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(02/03/2022 17:46)iMarkeh Wrote: [ -> ]Back to the emergency timetable again due to staffing issues.

Yet MP20 BUS was on rail replacement duties in Manchester yesterday afternoon.

(06/03/2022 15:05)knutstransport Wrote: [ -> ]Yet MP20 BUS was on rail replacement duties in Manchester yesterday afternoon.

Providing a driver for a one off is very different than getting one to commit to any sort of permanent work, which is what the X1 would need to provide any increased timetable.

There is a national shortage of those who want permanent bus driving work, but there are some who just want part time or occasional. In the current climate, if you can cover any sort of work that comes your way, by whatever means you do it. Simple business sense.

(07/03/2022 09:29)KXW212 Wrote: [ -> ]Providing a driver for a one off is very different than getting one to commit to any sort of permanent work, which is what the X1 would need to provide any increased timetable.

The X1 only appears to have gone back to the reduced emergency timetable this week, with no advance notice for passengers. So on what's possibly the first Saturday of a reduced timetable they have a spare driver for rail replacement work. I'm pretty sure they were running some of the Manchester to Bolton replacements that had been planned in due to scheduled engineering works. Maybe the expected revenue loss for the reduced X1 is less than the guaranteed revenue gain for still taking on the RRB work?

(07/03/2022 09:29)KXW212 Wrote: [ -> ]Providing a driver for a one off is very different than getting one to commit to any sort of permanent work, which is what the X1 would need to provide any increased timetable.

There is a national shortage of those who want permanent bus driving work, but there are some who just want part time or occasional. In the current climate, if you can cover any sort of work that comes your way, by whatever means you do it. Simple business sense.

To be fair the National shortage of drivers is easing massively now. Company I work for after months of struggling have a full complement of drivers and another 30 coming through training school at a rapid rate. A number of drivers who left to go HGV driving have returned realising the grass isn’t always greener. A quick look on Twitter at other bigger companies reveals very few cancellations due to driver shortage.
Perhaps MP need to look at pay and conditions if they are still struggling.

Maybe we would look at pay if we actually earned it from the service or paid for what work is being done.

Recently we have lost several drivers, the service hasn't picked up and in actual fact, the buses have not gained any revenue going to an hourly timetable to when it was this timetable.

However, we are putting in cancellation notice which has been supported by the LA's to terminate the X1.

(PS timetable was just put up to show times, seriously not going to mess about changing a date, when you should only use the website to get an upto date timetable instead of a 3rd party which we have no control over). At least the times are out there.

As for megabus, we at present are not going to be operating any more than we currently do. Believe the Derby London journey only is a mistake on who is operating.

No bus firm can spend more on wages with Fuel bills. Unless they locked in price but even then, that comes up at some point. in Rail Replacement the control staff have not had a pay rise don't think anyone have in 10 years.

Only way to keep staff is have nice routes and rotas and nice vibes with management with there drivers. I find the happy drivers as not the ones looking at wages.

(08/03/2022 16:30)Mrboo Wrote: [ -> ]No bus firm can spend more on wages with Fuel bills. Unless they locked in price but even then, that comes up at some point. in Rail Replacement the control staff have not had a pay rise don't think anyone have in 10 years.

Only way to keep staff is have nice routes and rotas and nice vibes with management with there drivers. I find the happy drivers as not the ones looking at wages.

Shows how much you know. Drivers go where the money is. They want a decent hourly rate. The companies paying the highest rates in Manchester have no issue with driver shortages, the firm paying one of the lowest rates is constantly offering £1000 welcome bonuses, they also have one of the biggest turnovers of drivers.

(08/03/2022 17:30)Mayneway Wrote: [ -> ]Shows how much you know. Drivers go where the money is. They want a decent hourly rate. The companies paying the highest rates in Manchester have no issue with driver shortages, the firm paying one of the lowest rates is constantly offering £1000 welcome bonuses, they also have one of the biggest turnovers of drivers.

Wrong or every coach driver would be doing service work as pays more or the smaller coach firms would never find any staff as can't offer what some of the big groups offer paywise/perks. if the better paid firms was not having issues with drivers how come they have driving schools and have pr drives for new staff as am sure they would have a waiting list of drivers from lower paid companies? No driver is going to put up with low pay and sh*t management and routes so £1000 welcome bonuses are more down to sucking in new drivers who are not wise to depot issues.

(08/03/2022 16:30)Mrboo Wrote: [ -> ]in Rail Replacement the control staff have not had a pay rise don't think anyone have in 10 years.

That's different to the drivers. The drivers are working for a local operator who provide a service to the company holding the RRB contract. At present in the Manchester area Atlantic Travel seem to be providing a lot of resource but which operators provide the service change all the time.

Quote:I find the happy drivers as not the ones looking at wages.

With any employee wages are just one factor to consider. If you have 10 years service then moving to another operator slight further away to get £1000 extra a year may not be worth it. You lose the insurance that a redundancy payment would provide, plus you lose commuting time and some of the extra money is lost in commuting costs.