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Post by Anthony on Jul 1, 2014 21:39:09 GMT 1
New TV series starts next Friday (11 June) on channel 5 at 8pm.
From my Radio Times:
"It's all aboard with the straight talking men and women of East Yorkshire Motor Services, the country's biggest family run bus company.
In Hull as the summer holidays get underway there is a shortage of drivers. Over in Scarborough the open top tour buses are facing stiff competition."
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Post by bradfordgary on Jul 7, 2014 15:30:22 GMT 1
Do you mean 11 July or have I missed it?
Regards
Gary
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Post by deerfold on Jul 7, 2014 17:19:36 GMT 1
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Post by Burnside on Jul 12, 2014 6:56:42 GMT 1
Started last night.
Rather good, very sort of 'Eddie Stobart Trucks & Trailers' but with buses!
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Post by westyorkshirebus on Jul 12, 2014 8:47:38 GMT 1
Very good, nice that Shoreline Suncruisers got involved as well. Probably the most friendly bus war I've ever seen!
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Post by westyorkshirebus on Jul 12, 2014 17:45:44 GMT 1
As most people go upstairs, it isn't much of an advantage, more to comply with DDA
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Post by SCH117X on Jul 12, 2014 18:38:37 GMT 1
Or how on earth HCT make any money running largely empty vehicles about on the X1, or should that be a Panaroma investigation!
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Post by Burnside on Jul 13, 2014 9:59:56 GMT 1
The step entrance open toppers at Shoreline are MCW Metrobuses. They have also had a Bristol VR for as long as i can remember.
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Post by driver6540 on Jul 13, 2014 21:07:00 GMT 1
From what i saw of it, it was hardly must-see edge of the seat television. A little bit formulaic, like Stobart's trucks & trailers with an over excitable narrator trying to make the dull seem interesting. I honestly thought the best bit was the open-top inspector explaining how he avoids being shat on by seagulls. Still, I'm not judging it yet, as there's another seven episode's to go, hopefully it might improve. One comment i will make though is, If a company has to curtail services because it cannot crew buses in peak holiday periods, that smacks of sheer bad management and paints EYMS in a dark light.
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ratty
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Orange,Green and Cream Best livery ever
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Post by ratty on Jul 30, 2014 12:38:03 GMT 1
At first, found this programme a little tedious, and likened it to the Stobart programme on the same channel, with an over excited narrator getting carried away, with what was happening, with fairly mundane things. If I had have been the retired bank manager, though,I think I would have avoided the stick from everybody, and had the 'lost' bit cut However, as the series goes on, it does seem to be getting better. Especially jealous last week when Peter Shipp got the cheque book out and just went out and bought 5 brand new buses. However, the sceptical in me, suspects that was done for dramatic effect, and had probably been in the planning stages for a little while in truth. Got to say though, that perhaps the biggest moment in the programme might have been if the Polish Driver from Shoreline had have got off his bus and belted the EYMS controller. (I don't condone violence, but..........) ONLY JOKING ON THAT ONE!!!!
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77syk7
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Post by 77syk7 on Jul 30, 2014 20:25:08 GMT 1
It's growing on me - but I am not interested in the failure of the air conditioning system in the offices. Hope there is more emphasis on the actual routes and vehicles, particularly from the smaller depots.
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Post by driver6540 on Jul 30, 2014 22:10:32 GMT 1
It's growing on me - but I am not interested in the failure of the air conditioning system in the offices. Hope there is more emphasis on the actual routes and vehicles, particularly from the smaller depots. I'm with you on that one. Not particularly interested in watching suits sweating in offices bemoaning their lot in life, I'd like to see more emphasis on the drivers, the buses they drive and the routes they operate. After all it's the drivers that make the company run, therefore are the real stars of the show.
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ratty
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Orange,Green and Cream Best livery ever
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Post by ratty on Jul 31, 2014 11:08:53 GMT 1
It's growing on me - but I am not interested in the failure of the air conditioning system in the offices. Hope there is more emphasis on the actual routes and vehicles, particularly from the smaller depots. I'm with you on that one. Not particularly interested in watching suits sweating in offices bemoaning their lot in life, I'd like to see more emphasis on the drivers, the buses they drive and the routes they operate. After all it's the drivers that make the company run, therefore are the real stars of the show. Agree with both of you, hardly riveting stuff the ceiling caper. I personally would like to see more about the operation and maintenance that goes on and 'incidents' that attempt to hamper said things. The football match was a bit of a laugh, and deserved a place in the programme. I trust that the closure of Driffield Depot will be in one of the later programmes, as that surely ranks as an interesting happening, and would give 'ordinary' passengers an insight in to decisions reached at their local bus company, something that is not always readily done.
