"Neil Williams" wrote in message
oups.com...
Pete Fenelon wrote:

The ticket machine's crashed on both of my ftr rides so far -
unfortunately after I'd got on and successfully bought a ticket...

Bad software, then...probably either a rush job or too cheap.

Overall... not much difference between ftr and a normal bendybus,
although I can't see how the driver being isolated behind smoked
glass
will make passengers feel any safer... (wasn't one of the
objectives of
ftr to make bus travel less unappealing to women?)

I find that the fact that MK Metro *don't* have screens of any
kind[1]
protecting the drivers to be much more reassuring, as the only
reason
they don't is because they don't need them, because bus driver
assaults
are pretty much unknown.

[1] A very small number (3 I think) of the very new full-size single
deckers do, but they are always left fully open. I think they were
provided because they were standard rather than necessary,
especially
as Metro are now Arriva owned[2] so probably procure through them.


Although I strongly suspect the buses were already on order prior to
the Arriva takeover... although I guess some minor changes may have
been possible.


[2] You'd never know, as there hasn't been a rebranding, and Arriva
have actually openly stated they don't plan to, possibly because
Metro
has a very good local identity (almost like a municipal, even though
they've never been one) and generally seem to be liked.


I have a theory on why there has been no re-branding yet.... its
because Arriva thought there might be a Competition Commission
referral.... last I heard this was still a possibility.... why rebrand
something you may have to sell on (or give back to the original
owners). If (when?) it gets cleared (either with or without a CC
referral), I wouldn't be surprised if Arriva logos start to appear,
followed by the eventual rebranding.

Neil