First Buses

[scawsby steve]

Could Martin or Derek please find out if there is still any sort of liaison between DRFC and First Buses? The facilities for people without transport, especially pensioners and disabled people, in getting away from the Eco after a match is getting worse, and was abysmal today.

Now that crowds are getting bigger, it needs at least a double decker bus for that 5.10 pm slot. Today, as so often, it was a single decker bus, already half full from the terminus. The ironic thing was that the next bus, at 5.40 pm, was an almost empty double decker. You couldn't make it up.

Surely First Buses could at least ensure a double decker bus for the 5.10 slot on match days.

[silent majority]

Hi SS,

As far as I'm aware there is.

When I set up the initial deal with First we were lucky that the scheduler, or at least a manager in that team, was a DRFC supporter and also a member of the VSC. That meant it was relatively easy to do the initial deal and it worked very well.

But we were also in the Championship and crowds were at a level that made it sensible for both parties. But as we dropped down the leagues the users of the buses declined, to the point, so I’m led to believe, that only 5 people were using the bus. The deal was pulled by First.

At the turn of the year when I enquired what the current position was the club said it would look again, and that meetings were set up in the early part of the year to discuss both sponsorship and a renewal of the deal. As we were due to hold our club survey around that time demand was to be gauged by posing questions about usage in the survey. I've not heard anything about that since.

I'll fire off a an email to Shaun asking for an update. If I get an answer I'll let you know.

[scawsby steve]

Hi SS,

As far as I'm aware there is.

When I set up the initial deal with First we were lucky that the scheduler, or at least a manager in that team, was a DRFC supporter and also a member of the VSC. That meant it was relatively easy to do the initial deal and it worked very well.

But we were also in the Championship and crowds were at a level that made it sensible for both parties. But as we dropped down the leagues the users of the buses declined, to the point, so I’m led to believe, that only 5 people were using the bus. The deal was pulled by First.

At the turn of the year when I enquired what the current position was the club said it would look again, and that meetings were set up in the early part of the year to discuss both sponsorship and a renewal of the deal. As we were due to hold our club survey around that time demand was to be gauged by posing questions about usage in the survey. I've not heard anything about that since.

I'll fire off a an email to Shaun asking for an update. If I get an answer I'll let you know.

Thanks, Martin. Much appreciated.

[Lincoln Rover]

Hi Scawsby.
Had a meeting yesterday with the club, as part of the shadow board surgery.
In short, there was very little take up with First Bus. It simply wasn’t economical value to them, hence it no longer happens. Fully understand it isn’t the news what you wanted to hear. Regards.
Derek.

[Filo]

Hi Scawsby.
Had a meeting yesterday with the club, as part of the shadow board surgery.
In short, there was very little take up with First Bus. It simply wasn’t economical value to them, hence it no longer happens. Fully understand it isn’t the news what you wanted to hear. Regards.
Derek.

The very reason why the bus service in Doncaster is shit, the sooner First ate binned the better

[redwine]

Local buses for local people.

[keith79]

Would you run it for free? Why should first bus

[silent majority]

Would you run it for free? Why should first bus

Lots of out of town business's run buses for the benefit of their customers.

In Europe its extremely common for various transport options to be laid on for supporters and most of them are free, why not here?

[silent majority]

Hi SS,

As far as I'm aware there is.

When I set up the initial deal with First we were lucky that the scheduler, or at least a manager in that team, was a DRFC supporter and also a member of the VSC. That meant it was relatively easy to do the initial deal and it worked very well.

But we were also in the Championship and crowds were at a level that made it sensible for both parties. But as we dropped down the leagues the users of the buses declined, to the point, so I’m led to believe, that only 5 people were using the bus. The deal was pulled by First.

At the turn of the year when I enquired what the current position was the club said it would look again, and that meetings were set up in the early part of the year to discuss both sponsorship and a renewal of the deal. As we were due to hold our club survey around that time demand was to be gauged by posing questions about usage in the survey. I've not heard anything about that since.

I'll fire off a an email to Shaun asking for an update. If I get an answer I'll let you know.

Hi SS,

I've exchanged emails, and we are certainly going to enquire as to why the 5.10 slot on a match day can't be a double decker. For me that should be a minimum. When we did the original survey 10% of our support said they relied on public transport to attend the stadium, on a good day that’s 700 to 800 people.

Just accepting that First cant make it pay is hardly a response I would expect.

[ROVERSBELLY]

 I used to use the Shuttle Busses when they were run and they used to be Full and if memory serves me right it was £1 per passenger and generally double decker full, so probs £70 a trip. Service bus from Interchange on Saturday @ 13:35 was a single decker and full, leaving others waiting for the next bus 30 mins later. Surely the First Busses could but double deckers on around Match Times.

[silent majority]

I used to use the Shuttle Busses when they were run and they used to be Full and if memory serves me right it was £1 per passenger and generally double decker full, so probs £70 a trip. Service bus from Interchange on Saturday @ 13:35 was a single decker and full, leaving others waiting for the next bus 30 mins later. Surely the First Busses could but double deckers on around Match Times.

Yep, that’s my memory of how it used to be.

I've told the story many times of the bloke who used to shuffle past me about 10 minutes before the end of every game, when asked why he said he needed to make sure that he caught the bus otherwise he would miss his train connection. It's why I pursued the bus thing with the club.

Fast forward to today and anybody not getting on that 5.10 bus is going to miss a connection somewhere. In this day and age its not good enough.

[keith79]

Would you run it for free? Why should first bus

Lots of out of town business's run buses for the benefit of their customers.

In Europe its extremely common for various transport options to be laid on for supporters and most of them are free, why not here?

are you saying rovers should fund it?

[graingrover]

if you take the train to Donny for a home game from afar, you probably want to get back to the railway station after the game as quickly as possible .No taxi will ever agree to go anywhere near the stadium after the game. Buses are needed, believe me !

[donnygav93]

Do wilfreda ? Or any smaller companies have a coach/double decker who could possibly get behind the idea

[silent majority]

Would you run it for free? Why should first bus

Lots of out of town business's run buses for the benefit of their customers.

In Europe its extremely common for various transport options to be laid on for supporters and most of them are free, why not here?

are you saying rovers should fund it?

I gave you examples of how it works for other business's and in other football environments.

[scawsby steve]

Would you run it for free? Why should first bus

We're not asking them to run it for free; we're asking them to put a double decker on for the 5.10 pm slot.

That would cost them nothing.