Arriva North West - Winsford Depot

[iMarkeh]

RE: Arriva North West - Winsford Depot

(16/09/2020 21:33)Rick Hunter Wrote:  The 130 had been run into the ground by Arriva and the damage is obviously now irrepairable. Maybe if they had withdrawn it earlier when there was still a reasonable customer base then D&G may have been able to make it work. The current situation with few people traveling isn't the best time to be trying to build a route back up commercially.

D&G hasn't helped though. They haven't exactly been the most reliable operator in the are with their commercial routes generally being withdrawn or changed quite significantly every few months. That doesn't help customers faith in the service. Why support a bus which is unlikely to be running in a few months.

[dounowhoiam]

RE: Arriva North West - Winsford Depot

(17/09/2020 08:13)iMarkeh Wrote:  D&G hasn't helped though. They haven't exactly been the most reliable operator in the are with their commercial routes generally being withdrawn or changed quite significantly every few months. That doesn't help customers faith in the service. Why support a bus which is unlikely to be running in a few months.

That is very true, when the 130 was going to the Airport it would get GM passengers on the stretch towards Wilmslow. Unfortunately the 88 being every two hours to Macclesfield and much longer journey time is not worth it. It is going to just push even more people onto the train or car.

[James Frisby]

RE: Arriva North West - Winsford Depot
[quote='iMarkeh' pid='139383' dateline='1600329074']
Is D&G pay higher? I'm surprised that their conditions would be better though as D&G doesn't seem to present itself as the sort of operator with great conditions.


Could Arriva run down the network purely based on the fact they have too few drivers. If people keep leaving and they can't cover work, what else can they do but slowly rid some services?


D and G's hourly rate is barely above minimum wage. I'd hazard a guess that Arriva still offer one of the highest hourly rates in Cheshire - they were certainly the highest payers in the area when I worked for GHA at Winsford.

Coincidentally I received an alert a few days ago saying Arriva are recruiting again at Winsford.

[Rick Hunter]

RE: Arriva North West - Winsford Depot
No, D&G pay isn't higher than Arriva. Conditions with pretty much most operators now are sh*te to be honest. Conditions vary greatly even between depots within Arriva as local management make or break a depot. D&G conditions are no worse than other operators. What gives you the impression otherwise? We don't have a stream of new vehicles arriving every year but then niether do Arriva.

Rather than run a network down due to driver shortage surely it would be better to deregister routes rather than make them totally unviable for anyone else. It's as though Arriva are saying well if we can't run them then nobody else is going to.

(17/09/2020 07:51)iMarkeh Wrote:  Is D&G pay higher? I'm surprised that their conditions would be better though as D&G doesn't seem to present itself as the sort of operator with great conditions.


Could Arriva run down the network purely based on the fact they have too few drivers. If people keep leaving and they can't cover work, what else can they do but slowly rid some services?

[knutstransport]

RE: Arriva North West - Winsford Depot
I don't get why Arriva not operating from Macclesfield would have led to drivers joining D&G (based at Wincham and Crewe.) If a driver lives in or near Northwich and works for Arriva then maybe they'll apply for vacancies with D&G and Walkers/Holmeswood Coaches to be based closer to home but I don't get how the Arriva Macclesfield outstation comes in to it.

[iMarkeh]

RE: Arriva North West - Winsford Depot

(18/09/2020 07:38)Rick Hunter Wrote:  No, D&G pay isn't higher than Arriva. Conditions with pretty much most operators now are sh*te to be honest. Conditions vary greatly even between depots within Arriva as local management make or break a depot. D&G conditions are no worse than other operators. What gives you the impression otherwise? We don't have a stream of new vehicles arriving every year but then niether do Arriva.

Rather than run a network down due to driver shortage surely it would be better to deregister routes rather than make them totally unviable for anyone else. It's as though Arriva are saying well if we can't run them then nobody else is going to.

What made me wonder was this post.

(17/09/2020 06:17)33109 Wrote:  My driver mate who used to do macc work & is now a winsford allocated driver says he was told it isn't looking likely that macc depot at gaw end lane will reopen. Few people have left again, high peak is where he knows a few drivers have gone.

Said drivers don't like being stuck on macc town work & 38s are now worked by winsford drivers. Drivers apparently want more variety & better pay/conditions is why a load have left.

If drivers want better pay and conditions then it doesn't make sense why drivers are moving to D&G where it isn't better.

(18/09/2020 07:47)knutstransport Wrote:  I don't get why Arriva not operating from Macclesfield would have led to drivers joining D&G (based at Wincham and Crewe.) If a driver lives in or near Northwich and works for Arriva then maybe they'll apply for vacancies with D&G and Walkers/Holmeswood Coaches to be based closer to home but I don't get how the Arriva Macclesfield outstation comes in to it.

