Arriva State of The Fleet
Arriva State of The Fleet
(09 Mar 2024, 10:20 am)Storx I never mentioned engineering, more issues of vehicle shortages, in general.Arguably for the 306/308, if the Coast Road was cleaned up more (with further route changes)......Arriva take on all the Blyth - Whitley Bay - Newcastle work (effectively the current 308 & 309) and likewise, GNE take on all the North Shields, Tynemouth, Marden work (effectively the current 306 & 307). Arriva would lose around a PVR of 4-5, but also lose a lot of dead mileage. That would help with Arriva's issues.
The 434/57/57A is one of the biggest problems at Ashington as there's not enough minibuses so it's taking saloons and deckers which is leaving them short. I'm not even sure what's meant to be running the 57/57A because nothing came up for the Bedlington extension and 2601-3 are totally inadequate.
Blyth's the bigger problem though since they gained the 43/44/45/306 work and got some totally inappropiate Pulsar's capacity wise and some Enviro's which urgently need to be on some easy route not what they are on - ironically buses that Redcar destroyed (as usual). They're very lucky imo that the 15 year old DB300's are little work horses or they've got a good engineering team who look after them as they've not really had the easiest of lives.
(09 Mar 2024, 10:20 am)Storx I never mentioned engineering, more issues of vehicle shortages, in general.Arguably for the 306/308, if the Coast Road was cleaned up more (with further route changes)......Arriva take on all the Blyth - Whitley Bay - Newcastle work (effectively the current 308 & 309) and likewise, GNE take on all the North Shields, Tynemouth, Marden work (effectively the current 306 & 307). Arriva would lose around a PVR of 4-5, but also lose a lot of dead mileage. That would help with Arriva's issues.
The 434/57/57A is one of the biggest problems at Ashington as there's not enough minibuses so it's taking saloons and deckers which is leaving them short. I'm not even sure what's meant to be running the 57/57A because nothing came up for the Bedlington extension and 2601-3 are totally inadequate.
Blyth's the bigger problem though since they gained the 43/44/45/306 work and got some totally inappropiate Pulsar's capacity wise and some Enviro's which urgently need to be on some easy route not what they are on - ironically buses that Redcar destroyed (as usual). They're very lucky imo that the 15 year old DB300's are little work horses or they've got a good engineering team who look after them as they've not really had the easiest of lives.
(09 Mar 2024, 10:20 am)Storx I never mentioned engineering, more issues of vehicle shortages, in general.
The 434/57/57A is one of the biggest problems at Ashington as there's not enough minibuses so it's taking saloons and deckers which is leaving them short. I'm not even sure what's meant to be running the 57/57A because nothing came up for the Bedlington extension and 2601-3 are totally inadequate.
(09 Mar 2024, 10:20 am)Storx I never mentioned engineering, more issues of vehicle shortages, in general.
The 434/57/57A is one of the biggest problems at Ashington as there's not enough minibuses so it's taking saloons and deckers which is leaving them short. I'm not even sure what's meant to be running the 57/57A because nothing came up for the Bedlington extension and 2601-3 are totally inadequate.
(09 Mar 2024, 10:38 am)L469 YVK Arguably for the 306/308, if the Coast Road was cleaned up more (with further route changes)......Arriva take on all the Blyth - Whitley Bay - Newcastle work (effectively the current 308 & 309) and likewise, GNE take on all the North Shields, Tynemouth, Marden work (effectively the current 306 & 307). Arriva would lose around a PVR of 4-5, but also lose a lot of dead mileage. That would help with Arriva's issues.
But Arriva are yet to see the impact of the ABTRL.
(09 Mar 2024, 10:56 am)mb134 There are enough minibuses to cover PVR for the 434 and 57/A, and I believe it was said at the time of the PVR increase that it was an intentional decision to not move up more Solos. Saloons are the spares for that route.
Bar a bus seemingly being missing for the X22 yesterday (after an accident, a breakdown, and while loaning a bus to Blyth), I don't recall Ashington missing PVR for quite some time so I'm not sure what the issues are that you think are present?
