Stagecoach in Birmingham

[Mike K]

The whole situation with Stagecoach running tendered services in Birmingham is a joke. It's farcical to be running buses dead from Rugby to the QE Hospital to take up service, and even worse that they're completely unable to fulfil their contractual commitments. 

NX's performance with driver shortages hasn't been ideal, but some of the gaps reported in Stagecoach services is outrageous. 

[BrumKev86]

I wish Landflight had got the A9, I have used their services alot since moving to Solihull and they are generally pretty reliable, drivers nice and buses clean. They do some lovely routes, like the one to Wythall is my favourite. I have no idea if they bid for it but I personally feel they would have done a better job than the shambles stagecoach have run and we are only 10 days or so in!!

It would just make sense a Solihull based company running a route that mostly covers Solihull. The drivers would know the area well, the A7/A8 covers Blythe Valley and A10 runs into North Solihull on weekdays.

[Sandy Lane]

The whole situation with Stagecoach running tendered services in Birmingham is a joke. It's farcical to be running buses dead from Rugby to the QE Hospital to take up service, and even worse that they're completely unable to fulfil their contractual commitments.

NX's performance with driver shortages hasn't been ideal, but some of the gaps reported in Stagecoach services is outrageous.

Is it about time HRH the W. Midlands Mayor stepped in and kicked some butts? Last week I think someone said the Mayor was on the telly supporting Avanti trains yet their service has been 5 star cr** so what chance with the buses!!!

[Coventrybususer95]

The ourcome of the tenders say stagecoach put a "Package Bid" in for the routes  so they must have known what they was bidding for so would have thought they would have had the plans to cover it in place 

[MW]

The ourcome of the tenders say stagecoach put a "Package Bid" in for the routes  so they must have known what they was bidding for so would have thought they would have had the plans to cover it in place

If you look at the A9 tender outcome, you will notice that Stagecoach were awarded it at the price of £14,500, but this wasn't the lowest price. The lowest price appears to be £14,200.

Stagecoach were only awarded the 41/46/169/A9 because they're overall "package" was slightly cheaper than the individual bids.

I wonder who the slightly cheaper £14,200 bid was from...

[metrocity]

If you look at the A9 tender outcome, you will notice that Stagecoach were awarded it at the price of £14,500, but this wasn't the lowest price. The lowest price appears to be £14,200.

Stagecoach were only awarded the 41/46/169/A9 because they're overall "package" was slightly cheaper than the individual bids.

I wonder who the slightly cheaper £14,200 bid was from

£14,500 is probably their monthly hotel bill for housing the drivers they have drafted in from the across the country to oversee this debacle 

[Secondary trigger 28]

The ourcome of the tenders say stagecoach put a "Package Bid" in for the routes  so they must have known what they was bidding for so would have thought they would have had the plans to cover it in place

What  does package bid mean?

[metrocity]

What  does package bid mean?

Basically the overall cost is discounted if multiple tenders are awarded

[BBS]

Dissapointed with stagecoachs performance operating these routes. Only 2 weeks and theirs gaps which NX didn't even have even though they have the driver shortage. Stagecoach shouldn't have got these routes in the first place because their "Out of control" situation was still there. They just added more pressure to themselves. 

[Rachvince53]

Dissapointed with stagecoachs performance operating these routes. Only 2 weeks and theirs gaps which NX didn't even have even though they have the driver shortage. Stagecoach shouldn't have got these routes in the first place because their "Out of control" situation was still there. They just added more pressure to themselves.

Agreed but presumably TfWM were assured they did have the human resources to meet the contract requirements.  If this problem persists, presumably there's a clause allowing for an early termination of the contract and the routes being retendered.

[Tony]

Agreed but presumably TfWM were assured they did have the human resources to meet the contract requirements.  If this problem persists, presumably there's a clause allowing for an early termination of the contract and the routes being retendered.

If things don't improve April's tenders might be interesting

[BBS]

If things don't improve April's tenders might be interesting

Hopefully NX retain the 41 as now I'm paying extra just to get home everyday 🤣

[Tony]

Hopefully NX retain the 41 as now I'm paying extra just to get home everyday 🤣

How can NX retain the 41 when
a) They currently don't operate it.
b) It has only just been awarded so isn't in the April round of tenders.

[BBS]

How can NX retain the 41 when
a) They currently don't operate it.
b) It has only just been awarded so isn't in the April round of tenders.

But if stagecoach are unable to operate it because of driver shortage what will happen? 

[Tony]

But if stagecoach are unable to operate it because of driver shortage what will happen?

I am amazed Stagecoach are as bad as they are. They found hundreds of Drivers willing to drive in Birmingham for the Commonwealth games, I am sure some of them would probably come back if offered the chance, but this looks more like Stockport making a complete mess of bidding on prices that would work with local drivers and thinking there was a plentiful supply of agency drivers to cover in the meantime, and there isn't.