First Manchester

[Damien]

RE: First Manchester

(25/08/2012 22:42)Benzo Wrote:  Looked at the fleet movement list and it says that Pioneer are to gain a dart from OM, well guessing that 40436 would be the dart as its recently been fitted with an LED display

makes sense

[P528LND]

RE: First Manchester

(25/08/2012 22:42)Benzo Wrote:  Looked at the fleet movement list and it says that Pioneer are to gain a dart from OM, well guessing that 40436 would be the dart as its recently been fitted with an LED display

You can't say for sure since LED displays aren't new to the Darts anymore, remember

[Damien]

RE: First Manchester
Just to give another perspective concerning the information posted in the Gm Buses group by an Oldham Depot employee. This time a Bury Depot employee believes a lot of the allocation information is mis matched.

[mic]

RE: First Manchester
well one of the planned movements at pioneer has happened and this is the death of 40001 P309 LND due to engine trouble

[Valandil]

RE: First Manchester
I have never had a good experience with this company (mainly due to the 1hr40mins their bus takes to do Warrington -> Manchester and the generally bad-tempered nature of drivers which we Warrington folk just aren't used to!) but the other day I experienced probably the worst journey I have ever had.

The worst offence was not stopping to drop off passengers at a stand in Stockport bus station, and instead parking the bus up and then letting us off. I had to walk an old man across a bus lane, and hope for the best that nothing would hit us. Add to this a number of other more minor offences, such as massively overshooting bus stops, driving off before passengers could board, and closing the doors on me as I tried to board the bus. It was just surreal: I have never seen a driver do these things before.

I do understand that the particular route (22) is horrible and the amount of time spent driving solidly is long to say the least, but this is no excuse. I have never reported a driver before, but this will unfortunately be the first time that I just have to do so.

On an unrelated note, the newish livery looks very smart, and their Geminis are very good and have sound interiors.

[Mayneway]

RE: First Manchester

(26/08/2012 18:14)Valandil Wrote:  I have never had a good experience with this company (mainly due to the 1hr40mins their bus takes to do Warrington -> Manchester and the generally bad-tempered nature of drivers which we Warrington folk just aren't used to!) but the other day I experienced probably the worst journey I have ever had.

The worst offence was not stopping to drop off passengers at a stand in Stockport bus station, and instead parking the bus up and then letting us off. I had to walk an old man across a bus lane, and hope for the best that nothing would hit us. Add to this a number of other more minor offences, such as massively overshooting bus stops, driving off before passengers could board, and closing the doors on me as I tried to board the bus. It was just surreal: I have never seen a driver do these things before.

I do understand that the particular route (22) is horrible and the amount of time spent driving solidly is long to say the least, but this is no excuse. I have never reported a driver before, but this will unfortunately be the first time that I just have to do so.

On an unrelated note, the newish livery looks very smart, and their Geminis are very good and have sound interiors.

Firstly this is nothing new.
In Ashton most of the drivers at Pioneer depot insist on dumping passengers outside the bus station on the main road (a very busy main road with 2 lanes of very busy traffic!), and even worse still some lazy drivers insist on dumping passengers in the layover bay, despite the fact there's big red signs there saying No Alighting.
I've complained several times to First about the issue and normally after a 3-4 week wait they write back saying it shouldn't be happening and that my comments have been passed onto depot manager at Dukinfield. A year on, and 4 complaints later and it's still happening daily.

Today in the space of 5 mins I witnessed a 168 dropping in the layover bay and also a very busy 409 - yes a 409 with all the new fancy branding!

I must add, this happened once on a Stagecoach service I was travelling on. I complained to them regarding the issue and the very next day got a personal email back from the depot manager apologising and telling me it shouldn't have happened and that it wont happen again, and to be fair, I've never seen a Stagecoach bus alight anywhere other than in the bus station at the relavent stands.

