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Tates Travel - awful!

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johntea

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Was in Batley yesterday (What have I done in my life to deserve that? :lol: ), anyway caught a bus back to Wakefield and all I can say is I feel lucky to be alive!

First the bus turned up, and I had to actually squint to see it said 'Wakefield' on the front. I was a bit surprised with what turned up as I was fully expected an Arriva bus, it took me until getting off this bus to work out it was actually operated by Tates Travel!

The driver glanced at my pass and then he set off like his life depended on it, I was almost thrown to the back of the bus with the sudden movement away from the stop!

Then a journey where I had to close my eyes on several occasions, the bus just seemed to be going far too fast considering some of the residential areas it was passing through.

On arrival into Wakefield the driver then proceeded to call several taxi drivers 'a bunch of $%^&^' for parking in a bus stop bay, and beeped his horn a few times!

I was very glad to actually get off the bus and transfer across to an Arriva service to get home!
 
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johnnychips

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You will always get the odd driver like that, and I think it's a bit unfair to smear all Tate's employees with the same brush. If you do feel so strongly, you should complain to the company.
 

Bletchleyite

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On arrival into Wakefield the driver then proceeded to call several taxi drivers 'a bunch of $%^&^' for parking in a bus stop bay, and beeped his horn a few times!

Quite unprofessional, but I agree with the sentiment. Particularly in London it's very common for taxi drivers to cause delay to buses by pulling over and stopping in bus stops and bus lanes without considering the obstruction they are causing (in many cases, by pulling up only a few metres earlier or later they would have avoided the problem).
 

61653 HTAFC

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Tates remind me of the old days of K-Line in that their fleet seems to be very mismatched, and the uniform policy for drivers appears to be "does it cover your bits? Then its acceptable!". The drivers in my experience though are generally fine, far friendlier than the miserable sods that First Huddersfield seem to seek out.
Smaller towns in West Yorkshire do seem to attract cowboys though, far worse than Tates are an organisation calling themselves SGI CT, also running a few services between Wakefield and the Heavy Woollen District (278 Wakefield to Dewsbury being one I unfortunately have cause to use quite regularly).
 

trentside

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Smaller towns in West Yorkshire do seem to attract cowboys though, far worse than Tates are an organisation calling themselves SGI CT, also running a few services between Wakefield and the Heavy Woollen District (278 Wakefield to Dewsbury being one I unfortunately have cause to use quite regularly).

Are SGI CT the ones who removed most of the seats from their vehicles as they didn't hold an appropriate licence for full sized buses?

I seem to remember WYPTE getting a lot of complaints about them harassing passengers at various bus stations trying to get them to travel on their services too.
 

Tetchytyke

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Haven't Stagecoach Manchester been caught doing that? <D

Stagecoach Preston did it when they were seemingly trying to force Preston Bus into bankruptcy. It got quite nasty, but apparently it was just a few errant staff who got over-excited (yeah right).

In Manchester the main problem was a company calling themselves UK North, who thankfully lost their O-licence a few years ago.
 

theblackwatch

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Are SGI CT the ones who removed most of the seats from their vehicles as they didn't hold an appropriate licence for full sized buses?

I seem to remember WYPTE getting a lot of complaints about them harassing passengers at various bus stations trying to get them to travel on their services too.

I've heard various similar stories regarding SGI. In a recently published bus fleetbook they are listed as a Non PSV Operator, with a note that they operate on Community Bus Permits, which is presumably where the 16 (?) seat vehicles come in. They appear to have 3 companies, all of which have only been set up this year:
- Haste Asset Management Limited
- Haste Group Northern Limited
- Yorkshire Buses Limited
 

Statto

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In Manchester the main problem was a company calling themselves UK North, who thankfully lost their O-licence a few years ago.

I remember them, appeared in a BBC programme about modern bus travel just before the Traffic Commissioner suspended then revoked there O-Licence after a fatal incident involving one of there vehicles. The directors got jail time for other incidents. One of the main problems with that company was the use of foreign workers who didn't know any of the Roads in the area.
 

pemma

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I remember them, appeared in a BBC programme about modern bus travel just before the Traffic Commissioner suspended then revoked there O-Licence after a fatal incident involving one of there vehicles. The directors got jail time for other incidents. One of the main problems with that company was the use of foreign workers who didn't know any of the Roads in the area.

