Traffic commissioners poking around is the last thing any operator really wants.
Hopefully everything is starting to get back on an even keel.
Never mind the Traffic Commissioner, the public deserve a better more reliable service.
(03/07/2017 05:51)wirralbus Wrote: [ -> ]Traffic commissioners poking around is the last thing any operator really wants.
If the TC's are called in, it means that the passengers/customers are getting a raw deal from an operator and surely that is the TC's raison d'etre.
(03/07/2017 08:02)Barney Wrote: [ -> ]If the TC's are called in, it means that the passengers/customers are getting a raw deal from an operator and surely that is the TC's raison d'etre.
BUt its a catch 22 situation if you get into a dire problem with staff leaving to go to other companies , sometimes the drivers do not give much notice of there intention to leave which in turns gives you the situation that looks like its happened here .
(02/07/2017 07:03)wirralbus Wrote: [ -> ]Merseytravel is in a catch 22 situation if thy didnt take the lowest bids then somewhere down the line a socially necessary service may not be able to be operated .
One thing that is getting harder to notice is if your bus service is commercial or supported as Merseytravel have started to use routes that use the commercial service number of the route.
reminds me of North Wales partly with Padarn and Arriva back doing many of the routes
(02/07/2017 07:03)wirralbus Wrote: [ -> ]Merseytravel is in a Catch 22 situation if thy didn't take the lowest bids then somewhere down the line a socially necessary service may not be able to be operated .
I don't think that Joseph Heller would agree with you there. The reality is that currently most of these socially necessary services AREN'T running despite a private company is receiving money from the public purse to run them.
Personally, I no longer rely on any Avon tendered service to operate and I'm sure that I am not alone.
(03/07/2017 11:04)Barney Wrote: [ -> ]I don't think that Joseph Heller would agree with you there. The reality is that currently most of these socially necessary services AREN'T running despite a private company is receiving money from the public purse to run them.
Personally, I no longer rely on any Avon tendered service to operate and I'm sure that I am not alone.
But a company cant run these services without drivers , if there drivers are being poached by Stagecoach what can you do , what would you do ?
They cant withdraw any service they need at least 56 days notice . I stand behind what i say its a catch 22 situation.
(03/07/2017 08:53)wirralbus Wrote: [ -> ]BUt its a catch 22 situation if you get into a dire problem with staff leaving to go to other companies , sometimes the drivers do not give much notice of there intention to leave which in turns gives you the situation that looks like its happened here .
I was in Gloucester last week where a similar situation had occurred but Stagecoach were able to call on drivers from Cheltenham and Swindon depots for cover. Unfortunately a small operator has no such recourse.
Provided Avon can sort themselves out, and it looks as if they are doing, the Traffic Commissioner is unlikely to take any action at this stage.
(03/07/2017 11:04)Barney Wrote: [ -> ]The reality is that currently most of these socially necessary services AREN'T running despite a private company is receiving money from the public purse to run them.
Merseytravel do not pay for services that have failed to operate.
(03/07/2017 15:25)enrag2000 Wrote: [ -> ]I was in Gloucester last week where a similar situation had occurred but Stagecoach were able to call on drivers from Cheltenham and Swindon depots for cover. Unfortunately a small operator has no such recourse.
Provided Avon can sort themselves out, and it looks as if they are doing, the Traffic Commissioner is unlikely to take any action at this stage.
Merseytravel do not pay for services that have failed to operate.
Ultimately, the cost is borne by the passengers waiting at the bus stops in the form of a long walk or expensive taxi fare when the service fails to run.
For all the services dropped on tendered routes my understanding is that the operator is fined or deducted money from the monthly payments that are made for the service therefore if this is correct Avon aren't actually receiving money for any dropped services that have happened over the past few weeks
As for the longer term if a service continually fails to operate and no direct action is taken by the Transport Authority then passengers seek alternative routes or means of transport and the service suffers and may even be withdrawn which in the current climate of cuts is a suitable for the Transport Authority as it gives them a case for withdrawing the service therefore saving money. I shall that when I say Transport Authority I am not just referring to Merseytravel but it could be any local authority in the country that subsidies local bus services