Cancellation Epidemic

[lucyp]

If you thought yesterday was bad, today there are 57 cancellations. How long before Tracy Brabin, Metro or the Traffic Commissioners step in?

30 of those cancellations are buses that operate into West Yorkshire.

When are they going to admit that the 36 isn't every 10 minutes, because of the mass cancellations.

[Deleted]

If its down to a driver shortage, what do you expect anyone to do about it? Nothing can be done about driver shortages.  Driver shortage is a situation that will never ever get better, more drivers leaving than coming and the ones that train don't sitck around long enough.

If its a vehicle shortage, again, where do you get spare vehicles? Transdev aren't like Arriva or Stagecoach where they can just get old withdrawn buses from other depots.

If drivers get covid, or ill what do you expect them to do turn up to work and give it to the public?

[mattb7tl]

I think we should all collectively stop responding to these posts
We have all tried to explain situations and offer suggestions but we get blanked. If we don't feed the troll it will get bored and move on

[deerfold]

Sept 15, 2023 12:36:24 GMT 1 @scrooge said:

Im disabled, politicans treat us with utter contempt and hate us, why should we be nice to them back? Politicans always cuts things for the disabled, force them into doing things that would be unsuitable, and you think thats improving things. Tories, Labour hate us full stop, no politican has even bothered to help the disabled or care about us. Plenty of people have committed suicide especially the disabled, thanks to the Tories and Labour!  Politicians have it easy. £80,000 plus grand to sit on their arses all day doing nothing, but protect themselves, while they moan about people on benefits, and people who struggle, and people who use food banks. You think thats caring?

I got my PIP rejected the other year by some assessor all because I could wriggle my finger, even though my conditions will never get better, decision got turned on appeal, but you think they actually care about you? Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, all got into politics to help people, I don't think so!

You think Brabin wants to improve transport for west yorkshire, no way, full of empty promises. Metro, bus companies politicians, councillors dont care about the people who use buses and trains, ect, they don't care about the public needs.

Lets face it bus travel in west yorkshire won't get better, in fact I can see more cuts on the way and lots more cuts.

No, many politicians may do this, but it's not a trait because someone is a politician. I'm not asking you to be nice. I'm asking you to be fair. Criticising someone because of what they have done is fair. Criticising them because they're part of a group, unless that's a hate group or terrorist group, isn't.

There are plenty of politicians who do very little for their money, but there's also plenty who work very hard.

I'm not a fan of Johnson or Truss but they don't make all politicians bad.

She seems to want to. Progress is slow (but so is available funding). Improvements are starting to filter through from the BSIP programme. The maximum bus fare in West Yorkshire is now £2. A day ticket price has dropped by £2. There have been (a small number so far) improvements to bus frequencies with a handful more announced.

Bus travel in West Yorkshire won't get better if we're fatalistic about it and don't give anyone a chance to help improve it.

[Deleted]

Sept 15, 2023 13:08:11 GMT 1 deerfold said:

Sept 15, 2023 12:36:24 GMT 1 @scrooge said:

Im disabled, politicans treat us with utter contempt and hate us, why should we be nice to them back? Politicans always cuts things for the disabled, force them into doing things that would be unsuitable, and you think thats improving things. Tories, Labour hate us full stop, no politican has even bothered to help the disabled or care about us. Plenty of people have committed suicide especially the disabled, thanks to the Tories and Labour!  Politicians have it easy. £80,000 plus grand to sit on their arses all day doing nothing, but protect themselves, while they moan about people on benefits, and people who struggle, and people who use food banks. You think thats caring?

I got my PIP rejected the other year by some assessor all because I could wriggle my finger, even though my conditions will never get better, decision got turned on appeal, but you think they actually care about you? Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, all got into politics to help people, I don't think so!

You think Brabin wants to improve transport for west yorkshire, no way, full of empty promises. Metro, bus companies politicians, councillors dont care about the people who use buses and trains, ect, they don't care about the public needs.

Lets face it bus travel in west yorkshire won't get better, in fact I can see more cuts on the way and lots more cuts.

No, many politicians may do this, but it's not a trait because someone is a politician. I'm not asking you to be nice. I'm asking you to be fair. Criticising someone because of what they have done is fair. Criticising them because they're part of a group, unless that's a hate group or terrorist group, isn't.

