A new name delivering higher quality and reliability for customers in the Kirklees and Calderdale districts of West Yorkshire – that’s the promise today from Transdev in northern UK.
‘Team Pennine’ is destined to become a familiar brand name to thousands of customers in and around Huddersfield and Halifax when Transdev takes over bus services currently run by Yorkshire Tiger this summer.
Earlier this year, Transdev confirmed it has signed an agreement to buy the Yorkshire Tiger business for an undisclosed sum from current owners Arriva. 163 employees at two depots at Elland, near Halifax, and Waterloo in Huddersfield are to join Transdev’s existing family of 1,200 people based at its eight existing operating centers across Yorkshire and Lancashire.
Transdev has unveiled its new ‘Team Pennine’ brand identity and magenta livery, which will be progressively introduced on a route-by-route basis as part of a company-wide transformation plan over the next 18 months.
Transdev CEO in northern UK, Alex Hornby said: “Our Team Pennine name and livery will soon be a familiar sight on the streets of Halifax and Huddersfield, as we prepare to bring our class-leading customer experience to new areas of West Yorkshire for the very first time.
The new name symbolizes our locally bespoke, people-centric approach. Bus companies are all about the local people and local places they serve, and this brand completely symbolizes how we intend to run this business. Our colleagues and our customers in Kirklees and Calderdale will be at the heart of our decision making and service delivery.
Whilst we have plans for step changes on Day One of the takeover, which we will announce soon, we will be launching a long-term plan to transform the business over the following 18 months. Our ultimate vision is that the new Team Pennine company will achieve what we set out achieve elsewhere – to deliver buses that people will be proud to be seen on.”
Ahead of the transfer, Transdev is beginning a program of one-to-one meetings this week to personally welcome each one of the 163 colleagues transferring into its team. Both Transdev and Arriva are working together to ensure a smooth and effective transition for customers and colleagues this summer, while both firms are highlighting the hard work of driving and support teams at the Halifax and Huddersfield depots throughout the pandemic as an important factor in securing the company’s longer-term future.
From their website...
Introducing Denby Darts
The first route to benefit will be the current 233 route between Huddersfield, Skelmanthope and Denby Dale. Apart from a few timekeeping improvements during the morning, there will be no changes to routes, fares or times. The big change will be a bright, new-look fleet of buses, equipped to the highest modern standards with free wifi, USB power points at each seat and next stop information.
This will be called this Denby Darts D1 instead of the 233.
This will be called this Denby Darts D1 instead of the 233.
1 in 4 buses replaced straight away
We don’t intend to stand still. Between now and October, we intend to replace nearly 1 in 4 buses in the current fleet with newer, high-specification and low-emission buses. This includes the first set of new buses to run in Halifax for over six years.
We will launch a transformation of the business that will help us achieve what we set out to achieve in our other local areas across the north – to bring you buses that people are proud to be seen on.
We will be hard at work improving standards and introducing the new brand quickly, but a number of the orange, former Yorkshire Tiger buses will remain as we get around to renewing and improving the whole fleet.
Soon, the bold and bright Team Pennine buses will be a familiar sight on the streets of Halifax, Huddersfield and further afield across Kirklees and Calderdale. You won’t want to miss us.
It’s not just about buses, it’s about you
And you’ll see a few other changes reflecting our new approach to doing business in a better way for you, too – such as smart Team Pennine uniforms for our driving colleagues, printed timetables and guides for our routes, a relaunched app and website for easy journey planning and mobile tickets, and enhanced information at our bus stations and at key bus stops.
There will be no changes to tickets and you’ll be able to use your existing passes, just as you do now, as well as benefiting from the wider Transdev ticket range too.
