Nottingham 'Bus War'

[MCR247]

Interesting, maybe they're moving on from NCT to Trent Barton?

 

[CallySleeper]

First stagecoach and now yourbus... did we just take TB for granted a bit too much? Also, there isn't going to be any room at Victoria at this rate!!

 

[Tomonthetrain]

The 'bus war' took an interesting turn yesterday, with Yourbus registering a new 'city link' service between Derby and Nottingham Victoria in competition with Trent Barton's flagship Red Arrow service

Or could it compete against i4?

 

[tbone]

First stagecoach and now yourbus... did we just take TB for granted a bit too much? Also, there isn't going to be any room at Victoria at this rate!!

Or indeed Derby

 

[MCR247]

Won't they have to use a coach bay at the end at Derby? I can't see any spare bays at Derby when I'm there

 

[Ginga]

loads of space at both bus stations.

 

[redthunder]

Probably be a small reshuffle at Derby Bus Station, Either bay 3 or 4 is gonna be the favourite for that route

 

[WillPS]

This is interesting: http://omnibuses.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/cringe.html

Massive fail - but then you can't argue with a full apology with taxis laid on to cover the difference! It appears that yourBus promised a 20 minute frequency on the Y36 but either didn't bother at all or gave up half way though the day; not really on!

What would Premiere have done?

I got my first on the newly improved 'the threes', specifically 'the threes B' (which sounds bloody stupid, I have to say). Very nice really - I was travelling off peak which no doubt helped enormously but the buses seem zippy and the journey time end-to-end had a good 3 or 4 minutes taken off as a result. The interior is (yet another) trentbarton triumph; reminded me of seeing the Wright Solar Fusions for the Rainbow 5 arrive with their jolly blue and yellow seats and thinking it was amazing. The move away from leather is a good thing I think - although easier to clean it also didn't take much to look dirty.

 

[MCR247]

The leather on the indigo is looking a bit old and worn these days

 

[ARedFlyer]

TB were a massive fail over the Christmas period in general. Some days running half Saturday timetable, half normal day! They managed to confuse just about everyone. The poor digital displays didn't have a clue. That's TB penny pinching again they don't realize part of running a bus service is that you are going to make a loss on some journeys.

Speaking of greed and TB, the Red Arrow has been ripe for picking since they decided it would be a good idea to charge £8 for a return ticket! I am actually a fan of the service - it's everything you want - fast, direct, great buses/coaches but c'mon don't take people for mugs! It's only a 30 minute journey. You can't even use Cash Saver on it. Good look to YourBus.

 

[starrymarkb]

TB were a massive fail over the Christmas period in general. Some days running half Saturday timetable, half normal day! They managed to confuse just about everyone. The poor digital displays didn't have a clue. That's TB penny pinching again they don't realize part of running a bus service is that you are going to make a loss on some journeys.

Try First... In the SW most routes were on Saturday timetables up to today. Others were on special times which in one case saw an normally hourly bus service reduced to about 7 trips in the peak only.... Other operators were all normal service from the 2nd Jan....

 

[Harbon 1]

TB were a massive fail over the Christmas period in general. Some days running half Saturday timetable, half normal day! They managed to confuse just about everyone. The poor digital displays didn't have a clue. That's TB penny pinching again they don't realize part of running a bus service is that you are going to make a loss on some journeys.

Speaking of greed and TB, the Red Arrow has been ripe for picking since they decided it would be a good idea to charge £8 for a return ticket! I am actually a fan of the service - it's everything you want - fast, direct, great buses/coaches but c'mon don't take people for mugs! It's only a 30 minute journey. You can't even use Cash Saver on it. Good look to YourBus.

First paragraph: what's wrong with that? Arriva ran some normal and some half days, some days are holidays, some aren't.

Second paragraph: its a premier coach link, so you get a premier price. Like on trains, standard class is cheaper than first class. If its too expensive, take the indigo or get a mango.

Also, looks like the rebranding is nearly complete. Be nice seeing it on the bus routes, but it will obviously take a while to do

Edit: do I need some glasses or is ARedFlyer a fan of a TB route?!

 

[Tomonthetrain]

I know. I'm in shock

 

[tbone]

TB were a massive fail over the Christmas period in general. Some days running half Saturday timetable, half normal day! They managed to confuse just about everyone. The poor digital displays didn't have a clue. That's TB penny pinching again they don't realize part of running a bus service is that you are going to make a loss on some journeys.

Speaking of greed and TB, the Red Arrow has been ripe for picking since they decided it would be a good idea to charge £8 for a return ticket! I am actually a fan of the service - it's everything you want - fast, direct, great buses/coaches but c'mon don't take people for mugs! It's only a 30 minute journey. You can't even use Cash Saver on it. Good look to YourBus.

At least Trent Barton operated services of some kind every day other than Christmas day. Premiere didn't bother to operate on many days so don't even go there...

 

[MCR247]

Speaking of greed and TB, the Red Arrow has been ripe for picking since they decided it would be a good idea to charge £8 for a return ticket! I am actually a fan of the service - it's everything you want - fast, direct, great buses/coaches but c'mon don't take people for mugs! It's only a 30 minute journey. You can't even use Cash Saver on it. Good look to YourBus.

Or you could just buy a zigzag for a fiver...

TB were a massive fail over the Christmas period in general. Some days running half Saturday timetable, half normal day! They
managed to confuse just about everyone. The poor digital displays didn't have a clue. That's TB penny pinching again they don't realize part of running a bus service is that you are going to make a loss on some journeys.

To be honest, I don't see how this is a bad thing? I mean confusing, yes, but basically instead of running a Sat service like a lot of operators, they ran more buses in the evenings?

 

[Ginga]

Red Arrow has gone downhill since they got rid of Graham Price in Aprill as Derby Brand Manager.

