First Manchester

[Mayneway]

RE: First Manchester
A couple of odd allocations at Pioneer over the last few nights. Last night a B9 on the 343 and tonight a Marshall Dart.
This is the first time I've seen a Marshall Dart out after 8pm its virtually always a Solo on 343's.

[joe_alker]

RE: First Manchester
Strange allocations today, 31929 on 389, 40403 on 331, 40325, 42944/5 on 348 & 350

[james]

RE: First Manchester

(12/12/2013 18:04)joe_alker Wrote:  Strange allocations today, 31929 on 389, 40403 on 331, 40325, 42944/5 on 348 & 350

joe 929/403 are common on 331/389 929 has been on it last 7 outof8 days
the marshall darts are now mainly on 346 and circulars
with 42944/5 replacing 37453/4 so will go on 350s whilst we are still 3 b9s short
atm the 348/350 is a 17 vehicle allocation with an extra (usually an oly) coming on after schools
atm we have 14 b9s on the road so are scraping 3 other vehicles

[james]

RE: First Manchester

(10/12/2013 23:57)Mayneway Wrote:  A couple of odd allocations at Pioneer over the last few nights. Last night a B9 on the 343 and tonight a Marshall Dart.
This is the first time I've seen a Marshall Dart out after 8pm its virtually always a Solo on 343's.

ther has been a rerite on late duties im trying to get my head round it too but its wrong thats all i know

[Polo Mint]

RE: First Manchester
Saw 60269 (new livered Citaro) operating on the 163 today, also saw a one of the 'new' ex-Sheffield deckers on the 163.

[Mayneway]

RE: First Manchester

(12/12/2013 20:44)james Wrote:  

(10/12/2013 23:57)Mayneway Wrote:  A couple of odd allocations at Pioneer over the last few nights. Last night a B9 on the 343 and tonight a Marshall Dart.
This is the first time I've seen a Marshall Dart out after 8pm its virtually always a Solo on 343's.

ther has been a rerite on late duties im trying to get my head round it too but its wrong thats all i know

There was a Solo on 348/350 lates last night.

James, I watched a Hybrid Solo drive down Oldham Road towards Ashton today at Lunchtime 'not in service' with a handful of passengers on board. When the bus got to the lights at ikea it suddenly went back into service on the 419. As far as I know it was bang on time and after loading in the bus station it left heading back towards Middleton.
I've seen this happen a couple of times before and also once on a Sunday 168.

Are drivers told to go not in service or are they just being lazy. I can understand it on a frequent service like the 409 but the 419 isn't that frequent.

[33109]

RE: First Manchester
Can't understand that 1 me self tbh. Hope they don't take over finglands, they're a good company who've been around least 20 yrs if not more, face it folks from what I've heard first haven't got a brilliant reputation at been reliable/customer service.

Plus few of their drivers I've come across are the moodiest buggers ever, hardly speak & when they do it's really quietly then they get really narked when they've gotta repeat emselves to passengers cos they couldn't tell what the driver was saying. Anyone else had this or similar probs or just a few peeps???

[jimbo]

RE: First Manchester
The 419 is a tendered service mate. Tfgm set the frequency and timetables.

[P528LND]

RE: First Manchester

(13/12/2013 08:29)33109 Wrote:  Can't understand that 1 me self tbh. Hope they don't take over finglands, they're a good company who've been around least 20 yrs if not more, face it folks from what I've heard first haven't got a brilliant reputation at been reliable/customer service.

Plus few of their drivers I've come across are the moodiest buggers ever, hardly speak & when they do it's really quietly then they get really narked when they've gotta repeat emselves to passengers cos they couldn't tell what the driver was saying. Anyone else had this or similar probs or just a few peeps???

The takeover is not optional for Finglands, which even though I'll miss them on our roads too, they are obviously sufferring financial problems in the area.

Also, Firsts reputation may be a bad one from the past, however their reputation has changed in my eyes recently, with drivers often being more considerate and mannered correctly, also from what I've seen the punctuality side of things has changed too, if not majorly I would say at least quite a bit.

They've invested in routes that were previously neglected too most recently, and their fares have dropped substantially. It's a company in my eyes that has defeated all odds and actually managed to change its stripes.

I do like their naughty 'launch of the 425, newly every 10 minutes'. It always was until about 2 years ago so don't let them decieve you...

[Mayneway]

RE: First Manchester

(13/12/2013 09:57)jimbo Wrote:  The 419 is a tendered service mate. Tfgm set the frequency and timetables.

I know that Jimbo. It dosen't explain why buses suddenly go out of service mid journey with passengers on board then jump back into service just before they go into the bus station.