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+--- Thread: Pricing (/showthread.php?tid=324)
RE: Pricing - Andreos1 - 23 Nov 2014
So if the WiFi isn't free - what sort of margin are the company making now, versus the period they didn't have it (yet were still more expensive)?
Just to move it over to the Coast Road and ANE/GNE competition there - who is the cheaper of the two when it is ANE with the more fuel.efficient of the two?
RE: Pricing - Dan - 23 Nov 2014
(23 Nov 2014, 10:56 am)Andreos1 So if the WiFi isn't free - what sort of margin are the company making now, versus the period they didn't have it (yet were still more expensive)?
Just to move it over to the Coast Road and ANE/GNE competition there - who is the cheaper of the two when it is ANE with the more fuel.efficient of the two?
The Wi-Fi has always been fitted on the "Angel" Volvo B5LH vehicles - how frequently it worked was another matter, though the devices (and the associated costs) were still there...
We'd be looking at Volvo B7 operation if we were to go back even further than that, where fuel economy wasn't as great, yet a higher amount of mileage was still operated. Arriva's allocation probably differed (and varied more) back then too, so it would be more difficult to compare.
The Cobalt Clipper route saver costs £3.75 for an entire day's travel on both Cobalt Clipper services and Citylink service 58 between Newcastle and Battlehill. Tom (or someone else) may be able to provide the comparison for a day ticket valid between Newcastle and Blyth on the Arriva services, but I'm guessing it's going to be more expensive...
On another topic, related to previous discussion, I used the X7 yesterday. The East Durham Saver ticket was discussed a few weeks ago - and posts were made questioning how often drivers would offer the ticket to customers. I must say that the driver I had yesterday asked every single passenger (when they tried to buy a normal coloured zone day ticket) where they were travelling to, and proceeded to offer them the East Durham Saver ticket providing they were not travelling beyond the Station Town boundary.
RE: Pricing - Dan - 23 Nov 2014
(23 Nov 2014, 11:02 am)Dan The Cobalt Clipper route saver costs £3.75 for an entire day's travel on both Cobalt Clipper services and Citylink service 58 between Newcastle and Battlehill. Tom (or someone else) may be able to provide the comparison for a day ticket valid between Newcastle and Blyth on the Arriva services, but I'm guessing it's going to be more expensive...
I'm willing to stand as corrected as I profess not to be a regular customer on service 308; therefore, I'm not aware of any 'special' tickets available on this service.
As I said in the above quoted post, the Cobalt Clipper route saver costs £3.75 for an entire day's travel on both Cobalt Clipper services and Citylink service 58 between Newcastle and Battlehill. By comparison, a two-zone BuzzFare (blue/orange), which would allow unlimited travel on all services between Metrocentre, Gateshead, Newcaastle, North Shields, Whitley Bay, Blyth, Ashington, Cramlington, Regent Centre and Darras Hall, comes in at £6.20. The latter tickets allows more flexibility, hence the greater cost.
I believe the only comparable ticket on service 308 would be the Blyth and Tyne & Wear Triple ticket, coming in at a cost of £5.70 per day. The boundary limits are stricter than Go North East's two-zone BuzzFare, but obviously provides more flexibility than the Cobalt Clipper route saver as customers can travel on more than just one 15-minute frequency service.
RE: Pricing - Andreos1 - 23 Nov 2014
Aye, will be interesting to see the comparison and whether prices will be reduced to reflect the kit being added to the GNE Gemini's or if it is added to improve margins.
The thing to remember, is that WiFi is added to attract passengers to the service. It goes back to what I was saying the other week about perceived luxury and how the operator markets that luxury.
RE: Pricing - Adrian - 23 Nov 2014
Same could be said about Arriva marketing the E-Leather seats as a luxury mind. Used by Arriva to market their MAX services, by offering the customer 'MAXimum comfort', yet look at the statement here for E-Leather vs Fabric.
You know my feelings on pricing, and that I feel the entire system needs a massive reform (which I believe QCS will provide), but until then, we have what we have. It's got to be ran as a profitable business, and marketed in a way to try and attract many customers as possible. With what we do have, I'm pleased that we keep seeing new buses on the road, that are smart inside and out, and have things such as free WiFi and power sockets. Of course the alternative could be for the operators to take second hand cast offs from London, and we have nothing but battered and scruffy looking buses on the road. I know some of the ex-London Presidents that GNE have look like that internally, but they're spare vehicles. The alternatives were the Palatine 1s, but the step entrances exclude more customers than they include.