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Post by dwarfer1979 on Aug 1, 2014 8:19:06 GMT 1
I'm with you on that one. Not particularly interested in watching suits sweating in offices bemoaning their lot in life, I'd like to see more emphasis on the drivers, the buses they drive and the routes they operate. After all it's the drivers that make the company run, therefore are the real stars of the show. Agree with both of you, hardly riveting stuff the ceiling caper. I personally would like to see more about the operation and maintenance that goes on and 'incidents' that attempt to hamper said things. The football match was a bit of a laugh, and deserved a place in the programme. I trust that the closure of Driffield Depot will be in one of the later programmes, as that surely ranks as an interesting happening, and would give 'ordinary' passengers an insight in to decisions reached at their local bus company, something that is not always readily done. I suspect the Driffield closure decision would come too late for the program as it appears to have been filmed last summer, it all depends how long they were there filming. The problem with getting more of the driving staff is that they would be the ones hardest to get volunteers to be filmed whilst working, it is a stressful enough job with out the camera (the signs requesting passengers not disturb drivers whilst the vehicle is in motion are there for a reason) and I for one would really not be able to do it in those circumstances. That brings issues over vehicle allocations of the buses with the cab cameras (you suspect a large number of drivers wouldn't even take out a vehicle fitted) and issues over getting customers permissions for them to appear on the programme. It would be nice to see a bit more of the day to day work that goes in, seeing how the engineering get the buses out every day & the ops staff actually dealing with issues, the problem is having worked in both ops & engineering offices even in a crisis they are not the telegenic of watches & they are also the times when the staff are too busy doing to explain to the camera what is happening. A bit like the Stobart show this is based on it is basically relying on the personalities of a few staff members & a lot of artificial tension created by the narrator to get any real interest. For those interested it provides a bit of detail of what it takes to provide your buses every day, but it is never going to be able to provide an accurate picture because except for complete meltdowns in service it is largely people in offices talking or clicking on computer screens & drivers driving a bus.
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jc
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Post by jc on Aug 2, 2014 5:06:30 GMT 1
They had Peter Shipp on today's episode saying they had driver shortages as several had left and it took longer than their week's notice to train new staff.... So why not write a months notice into the contract as is common in other industries?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2014 9:14:12 GMT 1
Although boring, I did think the Air con situation showed how some people work. i.e. moan about it and expect others to sort it out.
I thought the garage foremen shown last week put themselves in a bad light, struggling for buses and they were still reading the paper!
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Post by stevieinselby on Aug 2, 2014 11:10:38 GMT 1
I thought the garage foremen shown last week put themselves in a bad light, struggling for buses and they were still reading the paper! It isn't necessarily a fair portrayal. For a start, all employees are entitled to rest breaks. That's especially true if you work in an environment where you can't take a cup of tea and a chocolate digestive to the spot where you're actually working. I'm fine, I can drink and nibble while I'm sat at my desk working on my computer, but when your workplace involves being up to your elbows in engine oil, that's probably not such a good plan. For a second, the programme suggests the workers hadn't understood how urgent the situation was. Some bosses are very good at communicating when a task they give you is something to crack on with when you get a moment, and when it is an immediate crisis, drop everything and do it now ... others, not so much. It looks as though the workers thought it was just a routine problem rather than Exxon-Valdez meets Westborough.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2014 13:52:34 GMT 1
don't agree at all, I've been around far too many garages and foremans offices. In some cases everyone mucks in, I've known engineering managers who've put their overalls on and turned up at 4am to get buses out, but also seen newspapers unfolded and the line 'I'm on my break' whilst the company that pays their wages and the passengers who pay the fares for said wages struggle with a substandard service. I'm not suggesting at all that people go without breaks, but I am suggesting that those people who put themselves constantly above others are very damaging to a company. At the start of a school term, I would expect everyone at a bus company to be aware that resources might be tighter than last week when buses were off due to school holidays. In my experience I've met too many people like the foremen in the programme, the bus industry at its' worst.
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Post by Arriva Wakefield on Aug 2, 2014 14:10:48 GMT 1
They had Peter Shipp on today's episode saying they had driver shortages as several had left and it took longer than their week's notice to train new staff.... So why not write a months notice into the contract as is common in other industries? I'm led to believe that companies can't force you to give notice longer than 1 pay period, so if you're paid weekly, then that's all you have to give. I have heard of companies that have put a 2 week notice period into contracts, and when employeed have only given 1 weeks notice, and then had wages withheld for 'breach of contract', the employees have taken the company to court and won.
