First Midland Bluebird

[In Focus]

Any idea who the 'other operator(s)' is /are?

I h

Any idea who the 'other operator(s)' is /are?

Heard the name "carrs" being mentioned ,as I said that doesn't mean anything to me but maybe some in that area know more about them .

 

[Fifescottish]

YES Fife contracts are still going , and the 1 West Lothian contract (Livingston depot) is still in place.
Your right I can't see any logic in Balfron for that small amount of work.
I heard it's a company called "Carrs " taking over schools but that means nothing to me as my knowledge of that area is poor.

When you say Fife contracts are still going, do you mean keeping going or do you mean they getting rid of them as well?

 

[In Focus]

When you say Fife contracts are still going, do you mean keeping going or do you mean they getting rid of them as well?

As far as I am aware they are still being operated from Larbert depot ,I'm pretty sure it was the deal with Central Council that was costing £££.
Fife schools is a different contract that was negotiated far more recently .

 

[Observer]

Fife contracts are operated by Larbert but they are outstationed in Crossford so not much dead mileage now.

 

[Bluebirdscot66]

Yeah What usually happens with the fife schools is 1 or 2 buses will drive up from Larbert to crossford with the drivers then they do the schools from there , drivers returning back down afterwards. Same routine in afternoon.

 

[Blackpudding]

Yeah What usually happens with the fife schools is 1 or 2 buses will drive up from Larbert to crossford with the drivers then they do the schools from there , drivers returning back down afterwards. Same routine in afternoon.

So if I read that correctly 'Bbscot66' they no longer have an outstation at Crossford?

 

[Bluebirdscot66]

Sorry to confuse.they still have an outstation through there ( not entirely sure exactly where ) I know the drivers all go up in 1 bus collect their vehicles, do their schools park up and return back in 1 bus . Then do same in afternoon, in between times they do service work back down in Falkirk area.

 

[Blackpudding]

Sorry to confuse.they still have an outstation through there ( not entirely sure exactly where ) I know the drivers all go up in 1 bus collect their vehicles, do their schools park up and return back in 1 bus . Then do same in afternoon, in between times they do service work back down in Falkirk area.

Thanks for the clarification and interesting to note how it works.

 

[overthewater]

As far as I am aware they are still being operated from Larbert depot ,I'm pretty sure it was the deal with Central Council that was costing £££.
Fife schools is a different contract that was negotiated far more recently .

The fife contracts were done in 2015 and have another three years until 2022. Falkirk and Stirling contract, were in fact done more recently, including just last August.

 

[In Focus]

The fife contracts were done in 2015 and have another three years until 2022. Falkirk and Stirling contract, were in fact done more recently, including just last August.

Can only be case Fife Schools are worth keeping financially and Falkirk ones are not . Find it strange though if they were done so recently that somebody could get their figures so wrong .

 

[Observer]

The problem comes down to the fact that First took too much school work and have had to disrupt some local services at times because they have lacked the drivers or vehicles to do them all.

And most contracts were renewed or obtained a few years ago. It'd probably have been less of a headache if they staggered the terminations instead of cancelling them all at the same time.

Other operators will take on the work but a good number of those contracts need double deckers or high capacity coaches such as 70 seaters, not everyone has them lying around with no work presently for them, so they'll need to be bought quickly.

 

[overthewater]

Does that mean First could win back Balfron work at a better rate.

 

[Observer]

If they put in for it and it is the best value bid, yes. But generally councils want these contracts at low prices to save them money.

 

[overthewater]

Who else could bid in Balfron? Hasn't even one else in the local area gone bust?

 

[Observer]

Did McColl's not take a Balfron contract once?

 

[overthewater]

Old No13 However that operated to Balloch, so easy reach from its depot.

 

[In Focus]

Who else could bid in Balfron? Hasn't even one else in the local area gone bust?

As far as I know Carrs Coaches have some of the work , not sure how much they have taken though

 

[WHL Spotter]

I am lead to believe Carrs have won a large majority of Balfron Schools.
McColls use to be Stirling Council School Framework but last time I saw it they were not.

If Balfron was to close, as Carrs currently have coaches to increase their wedding car services, I would think we could see an different operator take service side on.

I wouldn't foresee McColls take the work on due to the limited number of O Licences they currently hold.

