Bus Vannin in Crisis

[Andy Onchan]

On 12/18/2022 at 9:15 AM, Albert Tatlock said:

Good few buses flying about late last night on private hire...my guess is that they are prioritising these fully paid up services above other late night services.

Quite so.

On Sunday morning driving from Douglas to Onchan along Governors Rd @ 00:45 was a publicly paid for bus proudly lit up as "Private Hire". 

Where do Bus Vannin priorities lie?

[BillyNoMates]

On 12/18/2022 at 9:15 AM, Albert Tatlock said:

Good few buses flying about late last night on private hire...my guess is that they are prioritising these fully paid up services above other late night services.

Saw one in athol street by that fancy new buiding at the end. seemed they were picking up for christmas party of some company. are there not enough private buses around to do these jobs? 

[Albert Tatlock]

15 minutes ago, BillyNoMates said:

Saw one in athol street by that fancy new buiding at the end. seemed they were picking up for christmas party of some company. are there not enough private buses around to do these jobs? 

Someone needs to ask questions in Tynwald...it's public transport...not a competition with the private sector, inconveniencing Joe Public and screwing Manx transport buinesses out of cash.

Moreover, it's yet another example of less services for the same (and often more) tax contributions from Joe Public. Like the post office and less deliveries, like the bin collection changing AFTER the rate was set, like the Steam Packet now government owned and bought with monies from tax payers adding a major contribution to inflation on the island by not subsiding import costs and visitors to support locals and local businesses.

Government are in business for themselves only, to cover the cost of bloated numbers, bloated salaries and bloated pensions (on track to cost the tax payer £50M + each year from next year as their pot has ran dry).

How can government possibly claim they represent the people of the island anymore?

[Two-lane]

On 12/18/2022 at 9:15 AM, Albert Tatlock said:

Good few buses flying about late last night on private hire...my guess is that they are prioritising these fully paid up services above other late night services.

From earlier this year:

"The infrastructure minister insists private hire bookings are not having an impact on staffing issues for Isle of Man Transport."

and:

"Tim Crookall says they're obliged to service visitors who've booked in advance".

Possibly there are a few ManxForumers who would fancy a chance at servicing one or two of the visitors.

Don't blame me for the double entendres. I can't resist.

[Apple]

2 hours ago, Albert Tatlock said:

How can government possibly claim they represent the people of the island anymore?

Well there is only Jason Moorhouse doing it tomorrow apparently in HoK. Christmas shopping anyone?

[Ringy Rose]

3 hours ago, BillyNoMates said:

are there not enough private buses around to do these jobs? 

Tours IOM only have a handful of full-size  coaches, so the answer to your question is "no".

[WTF]

46 minutes ago, Ringy Rose said:

Tours IOM only have a handful of full-size  coaches, so the answer to your question is "no".

tours are far more expensive too so they have empty coaches doing nothing while BV can't supply regular routes cos they're doing private hire instead.

[Ringy Rose]

5 minutes ago, WTF said:

BV can't supply regular routes cos they're doing private hire instead

The cancellations seem to have settled down at least. BV were never intending to run the 0115 Night Owls this year, they were left out of the timetable published in September, they just did it on the quiet.

[A fool and his money.....]

2 hours ago, Ringy Rose said:

Tours IOM only have a handful of full-size  coaches, so the answer to your question is "no".

But on the list of priorities for public services, providing a reliable, regular public transport system is surely higher than transport for some yuppie's Christmas party?

[Ringy Rose]

1 hour ago, A fool and his money..... said:

But on the list of priorities for public services, providing a reliable, regular public transport system is surely higher than transport for some yuppie's Christmas party?

Cancellations seem to have stabilised, although the timetable is reduced compared to pre-Covid the services are running. So I'm not sure the private hire did affect the public service this time.

There's an argument if BV are undercutting Tours by not charging the full cost of the private hire, but for these any sensible manager would cheerfully rinse the big corporates on a hire.

 

[Roger Mexico]

3 hours ago, Ringy Rose said:

The cancellations seem to have settled down at least. BV were never intending to run the 0115 Night Owls this year, they were left out of the timetable published in September, they just did it on the quiet.

Yes Chris Thomas made this point on Manx Radio recently:

He seems to have decided to publicise it more widely off his own bat, otherwise people would have been waiting there without knowing.  BV seem to have run the 01:15 services for Christmas/New Year since about 2006 and more recently during TT as well as summer weekends.

[Non-Believer]

2 hours ago, A fool and his money..... said:

But on the list of priorities for public services, providing a reliable, regular public transport system is surely higher than transport for some yuppie's Christmas party?

The situation, similar to the Post Office, is that what were our "Public Services" are now charged with operating themselves as "businesses" and competing with the private sector.

However, unlike their "real" private sector competitors there are a number of differences.

1) Our new "businesses" can cut the services to the public that they previously obliged to provide, with total impunity and sustain any losses arising because they are backed by the bottomless pit of Govt money. In short, they can cherry-pick what they choose to provide because there's no risk.

2) Yet again however, the public is the loser via loss of services (that might be essential to some) simply because they might not be the most profitable and are cut out.

3) There may be little real-world business management experience. However once again there's no risk because the managers remain as public sector employees. There are are no penalties for failure and nobody will be sacked for losses.

What's not to like? Unless you are the public expecting the spread of Services that you've previously been accustomed to and paying for via your taxes - which strangely haven't reduced despite these Services now being sham private enterprises.

[Steady Eddie]

13 minutes ago, Non-Believer said:

The situation, similar to the Post Office, is that what were our "Public Services" are now charged with operating themselves as "businesses" and competing with the private sector.

However, unlike their "real" private sector competitors there are a number of differences.

But they can’t operate as businesses because with businesses you have your reputation, house, family, & assets on the line if you get it wrong. If you get it wrong in the public sector you probably get a promotion to move you on to a bigger house. 

[Albert Tatlock]

1 minute ago, Steady Eddie said:

But they can’t operate as businesses because with businesses you have your reputation, house, family, & assets on the line if you get it wrong. If you get it wrong in the public sector you probably get a promotion to move you on to a bigger house. 

...and then get moved sideways (or promoted) to screw up a whole new bunch of people 😉

[The Voice of Reason]

Well it is what it is really.

If you feel the need to drink yourself into a stupor in pubs, nightclubs etc rather than drinking yourself into a stupor at home why should you expect the subsidised public bus service to put on late night services for drunks? Over and above the normal scheduled services.

Ooh it’s Christmas/ New Years Eve, the Government should look after me because I’m going to get drunk and shouldn’t drive and taxis are going to be hard to get.