Manchester Community Transport

[M60lad]

RE: Manchester Community Transport
I actually spotted and photoed YX19ONR on 217 yesterday afternoon at about 13:20 in Piccadilly while I was on my way to work.

When does the contract for 391/392 actually finish as I'm sure I read somewhere that MCT are only finishing the contract due to Selwyns fielding inappropriate vehicles when they had the route (not enough capacity from what I heard/read), apparently the ex HTL Solos weren't big enough for the route.

[33109]

RE: Manchester Community Transport

(17/12/2019 06:50)M60lad Wrote:  I actually spotted and photoed YX19ONR on 217 yesterday afternoon at about 13:20 in Piccadilly while I was on my way to work.

When does the contract for 391/392 actually finish as I'm sure I read somewhere that MCT are only finishing the contract due to Selwyns fielding inappropriate vehicles when they had the route (not enough capacity from what I heard/read), apparently the ex HTL Solos weren't big enough for the route.

Pass on that sorry, I thought MCT had the contract for a good while yet. Yes the ex HTL solos were tiny, think they only seat about 15 people.

Also have MCT changed names?

On their buses it says manchester community transport but on their tickets it says MCT travel.............

[Raawwwrrr!]

RE: Manchester Community Transport

(17/12/2019 07:53)33109 Wrote:  Yes the ex HTL solos were tiny, think they only seat about 15 people.

They (rather amazingly) seat 23

[33109]

RE: Manchester Community Transport

(17/12/2019 08:26)Raawwwrrr! Wrote:  They (rather amazingly) seat 23

It's very bloody cosy with 23 packed in

[knutstransport]

RE: Manchester Community Transport

(17/12/2019 06:50)M60lad Wrote:  When does the contract for 391/392 actually finish as I'm sure I read somewhere that MCT are only finishing the contract due to Selwyns fielding inappropriate vehicles when they had the route (not enough capacity from what I heard/read), apparently the ex HTL Solos weren't big enough for the route.

Cheshire East did use to only award 5 year contracts with break clauses at one point. Hence, why a load of the contracts for the former GHA routes were terminated early after their funding cuts.

I think the 391/392 contract requires one vehicle with 25 seats min and another with 27 seats min, so 23 would have been around 15% smaller than required for the larger vehicle. Although, Cheshire East do seem to turn a blind eye to D&G not always using 2 vehicles with 35 seat min on the 88/89/188 contract and don't seem to care that 28 seat minimum doesn't work on one of the morning peak Altrincham-Knutsford workings and some of the peak time Knutsford-Macc workings (well 28 seats would probably be OK if the entire Altrincham-Knutsford-Macclesfield route had one bus at least every 60 minutes from 7am to 7pm.)

[Mayneway]

RE: Manchester Community Transport

(17/12/2019 06:50)M60lad Wrote:  I actually spotted and photoed YX19ONR on 217 yesterday afternoon at about 13:20 in Piccadilly while I was on my way to work.

When does the contract for 391/392 actually finish as I'm sure I read somewhere that MCT are only finishing the contract due to Selwyns fielding inappropriate vehicles when they had the route (not enough capacity from what I heard/read), apparently the ex HTL Solos weren't big enough for the route.

The rumour isn’t true. MCT were awarded a new lengthy contract which is why they acquired the buses they did for the service. Not sure on capacity requirements but I believe there are plans in the pipe line to possibly change the type of vehicle currently used on the service.
The buses Selwyns used might have been small but were probably better equipped to deal with the road conditions than the buses currently used by mct which are clearly showing many battle scares.
I know a few weeks ago a driver doing 44’s with one of the Mct hybrid Solos ended up going to cover a couple of journeys from Middlewood and said the Solo was better suited to the route than the MMC’s.

[Mayneway]

RE: Manchester Community Transport

(17/12/2019 07:53)33109 Wrote:  Pass on that sorry, I thought MCT had the contract for a good while yet. Yes the ex HTL solos were tiny, think they only seat about 15 people.

Also have MCT changed names?

On their buses it says manchester community transport but on their tickets it says MCT travel.............

MCT is the local name but as MCT stands for Manchester community transport it’s kind of the same thing.

[AlexBus12]

RE: Manchester Community Transport
Manchester Community Transport is to close in April. In a letter seen by drivers, the MD states that the company was days away from closure before HCT took over. http://www.manct.org/statement/

[Mrboo]

RE: Manchester Community Transport

(19/02/2020 20:44)AlexBus12 Wrote:  Manchester Community Transport is to close in April. In a letter seen by drivers, the MD states that the company was days away from closure before HCT took over. http://www.manct.org/statement/

Driver told me about 30 mins ago that First oldham is taking in routes in Oldham and Ashton dont know how true but someone from oldham told me they was getting new routes so it maybe the case

[Mayneway]

RE: Manchester Community Transport

(20/02/2020 00:03)Mrboo Wrote:  Driver told me about 30 mins ago that First oldham is taking in routes in Oldham and Ashton dont know how true but someone from oldham told me they was getting new routes so it maybe the case

First have apparently won a number of tenders in Oldham and Ashton but Diamond have also picked a couple up (217 and 247).
MCT have been prevented from bidding on any tender renewals due to performance which I believe has had a major impact on this decision.