Bus Vannin in Crisis

[Itsmeee]

6 hours ago, Passing Time said:

Looks like they can drive for 56 hours per week

This looks as though it relates to the U.K.  rather than the IOM 

[Itsmeee]

2 hours ago, Passing Time said:

What was the end result of testing these on Island roads?

Testing the bendy buses? They were too long to fit in the bus stops, causing traffic problems, and the ones that were tested here had too few seats, meaning the little darlings on the school runs would have to stand, and that was deemed dangerous. 

[Passing Time]

9 minutes ago, Itsmeee said:

This looks as though it relates to the U.K.  rather than the IOM 

It is the UK but I think the IOM pretty much mirrors this. Happy to be proved wrong...

[Tempus Fugit]

interesting new bus route for the 21 service 😜

[0bserver]

The island's so-called bus service is in absolute meltdown today. Over 37 buses cancelled... but there's loads of buses driving around on private hire work for cruise passengers.

[kevster]

1 hour ago, 0bserver said:

loads of buses driving around on private hire work for cruise passengers

loads? Care to quantify

[0bserver]

1 minute ago, kevster said:

loads? Care to quantify

Yeah. More than some but less than a shit ton.

[Two-lane]

2 hours ago, 0bserver said:

but there's loads of buses driving around on private hire work for cruise passengers.

I have a comment that might indicate the thinking of the management. Some years ago I worked for a few seasons on the MER. The cruise ships had passenger excursions booked on the MER, but instead of using an extra tram they were put onto a scheduled service.

When the tram arrived at Derby Castle the crews were instructed to block ordinary passengers with ordinary tickets from boarding until the cruise ships passengers were loaded.  If there was no space remaining for the ordinary passengers, they got left behind.

[Boris Johnson]

Why are BV doing this? Why not private coaches?

[0bserver]

22 minutes ago, Two-lane said:

I have a comment that might indicate the thinking of the management. Some years ago I worked for a few seasons on the MER. The cruise ships had passenger excursions booked on the MER, but instead of using an extra tram they were put onto a scheduled service.

When the tram arrived at Derby Castle the crews were instructed to block ordinary passengers with ordinary tickets from boarding until the cruise ships passengers were loaded.  If there was no space remaining for the ordinary passengers, they got left behind.

Yes, an all too common occurrence as they massage the figures and bump them up with cruise ship passengers.

[Roger Mexico]

2 hours ago, 0bserver said:

The island's so-called bus service is in absolute meltdown today. Over 37 buses cancelled... but there's loads of buses driving around on private hire work for cruise passengers.

That's funny because only 12 days ago in a supplementary to a Keys question Moorhouse asked: 

In terms of customers, how are they actually prioritised? Is there a system in place to state which are the key customers from the perspective of Bus Vannin? Is it the ordinary, everyday users? Is it the cruise ship users? Is it the TT visitors?

And Crookall replied:

Regarding key customers, absolutely first and foremost is the public-scheduled service and the school services; and then it becomes cruise liners or any other private parties that Bus Vannin are 765 asked to look at and price for. But the public service and the schools are first and foremost.

Could Tim have been lying to us (or someone lying to Tim)?

[Twitch]

1 hour ago, Boris Johnson said:

Why are BV doing this? Why not private coaches?

The cost of hiring their buses (subsidised by the taxpayer) is much cheaper than hiring a coach.

Probably.

[TheTeapot]

1 hour ago, Boris Johnson said:

Why are BV doing this?

Part of their business model involves driving all potential competitors into the ground.

Edited May 15, 2022 by TheTeapot

[Bandits]

1 hour ago, Boris Johnson said:

Why are BV doing this? Why not private coaches?

How many private coaches are left? Not very many. You used to see them all over the place. Now you hardly see any I presume because Bus Vannin is prepared to do work for almost nothing just to keep up the presence that their vehicles are being used. 

[quilp]

1 hour ago, Roger Mexico said:

Could Tim have been lying to us (or someone lying to Tim)?

Probably the same person who said, "there's no machine anywhere that will take Manx pound coins, Tim. Impossible."