It's been a while! I recently signed up to Dooyoo so I thought I would come and join in here to. My...
It's been a while! I recently signed up to Dooyoo so I thought I would come and join in here to. My reviews are on Dooyoo as well under the name kitschkitty.
Member since:05.02.2003
Reviews:106
Members who trust:39
Arriva is one of the largest bus operators in the UK with over 6000 vehicles in operation. It also seems to have the monopoly of the London public transport market with over 20% of the capital’s bus services. So for a business to be so successful, they must be doing something right. And that’s where I come in – giving you the low down on Arriva and the service they provide.
Before I go any further I would just like to quickly point out that my opinion is primarily regarding the Arriva services offered in the south of Manchester where I live. Obviously the services offered will differ according to your area but I hope this will provide you with a sound introduction to Arriva as a bus company.
------------------------ Using an Arriva bus ------------------------ I don’t mean to sound patronizing but here’s some brief advice for those of you who haven’t stepped onto a bus for a few years. Firstly, find the bus to suit your traveling needs. Timetables are available on the Arriva website, www.arriva.co.uk, and also at most bus stops. Bus stops in my area are numerous so you’ll never have to walk far to reach your nearest designated bus stop. The timetable at the bus stop should also tell you if the bus has easy access for the disabled or parents with small children. All buses have their route number and final destination displayed on the front of the vehicle.
As the bus you require approaches your stop, indicate to the driver that you would like to board, usually by raising your arm. You will then need to purchase your ticket direct from the driver who will be happy to help you choose the best one to suit your needs. It helps to have small change or the exact fare if possible but change can be given if necessary.
Then simply sit back and enjoy your journey. And don’t forget to press the ‘stop’ button when you reach your destination and want to alight!
---------------------- Tickets and Fares ---------------------- Single fares are calculated according to how many ‘zones’ you pass through over the course of your journey. A standard adult fare starts at 55p and goes up to £2.2. It is important to note though that Arriva does not offer return tickets to passengers in the Manchester area. In fact I am not aware of any operators in Manchester who do. Instead you would be advised to purchase a daily ticket for £2.70 which allows unlimited access to Arriva bus services in Manchester for 1 day. In Manchester you can also purchase a system 1 ticket for one day for £3.30 which allows unlimited access on all bus service providers in Manchester for 1 day.
Children under 16 and OAPs can travel at a reduced rate. For children the standard fare is 40p for any distance traveled. OAPs pay 40p or half of the standard fare, whichever is the cheapest option. I’ve noticed the drivers seem quite keen to help older passengers work out the cheapest fare available to them.
I chose to purchase a weekly ticket which costs me £7.50 and, similarly to the daily ticket, allows unlimited transport on all Arrive services within Manchester for 1 week. Daily and weekly tickets are available through Arriva in other areas though the prices do vary.
In comparison to other bus operators in the area, I find the cost of the daily and weekly ticket quite competitive. I you are paying for each journey individually though, it may be cheaper to use other companies. Bus operators on routes past the university are particularly competitive and for those of you who travel along these routes, another company may prove to serve your needs better. In my case though, the route I take to work is only available through Arriva which limits my choice. I am however, very happy with the service I receive.
---------------------------------- Timetable details and routes ---------------------------------- In the area of south Manchester where I live, Arriva operate the majority of services. There is a wide variety of routes which enable me to access a broad area surrounding my home. I have easy access also to work, university and the city centre.
Arrive have a comprehensive web listing of the services and routes they offer. Simply access their website and click on the map of your area and this will provide you with a list of services and also a timetable.
Timetables are also available at most bus stops and these are usually accompanied by a map outlining the route. The timetable at the bus stop, unlike that on the internet, will also tell which scheduled buses have easy access.
Most of the services in my area operate every 15 minutes. On Sundays and Bank Holidays this is normally limited to once every half hour but in my opinion this is still a rather efficient public service. I believe Christmas day is the only day of the year when no services operate in my area but there is plenty of prior warning in the form of poster on the buses and at stops to advise you when services will be less frequent.
As far as promptness and reliability are concerned, again I have never had any problems here. I have only ever experienced one bus which didn’t turn up at all which I was later told had broken down. Bearing in mind I make approximately 20 journeys a week with Arriva, this seems to me to be a very reliable service. My only complaint would be that sometimes the buses run slightly early and whilst they generally wait at each stop until the scheduled departure time they don’t always do this. My advice would be to aim to get to your stop a few minutes before your bus is due to accommodate for this.
