Warrington's Own Buses

[iMarkeh]

RE: Warrington's Own Buses
I think that they have had more service changes than they've had buses actually run. Crikey.

Surely it's got to get to a point where they sub some of the routes out and hand back some out of area contracts to focus drivers to the core network.

[Rick Hunter]

RE: Warrington's Own Buses
Who do they sub routes out to though? Neighbouring operators are in the same position with shortage of drivers. They say they have raised the rate of pay twice. It's not all about rates of pay. One of our drivers lives very close to Stagecoach's depot in Bryn but says its better to earn less money and enjoy going to work rather than be on a big pay rate and hate the place.

(03/12/2021 03:03)iMarkeh Wrote:  I think that they have had more service changes than they've had buses actually run. Crikey.

Surely it's got to get to a point where they sub some of the routes out and hand back some out of area contracts to focus drivers to the core network.

[Jack]

RE: Warrington's Own Buses
They've recently given up the 640/641 in Wigan to Diamond.

[Mayneway]

RE: Warrington's Own Buses

(03/12/2021 07:23)Rick Hunter Wrote:  Who do they sub routes out to though? Neighbouring operators are in the same position with shortage of drivers. They say they have raised the rate of pay twice. It's not all about rates of pay. One of our drivers lives very close to Stagecoach's depot in Bryn but says its better to earn less money and enjoy going to work rather than be on a big pay rate and hate the place.

Pay plays a very small part of it. Drivers would rather get paid less to work social hours etc then more money to work unsocial hours.

[M60lad]

RE: Warrington's Own Buses
Rick Hunter not to sure who you are but I also know that one of the Managers works at the same bus company your on about and obviously travels a similar distance despite living in Wigan so I can see where your coming from regarding the pay as he's obviously not bothered about the travel involved and yes the company your on about is a decent company I have to agree.

[knutstransport]

RE: Warrington's Own Buses

(03/12/2021 07:23)Rick Hunter Wrote:  Who do they sub routes out to though? Neighbouring operators are in the same position with shortage of drivers.

MP Travel having reduced the X1 frequency and having loaned one of the X1 branded buses to WOB sums that up.

I think the one place where they may be provision for subletting is for coach hire companies to take on school/college services. Back when I was at school it wasn't uncommon for a small family owned coach hire company to ask another one to run the service on a day when they didn't have a driver/coach.

[knutstransport]

RE: Warrington's Own Buses

(04/12/2021 06:50)M60lad Wrote:  I also know that one of the Managers works at the same bus company your on about and obviously travels a similar distance despite living in Wigan

People commuting from Wigan to Cheshire is a lot more common than you might expect. The relatively low cost of housing in Wigan, the M6 and some Cheshire businesses having to pay a bit more to attract suitable staff all help.

[Rick Hunter]

RE: Warrington's Own Buses
Didn't MP reduce the X1 primarily due to their own shortage of staff? Warrington do have a good number of schools and college services so subbing those out to local coach operators is a good idea. Many are operated by double deckers though which the coach companies don't have.

(04/12/2021 10:00)knutstransport Wrote:  MP Travel having reduced the X1 frequency and having loaned one of the X1 branded buses to WOB sums that up.

[Rick Hunter]

RE: Warrington's Own Buses
M60lad you are correct our area manager travels some distance to work. One of the attractions of our company used to be having fixed duty lines and duties tailored to fit drivers requirements where possible. However that ended last year shortly prior to the pandemic. Maybe that is an idea Warrington could look at rather than keep increasing pay which obviously isn't working. Make the hours attractive to get people to come. Some people prefer late starts, some prefer early. Some don't want to 'have' to complete 38 hours every week but can manage with 30 or less.

(04/12/2021 06:50)M60lad Wrote:  Rick Hunter not to sure who you are but I also know that one of the Managers works at the same bus company your on about and obviously travels a similar distance despite living in Wigan so I can see where your coming from regarding the pay as he's obviously not bothered about the travel involved and yes the company your on about is a decent company I have to agree.

[knutstransport]

RE: Warrington's Own Buses

(04/12/2021 10:25)Rick Hunter Wrote:  Many are operated by double deckers though which the coach companies don't have.

Sometimes minimum seating capacities for school/college services are figures in the 50s, which makes Enviro 200s and Wright Cadets too small but full size coaches may meet the requirement. I'm not sure if WOB have any single deckers which have over around 45 seats.

There are also some school services which get deckers just because they are old vehicles and the operator doesn't want to use them all day every day on regular services.