(09 Mar 2024, 10:38 am)L469 YVK Arguably for the 306/308, if the Coast Road was cleaned up more (with further route changes)......Arriva take on all the Blyth - Whitley Bay - Newcastle work (effectively the current 308 & 309) and likewise, GNE take on all the North Shields, Tynemouth, Marden work (effectively the current 306 & 307). Arriva would lose around a PVR of 4-5, but also lose a lot of dead mileage. That would help with Arriva's issues.
But Arriva are yet to see the impact of the ABTRL.
(09 Mar 2024, 10:56 am)mb134 There are enough minibuses to cover PVR for the 434 and 57/A, and I believe it was said at the time of the PVR increase that it was an intentional decision to not move up more Solos. Saloons are the spares for that route.
Bar a bus seemingly being missing for the X22 yesterday (after an accident, a breakdown, and while loaning a bus to Blyth), I don't recall Ashington missing PVR for quite some time so I'm not sure what the issues are that you think are present?
(08 Mar 2024, 1:16 pm)mb134 Ashington's 7574 has been involved in a head-on collision with a car while on the X21.
Hopefully everyone involved is okay, the pictures show a hefty amount of damage to the bus.
(08 Mar 2024, 1:16 pm)mb134 Ashington's 7574 has been involved in a head-on collision with a car while on the X21.
Hopefully everyone involved is okay, the pictures show a hefty amount of damage to the bus.
Just curious here and someone might know ,obviously Blyth is a driver shortage, but is the issues at Ashington driver based or vehicle based?
Just looking at tracking, all the caveats etc, it appears that everything that can move at Ashington is out today yet there's still cancellations. From what I can see there's nothing off the road due to a lack of drivers.
Also unless I missed something Ashington has lost 4 vehicles (2853 + 3 Enviro 400 MMC's) and only gained 2 vehicles (1462/1538)? Which will never help matters.
(25 Mar 2024, 12:03 pm)Storx Just curious here and someone might know ,obviously Blyth is a driver shortage, but is the issues at Ashington driver based or vehicle based?
Just looking at tracking, all the caveats etc, it appears that everything that can move at Ashington is out today yet there's still cancellations. From what I can see there's nothing off the road due to a lack of drivers.
Also unless I missed something Ashington has lost 4 vehicles (2853 + 3 Enviro 400 MMC's) and only gained 2 vehicles (1462/1538)? Which will never help matters.
(25 Mar 2024, 12:03 pm)Storx Just curious here and someone might know ,obviously Blyth is a driver shortage, but is the issues at Ashington driver based or vehicle based?
Just looking at tracking, all the caveats etc, it appears that everything that can move at Ashington is out today yet there's still cancellations. From what I can see there's nothing off the road due to a lack of drivers.
Also unless I missed something Ashington has lost 4 vehicles (2853 + 3 Enviro 400 MMC's) and only gained 2 vehicles (1462/1538)? Which will never help matters.
(25 Mar 2024, 12:03 pm)Storx Just curious here and someone might know ,obviously Blyth is a driver shortage, but is the issues at Ashington driver based or vehicle based?
Just looking at tracking, all the caveats etc, it appears that everything that can move at Ashington is out today yet there's still cancellations. From what I can see there's nothing off the road due to a lack of drivers.
(25 Mar 2024, 12:03 pm)Storx Just curious here and someone might know ,obviously Blyth is a driver shortage, but is the issues at Ashington driver based or vehicle based?
Just looking at tracking, all the caveats etc, it appears that everything that can move at Ashington is out today yet there's still cancellations. From what I can see there's nothing off the road due to a lack of drivers.
(25 Mar 2024, 12:03 pm)Storx Also unless I missed something Ashington has lost 4 vehicles (2853 + 3 Enviro 400 MMC's) and only gained 2 vehicles (1462/1538)? Which will never help matters.
(25 Mar 2024, 12:15 pm)mb134 It's a chronic driver shortage. The extra single deckers being allocated to X21/22 boards is mental really given it's almost guaranteed the one in front won't be running at least once per day.
They missed the second and third X22 to town, that only happens because of a driver shortage and not vehicle.
(25 Mar 2024, 12:15 pm)mb134 It's a chronic driver shortage. The extra single deckers being allocated to X21/22 boards is mental really given it's almost guaranteed the one in front won't be running at least once per day.
They missed the second and third X22 to town, that only happens because of a driver shortage and not vehicle.