I aware that my local operator had bidded for bits of the Schools work but was unsuccessful

 

[Darklord8899]

Who else could bid in Balfron? Hasn't even one else in the local area gone bust?

.....maybe that will be Lothian's next move

 

[awsnews]

As far as I know Carrs Coaches have some of the work , not sure how much they have taken though

Carrs Loch Lomond have definately been advertising for staff for newly won contracts but at the moment they don't have the resources to take on all the work. They already operate the Balfron to Balmaha run and as far as I am aware only have 4 full size coaches in the fleet.
There are other operators not too far away, Balfron isn't that far out in reality, so Allander at Milngavie, McColl's at Dumbarton/Kirkintilloch (possibly not enough capacity folowing their licence being cut but they did do Balfron to Kippen for a period. There are a couple of others in the Kirkie area who could pick up the work. I wouldn't rule out Garelochhead Coaches or Wilson's of Rhu either, Garelochhead already get as far as Killearn on a school contract.
Despite this I haven't seen a cancellation for the 313 out to Alexandria which is operated commercially as is the 308 to Milngavie but that service has been cancelled.

At the moment Stirling Council put all the details of the secondary school contracts on their website, hopefully they will be updated in the not too distant future with the details of the new operators.

 

[LiviCrazy]

Looks like Horsburgh has picked up a few of the Falkirk contracts. They’ve just put a Twitter post about additional recruitment:

“Additional driving staff required due to continued expansion and newly awarded contracts positions available in Falkirk, Mid Lothian and West Lothian. Call us on 01506 432251”

 

[smtglasgow]

Is there any other part of the First empire that runs as many school contracts as Midland Bluebird?

 

[Observer]

Is there any other part of the First empire that runs as many school contracts as Midland Bluebird?

Their hand had been forced a number of times due to other companies going out of business or licenses being revoked or cut.

 

[Swanny200]

Sorry to confuse.they still have an outstation through there ( not entirely sure exactly where ) I know the drivers all go up in 1 bus collect their vehicles, do their schools park up and return back in 1 bus . Then do same in afternoon, in between times they do service work back down in Falkirk area.

Would the outstation not be on the way out towards Dunfermline behind the old D&G autocare garage on the left hand side, plenty of space for an outstation on that industrial estate?

 

[AndrewTaylor95]

Would the outstation not be on the way out towards Dunfermline behind the old D&G autocare garage on the left hand side, plenty of space for an outstation on that industrial estate?

This is where the outstation is just outside Crossford

 

[KendalKing]

Is there any other part of the First empire that runs as many school contracts as Midland Bluebird?

First West Yorkshire, have a large number of School contracts, as does First Student, which is the largest provider of student transport in North America.

 

[awsnews]

Carrs Loch Lomond have definately been advertising for staff for newly won contracts but at the moment they don't have the resources to take on all the work. They already operate the Balfron to Balmaha run and as far as I am aware only have 4 full size coaches in the fleet.
There are other operators not too far away, Balfron isn't that far out in reality, so Allander at Milngavie, McColl's at Dumbarton/Kirkintilloch (possibly not enough capacity folowing their licence being cut but they did do Balfron to Kippen for a period. There are a couple of others in the Kirkie area who could pick up the work. I wouldn't rule out Garelochhead Coaches or Wilson's of Rhu either, Garelochhead already get as far as Killearn on a school contract.
Despite this I haven't seen a cancellation for the 313 out to Alexandria which is operated commercially as is the 308 to Milngavie but that service has been cancelled.

At the moment Stirling Council put all the details of the secondary school contracts on their website, hopefully they will be updated in the not too distant future with the details of the new operators.

The current N&Ps records Carrs as increasing their authorisation to 11 vehicles which I think is an increase of 4, I think that would give them enough overall to cover what First have given up.

 

[overthewater]

You have seroiusly under estermated how much school work first had..

 

[awsnews]

You have seroiusly under estermated how much school work first had..

At Balfron? That has been the only school where it has been suggested that Carrs were taking over.
As far as I can tell First operate the following from the High School:
308, 313: Not council contracts
507, 510, 512, 513, 515, 516, B10 & B12: All listed as school buses on the council website.
Of the above the 308, 510, 512, 515 & 516 have been cancelled, the rest remain registered at this time. An increase of four for Carrs directly correlates with the four 5xx services cancelled by First.

 

[overthewater]

Didn't release you were on about the balfron area. I thought carrs had won else where aswell.