Stagecoach Manchester

[Mayneway]

RE: Stagecoach Manchester

(04/01/2013 22:21)gilesbus1 Wrote:  No London deckers are not permitted on TfGM work those at Arriva and the Arrows where given special dispensation.

FirstGroup had looked at transfering in Tridents from London but it was rejected.

It is in relation to the position of staircases, and thats why Arrows do not normally operate TfGM normal service tenders but are restricted to Schools and Commercials, same with Arriva's DLA's.

In other words dispensation can be given for schools but not normal route tenders.

I was told by someone at FirstGroup that GMPTe at the time where not happy about the staircase position on the Arrows.

I guess it was a matter of accept them or accept older vehicles on schools hence the special dispensation to use them.

There is no rules in place however that says they cannot be used on commercials, thats due to operator choice, including commercial schools, of which there is a small number.

If anything is due from London for Manchester its more likely to be something commercial (normal fleet) or MagicBus Work as it has been before not for school work unless some sort of dispensation to use them is granted again.

Another example of how strict TfGM are is in relation to the only minor appearnce of ex Dublin Deckers with only Bullocks in a minor way, again due to specifications. I am sure others would have used them if they where permitted widely due to there relative modern age compaired with many UK specification buses available at the time.

Going off subject very slightly, i remember a good few years ago being told GMPTE took a very big dislike to the Dragons, the story went something along the lines of someone quite senior at GMPTE telling Stagecoach that under no circumstances were the Dragons to be used on any PTE contracts. Dont know how true it is.

I would imagine TFGM would be fine about ex London stuff being used on schools as they are apparently keen for all contracted school services to become low floor, this would seem the case as Stott's are slowly switching to using ex Stagecoach London deckers on school work, and im told they will be recieving more over the next few months.