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jc
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Post by jc on Aug 3, 2014 13:54:31 GMT 1
They had Peter Shipp on today's episode saying they had driver shortages as several had left and it took longer than their week's notice to train new staff.... So why not write a months notice into the contract as is common in other industries? I'm led to believe that companies can't force you to give notice longer than 1 pay period, so if you're paid weekly, then that's all you have to give. I have heard of companies that have put a 2 week notice period into contracts, and when employeed have only given 1 weeks notice, and then had wages withheld for 'breach of contract', the employees have taken the company to court and won. That makes sense, I've only ever been paid monthly unless working through an agency in which case either party can walk out at any time. I'd like to think that with drivers being fundamental too their offering, bus companies would be willing to risk having to pay a month's wage if it all falls apart rather than risk not having driver cover on day-to-day basis. Previous episodes are all available on www.channel5.com until 24th august if anyone wants to catch up.
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Post by dwarfer1979 on Aug 4, 2014 8:05:48 GMT 1
I thought the garage foremen shown last week put themselves in a bad light, struggling for buses and they were still reading the paper! It isn't necessarily a fair portrayal. For a start, all employees are entitled to rest breaks. That's especially true if you work in an environment where you can't take a cup of tea and a chocolate digestive to the spot where you're actually working. I'm fine, I can drink and nibble while I'm sat at my desk working on my computer, but when your workplace involves being up to your elbows in engine oil, that's probably not such a good plan. For a second, the programme suggests the workers hadn't understood how urgent the situation was. Some bosses are very good at communicating when a task they give you is something to crack on with when you get a moment, and when it is an immediate crisis, drop everything and do it now ... others, not so much. It looks as though the workers thought it was just a routine problem rather than Exxon-Valdez meets Westborough. You could actually see the message getting downgraded as it passed through each hand on the way to the breakdown fitter, by the time it got to him it had lost any sense of urgency including the fact that there was actually a bus sat awaiting attention, it's a practical demonstration of 'Chinese Whispers' in action. It does highlight the risk of having your operations team and engineering teams split by some distance, I have seen such misunderstandings where communications are by phone, & as in this case, neither team actually ever sees each other as the engineering site is not where they park the buses overnight. It is that trade off between being able to keep an eye on your drivers or being able to liase with your engineers, with modern GPS tracking & mobile phones/radios you don't need to be close to the action to get a good view on how things are going but if you have been set up for years to work one way there may not be space to move things around to change that working. I have worked for 2 large bus companies (1 a municipal & the other formed from a part of an ex-NBC op) & both had their ops management in Town Centre offices closer to the action whilst the engineers were in the depot further out of town & you did have those lost in communication moments. The company I now work for, a major national independent, has its ops team based at the depot so when you get issues like this you aren't relying on phone calls, you just walk round to the engineering office and talk to them which means the urgency can be properly conveyed.
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Post by guyarab on Aug 6, 2014 10:03:44 GMT 1
I'd like to know why the office workers wear their hi-viz vests in the office. Now the bit showing the fitters having a tea-break could have been filmed totally separately to the time of the incident and then slotted in for dramatic effect.
Cab cameras? And I thought a cameraman sat in the cab corner focusing on the driver!
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Post by timelesstable on Aug 6, 2014 15:28:40 GMT 1
I thought the use of Hi-Vis vests was to help the remote Metro CCTV operators identify those individuals who for whatever reason are allowed in restricted areas of the Bus Stations, those aeras which are off limits to the General Public
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Post by westyorkshirebus on Aug 6, 2014 17:22:32 GMT 1
I expect the delivery of new buses at a moments notice was done for dramatic effect as well. Although why the boss was looking at an Enviro 400 and then he bought 5 E200s was a bit odd.
Interesting how the controller doubles up as a driver at peak school time as well.
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Post by Arriva Wakefield on Aug 6, 2014 19:10:33 GMT 1
I expect the delivery of new buses at a moments notice was done for dramatic effect as well. Although why the boss was looking at an Enviro 400 and then he bought 5 E200s was a bit odd. Interesting how the controller doubles up as a driver at peak school time as well. The bus they were looking at on the computer arrived as 779 (the ex Demo). Also, when Peter goes to view his 'just arrived' bus it already had fleet names & numbers - are they really that quick to get them applied lol
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