routeONE called it the new operator within that élite club, the Big Five.
R1 refers to the potential merger of Transdev & Veolia which, with a combined fleet excluding Nottingham City Transport of 1,939 (or 2,259 including NCT) places Transveolia a step ahead of National Express’s 1,900. NatEx therefore seems set to lose its place as a member of the club, whether it’s split up, is sold on, or not.
What are the likely consequences? Transveolia will be in a better position to capitalise on market opportunities, if there remains scope for this sort of activity, though there may be in Europe, where Transveolia will be especially strong. There will inevitably be economies of scale from yet another consolidation.
And in Britain, Transveolia will potentially unite two very different models. Veolia has presented a unified if blushing red face. Transdev appears disparate. Transveolia may therefore be able to improve the lot of the former independents who sold to Veolia. Veolia’s services are reputedly rather ordinary when compared to the strides Transdev and its predecessors, especially Blazefield, have made. It is as much to do with Transdev’s deliberate fragmentation that places it in such a strong position as a market leader.
Saturday, 1 August 2009
Fifth Five?
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4 comments:
I don't know what to make of this. I have always been impressed by Transdev operations, in terms of the vehicles, timetables, customer service, investment, etc. (The announcement that services in Harrogate are being cut back is less welcome).
Veolia, on the other hand, showed little investment, no resilience and poor customer service in this area.
So what if they can help Transdev harmonise the branding? TD have already made good progress on doing that while at the same time keeping a local flavour as far as possible. Passengers appreciate that! Most passengers would much prefer to have a local operator than one division of a faceless multinational.
I tend to agree - Transdev have done I think a good job in the UK and the companies they have invested in are modern, promote local identity and are all well run. Veolia, not so sure, perhaps its the piecemeal way they have expanded in the UK - but I dont think the idea that the Transdev way of thinking will carry forward under the merged brand. IIRC correctly, was'nt the idea of merging Thames Valley and Aldershot & District in NBC days to bring A&Ds good management to the party, yet in the end TV's lax ways overtook the new Alder Valley!
IT DEPENDS WHHO IS THE DOMINANT PARTNER.WILL THEY GO THE TRANSDEV WAY OR THE VEOLIA WAY.I FEAR IT VEOLIA WILL PREVAIL
Veolia expanded too quickly. They thought they could mop up all the small operators in their path. Those that chose not to sell to them (I include myself in this) were told categorically that if I was everr finding things too tough, they'd be there for me! Like hell I was going to sell to them! Look at the state of their business now - they could've 'done a Hull' and flogged my business off to another operator: my rival.
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