Bus Vannin in Crisis

[Andy Onchan]

2 minutes ago, The Voice of Reason said:

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.

 

 

 

Eh?

[The Voice of Reason]

Just now, Andy Onchan said:

Eh?

Eh what?

[Andy Onchan]

1 minute ago, The Voice of Reason said:

Eh what?

And what about those that work in the hospitality industry? Are they not allowed to use the service? Don't they deserve a service that their taxes pay for?

[Albert Tatlock]

11 minutes ago, The Voice of Reason said:

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.

 

 

 

Christmas at the Rovers...lots of people that haven't been out since last feckin christmas, blocking doorways, pissed after 3 pints, forgotten how to use a toilet, and putting shoite on the jukebox.

If they just came out more, they'd be regulars.

[The Voice of Reason]

Just now, Andy Onchan said:

And what about those that work in the hospitality industry? Are they not allowed to use the service? Don't they deserve a service that their taxes pay for?

Of course they do . But they work day in day out all year every day  until a time maybe long after the last bus has normally operated. Why single out the Christmas period?

Maybe their employers should make provision for that?
 

You are being disingenuous 

 

[Andy Onchan]

Just now, The Voice of Reason said:

Of course they do . But they work day in day out all year every day  until a time maybe long after the last bus has normally operated. Why single out the Christmas period?

Maybe their employers should make provision for that?
 

You are being disingenuous 

 

Me, being disingenuous? 

[The Voice of Reason]

1 minute ago, Albert Tatlock said:

Christmas at the Rovers...lots of people that haven't been out since last feckin christmas, blocking doorways, pissed after 3 pints, forgotten how to use a toilet, and putting shoite on the jukebox.

If they just came out more, they'd be regulars.

And tearing off the “ hairy snids on tour” sticker that has been there for years

[Gladys]

1 hour ago, The Voice of Reason said:

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.

 

 

 

Not sure that is the issue really.  More like BV has been competing with the private sector, with oodles of resources paid for by you know who, but have withdrawn services at a time when a lot of people would like to have a reasonably priced ride to roughly where they live. 

It is just the oddest situation  unless I have missed the little kernel that justifies it.

When I were a lass, the buses were a regular service to transport you from home to wherever and back, at a reasonable cost.  The likes of Tours were there to ferry tourists around.  Never the twain met (or challenged each other) and they needn't really because they were different things, the only similarity was they were big vehicles using the same roads. 

 If the policy really has been to compete, then someone needs to own up and explain how that competition actually benefits us, both from a public service point of view and how it facilitates the private sector. 

[Non-Believer]

7 hours ago, Gladys said:

If the policy really has been to compete, then someone needs to own up and explain how that competition actually benefits us, both from a public service point of view and how it facilitates the private sector. 

It most likely has its roots (no pun intended) in the annual losses that BV racks up year after year (£3M+?).

They will have been told to cut these, wash their own face and make "savings". The solution is to start operating as a "business" and in IoM Gov speak that translates to cuts to services to the public and people starting to be "commercial business managers", chasing private enterprise opportunities at the expense of those public services.

[0bserver]

8 hours ago, Gladys said:

Not sure that is the issue really.  More like BV has been competing with the private sector, with oodles of resources paid for by you know who, but have withdrawn services at a time when a lot of people would like to have a reasonably priced ride to roughly where they live. 

It is just the oddest situation  unless I have missed the little kernel that justifies it.

When I were a lass, the buses were a regular service to transport you from home to wherever and back, at a reasonable cost.  The likes of Tours were there to ferry tourists around.  Never the twain met (or challenged each other) and they needn't really because they were different things, the only similarity was they were big vehicles using the same roads. 

 If the policy really has been to compete, then someone needs to own up and explain how that competition actually benefits us, both from a public service point of view and how it facilitates the private sector. 

That's exactly how it worked. Until Longworth took a look and said "I want a bit of that pie" and went after the Tours cruise work and schools contracts. 

[Cinderella]

This is part of a bigger narrative in many countries about public services being ‘forced’ to act as commercial enterprises. When they fail, that gives cover to conservative leaning governments to privatise them under the guise that the private sector will be better. Then they are gutted.

Communities need to decide how much they value truly public services (transport, health, education, care), equity of access for all, and then step up to defend them from death by policy. 

[The Voice of Reason]

On 12/17/2022 at 6:00 PM, Numbnuts said:

While I understand your sentiments I would imagine there not where they are without ensuring they dont have to do what you suggest. Do you really believe that senior staff at BV will be out on a night owl bus !? 

That would be a hoot

[Declan]

12 hours ago, Gladys said:

When I were a lass, the buses were a regular service to transport you from home to wherever and back, at a reasonable cost.  The likes of Tours were there to ferry tourists around.  Never the twain met (or challenged each other) and they needn't really because they were different things, the only similarity was they were big vehicles using the same roads. 

The buses always used to do private hire -  around the TT course pubs for example was a regular thing in the eighties. 

[Ringy Rose]

13 hours ago, Gladys said:

If the policy really has been to compete, then someone needs to own up and explain how that competition actually benefits us, both from a public service point of view and how it facilitates the private sector. 

The policy comes from the "savings review" a few years ago, that indicated Bus Vannin needed to diversify and secure new revenue streams as well as cutting staff costs and "unprofitable" routes.

Private Hire is a good way of making some extra money: fuel+driver+20% hire fee, it's a no brainer really.

The government decided it wanted Bus Vannin to be more "commercially minded", and this is what that looks like.

Where I used to live, in Newcastle, there is only a skeleton daytime service on a few routes on Boxing Day, and the last buses on Christmas Eve and NYE are at 6pm. Here there's a full Sunday service on the 26th and a normal service all evening on Christmas Eve and NYE.

And as I said further up, the last bus from Halifax to Bradford on a normal Friday or Saturday- two quite big places- is 2213. That's what commercial operation looks like. And the people moaning about the loss of the 0115 Night Owls will be the same ones moaning that BV costs the taxpayer a few million a year.

Edited December 20, 2022 by Ringy Rose

[Andy Onchan]

13 minutes ago, Ringy Rose said:

The policy comes from the "savings review" a few years ago, that indicated Bus Vannin needed to diversify and secure new revenue streams as well as cutting staff costs and "unprofitable" routes.

Private Hire is a good way of making some extra money: fuel+driver+20% hire fee, it's a no brainer really.

The government decided it wanted Bus Vannin to be more "commercially minded", and this is what that looks like.

Where I used to live, in Newcastle, there is only a skeleton daytime service on a few routes on Boxing Day, and the last buses on Christmas Eve and NYE are at 6pm. Here there's a full Sunday service on the 26th and a normal service all evening on Christmas Eve and NYE.

And as I said further up, the last bus from Halifax to Bradford on a normal Friday or Saturday- two quite big places- is 2213. That's what commercial operation looks like. And the people moaning about the loss of the 0115 Night Owls will be the same ones moaning that BV costs the taxpayer a few million a year.

Either as taxpayer and/or passenger we're screwed. The service is neither one thing or another.