tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11828686.post4549072072876085785..comments2024-03-29T12:10:28.517+00:00Comments on Plymothian Transit: Western Greyhound Sale Part 2didbygrahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01858408719372985035noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11828686.post-4137843947601430942014-12-13T00:03:16.783+00:002014-12-13T00:03:16.783+00:00Having only a brief experience on riding on an Exc...Having only a brief experience on riding on an Excetera decker on rail replacement I was impressed by the presentation of the vehicle,helpful staff & general organisation on the ground,they certainly have the potential to turn things around.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11828686.post-67669072418248360232014-12-12T11:58:27.257+00:002014-12-12T11:58:27.257+00:00A secure contract base? We've learned that con...A secure contract base? We've learned that contracts are as secure as their notice period. <br /><br />Which is anything between 4 weeks to 3 months, or even 'mutual' on both sides. WGL had 5 year contracts which were called in during 2011 as 'the council had no money'. Bit of a problem when you've invested in new fleet to service these contracts. FDC then won those contracts and serviced them with fleet that was nearing the end of its economic life. Very clever but hardly an example of innovative thinking nor a long term strategy. Cornwall isn't playing that game any longer - and I'd be incredibly wary of expanding my fleet now using tendered work as the lynchpin, given the fondness of this 'Government' in cutting public spending. <br /><br />It would be a surprise to discover FDC doesn't have a boardroom. Certainly the Plymouth HO was built as such to support such overhead and would have such a room built within it. Big businesses such as this have reviews once a month of all depots and I doubt very much that FDC doesn't know about its costs and doesn't monitor them and seek to contain them. <br /><br />FDC needs to be turning a profit from Cornwall with the time that has been spent on it. I wish them well in their endeavours, the place has been so poorly managed that other firms have been permitted to make a lot of hay whilst the sun shone, whereas had they made more from what they had.<br /><br />We are still in the halo period of Alex Carter's stewardship of FDC. He has brought with him Marc Morgan Huws from his time at GSC, and we are yet to discover all the hidden costs (lots of not needed expensive Stenning liveries harking back to long dead Isle of Wight coach firms, lots of silly bet the farm tenders designed to remove all competition), plus the excesses that come with them both. ACs sole claim to fame at GSC is the 'more' network, plus loads of misdirection and best of all the 'Countywide' Dorset re tendering farce that claimed his job and that of others, not to mention the businesses removed from the market permanently. <br /><br />There was a similar period at GSC where both were new, before the halo most definitely slipped. Yes they very definitely need to prove themselves at FDC. Be a surprise if they'd not got the place to work by now, wouldn't it? So how will this pan out, how will this end for them? They've tried flattening WG and now it's sold to a new owner who might just get it working properly as it should be.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11828686.post-37814594309047917362014-12-11T23:35:23.516+00:002014-12-11T23:35:23.516+00:00They've got experience alright! We can just wh...They've got experience alright! We can just whether it's the right sort in the future, but the history of the companies they've been involved with doesn't instill confidence.<br /><br />I doubt if First Kernow are at all worried.Stevenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11828686.post-25747284432735897212014-12-11T21:21:07.439+00:002014-12-11T21:21:07.439+00:00First hold every major contract for years ahead, h...First hold every major contract for years ahead, have sorted their commercial network, got their fares right, aren't complaining about concessionary fares or tender prices, and have taken their maintenance wholly back in house from Plymouth. their passenger numbers are up and still rising. If the info from within trusted sources is true they have turned Kernow from making a substantial loss to making a good profit in just over a year. Also that they are about to start the next stage of their changes which will see the presentation and marketing of their business transformed. They have a stable business that is profitable and their contract base is secure. I doubt they'll be worried - more likely they'll be very pleased that WG hasn't been bought by a group, which could well be because they registered competing services with WG before the sale was announced. Being entirely pedantic there isn't a First Kernow board - it's First Devon and Cornwall - and I don't believe they have a boardroom. I'm not even sure that the senior team even have an office in their new lean efficient business model - all very un First!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11828686.post-85900621743294092282014-12-11T14:16:18.986+00:002014-12-11T14:16:18.986+00:00As is often said, you reap what you sow..... FK ha...As is often said, you reap what you sow..... FK has gone for someone aggressively prompting this sale.<br /><br />Have they just made their first wrong move? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11828686.post-20703763980377345442014-12-11T12:05:49.924+00:002014-12-11T12:05:49.924+00:00Michael Bishop and Adam Smith come with knowledge ...Michael Bishop and Adam Smith come with knowledge of operations in a very challenging bus environment. The London outer commuter belt has always been a struggle. In 1968 when London Transport country area was converted to London Country Bus Services Ltd the only working capital was £2 supplied by members of staff, one of which was to open a new bank account. It has seen the death of many companies including Tillingbourne and Countryliner of which they have experience. If they can apply what they have learn't to WG which is challenged more by the poor than by the wealthy then the challenged areas should get a decent service that the big groups can't take on. But it will always be on a knife edge and a washed out summer or other disaster could easily be too much. Good luck to them and to the people in Cornwall.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11828686.post-18225835973196856352014-12-11T11:21:44.421+00:002014-12-11T11:21:44.421+00:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11828686.post-33065675556995662812014-12-11T08:34:05.982+00:002014-12-11T08:34:05.982+00:00I'd love to be a 'fly-on-the-wall' in ...I'd love to be a 'fly-on-the-wall' in the Board Room at First Kernow today. But even without any inside knowledge the coming year in Cornwall will be very interesting to watch as the new equilibrium - whatever that may ultimately be - establishes itself.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11828686.post-44713814260936693072014-12-11T08:31:32.856+00:002014-12-11T08:31:32.856+00:00See my post from September for more on Adam Smith:...See my post from September for more on Adam Smith: http://sotonbus.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/guilty-but-free-thanks-to-purple-get.html Will Western Greyhound be another get out of jail free card?SotonBushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14300971557135804834noreply@blogger.com