Impera Bus & Coach

[F255ytj]

RE: Impera Bus & Coach
If the cancellation has been given a date of 4th October, they must operate until then.

[busdude]

RE: Impera Bus & Coach

(19/08/2013 19:04)KU02 YUH Wrote:  

(19/08/2013 16:03)busdude Wrote:  Tbh i dont see the 31/31A & the 98 lasting much longer either. I reckon they'll be gone by the beginning of next year.

Would you like to expand on your thoughts?

Tbh i dont think i have ever seen the 31 leave Liverpool with more than 3 or 4 people on board. Ive seen it pull up so many times and everyone just staring at the bus and not bothering to get on, also when passengers do get on they usually have a pre-paid pass. Surely this is not profitable or making any money for the company. Also it has a massive competition with Arriva with a every 10 minute more of a direct service to New Brighton and every 5 minutes at a peak time.

The 98 however is a massive hit and miss service, as a very regular user of the 98 and gets to see a lot of its progress i think its very rare that it gets a decent loading, the only times this service is full is around 9:30 am - 10:00am when all the OAP's use the service when they can use their passes. The Moreton link between Moreton & Liverpool are completetley empty due to passengers using the 407 and the train.
Again the loadings from Liverpool are usually very poor, i atleast use the service once a week from Liverpool and i have been the only person that has paid through the whole journey until Beechwood. Surely £2.80 doesnt match the cost of using the tunnel/petrol/drivers wage for that 45 minutes.

Its going to take a long time for these services to peak up a lot more and get a customer base. At the moment i think Impera have lost a lot of passengers over the past few weeks due to a number of services not running. And it will take time for them to trust and get use to the company.

I just feel that Impera are being a bit impatient, and are getting fed up of the lack of passengers and the lack of money they are making and they think the easy way out is to just pull the plug on services without giving them, a chance. For example 15, 16, 30 & 47.

I am not critisicing the company at all, i really do like Impera but at the moment they seem to be flopping, hopefully they will finally settle down and improve and become a bigger and better independent bus company.

[M113 YKC]

RE: Impera Bus & Coach

(19/08/2013 19:04)KU02 YUH Wrote:  

(19/08/2013 16:03)busdude Wrote:  Tbh i dont see the 31/31A & the 98 lasting much longer either. I reckon they'll be gone by the beginning of next year.

Would you like to expand on your thoughts?

(19/08/2013 22:35)busdude Wrote:  Tbh i dont think i have ever seen the 31 leave Liverpool with more than 3 or 4 people on board. Ive seen it pull up so many times and everyone just staring at the bus and not bothering to get on, also when passengers do get on they usually have a pre-paid pass. Surely this is not profitable or making any money for the company. Also it has a massive competition with Arriva with a every 10 minute more of a direct service to New Brighton and every 5 minutes at a peak time.

Rest assured - the 31 is more successful than your observations.

(19/08/2013 22:35)busdude Wrote:  The 98 however is a massive hit and miss service, as a very regular user of the 98 and gets to see a lot of its progress i think its very rare that it gets a decent loading, the only times this service is full is around 9:30 am - 10:00am when all the OAP's use the service when they can use their passes. The Moreton link between Moreton & Liverpool are completetley empty due to passengers using the 407 and the train.
Again the loadings from Liverpool are usually very poor, i atleast use the service once a week from Liverpool and i have been the only person that has paid through the whole journey until Beechwood. Surely £2.80 doesnt match the cost of using the tunnel/petrol/drivers wage for that 45 minutes.

Again, rest assured that your observations are definitely not a true reflection of how the service is really doing.

(19/08/2013 22:35)busdude Wrote:  Its going to take a long time for these services to peak up a lot more and get a customer base. At the moment i think Impera have lost a lot of passengers over the past few weeks due to a number of services not running. And it will take time for them to trust and get use to the company.

Actually (if you're referring to the 31, 31A, 39 and 98), during the past few weeks, more-or-less every journey should have turned-up. That's why the 15, 16 and 47 were sacrificed - so that the busier services could remain operationally-viable. If they're not showing-up, you need to phone the depot (0151 641 0897) so that your issue can be looked into and the problems can be addressed and eliminated.

(19/08/2013 22:35)busdude Wrote:  I just feel that Impera are being a bit impatient, and are getting fed up of the lack of passengers and the lack of money they are making and they think the easy way out is to just pull the plug on services without giving them, a chance. For example 15, 16, 30 & 47.

