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Post by busman on Aug 2, 2024 19:28:47 GMT
I was always taught in business to never burn bridges with major customers. Whether or not Sullivans were hard done by TfL, I have no insight. But to cease operations at such short notice and publicly air grievances whilst simultaneously offering such a poor service on existing routes is not a good look. Even if TfL did offer opportunities for SMEs to win business, the way Sullivans have thrown their toys out of the pram makes it very difficult for TfL to ever work with them again. Surely if the economics were not right, Sullivans had the option to hand back the contracts and put their TfL work up for early as many other operators have done recently?
Hopefully other operators are found for the remaining uncovered routes in time for tomorrow. Passengers deserve better.
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Post by WH241 on Aug 2, 2024 19:34:19 GMT
I was always taught in business to never burn bridges with major customers. Whether or not Sullivans were hard done by TfL, I have no insight. But to cease operations at such short notice and publicly air grievances whilst simultaneously offering such a poor service on existing routes is not a good look. Even if TfL did offer opportunities for SMEs to win business, the way Sullivans have thrown their toys out of the pram makes it very difficult for TfL to ever work with them again. Surely if the economics were not right, Sullivans had the option to hand back the contracts and put their TfL work up for early as many other operators have done recently? Hopefully other operators are found for the remaining uncovered routes in time for tomorrow. Passengers deserve better. Reading the press release it states TfL requested a date to hand the routes back so it seems the staff have been thrown under the bus so to speak by doing so suddenly without warning.
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sw2
Conductor
Posts: 51
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Post by sw2 on Aug 2, 2024 19:39:06 GMT
I was always taught in business to never burn bridges with major customers. Whether or not Sullivans were hard done by TfL, I have no insight. But to cease operations at such short notice and publicly air grievances whilst simultaneously offering such a poor service on existing routes is not a good look. Even if TfL did offer opportunities for SMEs to win business, the way Sullivans have thrown their toys out of the pram makes it very difficult for TfL to ever work with them again. Surely if the economics were not right, Sullivans had the option to hand back the contracts and put their TfL work up for early as many other operators have done recently? Hopefully other operators are found for the remaining uncovered routes in time for tomorrow. Passengers deserve better. And this was my biggest frustration with them. The neglect across the TfL side of the business has been visible for a long time now, with it being excused by all the issues that they mention they’ve faced, many of which all operators face too. I understand it’s harder for them as a smaller business but it has genuinely felt like the tools were downed a long time ago.
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Post by SILENCED on Aug 2, 2024 19:42:28 GMT
And still not a word from TfL. If there had not of been an announcement by Sullivan Buses we would have been none the wiser.
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Post by busoccultation on Aug 2, 2024 19:45:31 GMT
I was always taught in business to never burn bridges with major customers. Whether or not Sullivans were hard done by TfL, I have no insight. But to cease operations at such short notice and publicly air grievances whilst simultaneously offering such a poor service on existing routes is not a good look. Even if TfL did offer opportunities for SMEs to win business, the way Sullivans have thrown their toys out of the pram makes it very difficult for TfL to ever work with them again. Surely if the economics were not right, Sullivans had the option to hand back the contracts and put their TfL work up for early as many other operators have done recently? Hopefully other operators are found for the remaining uncovered routes in time for tomorrow. Passengers deserve better. Definitely, for a while the comments made by Dean on things such as TfL not willing to help smaller operators even when Uno have bidded for TfL work themselves and even Ensign who stepped up to run school extras during covid on behalf of TfL and various opeators, then at one point he said something about Sullivan not willing to invest on electric buses for TfL work has just shut the doors on bidding TfL work in the long term.
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Post by overgroundcommuter on Aug 2, 2024 19:48:48 GMT
Reminds me of when London Easylink went bust. No service on the 185 until Blue Triangle organised the emergency service. Hopefully with Sullivan informing TfL of their intention not to run the TfL services, something can be organised for tomorrow.
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Post by VMH2537 on Aug 2, 2024 19:53:16 GMT
A lovely send of by AE16 sounding like a tank.
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Post by Dad91 on Aug 2, 2024 20:06:01 GMT
Sullivan and TFL To decide end contract 2 aug no service for Passengers first time seeing this.
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Post by ThinLizzy on Aug 2, 2024 20:06:06 GMT
That notice says it all really- not even a thank you for being part of the team.
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Post by ThinLizzy on Aug 2, 2024 20:12:09 GMT
I was always taught in business to never burn bridges with major customers. Whether or not Sullivans were hard done by TfL, I have no insight. But to cease operations at such short notice and publicly air grievances whilst simultaneously offering such a poor service on existing routes is not a good look. Even if TfL did offer opportunities for SMEs to win business, the way Sullivans have thrown their toys out of the pram makes it very difficult for TfL to ever work with them again. Surely if the economics were not right, Sullivans had the option to hand back the contracts and put their TfL work up for early as many other operators have done recently? Hopefully other operators are found for the remaining uncovered routes in time for tomorrow. Passengers deserve better. Definitely, for a while the comments made by Dean on things such as TfL not willing to help smaller operators even when Uno have bidded for TfL work themselves and even Ensign who stepped up to run school extras during covid on behalf of TfL and various opeators, then at one point he said something about Sullivan not willing to invest on electric buses for TfL work has just shut the doors on bidding TfL work in the long term. The fact the Uno is, by appearances at least, making a decent show of running TfL routes suggests the issue is more with Sullivans rather than SMEs. The way the toys have been thrown out of the pram remind me of the reaction from the company when they lost the 383 the first time round to Metroline.
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Post by lj61nwc on Aug 2, 2024 20:15:13 GMT
Aren't we being a bit harsh on Dean and the company? Notice states TfL are falling short of 200k a month on payments, with such a small business their reserves have probably blown by covid, he probably had to make cuts to maintenance etc and wass possibly in a place where the company cant afford to repair some vehicles, as seen with the scrappage of 2017 StreetLites.
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Post by thewhetstonebusguy on Aug 2, 2024 20:26:24 GMT
Aren't we being a bit harsh on Dean and the company? Notice states TfL are falling short of 200k a month on payments, with such a small business their reserves have probably blown by covid, he probably had to make cuts to maintenance etc and wass possibly in a place where the company cant afford to repair some vehicles, as seen with the scrappage of 2017 StreetLites. I guess he put profits over people rather than the other way round
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atb123
Conductor
Posts: 113
Member is Online
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Post by atb123 on Aug 2, 2024 20:29:36 GMT
Is it confirmed 217 is heading to Metroline?
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Post by lj61nwc on Aug 2, 2024 20:30:40 GMT
Aren't we being a bit harsh on Dean and the company? Notice states TfL are falling short of 200k a month on payments, with such a small business their reserves have probably blown by covid, he probably had to make cuts to maintenance etc and wass possibly in a place where the company cant afford to repair some vehicles, as seen with the scrappage of 2017 StreetLites. I guess he put profits over people rather than the other way round Cant really put people over profits if theres lack of payment... The fact TfL had the cheek to ask to pay it off in installments says a lot about their attitude/care of SB leaving TfL
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Post by thewhetstonebusguy on Aug 2, 2024 20:34:16 GMT
Is it confirmed 217 is heading to Metroline? I’ve just asked the Metroline forum, I’m expecting an answer
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