It may not fix the pricing issues, availability of services, and the structure of the network, but that's a longer term challenge. Yet a one we've already made massive advances with.
RE: Pricing - gtom - 23 Nov 2014
(23 Nov 2014, 10:25 am)Dan Can you claim a partial refund when you don't choose to use the Wi-Fi in a McDonalds restaurant?
I take it you haven't kept up with posts in the "Latest" thread over the past few months where citaro5284 has kept us up to date with Icomera's progress through fixing every single vehicle in the fleet? Go North East now has remote software which enables them to see if a vehicle's Wi-Fi isn't working - which is why every bus in the fleet which is fitted with Wi-Fi IS now working...
With regards to your latter point - what's the frequency of the X2 on evenings and Sundays?
But that simply isn't the case.
I haven't kept up with any posts because I have actual documented experience of it not working so I don't need remote software tracking. It doesn't work on the vast majority of the Angel fleet. I have a physical letter stating the fact.
X2 does not run through to Newcastle on Sunday's and ends northbound ops around 5.30, Angel goes half hourly from around 6.30
McDonalds don't advertise free wi-fi as an integral part of the service. GNE advertise a 7 minute frequency (unachievable) and working wi-fi (not happening) and at a higher cost than a rival bus company that simply provides a bus with wheels that moves in the direction I wish to go.
The crux comes to GNE's excuse is that I can travel further with them so the price is higher. I don't want to travel any further and to charge the same price from Durham - Newcastle as Durham - Barley Mow is outrageous and simply demonstrates GNE's cash cow attitude to Durham Road services and their years of mismanagement and poor handling of the route as far back as the Omnicities debacle
RE: Pricing - Tom - 23 Nov 2014
(23 Nov 2014, 1:36 pm)gtom But that simply isn't the case.
I haven't kept up with any posts because I have actual documented experience of it not working so I don't need remote software tracking. It doesn't work on the vast majority of the Angel fleet. I have a physical letter stating the fact.
X2 does not run through to Newcastle on Sunday's and ends northbound ops around 5.30, Angel goes half hourly from around 6.30
McDonalds don't advertise free wi-fi as an integral part of the service. GNE advertise a 7 minute frequency (unachievable) and working wi-fi (not happening) and at a higher cost than a rival bus company that simply provides a bus with wheels that moves in the direction I wish to go.
The crux comes to GNE's excuse is that I can travel further with them so the price is higher. I don't want to travel any further and to charge the same price from Durham - Newcastle as Durham - Barley Mow is outrageous and simply demonstrates GNE's cash cow attitude to Durham Road services and their years of mismanagement and poor handling of the route as far back as the Omnicities debacle
Hang on, so it's £4 from Durham to Barley Mow?!?!
Thats shocking.
RE: Pricing - Dan - 23 Nov 2014
(23 Nov 2014, 1:36 pm)gtom I haven't kept up with any posts because I have actual documented experience of it not working so I don't need remote software tracking. It doesn't work on the vast majority of the Angel fleet. I have a physical letter stating the fact.
Are you able to scan this to upload it to the forum, or send it to me personally?
It sounds rather unprofessional of a company to admit that something they offer as a 'perk' does not work at all, and I don't think Customer Services are actually in a position to say whether it works or not, because I don't think they have access to the remote software...
In short: whoever has said this is wrong. For the past month and a half, there have been little to no issues on any member of the fleet which is fitted with Wi-Fi. Icomera were still undertaking their audit prior to this for a good month or two judging by citaro5284's posts on the Latest threads at the time. At this point, there would have been some issues when Icomera were dealing with the issues bus by bus.
RE: Pricing - gtom - 23 Nov 2014
(23 Nov 2014, 1:39 pm)Tom Hang on, so it's £4 from Durham to Barley Mow?!?!
Thats shocking.
Encourages one to buy a Buzz fare... Cynical moi?