Also traded under the name GM Buses.

The company was run by an Italian and a Brit and employed 130 Polish drivers. One of which crashed a double decker bus in to a cherry picker killing a workman. The driver in question was one of 27 drivers who had worked 31 consecutive days and the directors had falsified records relating to working hours which was why they were jailed. The driver was cleared of causing death by dangerous driving.
 

Observer

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Problem with SGI is that they're not using your standard bus license, they're using these non-profit Section 22 Community Bus Permits, letting them register, alter and cancel services without much notice and as you've probably noticed, they seem to be able to get let off by the Traffic Commissioner as other companies pulling similar things didn't last long before getting action taken on them, yet this one has a free pass to do whatever it wants. Read up on these permits and see why people are not happy about this company operating the way it does. Their Twitter accounts are also a hilarious read, where they blame everyone but themselves for their own failures.

Tates won't have long left either considering who owns them - the mysterious Island Fortitude Incorporated in Barbados linked to King Long Direct which over the last few months various companies have had to close down or if they're lucky enough...manage to sell it off to another company. Again read up on IFI, this whole outfit is ridiculous. Makes you feel sorry for the people who got sucked into their scamming ways.
 

Jonny

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Stagecoach Preston did it when they were seemingly trying to force Preston Bus into bankruptcy. It got quite nasty, but apparently it was just a few errant staff who got over-excited (yeah right).

In Manchester the main problem was a company calling themselves UK North, who thankfully lost their O-licence a few years ago.

UK North were something of a cowboy outfit, whose buses had questionable braking characteristics (among other things) (which is why they lost their O-licence IIRC). In the end it was painfully obvious that their vehicles were unsafe, and they were flouting drivers' hours regs as well.
 

Mr Manager

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The company was in its original guise Denton discount warehousing and run by 2 Italian brothers though when questioned it would seem they where actually Albanian posing as Italians :| a regular trick.

How do i know well i worked for them when they first started up on the 192 and 203 route's
 

Xenophon PCDGS

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Was in Batley yesterday (What have I done in my life to deserve that? :lol: ), anyway caught a bus back to Wakefield and all I can say is I feel lucky to be alive!

First the bus turned up, and I had to actually squint to see it said 'Wakefield' on the front.

Is there not a regulation that covers the minimum size of the font used in destinations displayed on buses?
 

pemma

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Is there not a regulation that covers the minimum size of the font used in destinations displayed on buses?

There is legislation on accessibility but like with trains it's not law for all older vehicles yet. I think single decker buses will have to comply by next January. Double deckers and coaches which aren't properly accessible can still be used for a while yet.

I also imagine exemption orders could be given for very minor infringements. If, for instance, the size of the destination is 2mm smaller than it should be. I've heard that's the case with the PIS on some trains - I think it was the SWT Junipers.
 

Busaholic

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I've heard various similar stories regarding SGI. In a recently published bus fleetbook they are listed as a Non PSV Operator, with a note that they operate on Community Bus Permits, which is presumably where the 16 (?) seat vehicles come in. They appear to have 3 companies, all of which have only been set up this year:
- Haste Asset Management Limited
- Haste Group Northern Limited
- Yorkshire Buses Limited

More Haste, less Speed?:lol:

Yorkshire Buses Limited a bit of a cheeky one - one man and a dog stuff, the dog being a mangy mongrel.
 

Tetchytyke

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UK North were something of a cowboy outfit, whose buses had questionable braking characteristics (among other things) (which is why they lost their O-licence IIRC). In the end it was painfully obvious that their vehicles were unsafe

I had the misfortune of using them a few times when I had mates at uni in Fallowfield, and I've never been as scared in all my life. The odd thing was that plenty of their buses were actually quite modern, just complete deathtraps driven by nutcases.
 

theblackwatch

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Problem with SGI is that they're not using your standard bus license, they're using these non-profit Section 22 Community Bus Permits, letting them register, alter and cancel services without much notice and as you've probably noticed, they seem to be able to get let off by the Traffic Commissioner as other companies pulling similar things didn't last long before getting action taken on them, yet this one has a free pass to do whatever it wants. Read up on these permits and see why people are not happy about this company operating the way it does. Their Twitter accounts are also a hilarious read, where they blame everyone but themselves for their own failures.

