Due to unexpected costs with effect from 9th September bus fare for everyone will be £20. There will be concessions for ages 12 and under, 65 and over and disabled fans.

I guess the damage to the bus has to be paid from somewhere!

So am I right in saying that the only change to pricing here is that parents are going to have to pay a 50% fare increase for their kids aged 13-17 to get the bus and cover this unexpected cost? Or did the pricing from the beginning of the season stated in another thread not stick?

20 minutes ago, Morgan Spice said:

So am I right in saying that the only change to pricing here is that parents are going to have to pay a 50% fare increase for their kids aged 13-17 to get the bus and cover this unexpected cost? Or did the pricing from the beginning of the season stated in another thread not stick?

It would appear the change is for 13 to 17 year olds from £10 to £20. In the earlier thread though it clearly mentions that the lower price is a trial.

It's always very difficult to price the bus as it's a set cost which doesnt get any cheaper by the number of kids, pensioners etc on it.

Yeah it definitely isn't an easy situation but it does seem a little unfair that there is a 50% increase in price to one age group which doesn't generate a lot if any income at all whilst the adult price is frozen. Did the 13-17s group pay £20 last season? If so just ignore me.

Last season we started off charging everyone £20. As we attracted sponsorship and undertook fundraising activities we were able to reduce fares for under 18s. This season we had hoped to have reductions in place for various groups and did this for a trial period. However, circumstances have changed and we have amended the pricing structure to ensure that we are able to continue to run a bus to all away games. The vast majority of our buses run at a loss and it is only through sponsorship and fundraising that we are able to provide the service. It is early in the season and should we be successful in attracting  sponsorship etc we shall review pricing structure again. So if anyone reading this would like to sponsor us get in touch.

Maybe the new board members will help out with the supportes buses.

57 minutes ago, WYNESS101 said:

Maybe the new board members will help out with the supportes buses.

If you mean the ICT board, it's not likely. I wouldn't expect them to either. As good as it obviously is to get a big away support for the team you'd be essentially subsidising people to go and spend money elsewhere. I'd rather they put time and money into getting more people to Caley stadium. 

8 hours ago, Hearach said:

Last season we started off charging everyone £20. As we attracted sponsorship and undertook fundraising activities we were able to reduce fares for under 18s. This season we had hoped to have reductions in place for various groups and did this for a trial period. However, circumstances have changed and we have amended the pricing structure to ensure that we are able to continue to run a bus to all away games. The vast majority of our buses run at a loss and it is only through sponsorship and fundraising that we are able to provide the service. It is early in the season and should we be successful in attracting  sponsorship etc we shall review pricing structure again. So if anyone reading this would like to sponsor us get in touch.

Ouch I'm sorry to hear that. Thanks for explaining everything to me I didn't realise it was such an uphill struggle to keep the buses running week in week out for the season.

Is this code for "we have banned 30+ members, so we need to make up for our self inflicted losses"?????

1 hour ago, UltraJags said:

Is this code for "we have banned 30+ members, so we need to make up for our self inflicted losses"?????

What difference would it make? I thought they were boycotting the games anyway?

27 minutes ago, Fraz said:

What difference would it make? I thought they were boycotting the games anyway?

How long will that last? Think my point is still valid, banning that many people cannot make good business sense.

1 hour ago, UltraJags said:

How long will that last? Think my point is still valid, banning that many people cannot make good business sense.

No ideas how long, the statement wasn't clear. Have they been banned though? I haven't seen any public announcement to that effect. 

I used to help run the buses and it's a thankless task. People moan it's too expensive, people moan if you don't put on a bus cos you know it's gonna lose money, people moan if it's too quiet, people moan if it's too noisy, people moan if it doesn't stop enough, people moan if it stops too much, people moan it leaves too early, people moan it leaves too late....

It's quite possible that the coach company threatened to remove their service (they have before I believe) if people who are causing damage, causing the driver hassle etc arr not dealt with as ultimately the driver and the hirer are responsible. There's no way the travel club will want to lose money and they defo want to get as many fans to games as possible but they're left in an impossible situation. Somebody has to take responsibility. 

Edited September 4, 20177 yr by Fraz
Spelling/missed info

37 minutes ago, Fraz said:

No ideas how long, the statement wasn't clear. Have they been banned though? I haven't seen any public announcement to that effect. 

I used to help run the buses and it's a thankless task. People moan it's too expensive, people moan if you don't put on a bus cos you know it's gonna lose money, people moan if it's too quiet, people moan if it's too noisy, people moan if it doesn't stop enough, people moan if it stops too much, people moan it leaves too early, people moan it leaves too late....

