tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post5436616050152035226..comments2024-03-25T22:17:35.616+00:00Comments on Public Transport Experience: Rail Re-openings, Ridiculous or Realistic (3)fatbusblokehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06833340546527596517noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-83226951931125712692021-06-23T20:48:44.024+01:002021-06-23T20:48:44.024+01:00Far too many bus operators seem to think all they ...Far too many bus operators seem to think all they have to do is get Ray Stenning to design a fancy livery and all their problems are solved. Service reliability, cleanliness and pleasant drivers are far more important. Eventually, the penny will drop.Observernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-48429625507911551642021-06-23T17:55:23.106+01:002021-06-23T17:55:23.106+01:00Technically First could operate all their weekday ...Technically First could operate all their weekday 272 journeys with just one bus, but very wisely they don't. If they did the timetable would fall apart as soon as any delays occur as the interval between trips is mainly very short (usually four minutes). Two buses are needed anyway on Sundays, when Hulleys don't participate in its operation.<br />For obvious reasons the two buses used on weekdays don't just sit around when not employed on the 272, but in p0ractice the branded bus (perhaps there will be a second one?) will do more to raise awareness of the 'Peak line' by working odd trips in between to Firth Park, Herdings and Whiston than it will by running up and down the Hope Valley, where the 272 is perhaps taken for granted. After all, it's been running in pretty much the same form, always with two operators, for well over 90 years! RLTnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-54068670211074692021-06-23T12:37:04.973+01:002021-06-23T12:37:04.973+01:00I think you will find all bus operators have buses...I think you will find all bus operators have buses of varying quality! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-9834293321222228732021-06-23T10:57:35.750+01:002021-06-23T10:57:35.750+01:00While I agree with the above, surely the no.1 fact...While I agree with the above, surely the no.1 factors of getting people to use the bus are a frequent service (or, if not, a punctual one with easy-to-find times), routes which go where people want to go, and reasonable fares.Andrew Kleissnernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-15440719430062112562021-06-23T10:09:02.488+01:002021-06-23T10:09:02.488+01:00But you have to get them in the bus to begin with....But you have to get them in the bus to begin with. If your bus looks a state like most Arriva and First Buses, it's cannot be a surprise nobody will make the switch....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-75911971502349611592021-06-23T07:44:01.971+01:002021-06-23T07:44:01.971+01:00Image doesn’t get you new customers. It’s the over...Image doesn’t get you new customers. It’s the overall experience that others talk which gets you new customers. I would suggest route branding has been parked in the sidings in the majority of companies during covid as the requirement to have deckers for capacity, whether for schools or commuters, has been the priority. As measures ease I’m sure all companies will go back to improving their vehicle allocation. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-63821745790220433242021-06-23T07:29:48.436+01:002021-06-23T07:29:48.436+01:00That's the point of branding excercises! it...That's the point of branding excercises! it's not about what you current customers wants - as you've already got them. It's about trying to attract new ones!<br /><br />It does work. I've seen it first hand for myself. But you need "buy in" at all levels of the company. From commercial to ensure services are timetabled correctly, marketing to ensure they send the right message out with social and publicity. All the way through to operational staff allocating the correct vehicles.<br /><br />This is why companies such as Transdev Blazefield, Nottingham City Transport and some Go Ahead have a good image while companies such as Arriva and some First/Stagecoach have a poor image.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7432323264902617108.post-6300703630823149242021-06-23T02:55:39.343+01:002021-06-23T02:55:39.343+01:00One of the biggest conundrums about route branding...One of the biggest conundrums about route branding is the scheduling of buses !! <br />Very often, an efficient schedule will see buses swopping between routes but with the same driver . . . this will minimise the times that a driver needs to swop buses within a duty. All drivers hate this . . . you set up a bus (seats, mirrors and so on) to be comfortable; feel the accelerator and brakes and get used to them . . . . and then have to do it all again !!<br />If the bus type is the same, then most schedulers will reduce the different buses driven within a duty, as it keeps the drivers happy.<br /><br />And then those awkward marketeers come along; paint a bus prettily for a specific route, and don't tell the schedulers !!<br />As a scheduler, I'm never convinced about route-branding anyway . . . IMHO, Joe Passenger wants a bus that's on time, reasonably priced amd fairly clean . . . pretty colours and wifi are nice to have but not essential.greenline727https://www.blogger.com/profile/03033268278026535109noreply@blogger.com