West Midlands bus route 377
The 377, 377A, 377B, 377E, 377S & 379 are six bus routes in the West Midlands, United Kingdom.
History
- September 1999 - National Express West Midlands, then Travel West Midlands, operate the 377 at on Mondays - Saturdays at a 20-minute frequency. Some evening journeys are also operated by National Express West Midlands. One 377E journey is operated by Travel West Midlands between Walsall and Streetly Church. Pete's Travel also operate on the route with Express Service 377X, which runs on Monday - Saturday peaks and half hourly throughout the day. Metrobuses are the main vehicle used by Travel West Midlands on the service.
- November 1999 - Travel West Midlands withdraw their evening services and the 377E journey. Pete's Travel also withdraw the 377X, instead operating only a few 377E journeys during weekday peaks between Walsall and New Oscott
- 2003 - Travel West Midlands and Pete's Travel withdraw their 377E journeys. The 379 is also introduced by TWM.
- 2004 - Zak's Buses start operating early morning 377 journeys from Old Oscott - Walsall.
- 2005 - School Service 377A is introduced.
- 2007 - TWM start using Leyland Lynx on the route. Additionally new owners of Zak's Buses, Central Connect take over the early morning 377E journeys.
- November 2007 - TWM introduce The New 377 Route. Running at a 12-20 minute frequency and using recently refurbished Volvo B10L single decks, the service is one of six in the West Midlands to offer a refund if the bus is more than 15 minutes late, in a partnership with the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive.
- October 2008 - NXWM reroute the 377 so that it now serves Kingstanding Circle instead of George Frederick Road. However, peak workings continue to use the old route and are renumbered the 377B. At the same time a school service, the 377S is introduced between Sutton Girls School and Walsall (in this direction only).
Present
The 377 is a bus route between Walsall and Sutton Coldfield. The service is run by National Express West Midlands every 12 minutes during off-peak weekday and Saturday hours.
The 377B is the number given to peak time workings on the 377. Again the service is operated by National Express West Midlands at frequencies ranging from half hourly to every 10 minutes. The service differs from the 377 in that it serves George Frederick Road, instead of Kingstanding Circle.
There are two 377E journeys on weekdays only between Old Oscott and Walsall. These services are operated by Central Connect and run during the early morning hours only.
The 377A is a bus route, which again only operates on weekdays. Run by National Express West Midlands there is one weekday afternoon journey only between Walsall and Streetly.
The 377S and 379 are two School Term Time Only services run by National Express West Midlands. The 377S runs only between Sutton Girls School and Walsall in the afternoon and the 379 runs from Sutton Coldfield Town Centre - Walsall Bus Station in the morning and in reverse in the afternoon.
Centro/ NXWM Partnership
Since November 2007, the 377 was brought into a partnership of just six bus routes in the West Midlands, which sees passenger receive a refund if their bus is more than 15 minutes late. As part of this agreement the low floor Volvo B10Ls which used to operate on the 301 service were refurbished and branded for the 377.
It is only the National Express West Midlands journeys on the 377 which are covered by this. It is unsure if the journeys on the 377B, a replacement for the 377 during peak times, are also covered. Journeys on the 377A, 377E, 377S & 379 are not covered by the agreement.
Future
There are no known or expected changes on the service in the near future.
Current routes
- Service 377, (NXWM)
- Walsall
- Barr Beacon
- Streetly
- New Oscott
- Sutton Coldfield
- Service 377A, This Direction Only (NXWM)
- Walsall
- Streetly
- Service 377B, (NXWM)
- Walsall
- Barr Beacon
- Streetly
- New Oscott
- Sutton Coldfield
- Service 377E, This Direction Only (Central Connect)
- New Oscott
- Streetly
- Barr Beacon
- Walsall
- Service 377S, This Direction Only. Term Time Only (NXWM)
- Sutton Girls School
- New Oscott
- Streetly
- Barr Beacon
- Walsall
- Service 379, Term Time Only (NXWM)
- Walsall
- Streetly
- Sutton Coldfield