Nonsense!

(19/08/2013 22:35)busdude Wrote:  I am not critisicing the company at all, i really do like Impera but at the moment they seem to be flopping, hopefully they will finally settle down and improve and become a bigger and better independent bus company.

To be completely honest, you've done a terrible job of not criticising them... I now completely understand some of the reasons why certain companies frown upon this forum!

[CX54 DKD (Moderator)]

RE: Impera Bus & Coach

(20/08/2013 01:58)KU02 YUH Wrote:  Actually (if you're referring to the 31, 31A, 39 and 98), during the past few weeks, more-or-less every journey should have turned-up. That's why the 15, 16 and 47 were sacrificed - so that the busier services could remain operationally-viable. If they're not showing-up, you need to phone the depot (0151 641 0897) so that your issue can be looked into and the problems can be addressed and eliminated.

If, as you seem to be inferring here, the aforementioned services are failing to run prior to their cancellation date, then I can also see why passengers would be, quite justifiably, frowning upon Impera as a company. I'd hardly say that trying to justify services failing to run prior to their cancellation date for a second time and quoting that 'more or less every journey' will run is a great way to promote the company either, never mind other members passing comments they may be entitled to based upon their own experiences of using the company.

Should it really be down to passengers to report missed services, at their own expense, to the company in an effort to improve reliability? I hardly think so. If the recent service changes finally enable the company to provide a reliable service which passengers can depend upon, then good for them. I'm sure they'll increase their patronage and with any unique links, it increases convenience for passengers too which can't be considered a bad thing. It's just of my opinion that this has been achieved in a regrettable manner.

As an aside, if companies' are in a position whereby they're frowning upon a forum for comments and opinions posted by users which reflect upon them negatively, then, assuming you're referring to Impera, it's a shame that members of their staff are unavailable to comment themselves, on behalf of the company, as has happened previously. It only requires that any qualms be put to rest really.

[moreton407]

RE: Impera Bus & Coach
Is there a reason why services aren't being run/cancelled. Is it lack of buses, lack of staff, lack of funds or just can't be bothered.

[B10B6514]

RE: Impera Bus & Coach
2523 was in Southport yesterday on driver training duties.

[MPTE1955]

RE: Impera Bus & Coach

(20/08/2013 01:58)KU02 YUH Wrote:  

(19/08/2013 19:04)KU02 YUH Wrote:  

(19/08/2013 16:03)busdude Wrote:  Tbh i dont see the 31/31A & the 98 lasting much longer either. I reckon they'll be gone by the beginning of next year.

Would you like to expand on your thoughts?

(19/08/2013 22:35)busdude Wrote:  Tbh i dont think i have ever seen the 31 leave Liverpool with more than 3 or 4 people on board. Ive seen it pull up so many times and everyone just staring at the bus and not bothering to get on, also when passengers do get on they usually have a pre-paid pass. Surely this is not profitable or making any money for the company. Also it has a massive competition with Arriva with a every 10 minute more of a direct service to New Brighton and every 5 minutes at a peak time.

Rest assured - the 31 is more successful than your observations.

(19/08/2013 22:35)busdude Wrote:  The 98 however is a massive hit and miss service, as a very regular user of the 98 and gets to see a lot of its progress i think its very rare that it gets a decent loading, the only times this service is full is around 9:30 am - 10:00am when all the OAP's use the service when they can use their passes. The Moreton link between Moreton & Liverpool are completetley empty due to passengers using the 407 and the train.
Again the loadings from Liverpool are usually very poor, i atleast use the service once a week from Liverpool and i have been the only person that has paid through the whole journey until Beechwood. Surely £2.80 doesnt match the cost of using the tunnel/petrol/drivers wage for that 45 minutes.

Again, rest assured that your observations are definitely not a true reflection of how the service is really doing.

(19/08/2013 22:35)busdude Wrote:  Its going to take a long time for these services to peak up a lot more and get a customer base. At the moment i think Impera have lost a lot of passengers over the past few weeks due to a number of services not running. And it will take time for them to trust and get use to the company.

Actually (if you're referring to the 31, 31A, 39 and 98), during the past few weeks, more-or-less every journey should have turned-up. That's why the 15, 16 and 47 were sacrificed - so that the busier services could remain operationally-viable. If they're not showing-up, you need to phone the depot (0151 641 0897) so that your issue can be looked into and the problems can be addressed and eliminated.

