Xplore Dundee

[upasalmon]

I know that McBraynes once ran a large company, but as McGills are expanding within Scotland would a new name be in more appropriate?
How about SCOTTISH BUSES? Or even SMT, if that name is allowed.

A Guid New Year to ye and Lang may yer lungs reek!

 

[adrock1976]

How do McGills intend on making the Dundee network successful? This would be outwith their familiar area of Renfrewshire and Inverclyde.

They tried venturing north of the Clyde into Dumbarton, Coatbridge, and Airdrie, and apart from the former Henderson routes in Monklands, they eventually pulled out.

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

How do McGills intend on making the Dundee network successful? This would be outwith their familiar area of Renfrewshire and Inverclyde.

They tried venturing north of the Clyde into Dumbarton, Coatbridge, and Airdrie, and apart from the former Henderson routes in Monklands, they eventually pulled out.

Local management will remain in place, initially anyway.

The current Head of Commercial at McGill's has experience with Dundee's bus network in the past, albeit not Xplore's

 

[156478]

How do McGills intend on making the Dundee network successful? This would be outwith their familiar area of Renfrewshire and Inverclyde.

They tried venturing north of the Clyde into Dumbarton, Coatbridge, and Airdrie, and apart from the former Henderson routes in Monklands, they eventually pulled out.

The difference here is that in Dundee, they are a main operator and Nat Ex have done them a massive favour by already making/planning efficiencies to the network.

 

[Observer]

How do McGills intend on making the Dundee network successful? This would be outwith their familiar area of Renfrewshire and Inverclyde.

They tried venturing north of the Clyde into Dumbarton, Coatbridge, and Airdrie, and apart from the former Henderson routes in Monklands, they eventually pulled out.

Don't forget they gave up a number of SPT contracts as well a few months ago. Wouldn't be surprised if Coatbridge is closed for good at some point. Monklands, like Dumbarton, never worked out too well for them.

 

[739678]

The sale and the subsequent cuts come rather ironically almost 30 years since the then employees bought out the business from Tayside Regional Council. That sale was also agreed on the basis that the council announced cuts to early morning, evening and Sunday services, along with the axing of several routes....

 

[robertclark125]

Wonder if mcgills may decide to get rid of the exact fare boxes?

 

[kez19]

Wonder if mcgills may decide to get rid of the exact fare boxes?

In relation to that I wonder if some stages will go...

I remember a short hop was £1.80 from where I stay to ASDA Milton so I wonder if pricing structure may fall a bit in line with McGills ie zones (not that they be many zones to run with)

The sale and the subsequent cuts come rather ironically almost 30 years since the then employees bought out the business from Tayside Regional Council. That sale was also agreed on the basis that the council announced cuts to early morning, evening and Sunday services, along with the axing of several routes....

Yet it’s a bit ironic that some routes are getting extensions or on the other run differently or for me personally the 17 for most part to town is on the 15 route then normal 17 to then change part route with 28/29 then resume normal route 17. Seems most routes are just merging then split to normal as previous

 

[GaryMcEwan]

In relation to that I wonder if some stages will go...

I remember a short hop was £1.80 from where I stay to ASDA Milton so I wonder if pricing structure may fall a bit in line with McGills ie zones (not that they be many zones to run with)




Yet it’s a bit ironic that some routes are getting extensions or on the other run differently or for me personally the 17 for most part to town is on the 15 route then normal 17 to then change part route with 28/29 then resume normal route 17. Seems most routes are just merging then split to normal as previous

McGill's are ridiculously expensive for single fares though whereas with Stagecoach the same comparable route is a lot less. (Basing this on McGill's 26 and Stagecoach's X19 between Union Street and Govan Cross)

 

[GusB]

I know that McBraynes once ran a large company, but as McGills are expanding within Scotland would a new name be in more appropriate?
How about SCOTTISH BUSES? Or even SMT, if that name is allowed.

A Guid New Year to ye and Lang may yer lungs reek!

Would they not be better off keeping the current Xplore Dundee name?

Oh, and the expression is "may yer lum reek"!

 

[kez19]

McGill's are ridiculously expensive for single fares though whereas with Stagecoach the same comparable route is a lot less. (Basing this on McGill's 26 and Stagecoach's X19 between Union Street and Govan Cross)

You are right on that point, I remember going to Linwood from the city centre, if I am correct it was like £4.60/70 single and £4.80 return, I think they will have to be careful in Dundee in terms of pricing but seems to be for now fares are frozen

Would they not be better off keeping the current Xplore Dundee name?

Oh, and the expression is "may yer lum reek"!

I believe they are keeping the brand as it is, but for me personally they may as well drop it, as even on some of their buses they still have "Xplore Dundee - proudly run by National Express", unless they are expecting someone to go round with scissors to cut round the National Express part?

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

McGill's are ridiculously expensive for single fares though whereas with Stagecoach the same comparable route is a lot less. (Basing this on McGill's 26 and Stagecoach's X19 between Union Street and Govan Cross)

Exactly the same in Dundee between Broughty Ferry and the city centre on the XD 5/9/10 compared to the Stagecoach 73. £1.80 on Stagecoach but £2.25 on Xplore.

 

[GaryMcEwan]

You are right on that point, I remember going to Linwood from the city centre, if I am correct it was like £4.60/70 single and £4.80 return, I think they will have to be careful in Dundee in terms of pricing but seems to be for now fares are frozen




I believe they are keeping the brand as it is, but for me personally they may as well drop it, as even on some of their buses they still have "Xplore Dundee - proudly run by National Express", unless they are expecting someone to go round with scissors to cut round the National Express part?

They probably do what they did when they bought Arriva. Cut all the Arriva bits the off the internal stickers and warnings and slap on make logos on the vehicles themselves.

