What is the your favourite and best bus company in the uk?

[ryson357]

All answers please

 

[Ivo]

The lot behind this rather generic-sounding website: www.buses.co.uk

How they claimed that domain is beyond me!

 

[HST Power]

My local bus company is Arriva.

But I'd sooner walk or get a lift. I don't really care for buses or coaches.

 

[northwichcat]

Bullocks who sold their non-coach operations to Stagecoach Manchester but then took on the 147 Oxford Road link. That route has modern hybrid buses, friendly drivers and cheap fares (compared to the average UK level.)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

The lot behind this rather generic-sounding website: www.buses.co.uk

How they claimed that domain is beyond me!

Any one setting up a website related to buses in the UK had the right to buy the domain buses.co.uk It was just whoever got there first.

Buses.co.uk was registered by Brighton & Hove Bus and Coach Company Ltd before August 1996, so it sounds like they were interested in a website long before other bus operators were. Web based airline Easyjet launched in 1995 but didn't set up a website until 1997 and it was 1998 before you could purchase on easyjet.com

 

[Class86Fan]

Go Ahead Buses (Mainly Blue Triangle).

 

[gordonthemoron]

NCT followed closesly by TrentBarton. Arriva, First, NatEx, Stagecoach in the rest of the country are varying shades of pants

 

[W-on-Sea]

Of those whose buses I've used at least semi-regularly in recent years:

The Very Good: Stagecoach Oxfordshire, Ensignbus, Stagecoach East London, Stagecoach Fife Scottish.
Of these Ensignbus have been consistently first-rate in each of their incarnations, in terms of quality of service, innovation, and good quality vehicles (new and very old). The Gold bits of Stagecoach Oxon outrank the rest of their services. SEL do what they have to do, and do it well. Fife Scottish likewise, with added innovation.

The Fairly Good: Oxford City, Stephensons of Essex, Metroline

The More or Less Acceptable But Could Try Harder: Thames Travel*, Transdev London, First Centrewest, Regal Busways
*they seem to be some way through a process of acquiring newer vehicles, so may well improve, even if it means that they have borrowed in some rather decrepit and ageing and step-entrance buses from other Go-Ahead companies in the meantime.

The Really Rather Poor: Arriva Southend, First Thamesway (nothing to choose between them as far as I can tell. Cost-cutting is all they have been about for some years. Maybe Arriva are marginally worse, though.)

The Atrocious:....they went bust last month so don't need to be named

 

[Condor7]

Buses are not something I know a lot about, but learning.

I do however like the look of 'The York Pullman Bus Co.
http://www.yorkpullmanbus.co.uk/

 

[Eagle]

NX Coventry. They actually provided a good service, unlike Stagecoach Warks, who I've recently had to switch my commute to.

(He says, as he uses the free wifi on a rammed, delayed Stagecoach U1.)

 

[Tomonthetrain]

My top 6 in Dudley borough

best to worst

Hansons
Arriva Midlands (because I have a liking towards e200s)
The Green Bus
EYMS
National Express West Midlands


Then Rotala at the very bottom. Mainly because they tried to run a local independent off the road then got knocked back. Even a B6 is in favour over a Swift branded dart!

 

[Ivo]

I shall have to create a model similar to that provided by W-on-Sea later tonight. In relation to said model however, a couple of responses...

Of those whose buses I've used at least semi-regularly in recent years:

The Very Good: Ensignbus

Having only actually spent one day travelling on Ensignbus, and then back in 2010, it didn't occur to me to mention them. They really are an excellent operator in all senses of the word and have even reached the point of providing what is actually a fairly small area (i.e. Grays/Tilbury) with a regular Night Service. The big boys downstream could learn a thing or two from them - and speaking of which...

The Really Rather Poor: Arriva Southend, First Thamesway (nothing to choose between them as far as I can tell. Cost-cutting is all they have been about for some years. Maybe Arriva are marginally worse, though.)

