Why are Bus Drivers Treated so Disgracefully?

[joseph]

Well there is another solution which I am in favour of if some people here want the bus to stop at every stop, and that's to have significantly fewer stops. Take service 1 between Beeston and Leeds, it could stop only at the terminus, St Mary's Church, Parkfield Fish Shop, Beeston Hill Top, Malvern Road, the stop by the dentist on Lady Pit Lane then non stop to Leeds. Nobody really misses out as stops are still close by and many have to walk to a lot of stops on the route anyway from where they live, so a bit more walking wouldn't harm.

[rodneytrotter]

I just think people need to take more responsibility, it's not hard to flag down a bus, buses should not be pulling into every bus stops just because there's someone there, people need to raise their hand.

With modern buses now and Arriva Yorkshire commanders, rocess of buses opening/shutting doors is a lot slower than used to be, as you need to pull up, put the handbrake on, open the doors, shut the doors, handbrake off, wait till its clear and then go. Buses can't keep doing that every stop, just because someone's there, you could lose a lot of time, if passengers don't get on. Passengers need to do their bit more.

Also if a passenger isn't interested or doesn't want that bus, instead of standing there, why don't they shake head to the driver, to indicate, I don't want this bus, drive on, instead of the bus pulling into the stop and finding out they don't want it.

[leedsbusman]

Apr 2, 2024 19:07:58 GMT 1 rodneytrotter said:

I just think people need to take more responsibility, it's not hard to flag down a bus, buses should not be pulling into every bus stops just because there's someone there, people need to raise their hand.

With modern buses now and Arriva Yorkshire commanders, rocess of buses opening/shutting doors is a lot slower than used to be, as you need to pull up, put the handbrake on, open the doors, shut the doors, handbrake off, wait till its clear and then go. Buses can't keep doing that every stop, just because someone's there, you could lose a lot of time, if passengers don't get on. Passengers need to do their bit more.

Also if a passenger isn't interested or doesn't want that bus, instead of standing there, why don't they shake head to the driver, to indicate, I don't want this bus, drive on, instead of the bus pulling into the stop and finding out they don't want it.

None of which is the fault of the passenger. Many signal that they do or don’t want it. Many assume standing at a bus stop is enough. An employee in a customer focused industry should put the customer needs first and foremost and has nobody but themselves to blame if a customer complains they drove past them at a stop.

[Father Dougal McGuire]

Apr 2, 2024 19:13:08 GMT 1 leedsbusman said:

Apr 2, 2024 19:07:58 GMT 1 rodneytrotter said:

I just think people need to take more responsibility, it's not hard to flag down a bus, buses should not be pulling into every bus stops just because there's someone there, people need to raise their hand.

With modern buses now and Arriva Yorkshire commanders, rocess of buses opening/shutting doors is a lot slower than used to be, as you need to pull up, put the handbrake on, open the doors, shut the doors, handbrake off, wait till its clear and then go. Buses can't keep doing that every stop, just because someone's there, you could lose a lot of time, if passengers don't get on. Passengers need to do their bit more.

Also if a passenger isn't interested or doesn't want that bus, instead of standing there, why don't they shake head to the driver, to indicate, I don't want this bus, drive on, instead of the bus pulling into the stop and finding out they don't want it.

None of which is the fault of the passenger. Many signal that they do or don’t want it. Many assume standing at a bus stop is enough. An employee in a customer focused industry should put the customer needs first and foremost and has nobody but themselves to blame if a customer complains they drove past them at a stop.

Afraid you're wrong. If the bus drives past because they didn't signal or too busy being preoccupied then it's the passengers fault. I can tell you now that when people have complained and it's found they didn't signal the driver then its checkmate. There's no case. If you don't show me that you want my bus then on I'll go. That's how I was taught that's how it stays.

[pobice]

Apr 2, 2024 17:01:57 GMT 1 joseph said:

Well there is another solution which I am in favour of if some people here want the bus to stop at every stop, and that's to have significantly fewer stops. Take service 1 between Beeston and Leeds, it could stop only at the terminus, St Mary's Church, Parkfield Fish Shop, Beeston Hill Top, Malvern Road, the stop by the dentist on Lady Pit Lane then non stop to Leeds. Nobody really misses out as stops are still close by and many have to walk to a lot of stops on the route anyway from where they live, so a bit more walking wouldn't harm.

Please consider the disabled / less able with statements like this.  Removing them stops may result in people no longer been able to get out and about any more.  Once you become house bound peoples health and quality of life rapidly declines.

[kayden11]

I got taught when I passed my pcv test no signal.no stop, I think someone should try stop at every stop though and see how late they get, we are there to give customer service not be a mind reader, we don't walk k to their house amd help them get dressed, so why should we assume they want the bus, its simple, help the driver by giving clear indication, bit of common sense really, even disabled people can do their bit by just by raising their arm or nod or shake their head, it's just to help the driver a bit, I'd never leave someone at a bus stop if they signalled, but if they don't signal and I've got 35 stops on a route and a timetable.to try and keep to I wouldn't be stopping g either

[joseph]

Apr 2, 2024 22:35:17 GMT 1 pobice said:

Apr 2, 2024 17:01:57 GMT 1 joseph said:

Well there is another solution which I am in favour of if some people here want the bus to stop at every stop, and that's to have significantly fewer stops. Take service 1 between Beeston and Leeds, it could stop only at the terminus, St Mary's Church, Parkfield Fish Shop, Beeston Hill Top, Malvern Road, the stop by the dentist on Lady Pit Lane then non stop to Leeds. Nobody really misses out as stops are still close by and many have to walk to a lot of stops on the route anyway from where they live, so a bit more walking wouldn't harm.

Please consider the disabled / less able with statements like this.  Removing them stops may result in people no longer been able to get out and about any more.  Once you become house bound peoples health and quality of life rapidly declines.

Going a bit off topic, but having fewer stops is exactly what's going to happen when trams replace bus routes. Up in Beeston, many already have to walk up to 10 minutes to reach bus stops where services are frequent (as in Dewsbury Road or Beeston Road/Town Street and not Old Lane) such as those who live on the Longroyds, homes on Cross Flatts, Milshaw etc so having fewer stops a couple of minutes further on shouldn't affect people that much. 

[deerfold]

I was reading a book at a stop in Sowerby Bridge when I was 14 and the 508 flew straight past me. Since then I've paid more attention and signalled for buses and they've almost always stopped (or I've complained). Where I am now, buses usually slow down as they approach a stop with someone waiting, so if it's not my bus, I step away from the stop and try and wave it past (tricky to explain, but drivers seem to understand).

[rodneytrotter]

I just realised every company that Nigel Featham has been involved in, the drivers have gone on strike. He was the MD of Arriva Yorkshire and North East, in which there were strikes while he was in charge, and now at Go Ahead, both North West and North East there have been strikes with him at the top, just shows how bad drivers are treated.

[stephen01]

Apr 21, 2024 18:03:06 GMT 1 rodneytrotter said:

I just realised every company that Nigel Featham has been involved in, the drivers have gone on strike. He was the MD of Arriva Yorkshire and North East, in which there were strikes while he was in charge, and now at Go Ahead, both North West and North East there have been strikes with him at the top, just shows how bad drivers are treated.

that's discrimnative bullcrap as AY & ANE have since striked for the same reason but at least when Nigel was at Arriva cover was organised on most routes. Under Nigel there was a hell of a lot of investment in the fleets and even with Tiger.