There are plenty of politicians who do very little for their money, but there's also plenty who work very hard.

I'm not a fan of Johnson or Truss but they don't make all politicians bad.

She seems to want to. Progress is slow (but so is available funding). Improvements are starting to filter through from the BSIP programme. The maximum bus fare in West Yorkshire is now £2. A day ticket price has dropped by £2. There have been (a small number so far) improvements to bus frequencies with a handful more announced.

Bus travel in West Yorkshire won't get better if we're fatalistic about it and don't give anyone a chance to help improve it.

Okay Deerfold, I apologise for my temper tantrum, but its frustrating when you see no positive developments in your area, and there is no one to turn to, we feel like in our area, there is no one we can turn too to ask for help or improvements. I am sorry, for attacking you and the politicians, but its extremely frustrating when we feel our voices aren't being listened too.

I did complain to WYCA, everyone,ect about my bus cuts last year, but they didn't want to know, all they gave me was a generic reply, they don't seem interested. If bus companies and people want improve things, they need to reach people in local communities visit libraries, open sessions, where people can geniunley raise complaints and acknowledge them.

Personally, I'd rather have fares increased if it meant evening services and frequencies on bus routes was maintained, as for me in my area, no buses after 6pm, we had 4 buses a hour January 2022, in each direction to Wakefield and Castleford, now we have 1 an hour with no evening service.

[rs]

It's the same across the hills in Lancashire too. Things did improve not too long ago, the cancellations were in single figures which on a high frequency service would probably go unnoticed if they weren't announced.

When cancellations are regularly into double figures it's hard to argue that this is acceptable, either because of a shortage of drivers or vehicles. Reducing 10 minute frequencies to 15, 15 minute frequencies to 20, etc. would go a long way to improving the issue.

I do see that Transdev are offering guaranteed interviews to ex Wilko employees with a driving license. Hopefully this will improve things in the future, but I can't help wonder if it's too little too late.

[Deleted]

The thing is with the driver shortages, its not a Transdev specific issue, its a bus industry issue, Arriva, First, Stagecoach all suffering the same issues, you can offer all the addon bonuses you want to the job, but its a tough job and not a job for the faint hearted, and the new ones that come in leave quite quickly, because they can't handle the stresses and pressures of the job which is understandable.

This is a question, ideally better for another thread, but how do we sort the driver shortage issue out? Not as simple as pulling people of the dole, as most people on the dole, are disabled, or already in work and getting top up benefits on the wages. A lot of people on the dole don't even have a car licence let alone a PCV Licence.

What happens if you reduce the frequencies and then they still short of drivers? If you made the 36 hourly, and people couldn't get on the buses, they still would complain.

[lucyp]

Make that at least 59 cancellations. The 15:08 X99 Wetherby to Leeds didn't run, therefore, neither did the 16:13 from Leeds. I don't know whether the 14:03 from Leeds ran, and they just terminated it at Wetherby, so no return journey to Leeds. That is their most favourite trick.

The 15:43 X98 from Leeds was running 20 minutes late by Tesco on Roundhay Road.

The 16:41 X98 from Deighton Bar, due to Leeds Boar Lane at 17:37 had only got to Byron Street by 17:36.

Do they actually know how to run buses, as buses on time.

And don't ask me to complain. They never reply. Hopefully The Mayor; Metro; my MP; Councillor and The Traffic Commissioner will work together to force them to run proper bus services.

They are being paid by the Mayor and/or the Government a subsidy to run services, which is why fares are capped at £2. They are then failing to run the services. That is why action must be taken against them.

[Deleted]

LucyP,

Transdev do not cancel buses on purpose.

I don't think you can blame Transdev for buses running late, ever heard of traffic or roadworks? Perhaps an accident had happened somewhere on the route meaning bus was extremely late. Passenger could have been taken ill, or perhaps the a journey didn't run or was delayed because the driver needed a break, which they require by law so if they was delayed on an incoming trip, they would have to have a delayed break which meant next part of their shift wouldn't run or be delayed.

Buses get taken or terminated shorts for variety reasons, one might be because driver had gone over his driving hours, or the bus is so late due to roadworks, ect it has to be curtailed in order for buses to get back on track later. Arriva do this with the 202/203, terminating at Dewsbury instead of Huddersfield, happens all the time, in order for buses to run on time later on.

