FMR - Service Reliability 2017 +

Bus and Coach operations, new or changed services and timetables for First Midland Red Buses Limited or its predecessor, Midland Red West Limited.
DD12
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FMR - Service Reliability 2017 +

Post by DD12 » 22:14 Tuesday 16th May 2017

Can anyone tell me why the "schools" 32 (DD) arrived 30 minutes late at Green Lane this afternoon please?
I have previously seen this one 20 minutes late.

I'm very keen to see our DDs used after PM schools+colleges to support the frequencies / input the network, BUT only where that can be done reliably.

IF I were working in the planning department I would LIKE to be able to start planning the schedules, allocation of vehicles and drivers etc, by "working backwards" so that the rest of the fleet / crew, reliably provide the services up to c.17.00, (and beyond), - and at least some of the buses ex.schools are then added from c.17.00 onwards.

I think that Worcester's PM jam-ups (and CUSTOMERS) need something like this, with a planned target of reliable PM departures, especially from Crowngate (even if that means reduced frequencies), maximum flexibility and "hands-on" management at Crowngate - til as late as possible.

I realise that the planners do a professional job that follows the "rules" imposed on them (as well as all the "real-world" considerations).

I worry that our Midlands MD is not given (by HQ) the flexibility he needs for Worcester - PERHAPS because of performance "thingies", productivity, £, etc.

I read, sometime ago, on RouteOne, about a big Indian city - I think it was Delhi - where the traffic congestion (and pollution) was so bad, that the bus services also, were "the bare minimum", = "Madness !! "

Because of the recent political adjustments back-home, I've taken a quick look through the future plans of the County and City councils, and they appear to be too weak to help our bus services. :cry:

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AdamH
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Re: FMR - Service Reliability 2017 +

Post by AdamH » 08:03 Wednesday 17th May 2017

No idea why it was late, but I was working the 332 up Bath Road that normally meets it at St. Mark's Church coming the other way. As I came over the hill by your house I could see it ahead of me, still heading outbound, stuck in traffic caused by parked cars on both sides of the A38 outside the chip shop, leaving the main road only wide enough for one vehicle at a time.

I don't think that delay amounts to 30-minutes as I only lost about 6 to 8 minutes, but it did need to pass there again on the way back. Also, once it was late it would have been more busy and ended up taking all my local passengers giving me an easy run. I caught and passed it at the stop after St. Peter's Tesco, so I guess it would have been about 20-minutes down by then.

DD12
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Re: FMR - Service Reliability 2017 +

Post by DD12 » 12:17 Wednesday 17th May 2017

Thanks Adam ! ;)

bmmoboy
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Re: FMR - Service Reliability 2017 +

Post by bmmoboy » 22:16 Wednesday 17th May 2017

It was Worcester races today - always a cause of extra traffic and resultant traffic jams!

bmmoboy
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Re: FMR - Service Reliability 2017 +

Post by bmmoboy » 14:49 Sunday 21st May 2017

It was interesting to see in DD12's original post the phrase - "hands-on" management at Crowngate - til as late as possible - now that would be a novelty. I would even go to far as to say that the "til late as possible" part of the statement should be removed. I think that my fellow drivers know what I mean.

DD12
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Re: FMR - Service Reliability 2017 +

Post by DD12 » 13:27 Monday 17th July 2017

Last Friday, I tried to catch the 18.39 44 from Link Top to Worcester, but it never came, -
I'm pretty sure that I was there at least 5 mins early, and the next bus (44A) didn't arrive until after 19.20, so I had a 45 minute wait (seemed much longer).

I will use First's online complaint form, ( - for what it's worth), but as I sometimes make mistakes, I would be very grateful if anyone on here could get a verification that it didn't run, OR that it left Link Top VERY early, - OR - what happened to it ??

We all know about Worcester's "traffic sieges " but I am getting the impression that First is not making the basic effort required to run the services that THEY THEMSELVES have committed-to, (especially after 16.30 Mon-Fri.) ie to the timetables that THEY THEMSELVES have designed !

IF it's the case that "Head Office" is imposing unworkable practices on the local management, then that ( - or something else) needs to change.

I believe that waits/ delays of 45 to 60 minutes, have been happening in the last couple of years (and not just in the Worcester area), but any organisation that WANTS to provide bus services, or WANTS them to be provided, needs to be aware that this is one of the quickest way to lose passengers. :(

DD12
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Joined: 19:49 Monday 4th July 2016

Re: FMR - Service Reliability 2017 +

Post by DD12 » 22:13 Friday 4th August 2017

I have had a reply from First about my missing 44, and I'm glad to say that the reply is a "step-up" compared to the reply I got to a previous complaint !

Basically, they ran-out of ("fit") drivers ! - - The reply goes into some of the details and issues around this, - all of which I already understood ( - "as an old enthusiast"), - and the reply would also go some of the way towards "satisfying" the other affected members of the public.

Of course the reply doesn't admit that there "should have been one or two drivers available on that Friday evening, who would normally do the rugby services, when they run" (?)
.... and it doesn't admit that because the number of vehicles at WR has been cut by around six, in the last couple of years, the number of drivers employed has PROBABLY been cut also ( - by 12 ??).
;)

DD12
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Re: FMR - Service Reliability 2017 +

Post by DD12 » 22:34 Friday 4th August 2017

- I tried to EDIT the above to say "the reduction in the number or drivers is therefore likely to be at least six".

(But the "window" allowed for edits, is very small).

Noggin1
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Re: FMR - Service Reliability 2017 +

Post by Noggin1 » 10:15 Sunday 6th August 2017

I'm pleased that First responded properly, not just with a set wording, but that it went into the issues. Proper response to complaints is very much in a bus company's interests and helps to diffuse the sort of complaints bandwagon we have seen elsewhere. I think it would be a bit problematical for the webmaster if he found he was running a complaints website!

DD12
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Re: FMR - Service Reliability 2017 +

Post by DD12 » 13:41 Sunday 6th August 2017

Noggin1 wrote:
10:15 Sunday 6th August 2017
...... I think it would be a bit problematical for the webmaster if he found he was running a complaints website!
Thanks Noggin for responding, and thank you to the webmaster and forum members for tolerating my posts complaining about some of First's services.

I will TRY not to put any more on this forum - unless there's a particular element of interest for enthusiasts. :)

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