First Manchester

[mikestone]

RE: First Manchester
I think it would have been far more sensible to have incorporated a requirement for Metrolink to provide free travel in the central area when it was retendered and scrapped Centrebus altogether. This would also have meant revenue protection could have been concentrated on out of city sections.

[NorthernCounties]

RE: First Manchester

(26/08/2018 17:51)33109 Wrote:  Who's won it then? Hope the extension down castlefield to mosi will re commence as quite a few people used it.

I was told by a bus driver friend that the announcement is being made tomorrow (Tuesday)

[Mayneway]

RE: First Manchester

(27/08/2018 18:09)NorthernCounties Wrote:  I was told by a bus driver friend that the announcement is being made tomorrow (Tuesday)

Any news on this announcement?? Just seen a post on Facebook stating Stagecoach have won the contract from end of October but at the 11th hour First management made a shocking statement that if they loose the metroshuttle contract they would have to look at closing queens road depot. So it's now looking like First are to retain it.

[busesdotorg1920x]

RE: First Manchester

(28/08/2018 14:54)Mayneway Wrote:  Any news on this announcement?? Just seen a post on Facebook stating Stagecoach have won the contract from end of October but at the 11th hour First management made a shocking statement that if they loose the metroshuttle contract they would have to look at closing queens road depot. So it's now looking like First are to retain it.

What? If Queens Road depot can only survive because of Metroshuttle surely they should be trimming to try and make it profitable?
Also why would they change the contract after Stagecoach have been awarded it to stop First from looking at closing the depot. Slightly off behaviour - First saying if we don't win the contract we close a depot.
Please would you link the posts and statements as this sounds odd.

[EDB325]

RE: First Manchester

(28/08/2018 15:13)busesdotorg1920x Wrote:  What? If Queens Road depot can only survive because of Metroshuttle surely they should be trimming to try and make it profitable?
Also why would they change the contract after Stagecoach have been awarded it to stop First from looking at closing the depot. Slightly off behaviour - First saying if we don't win the contract we close a depot.
Please would you link the posts and statements as this sounds odd.

Once the contract has been awarded it's a done deal. You won't win it back by weeping over its loss.

[NorthernCounties]

RE: First Manchester
Metro shuttle announcement is being made to drivers at half seven tonight, so we'll see if the rumors are true or not later

[Mayneway]

RE: First Manchester
As NorthernCounties has said above there's a meeting between union, drivers and management at Queens Road tonight to put plans to bed regarding the metroshuttle contract and the rumours of closure.

[Mayneway]

RE: First Manchester

(28/08/2018 15:13)busesdotorg1920x Wrote:  What? If Queens Road depot can only survive because of Metroshuttle surely they should be trimming to try and make it profitable?
Also why would they change the contract after Stagecoach have been awarded it to stop First from looking at closing the depot. Slightly off behaviour - First saying if we don't win the contract we close a depot.
Please would you link the posts and statements as this sounds odd.

Posted on one of the stagecoach enthusiast pages by a Stagecoach employee. It would seem like as yet nobody actually knows what's what.

[Mayneway]

RE: First Manchester

(28/08/2018 16:05)EDB325 Wrote:  Once the contract has been awarded it's a done deal. You won't win it back by weeping over its loss.

I agree but i believe there's more to this contract than just cost to run it. Presumably Stagecoach's offer to internally refurbish each vehicle before the contract starts at no cost to TFGM may have swung it but apparently they want an operator to run it who can increase the number of people actually using it. Typically First just sat back and let it do its own thing..

[WhiteVanMan]

RE: First Manchester

(28/08/2018 18:52)Mayneway Wrote:  Posted on one of the stagecoach enthusiast pages by a Stagecoach employee. It would seem like as yet nobody actually knows what's what.

Not the first time that Stagecoach employees, have started rumours about First!