Tates won't have long left either considering who owns them - the mysterious Island Fortitude Incorporated in Barbados linked to King Long Direct which over the last few months various companies have had to close down or if they're lucky enough...manage to sell it off to another company. Again read up on IFI, this whole outfit is ridiculous. Makes you feel sorry for the people who got sucked into their scamming ways.

Island Fortune was the firm which took over Eddie Brown, which went out of business at the back end of last year - see the thread at http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=109418

The book I have mentions SGI previously ran on an O-licence (PB1116692/R) until May 2014. The N&P dated 16 May 2014 mentions this was surrendered and Registered Bus Services running under this licence were also surrendered. Steel Group Investments Ltd (which held the licence) is now proposed for striking off. It doesn't sound at all dodgy does it...
 

Observer

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Island Fortune was the firm which took over Eddie Brown, which went out of business at the back end of last year - see the thread at http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=109418

The book I have mentions SGI previously ran on an O-licence (PB1116692/R) until May 2014. The N&P dated 16 May 2014 mentions this was surrendered and Registered Bus Services running under this licence were also surrendered. Steel Group Investments Ltd (which held the licence) is now proposed for striking off. It doesn't sound at all dodgy does it...
The O-License was a Restricted license which only allowed for two 16 seater buses. Or as SGI did, bought a few full size buses and had fun taking most of the seats out. Their first Dart still remains with the current operation, with a full set of seats and was finally repainted out of Red Diamond livery recently after nearly two years in service.
 
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Statto

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I had the misfortune of using them a few times when I had mates at uni in Fallowfield, and I've never been as scared in all my life. The odd thing was that plenty of their buses were actually quite modern, just complete deathtraps driven by nutcases.

Remember some of their fleet being ex London Olympians new around 97/98, the major companies were using vehicles older than UK North/GM Buses when UK North/GM Buses got their licence revoked in 2007.

Remember the chaos around Piccadilly when they registered new services Autumn 2005, even Metrolink services were held up.
 

61653 HTAFC

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I wouldn't necessarily expect Tates to disappear quickly, they've been established in the Barnsley area for a good few years and indeed operate the Dewsbury free town bus. SGI-CT seem significantly more dodgy, but I don't recognise these stories of seats being removed. I've used their 278 Wakefield to Dewsbury service a few times, generally operated by full size, standard seated buses, albeit in need of a bit of TLC (or lighter fluid!).
 

pemma

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The O-License was a Restricted license which only allowed for two 16 seater buses. Or as SGI did, bought a few full size buses and had fun taking most of the seats out. Their first Dart still remains with the current operation, with a full set of seats and was finally repainted out of Red Diamond livery recently after nearly two years in service.

Now I've heard about operators reducing the number of seats to 16 on older small Mercedes buses but on a Dart that sounds stupid considering one normally has at least 29 seats.
 

Deerfold

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I wouldn't necessarily expect Tates to disappear quickly, they've been established in the Barnsley area for a good few years and indeed operate the Dewsbury free town bus. SGI-CT seem significantly more dodgy, but I don't recognise these stories of seats being removed. I've used their 278 Wakefield to Dewsbury service a few times, generally operated by full size, standard seated buses, albeit in need of a bit of TLC (or lighter fluid!).

CT Plus take over the Dewsbury Free Bus from 31/05/2015.
 

trentside

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Now I've heard about operators reducing the number of seats to 16 on older small Mercedes buses but on a Dart that sounds stupid considering one normally has at least 29 seats.

They had a DAF SB220 for awhile too - the equivalent vehicles that Lincolnshire RoadCar operated seated 49...

Some pictures (not mine) here and here.
 

Deerfold

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I'm not sure why but Tates have given up running the Dewsbury Town Bus early, with CT Plus taking over.
 
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