------------------------------------- Wheelchair / Pushchair access ------------------------------------- All Arriva buses which operate in my area are accessible to single pushchairs. There are also a number of low rider buses which ‘kneel’ to the curb to make boarding easier for the disabled, the elderly, travellers with young children and people with shopping or luggage. There is an area at the front of the bus with folding seats which provides plenty of space for wheelchair users and also mothers with prams or pushchairs. Stickers at the front of the bus make passengers aware that priority of the front seats should be given to the elderly, disabled or parents with young children and I find most people are very polite in adhering to this. Inside the bus, there are brightly coloured handrails which help the partially sighted to board and alight the bus. The drivers are also polite enough to wait at the stop for elderly passengers or those with mobility problems to find their seats whilst the bus is stationary.
------------------------------------ Comfort whilst traveling ------------------------------ The buses I have used have always been surprisingly clean and tidy compared to those of some other operators who I have traveled with. The seats are individually molded and not just benches as you find on some older buses. This provides you with more space and comfort and stops strangers, who are obliged to sit next to you at peak times, from invading your personal space. All buses within the Arriva fleet are non-smoking which, although I’m a smoker myself, is important for passenger comfort and cleanliness on the buses. The buses also have air conditioning which ensures their warm in winter and cool in summer, making your journey a pleasant experience.
During peak travel times, there are usually additional services to alleviate the congestion on buses. However, you may sometimes need to stand or, even worse in my opinion, you may find your personal space invaded by some weirdo or other. This is not a major concern though. I travel to work at 5pm and the bus I take is never full. The busiest time in my opinion is when the children leave school and this is when I try to avoid traveling.
The bus drivers appear to be responsible and considerate. They drive at a sensible speed and I’ve never had any complaints with the journey itself. Most of the buses within the fleet are quite modern which also makes the journey smooth and comfortable.
---------------------- Customer Service ---------------------- I have always found the drivers of Arriva services to be very helpful in offering ticket and journey advice. Also, they do not hesitate to recommend a route offered by a different bus company if this is more suitable for your intended journey. They wear a uniform which makes the staff look smart and they are easily recognized as Arriva employees.
There are also a number of ‘added extras’ on the buses I use which I think adds to the overall quality of service your receive. At the front of each bus is an area where you can store an luggage or shopping you may have. You’ll also find in the mornings a pile of Metro newspapers here which are free and a great read. Also there’s a ‘poetry on the buses’ scheme that operates on buses in my area. This means you can read poems by well known and lesser known authors as they are printed on the walls around the bus. I think this is a great educational tool and takes away some of the boredom of long journeys.
Arriva also have a customer charter, copies of which can be found by contacting Arriva direct. This outlines their commitment to customers. Snippets of this are also on posters on buses. For example, ‘clean and tidy or a free journey’ and ‘warm inside when it’s cold outside or a free journey.’ It seems Arriva are proactively approaching customer service and promises like these are great news for passengers.
--------------- Conclusions --------------- Overall, I find the service provided by Arriva in my area to be second to none. They provide excellent value for money and offer a wide range of roués using reliable and punctual buses and drivers. As a company, Arriva not only gets you from A to B, it also provides you with excellent customer service and numerous reasons to continue using their services again and again.
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I cannot help but think an ARRIVA guy has written this.
I work for them and I can honestly say this seems to be a work of fantasy.
Late. Break down. Dirty. Inefficient. I could go on but I think I or you are on another planet.
s_ach_22 01.06.2004 22:14
Great detailed op... Liked it very much...S
starsally 13.05.2003 15:25
You make bus travel sound almost pleasant... what about the smell of fish and chips... the coke can rolling about the middle of the aisle. The person sat next to you who has about 6 bags and is taking up 85% of the double seat... Aggggg lol Sal x
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michaeltidd 06.12.2000 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of
Arriva
Advantages: New fleets for new routes, and the majourity of the older buses repainted if not completely refurbished both inside and out., Lots of new training buses, whih mean more employment and better services., Improvment to local travel as a whole. Disadvantages: High fares for all services (although I hope these are only to cover short term losses and will be reconcidered when all services are stable). No change what-so-ever on the already shambolic train front. Bad customer relations when it comes to info.
7sefton 24.07.2001 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
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Arriva Merseyside
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May 11th, 2003
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