Matty
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Post by Matty on Aug 18, 2010 20:47:18 GMT 1
They might be doing yet, but it will be when the college go back.
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Post by westyorkshirebus on Aug 18, 2010 22:45:27 GMT 1
How have they ended up with 7 buses off at once?
Can they not use the BMC Condors, if it is an emergency?
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Matty
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Post by Matty on Aug 18, 2010 22:52:49 GMT 1
2 MCW's have been withdrawn (248 & 43), Dennis Dart 67 has a major engine fault and maybe withdrawn, An Enviro200 is awaiting parts, there is a fault with P509 RYM and another 2 unknown buses are getting fixed at the moment, one of which broke down early morning going to start a 34 journey and had to be towed back.
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Matty
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Post by Matty on Aug 18, 2010 22:54:17 GMT 1
How have they ended up with 7 buses off at once? Can they not use the BMC Condors, if it is an emergency? I don't think they are allowed to run them in service, they can use the open topper as a spare, but it wouldn't be very good in the rain.
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Post by westyorkshirebus on Aug 18, 2010 22:55:42 GMT 1
With the C68 & C70 also needing single decks, does this mean the 629 might be having to be operated by a double decker?
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Matty
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Post by Matty on Aug 18, 2010 23:10:21 GMT 1
Yes, it could be but they do have spare single deckers available. My route 34 always has a single decker on it even during school holidays, but for the last 3 weeks it has been fully Olympian & MCW operated so they will be putting the single deckers that are normally on the 34 on the 629.
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Post by timelesstable on Aug 19, 2010 7:13:04 GMT 1
I wonder what the comments would be like from members on here and Metro if any of the larger operators allowed the same percentage of their fleets to be unavailable and not seen to be doing anything about it.
I make 7 out of circa 24 excluding the Condors to be 29% not available.
To put that in perspective it would be worse than the entire Arriva Fleet at either Dewsbury, Heckmondwike and Castleford depots being off the road at once.
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Post by trackylad on Aug 19, 2010 8:04:51 GMT 1
Things seem to be in decline at HJC now. To have such a vehicle shortage and not operate services during school holidays when PVR is lower is, frankly, bad management.
You get the feeling that something changed in the spring. There used to be a pattern where you would generally know which kind of buses to expect on a route and sometimes which driver. Now it looks all over the place, any kind of bus could pop up anywhere or indeed not at all. Service delivery is on the slide.
I genuinely think this is a shame. I've always liked the HJC operation and thought they had real potential to develop as an independent. I hope they sort things out, but if they carry on like this then it doesn't look good for them.
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Matty
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Post by Matty on Aug 19, 2010 8:51:39 GMT 1
They are a good operator & things will definately get better...
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kendall17
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Post by kendall17 on Aug 19, 2010 9:10:08 GMT 1
I wonder what the comments would be like from members on here and Metro if any of the larger operators allowed the same percentage of their fleets to be unavailable and not seen to be doing anything about it. I make 7 out of circa 24 excluding the Condors to be 29% not available. To put that in perspective it would be worse than the entire Arriva Fleet at either Dewsbury, Heckmondwike and Castleford depots being off the road at once. Put it this way. 29% of Firsts 440 strong fleet in Leeds would equate to 127 vehicles being off the road. They'd be shot and there'd be protests outisde HP & Bramley. Not only that, the members would be calling for their heads and saying that Centrebus/Arriva doing a better job. Fickle?
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Matty
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Post by Matty on Aug 19, 2010 9:15:36 GMT 1
Yes but there is 23 buses in the HJC fleet! It is not their fault a small percentage of them brake down.
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kendall17
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Post by kendall17 on Aug 19, 2010 9:50:13 GMT 1
Yes but there is 23 buses in the HJC fleet! It is not their fault a small percentage of them brake down. So, 7 buses off the road out of 23. 30% is a small percentage? Not good enough, not running services. Could Vosa be ready to have a word?
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Post by trackylad on Aug 19, 2010 9:56:35 GMT 1
Yes but there is 23 buses in the HJC fleet! It is not their fault a small percentage of them brake down. As an operator with registered services you undertake a responsibility to run those services under traffic law. Nobody, of course, can predict when a bus will fail, but the operator has a duty to make sure that contingencies are in place to ensure that services operate. The Traffic Commissioner will not accept 'not my fault buses breakdown' as an excuse. I hope it doesn't come to this. I know G547 VBB is very keen on HJC and I can understand why. Again, I hope things improve and HJC finally realise the potential they have as an independent operator.
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77syk7
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Post by 77syk7 on Aug 19, 2010 20:10:16 GMT 1
Yes, I fully agree with 'trackylad' and I've stuck up for our local independent many times! To not run a stage service such as the 31 last Monday is in my mind unforgivable. This is not the way to win back the travelling public or to receive any further work from the tendering process. Surely they need to buy some newer low floor buses which would improve reliability. Finally, I'm sorry to hear we are down to 3 Metrobuses - I thought somebody said they would be around for years. Special attention should now be given to 24 as the oldest in the fleet.
