Now that we are into day 3 of the bus strike I was wondering if the other bus operators can see that there is a market to compete against First. There is I feel still a market for a feeder bus network into the South Yorkshire Rail Network and into the Supertram Network. I would also amend the rules on bus services put out to tender so that if it was a whole route ( ie not odd journeys)that any company operating with more than 60% market share would be excluded at round one of the tendering process.
At present I feel that B.O.S.S.Y. (Bus Operaters serving South Yorkshire) have a gentlemans agreement between them not to upset one another!!! Lets bring in some fresh ideas to providing a service. Arriva,Stagecoach and Yorkshire Traction Group lets see you give First some competition.

The likes of Yorkshire Terrier and TM Travel would probably win more business off First if they ran after 6pm - any commuter buying a weekly pass off these companies cannot use it if they work late or go out for a drink, and end up paying to travel on First bus anyway!

As for Stagecoach buses, the ones in Sheffield are primarily designed to take people to Dronfield, Chesterfield and beyond, so aren't frequent enough to compete with First on corridors such as Sheffield-Woodseats.

TM travel do seem to be an up and coming company, and have the added bonus of enthusiastic drivers, although I guess at the moment they only operate 'nice' routes.

Wouldn't it be nice if they took the bold step of really going for it, and created a 'metro' type bus service in South West Sheffield?

How about a 293 that ran from town down Abbeydale Road, Millhouses, Greenhill every 15 minutes during the daytime, with the route then alternating destinations between Low Edges, Bradway, Dronfield/Chesterfield and Holmesfield, up to 6pm, then the core 293 to Dronfield via Bradway running hourly up to midnight.

If that was a success they could expand and introduce routes in other parts of the city, but in the same spirit of the 293, offering a different route creating useful new links rather than just duplicating the First service.

If we were to have another large public transport provider in Sheffield it would offer several benefits.
1) customers/passengers would have a choice
2) First would have some competition
3) Drivers would have a choice who to work for

It would make PTE Travelmaster prepaid tickets the better option for daily users.

Some ideas I had in mine:
Bring back Express/Limited stop services at Peak periods on major routes not served by rail or Supertram
Local network connections every 10/15mins meeting trains/supertram at interchanges like Dore/Herdings/Crystal Peaks/Chapeltown.

For this to work the operater would require a depot in the City to offer a service all year round and to provide a service at least 18 hours a day.

Was behind a double decker bus on the way home from work tonight and it was heaving! First must be loosing a fortune in fares!

Serves em right for not lookin after their staff! Dont bite the hand that feeds you I this think the saying goes!

Thanks

Tony

Originally posted by Tony1
Was behind a double decker bus on the way home from work tonight and it was heaving! First must be loosing a fortune in fares!

Serves em right for not lookin after their staff! Dont bite the hand that feeds you I this think the saying goes!

Thanks

Tony


drop in the ocean for them really though

Rather than Terrier expanding in Sheffield they seem to be cutting back.
Take the 49 and 49a service which at the mo runs Herdings-Sheffield-Parson Cross after Saturday the Sheffield -Parson Cross section is being withdrawn.
I cant see how that is due to lack of use as every time me and the wife use it to go to town its well used the 49a I mean .
The only alternative for us now is the 17
which goes half way round South Yorkshire to get to town and most of the buses smell like mobile public conveniences.
What it wants and ive said this for many years is for the government to reverse the deregulation laws and then and only then can it be a Public Transport SERVICE I have put Service in capitals because it isnt anymore its all profit orientated and they dont run any routes unless theres a profit in it.
Its not the passenger who comes first but the shareholders.
Thats just my twopenny rant from a bus enthusiast for many a long year.

Take care John in Parson Cross

I am only guessing here that what has happen with the big review of bus services in North Sheffield is that the PTE/Sheffield Council/Bus Operaters have taken into account what can be provided as commercial service and what can be funded out of council tax funding to reflect that large areas of former Council houses in this part of S5/S6 are due for demolition over the next few years so passenger numbers will be less.
Maybe it time that the PTE indicated on its timetables which services/journeys are funded by council tax payers as they do in Derbyshire.

The Future?

Hopefully more pay for the drivers and cheaper fairs. :o :D

I think it's more likely to be increased pay for the drivers to get them back to work, followed by increased fares for us passengers to pay for it.

Originally posted by silverknight


Lets bring in some fresh ideas to providing a service.

Arriva,Stagecoach and Yorkshire Traction Group lets see you give First some competition.


Why don't you start by asking if the working man, the bus driver, is being paid enough money to raise his family with a decent quality of life?

Stop moaning about the bus service.

You use it or lose it.

Originally posted by al_partridge
I think it's more likely to be increased pay for the drivers to get them back to work, followed by increased fares for us passengers to pay for it.

I'd like to know how much you would want to be paid for working from 0530 to 0930 and then from 1530 to 1830.

We all want to earn the best wages possible in the market place what every job we wish to follow.If you do not like it the view of management today is take it or leave it.If the other major players in the bus market Arriva,Stagecoach etc were to establish a depot in Sheffield and operate services your bosses at First would have to compete or offer a better deal in wages for its staff.At present First management have you by the short and curlies as the major provider. On teletex First spokesman Mr Jones is stated as saying if the strike goes on service are subject to cut backs.