RE: Pricing - idiot - 24 Nov 2014
In fairness one bus driver who works for GNE stopped me getting a return from Chichester to Boldon Asda and sold me a South Tyneside Day Saver. Fair play to Jim it was a bit cheaper. Just a shame most drivers don't go to that effort as I could of saved a lot of money
RE: Pricing - gtom - 05 Dec 2014
Since I've criticised pricing I'll also report a positive.
GNE's Waggonway is cheaper than Nexus 23 between Birtley and Wrekenton.
RE: Pricing - Adrian - 30 Dec 2014
Biddick - The Galleries
- £1.50 via the GNE 2A/82/83/85/86
- £1.55 via the GCT 37
Only 5p, but worth pointing out that a contract change by Nexus has also resulted in a silent fare increase for customers, on top of the 5p increase they had earlier in 2014, whilst still under GNE (as the 73).
RE: Pricing - Dan - 30 Dec 2014
Surprised to see two instances whereby Go North East's bus is cheaper than a Nexus-secured service... Would have put money on the Nexus-secured one always being cheaper, with it being provided for the public instead of being operated for profit and all...
RE: Pricing - Greg in Weardale - 30 Dec 2014
I always understood that where a commercial service and a subsidised one ran along the same route then the subsidised one could not undercut the commercial service. Obviously a secured route could only run the same way as a commercial one along short parts of a route, otherwise the subsidised service would be unnecessary and a misuse of public money.
RE: Pricing - Adrian - 30 Dec 2014
(30 Dec 2014, 9:19 pm)Greg in Weardale I always understood that where a commercial service and a subsidised one ran along the same route then the subsidised one could not undercut the commercial service. Obviously a secured route could only run the same way as a commercial one along short parts of a route, otherwise the subsidised service would be unnecessary and a misuse of public money.
I had a similar understanding, but then again, I don't think they could price match either? As it could be viewed as either price fixing, or competing. You'd hope it would be viewed as what it is, which is a secured service filling a gap, at the 'market rate', but I'm sure it wouldn't go down that way...
RE: Pricing - Dan - 30 Dec 2014
(30 Dec 2014, 9:19 pm)Greg in Weardale I always understood that where a commercial service and a subsidised one ran along the same route then the subsidised one could not undercut the commercial service. Obviously a secured route could only run the same way as a commercial one along short parts of a route, otherwise the subsidised service would be unnecessary and a misuse of public money.
(30 Dec 2014, 10:08 pm)aureolin I had a similar understanding, but then again, I don't think they could price match either? As it could be viewed as either price fixing, or competing. You'd hope it would be viewed as what it is, which is a secured service filling a gap, at the 'market rate', but I'm sure it wouldn't go down that way...
Hadn't realised this.
Quite silly that it can't even be matched.
RE: Pricing - Tom - 02 Mar 2015
Just saw on the GNE Facebook page that a single from Birtley to Gateshead is £3.20!
Is this a mistake, as that's ridiculous.
RE: Pricing - R852 PRG - 02 Mar 2015
(02 Mar 2015, 4:34 pm)Tom Just saw on the GNE Facebook page that a single from Birtley to Gateshead is £3.20!
Is this a mistake, as that's ridiculous.
I can believe that. A single from Chester-le-Street to Pelton is £2.00 - and that's only a 7/8 minute journey!
Birtley-Gateshead is 15-20 minutes.
RE: Pricing - Tom - 02 Mar 2015
(02 Mar 2015, 4:41 pm)MarcTheA4 I can believe that. A single from Chester-le-Street to Pelton is £2.00 - and that's only a 7/8 minute journey!
Birtley-Gateshead is 15-20 minutes.
Ah right that is really steep! Thought it would have only been about £2.00 from Birtley to Gateshead!
The fares in North Tyneside are a lot cheaper than that. For example it's only a £3.75 return from Newcastle to Blyth!
RE: Pricing - R852 PRG - 02 Mar 2015
(02 Mar 2015, 4:43 pm)Tom Ah right that is really steep! Thought it would have only been about £2.00 from Birtley to Gateshead!
The fares in North Tyneside are a lot cheaper than that. For example it's only a £3.75 return from Newcastle to Blyth!
When on a 56 recently, between Concord and Sunderland - a guy got on and paid something like £5.70 or £5.90 for a return between the two.