Changes to Service 405
Re: Changes to Service 405
What happens when there are only 4 Wednesdays in the month??
Re: Changes to Service 405
Slight change of plan... The route number 406 is already used for a local Leominster service, so at the request of Herefordshire Council it will now be the 404.
Re: Changes to Service 405
That's quite amusing !
As the new arrangement starts on monday, what is the likelihood of the info appearing on the First Worcestershire website by then ?
- Did I dream it, or did you tell me Adam, that these changes have happened because of overloading (!), and if so, - overloading of what size bus please ??
Re: Changes to Service 405
The main reason they are changing is because there isn't enough running time from Hereford to Cradley on the return journey. 53802 is used because the next journey is the Much Marcle Primary School service, but most Wednesdays this has been running just over 20-minutes late. The timetable says dropping off only after Bromyard, so if the bus is empty at Bromyard it can run direct to the school and just about get there on time, but 4 out of 5 times there is someone all the way to Cradley.
Overloading has also been an issue. The bus seats 26 and we frequently carry in the mid-20s so legally there is more room for standing passengers, but as they all seem to have shopping trolleys and/or walking frames it can get quite cosy at times. It is also a long journey so it's not really fare to ask elderly passengers to stand for such a long time. Although the change in route is not directly because of the numbers carried, it should have the added benefit of helping this problem as not all villages will be served each week.
I seem to have inherited the 405 route as I've driven it for the last 5-weeks running, and for the last two weeks I've been handing out the new timetables to the regular passengers. Ironically, since the weather turned cold the numbers have dropped and I've been not carried anyone to/from Cradley or Fromes Hill so the school has run on time.
Before you ask why we can't just depart Hereford earlier... From leaving Hereford at 1330 to getting back to Worcester depot at 1856 is just shy of the legal limit of 5 1/2 hours driving. If it ran earlier the driver would need a break somewhere so they would have to find a second driver to finish the shift, and that cost money!
Overloading has also been an issue. The bus seats 26 and we frequently carry in the mid-20s so legally there is more room for standing passengers, but as they all seem to have shopping trolleys and/or walking frames it can get quite cosy at times. It is also a long journey so it's not really fare to ask elderly passengers to stand for such a long time. Although the change in route is not directly because of the numbers carried, it should have the added benefit of helping this problem as not all villages will be served each week.
I seem to have inherited the 405 route as I've driven it for the last 5-weeks running, and for the last two weeks I've been handing out the new timetables to the regular passengers. Ironically, since the weather turned cold the numbers have dropped and I've been not carried anyone to/from Cradley or Fromes Hill so the school has run on time.
Before you ask why we can't just depart Hereford earlier... From leaving Hereford at 1330 to getting back to Worcester depot at 1856 is just shy of the legal limit of 5 1/2 hours driving. If it ran earlier the driver would need a break somewhere so they would have to find a second driver to finish the shift, and that cost money!
Re: Changes to Service 405
Thanks Adam for that interesting information.
Re: Changes to Service 405
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