(19/08/2013 22:35)busdude Wrote:  I just feel that Impera are being a bit impatient, and are getting fed up of the lack of passengers and the lack of money they are making and they think the easy way out is to just pull the plug on services without giving them, a chance. For example 15, 16, 30 & 47.

Nonsense!

(19/08/2013 22:35)busdude Wrote:  I am not critisicing the company at all, i really do like Impera but at the moment they seem to be flopping, hopefully they will finally settle down and improve and become a bigger and better independent bus company.

To be completely honest, you've done a terrible job of not criticising them... I now completely understand some of the reasons why certain companies frown upon this forum!

Without getting involved in an argument, can I just ask are you employed or anything like that with Impera, as you seem to be very much pro-impera with the constant defending of them.

[YN05 WKE]

RE: Impera Bus & Coach

(20/08/2013 06:18)B10B6514 Wrote:  2523 was in Southport yesterday on driver training duties.

A bit far out isn't it unless its A PCV test as I cant see impera doing routes that far out

[M113 YKC]

RE: Impera Bus & Coach

(20/08/2013 04:22)CX54 DKD Wrote:  

(20/08/2013 01:58)KU02 YUH Wrote:  Actually (if you're referring to the 31, 31A, 39 and 98), during the past few weeks, more-or-less every journey should have turned-up. That's why the 15, 16 and 47 were sacrificed - so that the busier services could remain operationally-viable. If they're not showing-up, you need to phone the depot (0151 641 0897) so that your issue can be looked into and the problems can be addressed and eliminated.

I'd hardly say that trying to justify services failing to run prior to their cancellation date for a second time and quoting that 'more or less every journey' will run is a great way to promote the company either, never mind other members passing comments they may be entitled to based upon their own experiences of using the company.

Should it really be down to passengers to report missed services, at their own expense, to the company in an effort to improve reliability? I hardly think so.

"More or less every journey" - I meant that, apart from natural reasons such as lateness due to traffic or a bus fault, there are no excuses as to why the 31/31A, 39 and 98 shouldn't be running without a hitch. There are drivers who don't seem to be doing their job properly. If people aren't reporting missing journeys to Impera, then they can only presume that there are no major issues on the road.

(20/08/2013 05:12)moreton407 Wrote:  Is there a reason why services aren't being run/cancelled. Is it lack of buses, lack of staff, lack of funds or just can't be bothered.

It's not because they "just can't be bothered"...

(20/08/2013 06:59)MPTE1955 Wrote:  Without getting involved in an argument, can I just ask are you employed or anything like that with Impera, as you seem to be very much pro-impera with the constant defending of them.

I hope that I'm not coming across as if I'm defending their every move because I don't agree with every move that they've made. I just don't agree with comments about the 31s and 98s being dead services because they're not. That's not my opinion - it's fact. I think that "busdude" has observed and judged them in a poor way - especially his judgements about the 98 when he only uses the service once a week and about it being completely empty in Moreton when it isn't...

(20/08/2013 09:27)E208 WBG Wrote:  

(20/08/2013 06:18)B10B6514 Wrote:  2523 was in Southport yesterday on driver training duties.

A bit far out isn't it unless its A PCV test as I cant see impera doing routes that far out

It will have solely been for driver training as the PCV tests are undertaken in the Wrexham and Chester area.

[R557 ABA]

RE: Impera Bus & Coach
I feared as much as the above would happen sooner or later, personally I try to be as impartial as I can to all operators, which of cause isn't easy due to the many variables of service given by the likes of Impera and its competitors.

I don't really have much to say other than I have been observing the Impera services on near enough a day to day basis seeing as I use their 98 services on near enough a daily basis. Experience has taught me to purchase a prepaid Merseytravel pass as there is still uncertainty that certain trips are occasionally missed out for a number of reasons.

Most certainly services aren't running close enough to the printed timetable as one should expect, at times however obviously traffic in Liverpool city centre can be a big problem sometimes and especially nearer the peak times which has probably lead to me boarding a 98 service more than 15 minutes late on an occasion or two.

I'm not one for constantly reporting things (I really do have better things to do!), generally yes, the company may listen to you at first, but if you're constantly ringing up the company saying route 47 didn't turn up on the 15:23 departure or a series of complaint operators do tend to stop listening and even some enter you into a blacklist.

Just remember Impera as a company have been in this game for over two years now, I'm sure some lessons have been learnt by the staff, but there's still a long way to go to becoming a prime example of playing buses good and proper.