(16/09/2020 21:33)Rick Hunter Wrote:  The 130 had been run into the ground by Arriva and the damage is obviously now irrepairable. Maybe if they had withdrawn it earlier when there was still a reasonable customer base then D&G may have been able to make it work. The current situation with few people traveling isn't the best time to be trying to build a route back up commercially.

(17/09/2020 08:13)iMarkeh Wrote:  D&G hasn't helped though. They haven't exactly been the most reliable operator in the are with their commercial routes generally being withdrawn or changed quite significantly every few months. That doesn't help customers faith in the service. Why support a bus which is unlikely to be running in a few months.

(17/09/2020 07:51)iMarkeh Wrote:  Is D&G pay higher? I'm surprised that their conditions would be better though as D&G doesn't seem to present itself as the sort of operator with great conditions.


Could Arriva run down the network purely based on the fact they have too few drivers. If people keep leaving and they can't cover work, what else can they do but slowly rid some services?

(18/09/2020 07:38)Rick Hunter Wrote:  No, D&G pay isn't higher than Arriva. Conditions with pretty much most operators now are sh*te to be honest. Conditions vary greatly even between depots within Arriva as local management make or break a depot. D&G conditions are no worse than other operators. What gives you the impression otherwise? We don't have a stream of new vehicles arriving every year but then niether do Arriva.

Rather than run a network down due to driver shortage surely it would be better to deregister routes rather than make them totally unviable for anyone else. It's as though Arriva are saying well if we can't run them then nobody else is going to.

(17/09/2020 06:17)33109 Wrote:  My driver mate who used to do macc work & is now a winsford allocated driver says he was told it isn't looking likely that macc depot at gaw end lane will reopen. Few people have left again, high peak is where he knows a few drivers have gone.

Said drivers don't like being stuck on macc town work & 38s are now worked by winsford drivers. Drivers apparently want more variety & better pay/conditions is why a load have left.

(18/09/2020 07:47)knutstransport Wrote:  I don't get why Arriva not operating from Macclesfield would have led to drivers joining D&G (based at Wincham and Crewe.) If a driver lives in or near Northwich and works for Arriva then maybe they'll apply for vacancies with D&G and Walkers/Holmeswood Coaches to be based closer to home but I don't get how the Arriva Macclesfield outstation comes in to it.

(18/09/2020 09:35)iMarkeh Wrote:  You then have the same benefits as D&G

Quote:D&G you drive to work, drive around lots of different areas with lots of variety of routes then you drive home.

Quote:If drivers move to High Peak, depending on where they live, it might be quicker than driving to Winsford.

(18/09/2020 09:48)knutstransport Wrote:  One benefit of not changing employer is if your role ends up at risk of redundancy then how many years continuous service you have is important as the more years the higher any redundancy payment will be.


One thing I have noticed is when drivers go on breaks in Northwich they find things to do on their breaks, while drivers on breaks in Knutsford spend them sat on a driver changeover vehicle (which may be a car.) One of the benefits of drivers getting a break at Knutsford was Booths card holders could claim one free takeaway coffee per day (and during the period D&G operated the 88A it was a very common site seeing D&G drivers claiming a free coffee) but they don't get that anymore.


That could provide an interesting scenario if the Cat and Fiddle road closes due to snow in that a driver who lives in Macc and would be driving Macc routes can't get to the depot to get the bus. Didn't Stagecoach poach a number of the High Peak drivers who live in Cheshire/Greater Manchester at one point?

(18/09/2020 09:48)knutstransport Wrote:  One benefit of not changing employer is if your role ends up at risk of redundancy then how many years continuous service you have is important as the more years the higher any redundancy payment will be.


One thing I have noticed is when drivers go on breaks in Northwich they find things to do on their breaks, while drivers on breaks in Knutsford spend them sat on a driver changeover vehicle (which may be a car.) One of the benefits of drivers getting a break at Knutsford was Booths card holders could claim one free takeaway coffee per day (and during the period D&G operated the 88A it was a very common site seeing D&G drivers claiming a free coffee) but they don't get that anymore.


That could provide an interesting scenario if the Cat and Fiddle road closes due to snow in that a driver who lives in Macc and would be driving Macc routes can't get to the depot to get the bus. Didn't Stagecoach poach a number of the High Peak drivers who live in Cheshire/Greater Manchester at one point?

(18/09/2020 07:47)knutstransport Wrote:  I don't get why Arriva not operating from Macclesfield would have led to drivers joining D&G (based at Wincham and Crewe.) If a driver lives in or near Northwich and works for Arriva then maybe they'll apply for vacancies with D&G and Walkers/Holmeswood Coaches to be based closer to home but I don't get how the Arriva Macclesfield outstation comes in to it.