Lukeee]

Would running peak time 33Es between City and Perry Barr help, could run in service between city and perry barr then private back to city, would be an extra bus per hour and without paying additional costs of upping the frequency of the whole route 

[Steve3229vp]

Would running peak time 33Es between City and Perry Barr help, could run in service between city and perry barr then private back to city, would be an extra bus per hour and without paying additional costs of upping the frequency of the whole route

No, most passengers go beyond Perry Barr

[2900]

The new electrics on the 33 have 12 seats fewer than the E400s they replace. At the current frequency that's 60 lost seats per hour. Or to put it another way, you need around 6 electrics to carry roughly the same amount of people as 5 E400s. That's a big difference, so I don't agree with the statement that a few extra seats won't make much difference.

I don't use the 33 but my local route (23) is already overcrowded in the evening peak from city, and the loss of 10-12 seats per bus on that route would make a big difference.

That's nuts , makes a mockery of the so called environmentally friendly nonsense

[Stu]

Would running peak time 33Es between City and Perry Barr help, could run in service between city and perry barr then private back to city, would be an extra bus per hour and without paying additional costs of upping the frequency of the whole route

There's the 51 and 907 that passengers could use as well if they're just going to Perry Barr.

[suavegarv]

The new electrics on the 33 have 12 seats fewer than the E400s they replace. At the current frequency that's 60 lost seats per hour. Or to put it another way, you need around 6 electrics to carry roughly the same amount of people as 5 E400s. That's a big difference, so I don't agree with the statement that a few extra seats won't make much difference.

I don't use the 33 but my local route (23) is already overcrowded in the evening peak from city, and the loss of 10-12 seats per bus on that route would make a big difference.

What's the point of buying buses with less seats,meaning more passengers trying to stand,then being turfed off because the bus can't move 🤔 

[j789]

What's the point of buying buses with less seats,meaning more passengers trying to stand,then being turfed off because the bus can't move 🤔

Because as already explained by Tony on here, most journeys are not full so it's not a major problem. If these vehicles are cheaper to run to compared to the higher capacity but older vehicles they replace then it's in the business' interest to do this and reduce costs.

Yes it may inconvenience a few passengers on certain peak hour trips but it's certainly not the major problem you make it out to be.

[Jay71]

It inconveniences passengers when drivers tell lies about buses being full when they're not full

[Jack]

It inconveniences passengers when drivers tell lies about buses being full when they're not full

I agree, many times they've said it and i've still walked on and found seats and space to stand at least. Either have some frequency increases or buy buses that can accommodate the inconvenient frequencies...