Rant over

[james]

RE: First Manchester
Firstly this is nothing new.
In Ashton most of the drivers at Pioneer depot insist on dumping passengers outside the bus station on the main road (a very busy main road with 2 lanes of very busy traffic!), and even worse still some lazy drivers insist on dumping passengers in the layover bay, despite the fact there's big red signs there saying No Alighting.
I've complained several times to First about the issue and normally after a 3-4 week wait they write back saying it shouldn't be happening and that my comments have been passed onto depot manager at Dukinfield. A year on, and 4 complaints later and it's still happening daily.

Today in the space of 5 mins I witnessed a 168 dropping in the layover bay and also a very busy 409 - yes a 409 with all the new fancy branding!

I must add, this happened once on a Stagecoach service I was travelling on. I complained to them regarding the issue and the very next day got a personal email back from the depot manager apologising and telling me it shouldn't have happened and that it wont happen again, and to be fair, I've never seen a Stagecoach bus alight anywhere other than in the bus station at the relavent stands.

Rant over
[/quote]

to be fair what you get told by first c.serv. and what the depot mgr sees are 2 diff things as i know him.
plus stagecoach drivers dont risk it because there is a inspector (that all staff know and talk to ) there all day from 7am til 5pm most days and they get caught they get done .
first however have one female inspector who not many of the drivers like and just ignore her the drivers never get done for this unless pte staff report them or the mangers are in the bus station themselves. the only thing first mainly get done for is spending more than the 5 minutes allowed sat on pte stands so drivers find it easier to alight outside the bus station because years ago there was a stand t for alighting only and school buses.

plus on a sunday you never see anyone from first (inspector/manager wise)and the duki drivers keep the same bus all day start to finish so will just pull up on the layover and park up for dinner

[Mayneway]

RE: First Manchester

(27/08/2012 00:11)james Wrote:  Firstly this is nothing new.
In Ashton most of the drivers at Pioneer depot insist on dumping passengers outside the bus station on the main road (a very busy main road with 2 lanes of very busy traffic!), and even worse still some lazy drivers insist on dumping passengers in the layover bay, despite the fact there's big red signs there saying No Alighting.
I've complained several times to First about the issue and normally after a 3-4 week wait they write back saying it shouldn't be happening and that my comments have been passed onto depot manager at Dukinfield. A year on, and 4 complaints later and it's still happening daily.

Today in the space of 5 mins I witnessed a 168 dropping in the layover bay and also a very busy 409 - yes a 409 with all the new fancy branding!

I must add, this happened once on a Stagecoach service I was travelling on. I complained to them regarding the issue and the very next day got a personal email back from the depot manager apologising and telling me it shouldn't have happened and that it wont happen again, and to be fair, I've never seen a Stagecoach bus alight anywhere other than in the bus station at the relavent stands.

Rant over

to be fair what you get told by first c.serv. and what the depot mgr sees are 2 diff things as i know him.
plus stagecoach drivers dont risk it because there is a inspector (that all staff know and talk to ) there all day from 7am til 5pm most days and they get caught they get done .
first however have one female inspector who not many of the drivers like and just ignore her the drivers never get done for this unless pte staff report them or the mangers are in the bus station themselves. the only thing first mainly get done for is spending more than the 5 minutes allowed sat on pte stands so drivers find it easier to alight outside the bus station because years ago there was a stand t for alighting only and school buses.

plus on a sunday you never see anyone from first (inspector/manager wise)and the duki drivers keep the same bus all day start to finish so will just pull up on the layover and park up for dinner
[/quote]

So basically what your saying is, complain to First about a serious matter, wait 4 weeks for a pretty standard letter, in which they agree it shouldn't be happening, apologise and promise steps have been taken to make sure it stops, yet 12 months and 4 complaints later it's still happening on a daily basis because the drivers find it 'easier' and because the inspector based at Ashton has no respect or authority over the drivers? - doesn't say much for First really does it.

I know where your coming from regarding the inspector though. I'm pretty sure she's a former driver and I've seen how little notice the drivers take of her.

At the end of the day rules are rules, Stagecoach drivers stick to them, regardless of whether there's an inspector on duty or not.

[mic]

RE: First Manchester
should have updates tommorrow as there is a lot of info to come

[mic]

RE: First Manchester
just read that 36181/82 are coming here not to Leeds