Greater Manchester Tenders

[Mayneway]

RE: Greater Manchester Tenders

(02/04/2022 16:28)Metroline1511 Wrote:  So that seems to mean Diamond wiped out of south Manchester for now, as Arriva have the 247 journeys, Go Goodwins route 217 and Stagecoach routes 171 & 172.

I think at the moment it will probably suit them. Both Eccles and Bolton are extremely short of drivers. Bolton are currently using several agencies to supply drivers, not sure why because you just have diamond recruiting for drivers, then a unheard of company offering a much hire rate, until you read on and realise you have it pay your own tax and NI etc.

[M60lad]

RE: Greater Manchester Tenders
I wonder how long Arriva will hold onto the tendered 247s for as it seems to be forever bouncing back between them and other other operators it seems every other time that it comes up for re-tender that some other operator gets it.

[Metroline1511]

RE: Greater Manchester Tenders

(02/04/2022 19:01)Mayneway Wrote:  I think at the moment it will probably suit them. Both Eccles and Bolton are extremely short of drivers. Bolton are currently using several agencies to supply drivers, not sure why because you just have diamond recruiting for drivers, then a unheard of company offering a much hire rate, until you read on and realise you have it pay your own tax and NI etc.

Their driver shortage may mean that Diamond refrained from even bidding to retain this work, meaning they lost the routes automatically.

[knutstransport]

RE: Greater Manchester Tenders

(03/04/2022 12:02)Metroline1511 Wrote:  Their driver shortage may mean that Diamond refrained from even bidding to retain this work, meaning they lost the routes automatically.

You do have to question what was the point of them buying the bus business from Go Goodwins when now they don't have the routes or the drivers and Go Goodwins operate some of the routes that were part of the sale.

When Stagecoach purchased the bus business from Bullocks, Bullocks only subsequently operated the Oxford Road link and school services.

[Y458 KNF]

RE: Greater Manchester Tenders

(03/04/2022 14:46)knutstransport Wrote:  You do have to question what was the point of them buying the bus business from Go Goodwins when now they don't have the routes or the drivers and Go Goodwins operate some of the routes that were part of the sale.

When Stagecoach purchased the bus business from Bullocks, Bullocks only subsequently operated the Oxford Road link and school services.

Chances are Diamond are slowly winding down Eccles to eventually have routes run by Bolton I have a feeling that’s what will eventually happen.

[Mayneway]

RE: Greater Manchester Tenders

(03/04/2022 14:46)knutstransport Wrote:  You do have to question what was the point of them buying the bus business from Go Goodwins when now they don't have the routes or the drivers and Go Goodwins operate some of the routes that were part of the sale.

When Stagecoach purchased the bus business from Bullocks, Bullocks only subsequently operated the Oxford Road link and school services.

They didn’t know at the time what was going to happen. Rotala bought the Eccles operation when they operated out of Atherton (South Lancs Travel), at the time of buying Eccles Goodwin wanted out of the bus game. He wanted to focus on coach work, holidays and a few school contracts. It was the end of them operating general service work.
Then after the sale they won a couple of tenders (I think the 84a), but that was it.

Then all went quiet and he suddenly started up again, no doubt the Dunns never thought to ask him to sign a waver to say he wouldn’t go for any work that would effect their business in the future.

Stagecoach are not daft. When they bought the operations of Maynes and Bullocks (both retained coach operations) both owners agreed as part of the sale not to operate or tender for any contracts that would see them in any form of competition with the purchaser. The bullocks deal was amended to cover the Oxford Rd link, which they lost years later anyway.

Famously in Oldham after years of battling it out First bought part of the Stotts operation simply to stop them competing (and wiping the floor with them). The deal would stop Stotts running any commercial services in GM or bidding on any tenders, but they could continue to operate their commercial school services and private hire work. The mistake was in the wording of the contract. It was only for 3 years, clearly whoever wrote it thought they would be long gone.
And literally in 2001, the very year it was up Stotts once again began competing with First on the 427, won a load of school tenders and later won a load of regular tenders too.

[M60lad]

RE: Greater Manchester Tenders
Apart from the Stratas for Wythenshawe have any other operators got or going to be getting any extra vehicles for the new tenders their taking up?

I know Stott's have lost their Oldham work to Rosso but will either operator (Stotts or Rosso) need any extra vehicles for the work they've picked up?

[knutstransport]

RE: Greater Manchester Tenders

(03/04/2022 21:35)Mayneway Wrote:  They didn’t know at the time what was going to happen. Rotala bought the Eccles operation when they operated out of Atherton (South Lancs Travel), at the time of buying Eccles Goodwin wanted out of the bus game. He wanted to focus on coach work, holidays and a few school contracts. It was the end of them operating general service work. Then after the sale they won a couple of tenders (I think the 84a), but that was it.

Then all went quiet and he suddenly started up again, no doubt the Dunns never thought to ask him to sign a waver to say he wouldn’t go for any work that would effect their business in the future.

Didn't Go Goodwins reduce their bus operations in the past and then increase the level again? I seem to recall 5 of their vehicles with the air horns and the extra exterior lights transferred to D&G Bus and then less fancy Solos arrived when they won new tenders.

Quote:Famously in Oldham after years of battling it out First bought part of the Stotts operation simply to stop them competing (and wiping the floor with them). The deal would stop Stotts running any commercial services in GM or bidding on any tenders, but they could continue to operate their commercial school services and private hire work. The mistake was in the wording of the contract. It was only for 3 years, clearly whoever wrote it thought they would be long gone.
And literally in 2001, the very year it was up Stotts once again began competing with First on the 427, won a load of school tenders and later won a load of regular tenders too.

I imagine First thought in the long term it would just be them and Stagecoach doing the main Greater Manchester routes. They'd even added Cheshire operations to the First Greater Manchester business through the acquisition of Chester City Transport. First selling parts of their GM operations to Stagecoach and Go-Ahead was unthinkable at that time.

[Mayneway]

RE: Greater Manchester Tenders

(04/04/2022 10:53)knutstransport Wrote:  Didn't Go Goodwins reduce their bus operations in the past and then increase the level again? I seem to recall 5 of their vehicles with the air horns and the extra exterior lights transferred to D&G Bus and then less fancy Solos arrived when they won new tenders.

From what I recall they didn’t reduce anything they simply, some would say strangely, sold the vehicles they had bought new to D&G and replaced with older more normal solos. All the GM coach operators have dabbled on and off with tenders. Haytons, Selwyns, Ashalls and Goodwins. They seem to pick them up when coach work is quiet then want to wash their hands of them when things pick up.
I believe unlike previously Goodwins actually have set up the bus side properly this time with seperate managers/supervisors etc.

[Mayneway]

RE: Greater Manchester Tenders

(04/04/2022 05:52)M60lad Wrote:  Apart from the Stratas for Wythenshawe have any other operators got or going to be getting any extra vehicles for the new tenders their taking up?

I know Stott's have lost their Oldham work to Rosso but will either operator (Stotts or Rosso) need any extra vehicles for the work they've picked up?

Stotts expecting from vehicles to replace the older Solos and Enviro200’s apparently.
Go north west have a pair of Solo SR’s for the 90 service.