Bus Vannin
 | |
| Parent | Isle of Man Government |
|---|---|
| Service type | Local bus service |
| Fleet | 84 buses [1] |
| Operator | Isle of Man Transport |
Bus Vannin is the title of the government owned and operated bus service on the Isle of Man. The name was adopted in June 2009 having previously been branded as Isle Of Man Transport.
History
The first omnibus services on the island were provided by the Manxland Bus Co., Ltd., in addition to several smaller operators which operated independently. Primary means of long-distance travel was by way of either the Isle of Man Railway to the west, south and north (via the westerly side of the island) or Manx Electric Railway on the east coast. When bus competition became a threat to the Isle of Man Railway it bought out the bus company and operated it as "Isle Of Man Road Services" in conjunction with the railway. In addition to the island-wide services Douglas Corporation also operated a fleet of buses around the capital, distinctive by their yellow livery. As the railway company began to falter, it relied more heavily on the bus operation.
Nationalisation
When the service was initially nationalised in the 1970s the buses carried "National Transport" logos and a new livery, predominantly of red with white trim, having previously carried a variation of this colour scheme under the Road Services banner. The nationalised service was characterised by its use of many second hand vehicles from the mainland, a practice which continued until relatively recently, from a variety of sources including Liverpool Corporation as well as the nearby Birkenhead Corporation. By 1987 when a new management scheme was underway, a new livery of cream and red was introduced, and "Isle Of Man Transport" adopted as the title. Buses carried a variety of advertisements along their side panels, with several distinctive buses carrying all-over advertising at this time. Further change of leadership in 1999 saw the introduction of brand-new buses and gradual phasing out of older stock, latterly used only on school services.
Rebranding
In the early part of 2009 a new batch of buses arrived on the island bearing a new livery of predominanltly maroon with cream coloured trim; these vehicles were also branded as "Bus Vannin" but this change has not been implemented throughout the fleet to date, although some buses curiously retain their old livery yet are re-branded by the addition of a transer to the side panels. The bus service continues to be operated by the government but is now more clearly segregated from the railways, which are now titled "Isle Of Man Heritage Railways".
Bus Stations
There are four main bus depots on the island which provide passenger facilities and storage areas for off-duty buses. With the exception of Douglas, these are located at one position, with the Douglas storage area at Bank's Circus being a workshop and bus yard with no passenger facilities.
The passenger facilities provided at the main terminal at Douglas (Lord Street) are limited, with only bus shelters and limited timetabling information; some services, largely the northbound ones, depart from a point on Loch Promenade rather than Lord Street and a similar facility is provided there.
Tickets
Single and return tickets are available on the buses. There are also multi-journey tickets known as "Manx12" and these are available from the Welcome Centre in the Sea Terminal; drivers can also issue tickets (though not for multi-journeys) on board the buses using an electronic ticketing system installed in 2008 replacing a similar older version. Owing to the combined nature of operations, bus tickets are also valid on the Isle of Man Railway to Port Erin and the Manx Electric Railway to Ramsey. Senior citizens travel free of charge at off-peak times.
References
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External links
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