(25 Mar 2024, 1:38 pm)Storx Aye I seen that with the X22, wasn't sure whether it was an error or not - poor tbh. The singles on there are stupid mind.
It's a strange one as I'm just looking through the list now and there doesn't seem to be enough buses on the road at Ashington to run everything even if there was enough driver's. It's a right mess, obviously no doubt there will be engineering shortages aswell.
(25 Mar 2024, 1:38 pm)Storx Aye I seen that with the X22, wasn't sure whether it was an error or not - poor tbh. The singles on there are stupid mind.
It's a strange one as I'm just looking through the list now and there doesn't seem to be enough buses on the road at Ashington to run everything even if there was enough driver's. It's a right mess, obviously no doubt there will be engineering shortages aswell.
(25 Mar 2024, 1:43 pm)mb134 There are more than enough to run the services if they had the drivers, but as they don't I believe some are on loan to Blyth (7554 definitely is, and 7532/3 both have been).
Ashington are missing every X21/22 from Newcastle between 1900 and 2000 today, as well as the 1645/1655/1730. As at 1345, there are 3 buses on the X22 out of a PVR of 7. There are a combined 8 on the X21/35 out of a PVR of 13. The incompetence of the management is reaching new levels, those responsible should be sacked.
(25 Mar 2024, 1:43 pm)mb134 There are more than enough to run the services if they had the drivers, but as they don't I believe some are on loan to Blyth (7554 definitely is, and 7532/3 both have been).
Ashington are missing every X21/22 from Newcastle between 1900 and 2000 today, as well as the 1645/1655/1730. As at 1345, there are 3 buses on the X22 out of a PVR of 7. There are a combined 8 on the X21/35 out of a PVR of 13. The incompetence of the management is reaching new levels, those responsible should be sacked.
(25 Mar 2024, 2:08 pm)Storx It's a mess mind, it's an awkward one though because of all these nice contracts they've took on that arguably now they're stuck with really only the 1/2/X21/X22 where they can cull and they seem to be prioritising the 1 and 2 for some reason, unsure why mind.
They really need to sort it out asap though or at least get some agency driver's which they've seemed to decide to not use anymore.
(25 Mar 2024, 2:08 pm)Storx It's a mess mind, it's an awkward one though because of all these nice contracts they've took on that arguably now they're stuck with really only the 1/2/X21/X22 where they can cull and they seem to be prioritising the 1 and 2 for some reason, unsure why mind.
They really need to sort it out asap though or at least get some agency driver's which they've seemed to decide to not use anymore.
(25 Mar 2024, 2:24 pm)mb134 It's ultimately down to those at the top deciding to not pay the going rate for drivers. Bidding for all the extra work at the detriment to the current network is negligence. If you look into who is running the show operationally there now (a quick Google of "Head of Service delivery Arriva North East" should do the trick), they've got no real credentials to suggest they'd be capable of running a bus company and certainly what we're currently seeing backs that up.
(25 Mar 2024, 2:24 pm)mb134 It's ultimately down to those at the top deciding to not pay the going rate for drivers. Bidding for all the extra work at the detriment to the current network is negligence. If you look into who is running the show operationally there now (a quick Google of "Head of Service delivery Arriva North East" should do the trick), they've got no real credentials to suggest they'd be capable of running a bus company and certainly what we're currently seeing backs that up.
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Believe there is a shortage of serviceable vehicles at Blyth, while Ashington have loads of vehicles but no drivers! So several are on loan over at Blyth but I’m told missed runout by 11 today!
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(25 Mar 2024, 2:44 pm)tyresmoke Believe there is a shortage of serviceable vehicles at Blyth, while Ashington have loads of vehicles but no drivers! So several are on loan over at Blyth but I’m told missed runout by 11 today!