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Matty
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Post by Matty on Aug 19, 2010 20:31:32 GMT 1
HJC Can't just source more buses from other places, so at the end of the day there is nothing they can do but pull the route off for a day. The 31 is not tendered but does have funding from Calderdale Council so doesn't bother Metro in anyway. HJC understand that passengers want a service to the hospital, but the 531 can cover Skircoat Green but less frequently. More buses will be arriving within the next week or 2 so things will start to get better when they arrive and more maybe purchased when the college return (Maybe some SLF's).
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Post by timelesstable on Aug 19, 2010 20:59:17 GMT 1
HJC Can't just source more buses from other places, so at the end of the day there is nothing they can do but pull the route off for a day. The 31 is not tendered but does have funding from Calderdale Council so doesn't bother Metro in anyway. HJC understand that passengers want a service to the hospital, but the 531 can cover Skircoat Green but less frequently. More buses will be arriving within the next week or 2 so things will start to get better when they arrive and more maybe purchased when the college return (Maybe some SLF's). Even the likes of Sunny Travel/Route 1 appeared to find buses to run at short notice. Here's a thought are HJC going to become the next Sunny...... It's the middle of the school holidays I'm sure the likes of M Travel to name but one operator who specialise in this work would have some spare buses.
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kendall17
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Post by kendall17 on Aug 19, 2010 21:50:22 GMT 1
Christ. Dont Stotts still have those 4 School bus darts? Sure they'd offer a helping hand to a local independant like themselves
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Post by westyorkshirebus on Aug 19, 2010 22:26:43 GMT 1
There are various rental companies as well that can provide vehicles at short notice, even something rubbish like an Optare Metrorider would be better than nothing.
It's quite obvious what goes on at HJC. The owners use all the profits to fund the preservation of the heritage vehicles, leaving HJC itself with next to no investment.
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Post by northerner on Aug 19, 2010 22:30:42 GMT 1
The 31 is not tendered but does have funding from Calderdale Council so doesn't bother Metro in anyway I'm sure it will bother Metro as they are wanting more reliable services. To cancel so many journeys in one day is not the best way to attract or even retain passengers.
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Post by timelesstable on Aug 20, 2010 7:01:43 GMT 1
There are various rental companies as well that can provide vehicles at short notice, even something rubbish like an Optare Metrorider would be better than nothing. It's quite obvious what goes on at HJC. The owners use all the profits to fund the preservation of the heritage vehicles, leaving HJC itself with next to no investment. How ironic that the service problems should arise just when the heritage fleet would be in the middle of it's busiest periods of the year. I wonder how many heritage opportunities have not been met.... Even when South Yorkshire Motors of Ackworth were on their knees they found a way to acquire some Metroriders.
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Post by trackylad on Aug 20, 2010 7:34:24 GMT 1
I think there is a lot of truth in what the various contributors have said above.
Lets not forget though, Metro are the least of your worries if you're not operating services. If VOSA discover serious failings in service delivery they will be inclined to call a Public Inquiry. Bearing in mind that HJC received a formal warning at a PI just last year, to be in front of the Commissioner again so quickly would certainly prompt some action against them.
It would have been wiser to source buses from elsewhere through the many options out there. But perhaps we are getting an insight in to the blinkered and inward thinking of those in charge at HJC. Maybe, stage carriage operation is not the passion of these people after all, maybe their passions lay elsewhere?
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Jack
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Post by Jack on Aug 21, 2010 21:47:28 GMT 1
HJC Can't just source more buses from other places, so at the end of the day there is nothing they can do but pull the route off for a day. The 31 is not tendered but does have funding from Calderdale Council so doesn't bother Metro in anyway. HJC understand that passengers want a service to the hospital, but the 531 can cover Skircoat Green but less frequently. More buses will be arriving within the next week or 2 so things will start to get better when they arrive and more maybe purchased when the college return (Maybe some SLF's). So wouldn't HJC be in breach of contract with Calderdale MBC by failing to provide a service which they pay for? It seems strange for a local authority within an ITA to subsidise a stage carriage route themselves unless it is a common occurrence without us knowing.
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Matty
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Post by Matty on Aug 21, 2010 21:50:58 GMT 1
They were only paid a one off fee to keep the service running instead of stopping it completely.
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kendall17
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Post by kendall17 on Aug 21, 2010 22:24:08 GMT 1
They were only paid a one off fee to keep the service running instead of stopping it completely. Translation: Dont you try and have a dig at my beloved HJC. I'll tell my mum if you do it again. Still contractually bound to provide the service are they not?
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Matty
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Post by Matty on Aug 21, 2010 22:52:29 GMT 1
Well yes but if they are short on buses there is nothing they can do at the end of the day. There is no point bringing buses in from elsewhere for ONE Day.
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