First Manchester

[Mayneway]

RE: First Manchester

(04/01/2013 12:49)james Wrote:  

(04/01/2013 11:55)Mayneway Wrote:  

(03/01/2013 23:15)james Wrote:  They can only upgrade thse at the moment with pass surveys done onpioneer routes pass numbers and satisfaction is up greatly on 346 389 331/3 esp with 346 with some ppl prefering firsts service to stg seeing as they run together

I would have thought it was the other way round. A choice of a draughty old arrow or cramped Solo or nice modern Enviro200's from Stagecoach, not to mention the fact the First 346's always seem to be late compared to Stagecoach!

answer is most of the survey was old fogies/ppl on their own (lol) they prefer the m950 to stagecoach as they as a "nicer ride" and the first buses dont stop and wait time at newton and duki as stagecoach have too much running time. first often over take stagecoach half way along the route if not before. the most used comment was get more of the new buses like the b9s and new solos and get rid of the last few darts. wich the dm is trying to do

Fair enough. I always use the Stagecoach 346's myself and to be honest they carry a good load. From the fare paying passengers point of view the 346 has always looked like a poor relation compared to the 348/350. The 348/350 has recently recieved modern clean buses, there is [or certainly was] cheaper day/week tickets on the 348/350 and they are also more frequent.
If it was me, i would be quite aggreaved at paying a higer fare for travelling on older vechicles.
I think the one thing that could swing it for First is the fact they run the Sunday/bank holiday contracted journeys, so someone travelling 7 days a week would have to buy a First weekly rather than a megarider.