It's quite possible that the coach company threatened to remove their service (they have before I believe) if people who are causing damage, causing the driver hassle etc arr not dealt with as ultimately the driver and the hirer are responsible. There's no way the travel club will want to lose money and they defo want to get as many fans to games as possible but they're left in an impossible situation. Somebody has to take responsibility. 

All I know is that over 30 people got banned by the travel club (not D&E) with no proof that single one of them caused the damage. 

For what it's worth I don't approve of driver abuse etc but very poorly handled imo 

1 hour ago, UltraJags said:

How long will that last? Think my point is still valid, banning that many people cannot make good business sense.

Probably cheaper than the SFA fines the club would have to pay if they had done nothing....

1 minute ago, jingsmonty said:

Probably cheaper than the SFA fines the club would have to pay if they had done nothing....

This is nothing to do with what happened in the ground 

53 minutes ago, UltraJags said:

All I know is that over 30 people got banned by the travel club (not D&E) with no proof that single one of them caused the damage. 

For what it's worth I don't approve of driver abuse etc but very poorly handled imo 

Why was the owner of DandE in press quoted as saying they were? Also said the mess left behind was worst he had seen? 

To be fair to the 30 fans who had already booked bus to St Mirren before price increase,this will now not take effect till Dumbarton bus on 23rd September .

1 minute ago, izzy said:

To be fair to the 30 fans who had already booked bus to St Mirren before price increase,this will now not take effect till Dumbarton bus on 23rd September .

Facebook post says it takes effect from 9th. Which is it? 

 

7 minutes ago, old caley girl said:

Why was the owner of DandE in press quoted as saying they were? Also said the mess left behind was worst he had seen? 

Don't recall seeing a bit in the paper saying he had banned them, I don't condone the mess but not exactly worthy of banning orders, perhaps all 30 of them broke the fan?

Edited September 4, 20177 yr by UltraJags

1 minute ago, UltraJags said:

Don't recall seeing a bit in the paper saying he had banned them, I don't condone the mess but not exactly worthy of banning orders, perhaps all 30 of them broke the fan?

Just saying what I read. 

48 minutes ago, UltraJags said:

All I know is that over 30 people got banned by the travel club (not D&E) with no proof that single one of them caused the damage. 

For what it's worth I don't approve of driver abuse etc but very poorly handled imo 

But it's not just about the damage.  I don't know what the Travel club have decided or why, but there are general points which apply in any situation like this.  The driver is responsible for the safety of everyone on board and for other road users.  If the driver is briefly distracted then disaster can result.  One only has to think of the tragedy down South recently when 13 people died in a minibus crash when it appeared that the driver did not realise soon enough that the lorry in the motorway lane in front of him was actually stationary.  I personally had a narrow escape a few years back when stationary at traffic lights on the A9 Spey Bridge at Kingussie.  The driver of a coach behind did not realise the traffic was stopped until too late.  The driver slammed on his brakes whilst I looked in my mirror with increasing concern / horror about whether the coach was going to stop in time.  As it happened, the last of the traffic going in the other direction had passed and the driver was able to move into the other lane and finally stopped level with me.  It was a very scary incident with my life literally in the coach driver's hands.

Whether people are guilty of damaging the bus or not , over exuberant behaviour, even when good natured can be distracting for the driver and puts people at risk.  Most people understand that, but it seems that some of the youngsters  have yet to grasp that simple truth.  D&E may not have banned anyone but they may well have told the Travel Club that they will not be hiring out buses to us if there is any repetition of that behaviour.  As for the mess: if I gave someone a lift and they left empty cans and bottles  and chip papers (and probably a few chips) strewn around my vehicle, you can be pretty sure I wouldn't be giving them a lift again.  I don't see why D&E should be expected to tolerate such ignorant and disrespectful behaviour 

The more mature and sensible lads amongst our young support will appreciate that the club and the travel club have absolutely no option but to take firm action here.  I fully accept that some lads who are generally innocent of the bad behaviour may be affected by this, but the only people who are responsible for that are the the moronic ring leaders of the trouble.  It is to them they should direct  their grievances.

Of course, if 30 are being banned from travelling with the Travel Club, that should be enough to hire their own bus and take the responsibility for that.  They just might see things differently then.  What a shame that the great job many of the youngsters are doing in providing enthusiastic vocal support for the team should be ruined by a small number of d*ckheads.  Get rid of these morons lads, and get back to doing what you do so well.