They replaced him with the Owners son , Tom Morgan who seems to be more interested in his Rugby 7's Career then running a Bus Service.

When he was at Tramlink, he wanted to pull all the ads off the Trams, prices went up something like 12% overnight.

Yourbus will do a good job Marketing it's new Derby Service. John Everill is good as a Marketing Manager and has done a better job of pushing Students onto the Y36 then Trent Barton have on Indigo.

Yourbus have a strong brand, they need to target the £30 a week 7 day ticket holders as that will destroy Trent Bartons revenue. Just leaving them with Discounted after 9am ticket holders and Oaps.

 

[Jordeh]

Or you could just buy a zigzag for a fiver...

Only valid after 9am though.

I'm quite surprised it's as much as £8, I suspect there might be a market for Yourbus in that case as TB still makes it a success at that price.

 

[tbone]

Ginga, Tom Morgan is now at Kinchbus, I believe he's yet to be replaced.

Also, the position of brand manager doesn't exist anymore, it's been replaced with another role, with one at each depot, Cheryl Holland is Nottingham's and Vittoro Pizutti is Sutton's. Can't remember the exact title though!

 

[trentside]

Also, the position of brand manager doesn't exist anymore, it's been replaced with another role, with one at each depot, Cheryl Holland is Nottingham's and Vittoro Pizutti is Sutton's. Can't remember the exact title though!

I believe the title is 'Service Delivery Manager'.

 

[Ginga]

Ginga, Tom Morgan is now at Kinchbus, I believe he's yet to be replaced.

Also, the position of brand manager doesn't exist anymore, it's been replaced with another role, with one at each depot, Cheryl Holland is Nottingham's and Vittoro Pizutti is Sutton's. Can't remember the exact title though!

Loughborough must have better Rugby then

I thought Mr Allitt was Manager for Indigo/Skylink and Derrolink?

Mrs Holland was the last decent Manager Rainbow 5/Indigo had in 2003 (when she was Brand Manager) they won awards.

It's gone downhill since, we will see if it gets cutback at the End of March.

Apparently Trent Barton are putting up prices on Jan 13th, they claim on Facebook that they don't know how much by yet!. But a Driver told me it's already been posted on their Noticeboard!

They are also cutting all Ninety services after 5:20pm as part of the end of March Service changes.:cry:

It was cut from East Midlands Designer Outlet not long ago as well.

 

[Qwerty133]

Loughborough must have better Rugby then

I thought Mr Allitt was Manager for Indigo/Skylink and Derrolink?

Mrs Holland was the last decent Manager Rainbow 5/Indigo had in 2003 (when she was Brand Manager) they won awards.

It's gone downhill since, we will see if it gets cutback at the End of March.

Apparently Trent Barton are putting up prices on Jan 13th, they claim on Facebook that they don't know how much by yet!. But a Driver told me it's already been posted on their Noticeboard!

They are also cutting all Ninety services after 5:20pm as part of the end of March Service changes.:cry:

It was cut from East Midlands Designer Outlet not long ago as well.

It's really helpful for the really good bus company to not provide info of fare changes until a week at most before they come into place
If any of you Nottingham based members want to see what a bad bus service is I suggest you visit Leicester.

 

[tbone]

That's it- service delivery manager.

I think Indigo and skylink are the exception, seeing how big and high profile they are, and his job is sort of half way between team leader and brand manager as he still drives.

Prices are going up on some routes, they tend to put them up on about a quarter of the routes at a time, not really sure what the advantage is because it looks to most people like prices are going up four times a year when the reality is individual fares are only going up once.

 

[MCR247]

Does anyone know what buses Yourbus are going to use?


EDIT: A quick google reveals that 7 new Citaros are on their way and 2 existing buses are going to be used to make a PVR of 9

The seven citaros were apparantly for the Y35, but I guess they saw a bigger gap in the market with citylink

I'm still not sure if I like citaros yet :? The seem like perfectly good buses, yet the pretty rubbish interior spoils it for me..

 

[Ginga]

Citaro is the best bus on the Market. Evobus will sell you one for £146 000, as long as you don't make the Trent Barton mistake of buying them with Aircon they are Great.

Just have to watch the Mirrors , Buz the Premiere Citaro had it's Mirror knocked off twice in One week on Red 9's.

Yourbus Y28 is picking up, speaking to One of their Drivers (Ex Premiere) and was told they had standing loads on the 28th.

 

[starrymarkb]

Speaking of Citaros, has the new Citaro crossed the channel yet?

 

[MCR247]

Yourbus Y28 is picking up, speaking to One of their Drivers (Ex Premiere) and was told they had standing loads on the 28th.

Every 16 minutes

 

[tbone]

It's also worth mentioning that the new ticket machines that have now, I believe, been fitted across the fleet, will power a new live time system, run by trent barton. Live displays have been fitted in Spondon, although these are currently only showing scheduled times.

Some route are now not issuing tickets for those with passes, again thanks to the new machines. They will also allow depots to send messages to the buses and drivers will be able to send back pre-prepared responses.

 

[ARedFlyer]

Whoever run YourBus seem to be quite savvy in their cherry pickings it has to be said. Next route to be done will be the NCT 58, Sherwood>Arnold just got a feeling that one is ripe for picking

 

[MCR247]

YourBus are getting boring now tbh

I think that more and more general public are noticing what they are doing and are deciding to use NCT instead

 

[WillPS]

Whoever run YourBus seem to be quite savvy in their cherry pickings it has to be said. Next route to be done will be the NCT 58, Sherwood>Arnold just got a feeling that one is ripe for picking

Good luck to them, it's proved a tough nut to crack!

YourBus are getting boring now tbh

I think that more and more general public are noticing what they are doing and are deciding to use NCT instead

Do tell!