Go-Ahead wins Singapore contract

[snoggle]

Oct 9, 2016 11:07:02 GMT l1group said:

Go-Ahead have apparently angered their own drivers with long hours with no break, caused by interlining (http://landtransportguru.net/bus-interlining/), causing large amounts of drivers to quit.
landtransportguru.net/sbs-transit-and-smrt-bus-captains-on-go-ahead-routes/
landtransportguru.net/tower-transit-operating-go-ahead-employee-shuttle-buses/

Thus the weird situation where a SMRT driver on Go-Ahead 85 is driving a bus for (and with) Go-Ahead in SBS Transit spec.
And 2 full routes run by SBS Transit drivers.
And the Go-Ahead employee buses operated by Tower Transit.

So, in essence, Go Ahead has tried to transfer UK operating practices and hours and got caught out by a workforce that isn't interested in working in that way. Doesn't bode well for their ability to earn profits or win future franchises if this is indicative of how the workers are reacting. I wonder if SBS and SMRT are quietly having a chuckle and feeling more confident about future franchise awards?

[l1group]

Oct 9, 2016 12:41:44 GMT snoggle said:

Oct 9, 2016 11:07:02 GMT l1group said:

Go-Ahead have apparently angered their own drivers with long hours with no break, caused by interlining (http://landtransportguru.net/bus-interlining/), causing large amounts of drivers to quit.
landtransportguru.net/sbs-transit-and-smrt-bus-captains-on-go-ahead-routes/
landtransportguru.net/tower-transit-operating-go-ahead-employee-shuttle-buses/

Thus the weird situation where a SMRT driver on Go-Ahead 85 is driving a bus for (and with) Go-Ahead in SBS Transit spec.
And 2 full routes run by SBS Transit drivers.
And the Go-Ahead employee buses operated by Tower Transit.

So, in essence, Go Ahead has tried to transfer UK operating practices and hours and got caught out by a workforce that isn't interested in working in that way. Doesn't bode well for their ability to earn profits or win future franchises if this is indicative of how the workers are reacting. I wonder if SBS and SMRT are quietly having a chuckle and feeling more confident about future franchise awards?

Tower Transit also practised more interlining than SBS/SMRT, but a "limited" amount - so Tower Transit has implemented it successfully compared to Go-Ahead (as they saw the existing companies did limited interlining). This surely shows poor research about the working culture in Singapore on Go-Ahead's behalf. Also, notably, Go-Ahead's contract cost was $497.7 million, which was very low compared to the second lowest bid of local operator Woodlands Transport ($532.5 million), so Go-Ahead are under pressure to deliver at a reduced cost compared to any other operator.