First Manchester

[james]

RE: First Manchester

(05/07/2013 10:12)Mayneway Wrote:  

(04/07/2013 09:21)jimbo Wrote:  The oldham team are just off lord street today near Iceland in the town centre, with an enviro400, for people to talk to the team... meaning complain...

I wonder if Dukinfield will do a 'meet the team' day in Ashton - there would be a stampede of angry commuters

my depot aint that bad lol any ideas pls inbox me ill tell em

[Polo Mint]

RE: First Manchester
Some interesting changes.

I expected changes to the 18, fortunately no severe cuts, for now at least. I noticed that most people seem to use the route to get to the Hospital/Universities/Colleges etc and tend to get on earlier on the route or connect from other services at Shudehill and it doesn't seem to go deep enough into Rusholme to attract many residents there. Do any services currently operate into the Hospital grounds? I can't recall any that do.

Why don't they operate the X35 as a proper service? It may steal customers from the tram. I have always thought a Ramsbottom service that goes up to Edenfield then operates down the M66 would be popular.

Good to see the reduced fares having a positive impact on passenger numbers.

[jimbo]

RE: First Manchester
sh*t thing is, a tram from Oldham to Rochdale is £2.10, a bus journey would be £3.80 single this is... so thats why metrolink is popular. Buses need to be even cheaper

[Mayneway]

RE: First Manchester

(05/07/2013 22:24)james Wrote:  

(05/07/2013 10:12)Mayneway Wrote:  

(04/07/2013 09:21)jimbo Wrote:  The oldham team are just off lord street today near Iceland in the town centre, with an enviro400, for people to talk to the team... meaning complain...

I wonder if Dukinfield will do a 'meet the team' day in Ashton - there would be a stampede of angry commuters

my depot aint that bad lol any ideas pls inbox me ill tell em

Its a lot better than it was James I'll agree on that BUT drivers are still forcing passengers off outside the bus station on Wellington road, especially in the evenings and on Sundays.

And more worrying is the number of drivers using their mobiles while driving, some in service with passengers on board. In the last two weeks I've spotted 4 drivers either reading texts or texting while driving the bus, the latest today, a driver did a loop of the bus station, one hand on steering wheel, other hand holding phone with head bowed looking at it. It amazes me that a company the size of First Manchester doesn't ban drivers from using their phones in the cab at all like Stagecoach do.

oh and dump the Arrows but apart from that everythings fine.

[Polo Mint]

RE: First Manchester
Really? I assumed the tram would be more expensive.

How long does the tram take compared to the bus?

[M60lad]

RE: First Manchester
Interesting I'm sure Chris Stott would be/should be interested to hear what the odd driver is getting upto while driving his vehicles, if you notice this again Mayneway just let management at Pionner Bus know

[motormayhem]

RE: First Manchester
Its sackable offence to use ur phone whilst driving full stop and if they catch a driver doing so could cause the company to sack the driver then they have to inform the traffic commisnor has when a company terminates a drivers contract they have to inform the traffic commisnor of the reason why and if they say due to the driver useing the phone while in charge of an operator licensed vehicle i can assure you there psv license will be revoked instantly as miss bell its drivers hard for using mobile devices in the cab even hands free head sets are not suppose the used.

[jimbo]

RE: First Manchester

(05/07/2013 23:13)Polo Mint Wrote:  Really? I assumed the tram would be more expensive.

How long does the tram take compared to the bus?

To get to rochdale, takes aboutt the same time tbh... probably be quicker when you dont have to walk to the bus station from the train station

[Mayneway]

RE: First Manchester

(06/07/2013 06:01)M60lad Wrote:  Interesting I'm sure Chris Stott would be/should be interested to hear what the odd driver is getting upto while driving his vehicles, if you notice this again Mayneway just let management at Pionner Bus know

Already passed info about one driver onto First and received the standard letter from First saying my complaint has been passed onto the depot manager for him to investigate and deal with yet some weeks later the same driver is still driving so clearly very little has been done.

I've said it before but the whole complaints procedure at First is very poor. It's just a standard letter they peddle out every time regardless of the seriousness of the incident.
They could do with taking a leaf out of Stagecoach's book where the incident is dealt with by the depot manager or engineering manager and you deal directly with them, it's very reasuring and overall feels like the issue has actually been dealt with.

[Mayneway]

RE: First Manchester

(06/07/2013 07:32)motormayhem Wrote:  Its sackable offence to use ur phone whilst driving full stop and if they catch a driver doing so could cause the company to sack the driver then they have to inform the traffic commisnor has when a company terminates a drivers contract they have to inform the traffic commisnor of the reason why and if they say due to the driver useing the phone while in charge of an operator licensed vehicle i can assure you there psv license will be revoked instantly as miss bell its drivers hard for using mobile devices in the cab even hands free head sets are not suppose the used.

I couldn't agree with you more but until First completely ban drivers from using phones in the cab, regardles of whether the bus is moving or not, drivers will always be tempted to use thier phones.
It's interesting that you mention head sets as some of the drivers at Pionner often have earphones in while driving. It's hard to decipher whether their listening to music ( which is bad customer service anyway), or if thier actually talking on thier phone.

Interstingly I never see drivers from Oldham with earphones in!