Transdev can run buses, but what transdev can't account or anyone for is if a major accident happens on the roads, major traffic, or roadworks, they could add running time into the timetable, but I can't see what else they could do. There is no bus company on earth which has a 100 percent time keeping record.

Don't forget its rush hour and kids and people are going home.

Don't bus companies get fined for every cancellation anyway? So I am sure its not in Transdev's interest to cancel buses.

Also Transdev have to put the hourly routes first, so they get a bus over the 36, with its more frequent timetable, that have to utlize the resources with what they have for that day as best as they can.

What do you suggest all these people do strip Transdev off their services and who exactly would do a better job under the circumstances? Connexions, First Arriva, all these companies would have the same issues as Transdev.

If you don't give your feedback and suggestions on what you could to help, to Transdev, they won't know will they.

Transdev arent doing this on purpose.

[SCH117X]

At least Transdev are publishing their cancellations.

Tracking Connexions services can be hilarious with X1 whatevers suddenly abandon any pretence of going to Knaresborough and doing a non registered loop of Starbeck, hopefully out of service on their displays. Then their was the X1 which had stopped to pick up a passenger outside Transdevs depot only then to pull into an Esso service station.

Of the buses that could have been used on the 36 today (unless they went for single deckers which always causes complaints) at least 7 of the 20 were not available through accident damage, needing repairs and being used on other services. An eighth was not used today, maybe because of routine servicing. One added issue today and over the weekend is they are operating a shuttle between Ripon and Newby Hall for the, somewhat relocated, Harrogate Autuumn flower show.

[moorside]

Sept 15, 2023 16:17:38 GMT 1 @scrooge said:

The thing is with the driver shortages, its not a Transdev specific issue, its a bus industry issue, Arriva, First, Stagecoach all suffering the same issues, you can offer all the addon bonuses you want to the job, but its a tough job and not a job for the faint hearted, and the new ones that come in leave quite quickly, because they can't handle the stresses and pressures of the job which is understandable.

This is a question, ideally better for another thread, but how do we sort the driver shortage issue out? Not as simple as pulling people of the dole, as most people on the dole, are disabled, or already in work and getting top up benefits on the wages. A lot of people on the dole don't even have a car licence let alone a PCV Licence.

What happens if you reduce the frequencies and then they still short of drivers? If you made the 36 hourly, and people couldn't get on the buses, they still would complain.

One thing that could be done to ease the driver shortage is for the Government to add "bus drivers" to the list of Shortage Occupations eligible for a skilled worker visa. Firms could then recruit drivers from other countries: a friend of mine is a bus driver in Malta and the pay is only 6 or 7 Euros an hour. He wanted to get a job driving buses here, but can't because of the immigration laws.

[smithy]

There's shortages all day as I know Stagecoach on train strike days strengthen there best services at peak times by cancelling a few trips on others and getting school drivers to stay on for a few hours more

[Deleted]

Sept 15, 2023 22:32:37 GMT 1 moorside said:

Sept 15, 2023 16:17:38 GMT 1 @scrooge said:

The thing is with the driver shortages, its not a Transdev specific issue, its a bus industry issue, Arriva, First, Stagecoach all suffering the same issues, you can offer all the addon bonuses you want to the job, but its a tough job and not a job for the faint hearted, and the new ones that come in leave quite quickly, because they can't handle the stresses and pressures of the job which is understandable.

This is a question, ideally better for another thread, but how do we sort the driver shortage issue out? Not as simple as pulling people of the dole, as most people on the dole, are disabled, or already in work and getting top up benefits on the wages. A lot of people on the dole don't even have a car licence let alone a PCV Licence.

What happens if you reduce the frequencies and then they still short of drivers? If you made the 36 hourly, and people couldn't get on the buses, they still would complain.

One thing that could be done to ease the driver shortage is for the Government to add "bus drivers" to the list of Shortage Occupations eligible for a skilled worker visa. Firms could then recruit drivers from other countries: a friend of mine is a bus driver in Malta and the pay is only 6 or 7 Euros an hour. He wanted to get a job driving buses here, but can't because of the immigration laws.

I think that is a very good idea and suggestion. I approve of that.