 

[kez19]

Exactly the same in Dundee between Broughty Ferry and the city centre on the XD 5/9/10 compared to the Stagecoach 73. £1.80 on Stagecoach but £2.25 on Xplore.

I believe (a bit unrelated) that Stagecoach own Dundee Dayrider is cheaper than Xplore too!

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

I believe (a bit unrelated) that Stagecoach own Dundee Dayrider is cheaper than Xplore too!

Yes, but that makes sense as it covers a much less expansive network (although you can get to Monifieth, Tayport and Invergowrie on the Dundee Dayrider, despite all three being outwith Dundee!)

 

[kez19]

They probably do what they did when they bought Arriva. Cut all the Arriva bits the off the internal stickers and warnings and slap on make logos on the vehicles themselves.

Its not as if Xplore Dundee still has some buses still plastered with the old NXWM stripes on them! ... Cancel that they still do! Yet this is where Xplore Dundee haven't caught up with in terms of that department.

On some of Xplore vehicles even the insides still carry National Express Dundee on them (this includes the single decks)

Yes, but that makes sense as it covers a much less expansive network (although you can get to Monifieth, Tayport and Invergowrie on the Dundee Dayrider, despite all three being outwith Dundee!)

Thats true, still to think when Xplore (Travel Dundee) had a bus that ran up to Ethiebeaton (the 14) and that was cut, with Xplore you can only get as far as Ninewells and Broughty Ferry/Barnhill

 

[Busmaddy]

How many services do Stagecoach run in Dundee

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

How many services do Stagecoach run in Dundee

Depends on how you define "in Dundee", but all the services that operate within Dundee City Council boundaries are the 16, 20/21, 22, 39, 42, 57/59, 73, 77, 99, 139, 202, 206, X7, X26, (X)54, X58

There is no Dundee Stagecoach depot anymore, everything that comes into Dundee is run out of Perth, Blairgowrie, Arbroath, St Andrews, Aberhill and Glenrothes.

 

[Busmaddy]

Thanks for the information. Hopefully stagecoach when COVID is over goes after lots of the new mcgills network

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

Thanks for the information. Hopefully stagecoach when COVID is over goes after lots of the new mcgills network

Why? It's not as if the McGill's network will be any different to the current network.

As I say - very little will change when the sale takes place, it's merely a change of ownership.

 

[kez19]

Depends on how you define "in Dundee", but all the services that operate within Dundee City Council boundaries are the 16, 20/21, 22, 39, 42, 57/59, 73, 77, 99, 139, 202, 206, X7, X26, (X)54, X58

There is no Dundee Stagecoach depot anymore, everything that comes into Dundee is run out of Perth, Blairgowrie, Arbroath, St Andrews, Aberhill and Glenrothes.

I know its a bit irrelvant in a way but Moffatt and Williamson run the 88 Whitfield/Sainsburys/Broughty Ferry circular, originally that was Xplore (Travel Dundee) then that passed to Stagecoach to then Moffatt

Also you could also add the 36/236 that was originally to my knowledge (correct me), Travel Dundee to Stagecoach (Stagecoach it became 236 and Moffatt has carried it since).

Thanks for the information. Hopefully stagecoach when COVID is over goes after lots of the new mcgills network

I actually welcome McGills (for now) but see how they go when it starts, I hope what National Express have done maybe McGills may see something different (wishful thinking here)

 

[156478]

I meant once mcgills takes over hopefully stagecoach goes after all there routes as mcgills are a very very bad company

I very much doubt either company will go after each other.

Competition costs money, vast sums of money and passenger numbers will never be the same again- this is why Xplore pruned services for the end of January.

Stagecoach are savvy enough to know they cannot go after them due to the overbearing competition commission and their uniformed beliefs in competition, they would be seen as the aggressors with the unfair advantage and Stagecoach have seen enough of the competition commission to last them a lifetime.

 

[Stan Drews]

McGill’s work fairly harmoniously with Stagecoach West Scotland, so I can’t see why that wouldn’t be the same in East Scotland.

 

[cnjb8]

It was only a year ago when we thought NatEx would buy First operations in Scotland! How times change...

 

[kez19]

McGill’s work fairly harmoniously with Stagecoach West Scotland, so I can’t see why that wouldn’t be the same in East Scotland.

Has the whole rivalry played out now? I mean this as in general with all companies

It was only a year ago when we thought NatEx would buy First operations in Scotland! How times change...

It’s strange you say that, I mentioned back earlier in the thread thinking it be other way round!

The other thing in regards to Xplore was recently the updated site looks tidier and talk of the new app.


Since we are now aware of McGills but I am wondering if the new app will be similar to that of McGills?

As on the site they speak of “tracking the bus” and real-time info where as the app at the moment doesn’t have much to it and I’m going to guess that with a new app on its way the previous version may well be scrapped?

 

[RomeoCharlie71]

I believe the new app is being developed by Passenger, the same team who developed the McGill's app.

The existing Xplore mTicket app will be replaced by the new one in the new year.

 

[kez19]

I believe the new app is being developed by Passenger, the same team who developed the McGill's app.

The existing Xplore mTicket app will be replaced by the new one in the new year.

I did wonder any ideas who runs the website as that’s definitely had an upgrade

That’s the one thing I don’t like is changing from apps, as previously Xplore was using the other app (which still exists), I’m guessing customers will have to re register again

 

[WM Bus]

I did wonder any ideas who runs the website as that’s definitely had an upgrade

The National Express West Midlands and National Express Coventry websites have had an upgrade as well.

National Express West Midlands - Posts | Facebook

 

[Busmaddy]

How much do explore Dundee pay an hour to drivers

 

[mb88]

Xplore Dundee drivers can look forward to a full scale attack on their T&Cs when this mob get their claws into them.