39 minutes ago, izzy said:

Quite sure if you check FB you will find its updated also .

Putting it on Facebook 10 minutes after I called you out on it ??

20 minutes ago, DoofersDad said:

But it's not just about the damage.  I don't know what the Travel club have decided or why, but there are general points which apply in any situation like this.  The driver is responsible for the safety of everyone on board and for other road users.  If the driver is briefly distracted then disaster can result.  One only has to think of the tragedy down South recently when 13 people died in a minibus crash when it appeared that the driver did not realise soon enough that the lorry in the motorway lane in front of him was actually stationary.  I personally had a narrow escape a few years back when stationary at traffic lights on the A9 Spey Bridge at Kingussie.  The driver of a coach behind did not realise the traffic was stopped until too late.  The driver slammed on his brakes whilst I looked in my mirror with increasing concern / horror about whether the coach was going to stop in time.  As it happened, the last of the traffic going in the other direction had passed and the driver was able to move into the other lane and finally stopped level with me.  It was a very scary incident with my life literally in the coach driver's hands.

Whether people are guilty of damaging the bus or not , over exuberant behaviour, even when good natured can be distracting for the driver and puts people at risk.  Most people understand that, but it seems that some of the youngsters  have yet to grasp that simple truth.  D&E may not have banned anyone but they may well have told the Travel Club that they will not be hiring out buses to us if there is any repetition of that behaviour.  As for the mess: if I gave someone a lift and they left empty cans and bottles  and chip papers (and probably a few chips) strewn around my vehicle, you can be pretty sure I wouldn't be giving them a lift again.  I don't see why D&E should be expected to tolerate such ignorant and disrespectful behaviour 

The more mature and sensible lads amongst our young support will appreciate that the club and the travel club have absolutely no option but to take firm action here.  I fully accept that some lads who are generally innocent of the bad behaviour may be affected by this, but the only people who are responsible for that are the the moronic ring leaders of the trouble.  It is to them they should direct  their grievances.

Of course, if 30 are being banned from travelling with the Travel Club, that should be enough to hire their own bus and take the responsibility for that.  They just might see things differently then.  What a shame that the great job many of the youngsters are doing in providing enthusiastic vocal support for the team should be ruined by a small number of d*ckheads.  Get rid of these morons lads, and get back to doing what you do so well.

I take onboard what you have said, and if you check my comments I have not defended the actions of anyone on that bus, it's the reaction to it since and how the travel club have tried to hide behind D&E for banning folk from the bus, some of which they know fine well didn't do any damage. 

 

Anyway, nothing will change and they will have lost a group of fans now for good

If people are causing the club and volunteers constant additional work, behaving in a way that disrupts the enjoyment of others, is risking the club being fined and/or meaning there's damage having to be paid for, then I hope they are gone for good.

If others who know who the culprits are have been banned and refuse to speak up to help the club and themselves then they can have no complaint.

These are not the actions of supporters, they are the total opposite. So good riddance to them.

Maybe travel numbers will increase now a disruptive element is gone from them and away matches. Maybe those who use the service would prefer to pay a couple of pound more instead of being held to ransom by what appears to be an increasingly unsavoury group.

Whatever way you look at it, dealing with this issue is not a bad thing.

48 minutes ago, UltraJags said:

I take onboard what you have said, and if you check my comments I have not defended the actions of anyone on that bus, it's the reaction to it since and how the travel club have tried to hide behind D&E for banning folk from the bus, some of which they know fine well didn't do any damage. 

 

Anyway, nothing will change and they will have lost a group of fans now for good

They've not tried to hide behind anything. I've not seen anything from them saying that it was D&E's decision. However the reality from my previous experience is the they will have been given a warning about it if not an ultimatum. And who could blame them?

It's a crappy situation and it's not a one off there were complaints and issues when I was involved over 2 years ago, most of which are dealt with at the time and we move on. You have to remember that everyone who runs and is a convener on every bus is doing so voluntarily and the pay for their seat like everyone else. They're not there to deal with people's behaviour, damage, complaints from drivers and bus companies, questions from the club/police, clearing up rubbish all over the place, vomit, missing games from taking drunk teens to A&E. 

I love the craic the lads bring and it's sad that it's come to this, I can only assume that they felt there was no other choice. 

Perhaps you could look into running a bus for the 30 excuded lads, you clearly feel strongly about it and there's obviously a demand.

Out of interest what do you suggest they should have done differently?