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(25 Mar 2024, 2:44 pm)tyresmoke Believe there is a shortage of serviceable vehicles at Blyth, while Ashington have loads of vehicles but no drivers! So several are on loan over at Blyth but I’m told missed runout by 11 today!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
(25 Mar 2024, 2:44 pm)tyresmoke Believe there is a shortage of serviceable vehicles at Blyth, while Ashington have loads of vehicles but no drivers! So several are on loan over at Blyth but I’m told missed runout by 11 today!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
(25 Mar 2024, 2:44 pm)tyresmoke Believe there is a shortage of serviceable vehicles at Blyth, while Ashington have loads of vehicles but no drivers! So several are on loan over at Blyth but I’m told missed runout by 11 today!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
(25 Mar 2024, 2:44 pm)Storx Aye totally agreed mind. Must admit I've lost track of who runs what with Arriva now but if it's who I think you mean (Josh Rochford) he certainly has ran some places which I'd argue are a failure.
Seems like another who should be getting demoted has been promoted for reasons unknown. Nothing new though really.
It'll be interesting to see how iSquared deal with it as they aren't half inheriting a mess or even worse whether they're part of these decisions as there's not much going around to say they're experts at transport either.
(25 Mar 2024, 2:44 pm)Storx Aye totally agreed mind. Must admit I've lost track of who runs what with Arriva now but if it's who I think you mean (Josh Rochford) he certainly has ran some places which I'd argue are a failure.
Seems like another who should be getting demoted has been promoted for reasons unknown. Nothing new though really.
It'll be interesting to see how iSquared deal with it as they aren't half inheriting a mess or even worse whether they're part of these decisions as there's not much going around to say they're experts at transport either.
(25 Mar 2024, 4:20 pm)Shrek From the little digging I did about iSquared, they do have a reputation for being quite savvy, bringing in people with knowledge to run things and obviously with the main aim to make a profit. But they are willing to invest to ensure that profit arrives.
I really hope this happens with Arriva, as I rely on them to get me to the pub. Non-alcohol nights out with the car just aren't as good. Parking near work in the centre of town is extortionate too, so prefer the £4 bus instead.
(25 Mar 2024, 4:20 pm)Shrek From the little digging I did about iSquared, they do have a reputation for being quite savvy, bringing in people with knowledge to run things and obviously with the main aim to make a profit. But they are willing to invest to ensure that profit arrives.
I really hope this happens with Arriva, as I rely on them to get me to the pub. Non-alcohol nights out with the car just aren't as good. Parking near work in the centre of town is extortionate too, so prefer the £4 bus instead.
(25 Mar 2024, 4:20 pm)Shrek From the little digging I did about iSquared, they do have a reputation for being quite savvy, bringing in people with knowledge to run things and obviously with the main aim to make a profit. But they are willing to invest to ensure that profit arrives.
I really hope this happens with Arriva, as I rely on them to get me to the pub. Non-alcohol nights out with the car just aren't as good. Parking near work in the centre of town is extortionate too, so prefer the £4 bus instead.
(25 Mar 2024, 4:20 pm)Shrek From the little digging I did about iSquared, they do have a reputation for being quite savvy, bringing in people with knowledge to run things and obviously with the main aim to make a profit. But they are willing to invest to ensure that profit arrives.
I really hope this happens with Arriva, as I rely on them to get me to the pub. Non-alcohol nights out with the car just aren't as good. Parking near work in the centre of town is extortionate too, so prefer the £4 bus instead.
(25 Mar 2024, 4:20 pm)Shrek From the little digging I did about iSquared, they do have a reputation for being quite savvy, bringing in people with knowledge to run things and obviously with the main aim to make a profit. But they are willing to invest to ensure that profit arrives.
I really hope this happens with Arriva, as I rely on them to get me to the pub. Non-alcohol nights out with the car just aren't as good. Parking near work in the centre of town is extortionate too, so prefer the £4 bus instead.
(25 Mar 2024, 4:51 pm)Mike_98 I just hope they don't just go straight to changing London's fleet which is not actually needed until the next 6-10 years.
(25 Mar 2024, 4:20 pm)Shrek From the little digging I did about iSquared, they do have a reputation for being quite savvy, bringing in people with knowledge to run things and obviously with the main aim to make a profit. But they are willing to invest to ensure that profit arrives.
I really hope this happens with Arriva, as I rely on them to get me to the pub. Non-alcohol nights out with the car just aren't as good. Parking near work in the centre of town is extortionate too, so prefer the £4 bus instead.
(25 Mar 2024, 4:51 pm)Mike_98 I just hope they don't just go straight to changing London's fleet which is not actually needed until the next 6-10 years.