I think it must be infuriating driving an hour to work to then get a bus and drive for an hour the exact same way you have just come and then in the evening to drive a bus for an hour to then drive the exact same way home again. By moving to D&G, they will be on more variety of work and will be unlikely to have to drive basically a 2 hour round trip, twice per day for no reason other than the local depot has shut. D&G you drive to work, drive around lots of different areas with lots of variety of routes then you drive home.
If drivers move to High Peak, depending on where they live, it might be quicker than driving to Winsford. You then have the same benefits as D&G with not wasting 2 hours and you will have more variety of routes at High Peak compared to Arriva who it has been mentioned are keeping Macc drivers on the Macc town network.

[knutstransport]

RE: Arriva North West - Winsford Depot

(18/09/2020 09:35)iMarkeh Wrote:  You then have the same benefits as D&G

One benefit of not changing employer is if your role ends up at risk of redundancy then how many years continuous service you have is important as the more years the higher any redundancy payment will be.

Quote:D&G you drive to work, drive around lots of different areas with lots of variety of routes then you drive home.

One thing I have noticed is when drivers go on breaks in Northwich they find things to do on their breaks, while drivers on breaks in Knutsford spend them sat on a driver changeover vehicle (which may be a car.) One of the benefits of drivers getting a break at Knutsford was Booths card holders could claim one free takeaway coffee per day (and during the period D&G operated the 88A it was a very common site seeing D&G drivers claiming a free coffee) but they don't get that anymore.

Quote:If drivers move to High Peak, depending on where they live, it might be quicker than driving to Winsford.

That could provide an interesting scenario if the Cat and Fiddle road closes due to snow in that a driver who lives in Macc and would be driving Macc routes can't get to the depot to get the bus. Didn't Stagecoach poach a number of the High Peak drivers who live in Cheshire/Greater Manchester at one point?

[33109]

RE: Arriva North West - Winsford Depot

(18/09/2020 09:48)knutstransport Wrote:  One benefit of not changing employer is if your role ends up at risk of redundancy then how many years continuous service you have is important as the more years the higher any redundancy payment will be.


One thing I have noticed is when drivers go on breaks in Northwich they find things to do on their breaks, while drivers on breaks in Knutsford spend them sat on a driver changeover vehicle (which may be a car.) One of the benefits of drivers getting a break at Knutsford was Booths card holders could claim one free takeaway coffee per day (and during the period D&G operated the 88A it was a very common site seeing D&G drivers claiming a free coffee) but they don't get that anymore.


That could provide an interesting scenario if the Cat and Fiddle road closes due to snow in that a driver who lives in Macc and would be driving Macc routes can't get to the depot to get the bus. Didn't Stagecoach poach a number of the High Peak drivers who live in Cheshire/Greater Manchester at one point?

At current I think it's a lottery as to what might happen. Arriva will either sink or swim.

[trixmax2000]

RE: Arriva North West - Winsford Depot

(18/09/2020 09:48)knutstransport Wrote:  One benefit of not changing employer is if your role ends up at risk of redundancy then how many years continuous service you have is important as the more years the higher any redundancy payment will be.


One thing I have noticed is when drivers go on breaks in Northwich they find things to do on their breaks, while drivers on breaks in Knutsford spend them sat on a driver changeover vehicle (which may be a car.) One of the benefits of drivers getting a break at Knutsford was Booths card holders could claim one free takeaway coffee per day (and during the period D&G operated the 88A it was a very common site seeing D&G drivers claiming a free coffee) but they don't get that anymore.


That could provide an interesting scenario if the Cat and Fiddle road closes due to snow in that a driver who lives in Macc and would be driving Macc routes can't get to the depot to get the bus. Didn't Stagecoach poach a number of the High Peak drivers who live in Cheshire/Greater Manchester at one point?

Seem to remember Arriva had a drivers restroom in Northwich over a shop

[Rick Hunter]

RE: Arriva North West - Winsford Depot
Having spoken to some Macclesfield drivers they are apparently treated badly by Winsford management hence several have left. As I said in another post local management will make or break a depot.

(18/09/2020 07:47)knutstransport Wrote:  I don't get why Arriva not operating from Macclesfield would have led to drivers joining D&G (based at Wincham and Crewe.) If a driver lives in or near Northwich and works for Arriva then maybe they'll apply for vacancies with D&G and Walkers/Holmeswood Coaches to be based closer to home but I don't get how the Arriva Macclesfield outstation comes in to it.