[Deleted]

Sept 15, 2023 13:08:11 GMT 1 deerfold said:

Sept 15, 2023 12:36:24 GMT 1 @scrooge said:

Im disabled, politicans treat us with utter contempt and hate us, why should we be nice to them back? Politicans always cuts things for the disabled, force them into doing things that would be unsuitable, and you think thats improving things. Tories, Labour hate us full stop, no politican has even bothered to help the disabled or care about us. Plenty of people have committed suicide especially the disabled, thanks to the Tories and Labour!  Politicians have it easy. £80,000 plus grand to sit on their arses all day doing nothing, but protect themselves, while they moan about people on benefits, and people who struggle, and people who use food banks. You think thats caring?

I got my PIP rejected the other year by some assessor all because I could wriggle my finger, even though my conditions will never get better, decision got turned on appeal, but you think they actually care about you? Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, all got into politics to help people, I don't think so!

You think Brabin wants to improve transport for west yorkshire, no way, full of empty promises. Metro, bus companies politicians, councillors dont care about the people who use buses and trains, ect, they don't care about the public needs.

Lets face it bus travel in west yorkshire won't get better, in fact I can see more cuts on the way and lots more cuts.

No, many politicians may do this, but it's not a trait because someone is a politician. I'm not asking you to be nice. I'm asking you to be fair. Criticising someone because of what they have done is fair. Criticising them because they're part of a group, unless that's a hate group or terrorist group, isn't.

There are plenty of politicians who do very little for their money, but there's also plenty who work very hard.

I'm not a fan of Johnson or Truss but they don't make all politicians bad.

She seems to want to. Progress is slow (but so is available funding). Improvements are starting to filter through from the BSIP programme. The maximum bus fare in West Yorkshire is now £2. A day ticket price has dropped by £2. There have been (a small number so far) improvements to bus frequencies with a handful more announced.

Bus travel in West Yorkshire won't get better if we're fatalistic about it and don't give anyone a chance to help improve it.

It's a shame you tar all operators with the same brush!

[Deleted]

Sept 23, 2023 9:43:15 GMT 1 @wysteve said:

Sept 15, 2023 13:08:11 GMT 1 deerfold said:

No, many politicians may do this, but it's not a trait because someone is a politician. I'm not asking you to be nice. I'm asking you to be fair. Criticising someone because of what they have done is fair. Criticising them because they're part of a group, unless that's a hate group or terrorist group, isn't.

There are plenty of politicians who do very little for their money, but there's also plenty who work very hard.

I'm not a fan of Johnson or Truss but they don't make all politicians bad.

She seems to want to. Progress is slow (but so is available funding). Improvements are starting to filter through from the BSIP programme. The maximum bus fare in West Yorkshire is now £2. A day ticket price has dropped by £2. There have been (a small number so far) improvements to bus frequencies with a handful more announced.

Bus travel in West Yorkshire won't get better if we're fatalistic about it and don't give anyone a chance to help improve it.

It's a shame you tar all operators with the same brush!

Yorkshire Buses are by far the best bus operation in Yorkshire.  The big companies could certainly learn a lot from you guys, no one puts as much thought into your customers and services as you guys.  Can't wait to see what you guys do next, probably one of the best ever companies we've seen up here.

[deerfold]

Sept 23, 2023 9:43:15 GMT 1 @wysteve said:

It's a shame you tar all operators with the same brush!

I'm not aware of having done that. Certainly not in this thread.

[SCH117X]

Certainly not a driver shortage issue today - the driver for the 1251 1C from Harrogate was equally bemused as CAN appeared on the display. Turned out B7RLE 1854 was reallocated to the 1310 7 in place of 1856; the latter disappearing, presumably to the depot for attention as soon as it had discharged its passengers.
Meanwhile Connexions had abandoned an Omnicity on the Wetherby stand meaning for once Craig Temple cannot complain about an X70 having to use a different stand; it was notable that a Transdev driver was helping passengers with pushchairs onto the X70.
1854 had been parked at the bottom, former National Express, stand leading to its driver walking up the concourse advising passengers of its location.
An X1 whatever departed at a time that had no relationship to that on the display and the next displayed departure time passed without any service - only a month to go before that stand is freed up; expect their might be some stand shuffling.