In my opinion, there is a definite discrepancy between the two. Ten years ago, the aquamarine idiots won hands down (in a case of poor vs awful); now, the tides have turned (in a case of satisfactory vs worse-than-awful).

 

[trentside]

My favourite company are a small family firm, Marshall's of Sutton on Trent. They operate an immaculate fleet, with professional friendly staff and it's always a pleasure to travel with them. They are also a very enthusiast friendly company - and John Marshall, the owner, maintains a collection of preserved vehicles.

Alongside Marshall's, I'm also a big admirer of Delaine of Bourne another traditional and smart independent operator, with a long history.

 

[northwichcat]

Then Rotala at the very bottom. Mainly because they tried to run a local independent off the road

Interesting to see a comment like that when it's not Stagecoach involved.

 

[Tomonthetrain]

Then Rotala at the very bottom. Mainly because they tried to run a local independent off the road

Interesting to see a comment like that when it's not Stagecoach involved.

Yeah they were incompetent about it too. Like diverting via the local petrol station with passengers on board and timing it 1 minute ahead of the independent who usually ended up about 5 minutes infront of them.

Oh and then deciding a few weeks ago to break local council advertising guidelines by advertising £2 day returns and selling them for £2.50!

 

[richw]

Of those whose buses I've used at least semi-regularly in recent years:

The Very Good: Stagecoach Oxfordshire,
The Atrocious:....they went bust last month so don't need to be named

A friend of mine drove for one of these companies, and now drives for the other, gone from bottom of your pile to the top.
He describes on his facebook as the Atrocious one you mention as "an interesting company to work for". Assuming your atrocious one was one who went bust on 5th October,

 

[Ivo]

Right - let's see where this goes Note that some operators may not have the exact name used in reality

Notable operators used on an at least semi-regular basis (including major routes separately given their unique characteristics)

5* = <insert operator here>
4* = Stagecoach Gloucester; Stagecoach Cambridge; First Aircoach X30
3* = First Essex; First Bristol; Stephenson's of Essex; London Buses (as a whole); Cardiff Bus; Stagecoach Swindon; Stagecoach X5; Stagecoach Blackwater (i.e. Aldershot etc); GreenLine 724
2* = First Berkshire; First Hampshire; First Somerset & Avon
1* = Wessex Connect
0* = Arriva Southend (I'm biased, I know )

Occasional operators

Highly commended: Brighton & Hove; EnsignBus
Surprisingly good: Arriva Merseyside; First Leeds
Sufficient but nothing special: Abus; First Cymru
Utterly hopeless: The people that run the 500 between Staines and Camberley

 

[W-on-Sea]

A friend of mine drove for one of these companies, and now drives for the other, gone from bottom of your pile to the top.
He describes on his facebook as the Atrocious one you mention as "an interesting company to work for". Assuming your atrocious one was one who went bust on 5th October,

Yes, it is. Glad your friend got another job so quickly. I was a bit surprised to see that they sold off (most of their) stock via e-bay

Having only actually spent one day travelling on Ensignbus, and then back in 2010, it didn't occur to me to mention them. They really are an excellent operator in all senses of the word and have even reached the point of providing what is actually a fairly small area (i.e. Grays/Tilbury) with a regular Night Service. The big boys downstream could learn a thing or two from them - and speaking of which...

I used to use them very regularly, in their first incarnation (late 1980s), when they ran my local route, between Redbridge and Dagenham (and several others). Back then, the buses weren't lovely (being DMSs) - but both the reliability of the service and the general attitude of the drivers was so so much better than what London Buses/LT had provided before Ensign won the contract to operate it (one of the first LT routes to be privatized). They were innovative back then, too, in trying out new routes (not all of which were successful - such as a night-bus from Romford to Cranham at a time when such things were very rare in the outer suburbs of London).

Now, two incarnations later, they are ever-more innovative (operating in an area with fewer regulatory constraints than Greater London) and have nice smart new and well-maintained buses...

