Stagecoach Manchester and Wigan

[Mayneway]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester and Wigan

(11/12/2016 09:02)joe_alker Wrote:  I've never understood why they started going via the baths, it's a tighter turn than if they turned left at oldham rd and often the journey can take a couple of minutes longer.

They go via the baths so they can enter the bus station and go straight onto stand rather than having to do a loop of the station. When the 168/169 used the old stand outside the travel shop they would always enter via Wellington road now they tend to enter via the baths but as Andrew has pointed out, due to the poorly timed TFGM cycle priority traffic lights outside the baths it's a lot quicker to enter the other way, do a loop of the stands, get into stand, have a quick fag and load and still do it all before the lights change to green

[Mayneway]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester and Wigan

(11/12/2016 19:51)Dentonian Wrote:  Maybe there's method in TFGM's "madness" after all, if it prevents drivers having a quick fag. Smoking inside, or within 2 metres of any enclosed area (ie. shelters) is a criminal offence, but Smoking anywhere on the bus station contravenes long standing bye-laws. Albeit, there is no enforcement.

Something else we agree on we're doing well. Smoking within the stands was and probably still is rife. But have you heard of anyone locally or nationally being prosecuted for smoking in an enclosed public space?

[joe_alker]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester and Wigan

(11/12/2016 19:51)Dentonian Wrote:  Maybe there's method in TFGM's "madness" after all, if it prevents drivers having a quick fag. Smoking inside, or within 2 metres of any enclosed area (ie. shelters) is a criminal offence, but Smoking anywhere on the bus station contravenes long standing bye-laws. Albeit, there is no enforcement.

Possibly missing the fact that the buses tend to get dumped for 10-15 minutes at the layover anyway on the 168/9, so the drivers will tend to have a fag then as well. Not to mention they have to loop the bus station anyway. All it does is delay the actual entry to the bus station and mean passengers have to wait a couple of minutes longer to alight.

[Mayneway]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester and Wigan

(12/12/2016 21:30)Dentonian Wrote:  Off-peak journeys on 168/9 are all scheduled to have the basic 5 minutes stand in Ashton, so if they are getting 10-15 minutes there is something clearly wrong. That sort of early running is not only a serious issue for VOSA, but I would suggest totally unprecedented at Stagecoach Manchester - especially as they are constantly re-registering the service with increased running time (yes, it is included in January changes). In fact, my admittedly occasional observations suggest that 168/9s regularly arrive late (in common with many off-peak services away from the city centre), with drivers loading up and getting out ASAP.
Additionally, Operators pay for excess parking on the bus park (adj. to Wellington Street), so if 168/9s are taking up the gaps, they will either inconvenience their Ashton depot colleagues or incur penalty charges from TFGM.
TBH, are there that many smokers left driving buses (or doing any other job)? Last stats I saw suggest that since the 2006 Health Act was implemented, the number of Adult male smokers has dropped considerably to about 15% of the population. OK, Women stubbornly refuse to quit at anything like the same rate for some reason, but rightly or wrongly (wrongly, probably!), Women still only constitute a tiny minority of bus drivers.

They do tend to arrive late or very late. You do occasionally get one that drops passengers then goes onto layover normally for a quick loo dash.

I think a large proportion of bus drivers smoke. Perhaps it's the stress of all the congestion

[Nicholas]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester and Wigan

(13/12/2016 00:36)Mayneway Wrote:  I think a large proportion of bus drivers smoke. Perhaps it's the stress of all the congestion

The percentage of the population who smokes is much higher in some northern areas, typically around 25-30%.

[GRIMSTER02]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester and Wigan
Im from Hyde road. There becoming a Lot of our routes where you get decent Layover/Recovery time A lot of drivers do smoke yes it seems

Far as Loos go I have done that been late then gone loo. It can become hard to drive while needing the loo and the Lack of Loos on routes make it a Problem Most of Hyde road routes Done have any loos on them that we can use.

[acocker96]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester and Wigan

(13/12/2016 13:34)GRIMSTER02 Wrote:  Im from Hyde road. There becoming a Lot of our routes where you get decent Layover/Recovery time A lot of drivers do smoke yes it seems

Far as Loos go I have done that been late then gone loo. It can become hard to drive while needing the loo and the Lack of Loos on routes make it a Problem Most of Hyde road routes Done have any loos on them that we can use.

I've always wondered that how do you manage without toilets for many hours? I've also noticed some Stagecoach drivers pullout little black books and start writing in them, do you have any idea what they are?

[GRIMSTER02]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester and Wigan

(13/12/2016 19:18)acocker96 Wrote:  I've always wondered that how do you manage without toilets for many hours? I've also noticed some Stagecoach drivers pullout little black books and start writing in them, do you have any idea what they are?

Not too sure some of use keep a writing log of our driving hours so we can work to the Max but I dunno about that one I dont personally keep track of driving hours as traffic does that for us. and Green road helps with that

[GRIMSTER02]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester and Wigan

(13/12/2016 20:39)Dentonian Wrote:  Have I misread this. Are you saying a lot of your routes DO get decent layover? Presumably, these are on the Trafford side or 38s, oh and based on my last trip on it, the 76. Certainly not 201/3-7! 203 is ridiculously tight 24/7 between Gorton and Stockport. Recent obs of 205/6s don't seem to have improved on there. Yes, the 1700 left Picc on time tonight - but about 7 late by Windsor Road. However, the last time I went out for the 1700, I ended up on the 1630! I also think the driver of my 203 this morning was slightly exaggerating (but only slightly) when he came off at the depot, saying he was "nearly an hour late".

38 has decent layover upto 10 to 15 mins in week sunday it use to be 30mins but dunno about since they changed it . 50 it looks decent but you end up so late its all gone 201-7 Are rubbish at layout time until night time even they it can be different depending on running board.
76 tend to get a bit more each side so if your on time is good 74 not much but its always changing to try and improve service sometimes though doesn't matter what they do it all goes pear shaped

Trafford centre routes most of the time might as well throw the running boards out the window

[Squire of the Gate]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester and Wigan
Noted what I thought was Oe Solo 47632 near Northenden on Sunday evening coming off M56 not in service, Pretty sure its a welsh machine so has anyone noted it in the area or was it a potential wrong sighting.