[WYBS]

Oct 6, 2023 16:44:29 GMT 1 SCH117X said:

Certainly not a driver shortage issue today - the driver for the 1251 1C from Harrogate was equally bemused as CAN appeared on the display. Turned out B7RLE 1854 was reallocated to the 1310 7 in place of 1856; the latter disappearing, presumably to the depot for attention as soon as it had discharged its passengers.
Meanwhile Connexions had abandoned an Omnicity on the Wetherby stand meaning for once Craig Temple cannot complain about an X70 having to use a different stand; it was notable that a Transdev driver was helping passengers with pushchairs onto the X70.
1854 had been parked at the bottom, former National Express, stand leading to its driver walking up the concourse advising passengers of its location.
An X1 whatever departed at a time that had no relationship to that on the display and the next displayed departure time passed without any service - only a month to go before that stand is freed up; expect their might be some stand shuffling.

I wonder what Craig Temple's relationship with Transdev is like now Mr Hornby has left.

[SCH117X]

Oct 6, 2023 18:02:17 GMT 1 WYBS said:

I wonder what Craig Temple's relationship with Transdev is like now Mr Hornby has left.

Still not good I suspect otherwise the crazy timetabling of the X70 direct a few minutes preceeding a 7 would be resolved. Transdev have a change to the 7 coming up but it doesn't sound like they are going to make any changes to rectify that, which seems odd given the X70 is taking the majority of custom. Is there something of significance in the timings of the 7 between Wetherby and Leeds ?

[SCH117X]

Actually was a cancellation epidemic today as Starbeck was delivered the wrong fuel. Aside from services which were cancelled others limped along, the bus presumably having a mixture of right and wrong fuels. 3623 was finally pulled at Harrogate on the 1144 (should have been 1125) Ripon-Leeds and replaced by 3624 which earlier had not got beyond Harewood Bridge -if that was fuel related it presumably had been quickly drained and refilled.
thestrayferret.co.uk/free-bus-vouchers-offered-as-biodiesel-mix-up-causes-travel-chaos/

[pricel]

A few 561s today cancelled today quietly without any notice. How unfortunate for Norland and Krumlim!

[northerner]

Dec 4, 2023 19:21:22 GMT 1 SCH117X said:

Actually was a cancellation epidemic today as Starbeck was delivered the wrong fuel. Aside from services which were cancelled others limped along, the bus presumably having a mixture of right and wrong fuels. 3623 was finally pulled at Harrogate on the 1144 (should ahve been 1125) Ripon-Leeds and replaced by 3624 which earlier had not got beyond Harewood Bridge -if that was fuel related it presumably had been quickly drained and refilled.
thestrayferret.co.uk/free-bus-vouchers-offered-as-biodiesel-mix-up-causes-travel-chaos/

Quite an unfortunate error on the part of the fuel supplier!

Keighley seemed to have had a bad day too, I went for the 1513 662 from Bradford which was a no show. It wasn't marked as cancelled on the real time boards, nor appeared in the service disruptions page on the website which is poor. There was however a cancellation listed for the 1230 Keighley to Bradford, under the 60 route. As there's a 1230 departure from Keighley on the 662 to Bradford and a 1230 60 to Leeds it's not clear which journey was affected. I think it's time Transdev ditched the service updates as inaccurate info is unhelpful, and instead focus on ensuring the real time system is correctly showing cancelled journeys.

[daveshipley]

Dec 4, 2023 19:21:22 GMT 1 SCH117X said:

Actually was a cancellation epidemic today as Starbeck was delivered the wrong fuel. Aside from services which were cancelled others limped along, the bus presumably having a mixture of right and wrong fuels. 3623 was finally pulled at Harrogate on the 1144 (should ahve been 1125) Ripon-Leeds and replaced by 3624 which earlier had not got beyond Harewood Bridge -if that was fuel related it presumably had been quickly drained and refilled.
thestrayferret.co.uk/free-bus-vouchers-offered-as-biodiesel-mix-up-causes-travel-chaos/

SCH117 I think your posts are very informative. Just wanted to say thank you

[SCH117X]

Benefitted from a partial cancellation today - to regain the timetable a 1A was shortened to a 1 to Starbeck. While the large number of waiting passengers were still boarding a 1B and a 1C the 1 left with just six passengers on it; four being Transdev drivers. Separately the 3 is currently being diverted and in accordance with forthcoming requirements the audio suddenly declared today "This bus is being diverted - for further information please ask your driver."