I'm not saying many bidders offer luxuries like WiFi but if they did and their bid was similar in price to another they might win it e.g. when D&G lost the 42 and Bear town routes to GHA .I think we now only have one contracted route in Cheshire East which usually is operated by buses fitted with WiFi, that's 6 routes less than 6 months ago.
As for extra journeys sometimes an operator adds in an extra working when a route almost duplicates the journey a bus would make between the depot and it's starting and finishing points. If it's going back after an afternoon school run then it finishes up being an extra evening peak bus.
Some of the school and college runs are quite long routes meaning they don't drop off the final pupils until 4.30 or later, especially the ones serving church schools or taking pupils from a grammar school area to comprehensives in neighbouring boroughs
One thing I've noticed about Network Warrington is that every diagram generally seems to have a specific type of vehicle, but that there doesn't seem to be that much logic to, say, which particular diagrams are the ones which are always hybrids, from what I can gather at least.
Originally the hybrids were to be used on the Wilderspool Causeway routes, but I think generally they don't appear there now for capacity reasons.
So now the hybrids appear on pretty much the same diagrams every day, but these can involve nearly any route across the network.
(23/11/2016 20:36)Dentonian Wrote: [ -> ]Most TFGM contracted schools are relatively short runs of 20 minutes or less, and don't forget a large proportion are YSBs so they wouldn't include any none Schools work - although I believe ways to make more efficient use of them are being investigated.
In a way it's shocking that the 'green' yellow school Versa's can only be used by operators on thier specific school runs.
Way off subject for this thread but where a depot (like stagecoach Ashton for example, has say 2 Versa's for ysb services why carnt they be used for a TFGM tender at weekends instead of them sitting doing nothing.
Yet another blatant waste of tax payers money.
Olympia use theres on private hires for school trips.
(24/11/2016 15:26)Dentonian Wrote: [ -> ]I'm sure there are various practical (and even, legal?) reasons why they are unsuitable for normal service, including the lack of ticket machines and a stand for one. As I hinted above, TFGM ARE trying to find ways of making their use more efficient. Under the principle of Devolution allowing different public service providers to talk to each other, a small team of TFGM staff came up with a few ideas that they approached another Public service about, in a specific part of GM. I don't want to give details, just in case someone recognises the example and takes offence. The idea was welcomed with enthusiasm by highly educated people on the "front line", as it would produce benefits for their "clients", which in turn would eventually translate into cost savings for the tax-payer and a virtuous circle for all their "clients". However, the bureaucrats charged with accepting the idea turned it down because the immediate cost saving was "too small".
I'm fairly certain the stagecoach and first examples I've seen HAVE ticket machines fitted so i don't really see that as a poor excuse. Considering your quick to criticise stagecoach for using hybrids on non 'green' services it's laughable that you try and excuse these enviromentally friendly vehicles - owned by TFGM sitting around so much doing nothing because they can only be used on specific school contracts. Still it's only tax payers money!
(24/11/2016 16:17)Mayneway Wrote: [ -> ]I'm fairly certain the stagecoach and first examples I've seen HAVE ticket machines fitted so i don't really see that as a poor excuse. Considering your quick to criticise stagecoach for using hybrids on non 'green' services it's laughable that you try and excuse these enviromentally friendly vehicles - owned by TFGM sitting around so much doing nothing because they can only be used on specific school contracts. Still it's only tax payers money!
The simple answer to your previous question is they don't have wheelchair or buggy accessibility (without modification) and their single leaf door isn't the most practical option for busier services
(24/11/2016 17:09)Dentonian Wrote: [ -> ]No!!! I criticise Stagecoach for CONSISTENTLY NOT using Hybrids on services they have either been provided with Green buses for (TFGM contracts, eg 173, 380/1), or have asked TFGM to tell customers they WILL use Hybrids on (commercial services, especially 219). I have never been on or near a YSB of any type, so don't know whether they could be used on tendered services. Besides, why would they need to be - haven't Operators got enough buses to run weekend (ie. OFF-Peak) tenders, rather than adding mileage and depreciation to TFGM owned buses? And, wouldn't it confuse passengers if a yellow bus turned up? Have Operators programmed as full set of normal services into the blinds?
I don't know about anyone else on this forum, but I'm getting bored with you using it as an alternative to complaining through the RIGHT channels - and as I've said before, if you are not satisfied with the responses, every district of Greater Manchester has (approx) 3 TFGM Committee members that local tax-payers can complain to about any aspect of Non commercial public transport.
And in this context, you might have made the effort to find out why something can or cannot be done, before mouthing off.
You brought it up I was simply giving my opinion.
You seem to take any criticism of TFGM personally. Their a public body responsable for spending tax payers money everyone slates them!
Moderators?? Not a exactly relevant to Network Warrington the majority of the above?