Stagecoach MCSL - Chester & Wirral Depots

[iMarkeh]

RE: Stagecoach MCSL - Chester & Wirral Depots

(28/09/2020 16:48)SK15 GZG Wrote:  What's the point in branding the X1 Enviro400s when they'd have to be debranded again when they inevitably go into the new livery? It'd be a waste of time and money

I repeat from earlier. 2 years they have had the buses for. X1 I understand as it's a newer route but to not brand for the 1 isn't great. They should either have been repainted into corporate or branded up. You look at the other gold routes and can you seriously say that Rock Ferry is providing a quality Gold service in comparison? Downgraded to no USB ports and buses 5 years older, you can generally see X4 branding where the stickers were, the panels are generally mixmatch colors and the decals are generally not put back on when the panels get replaced.

(28/09/2020 16:48)SK15 GZG Wrote:  If you think that the quality of Rock Ferry's fleet is "awful" then you clearly haven't got a clue what it was like prior to Stagecoach taking over. The majority of the vehicles which were allocated were well over ten years old - and absolutely dreadful to put it politely - whilst the newest were over seven years old. If I remember correctly First didn't buy any new vehicles for Rock Ferry either (although I'm happy to be corrected on this). The difference in quality for passengers between the fleet just prior to the Stagecoach takeover and today's allocation are complete polar opposites and I know for a fact which of the two fleets passengers prefer

While this I don't dispute. I am comparing Rock Ferry 2015 to now (so comparing apples with apples in terms of ran by Stagecoach. I feel like comparing it to first is a bit apples and pears as they run/ran things differently and the standards of back then compared to now have changed drastically).
I genuinely urge you to compare Rock Ferry to other Stagecoach depots. Branded buses thrown out all over the place, gold buses thrown about like there is no tomorrow because they don't have enough corporate. London red buses still plodding around (I can see no other Stagecoach areas running red London buses 2 years after they got them). Any reputable bus manager will tell you that these are some of the basics. Even First are doing quite well at keeping branded buses on the right routes. If First can do it, Rock Ferry should be able to.

I suppose what I am saying is there there is no pride there anymore compared to a few years ago. It's just, sending a bus out without a care how it looks. Their repaints for everyone else are fantastic, why can't they take as much care of their own fleet as they take care of other depots? I will actively try not to use RF buses because of the depots standards. Much more pleasant to find alternative ways to get places and that's a shame because just a few years ago, the depot was doing so well.