I probably agree with you about Arriva Southend now being worse than First in the same area. But (perhaps as is common outside of certain cities) neither seems to make any attempt to attract passengers or promote the bus as a useable means of transport for anyone other than children or pensioners....

 

[richw]

W-on-sea, rh administrators put on the eBay that they sell that way to achieve better prices as get a wider audience. I'm sceptical of that myself

Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using Tapatalk 2

 

[90019]

5* = <insert operator here>

Lothian Buses?

 

[markie73]

Uno Bus, they operate the University of Northampton bus services - clean,modern buses and friendly drivers.

 

[Aictos]

I've never had any problems with these operators below, indeed I look forward to travelling with them

First Scotland East
First Eastern Counties
Lothian Buses

Uno Bus, they operate the University of Northampton bus services - clean,modern buses and friendly drivers.

They also operate the University of Hertfordshire bus services, I've never used them even though I get free travel on them

 

[northwichcat]

Oh and then deciding a few weeks ago to break local council advertising guidelines by advertising £2 day returns and selling them for £2.50!

I think First Manchester were close to doing that a few years back. When people were asking for 'returns' drivers were saying that no returns are available and selling £2.80 singles, when 2 x singles is significantly more expensive than a day ticket.

 

[Heinz57]

My favorite operator is one that unfortinatly doesn't operate any more.

That would of course be Felix. They had a brilliant service - with very friendly drivers. The buses were comfortable, well maintained and clean. Also they were a reliable service, even if it was snowing, Felix did there best to get a bus out* - only once did I know them to cancel buses because of snow.

*There comes a story from something like the 60s, back in the days of conductors. There was a lot of snow, and I mean a lot. Other companies canceled there buses, but Felix still managed to get one out. Complete with conductors armed with snow shovels!

I also like TrentBarton, even though they like to manopolise and do dirty tricks. They have good service towards customers and maintain a very clean and reliable fleet.

 

[VTPreston_Tez]

The original Preston Bus, before Stagecoach and Rotala came in and essentially wrecked the network. (The 29 and 30 were fantastic services and Metroriders were perfect for all the routes)

 

[tamesidedepot]

I used to choose to travel on the Pennine Blue Bristol REs given the choice between them and a GMBuses Atlantean. One of the few independents around Manchester I miss, there again I miss the AN68s now too.

 

[martinsh]

Od companies not mentioned so far, I quite like Bakerbus of Biddulph, though they do have a few Plaxton Primos ...

 

[gnolife]

My favorite would probably be GO Goodwins, for several reasons.
1) They were the main sponsor for Altrincham FC until two seasons ago, when Geoff Goodwin decided to withdraw it for 'personal reasons'. That same Geoff Goodwin was also the chairman of Alty for a fair few years.
2) You can rely on them to be on time on their routes, not that there's too many of them. Or rather, you could rely on them until something of a white elephant (in my opinion) started getting built (the Airport Metrolink line)
3) Their drivers are some of the most cheerful I've come across. And they allow free travel if I wear my Alty shirt
4) Their buses are clean. Fairly self explanatory really.
5) Theroute that I use doesn't tend to get busy. You might get a dozen or so Jeff Joseph kids on the 08:00 from Wythenshawe, and a few people going to Trafford General.

I will agree with martinsh that Bakerbus tend to be pretty good, apart from some of the driver trying to go non-stop between the Rising Sun (Hazel Grove) and Stockport on routes 392 and 393 (Stockport - Macclesfield)

 

[CallySleeper]

I also like TrentBarton, even though they like to manopolise and do dirty tricks.

I'd be interested to hear in your opinion what ways they try to monopolise/play dirty tricks.

 

[telstarbox]

LeeLon Travel

On a serious note - Stagecoach Sheffield and Countryliner (Sussex), although haven't used them for a few years.

 

[MCW]

Centrebus are the top for me!

Arriva, then first,

The utterly hopeless class has to go to Coachmaster Leicester at the moment....