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+--- Thread: Disruptions and driver shortages (/showthread.php?tid=3532)
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RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - GuyParkRoyal - 17 Mar 2022
(17 Mar 2022, 8:34 am)Adrian Was hit with an extended stay at Heworth the other night, after opting for Metro/Bus instead of the X1. Whilst waiting for one of the xx.53 short runs on the 4, I had noticed it wasn't tracking nor listed on the website as a cancellation. Someone else who was waiting had mentioned these short runs are cancelled 'almost every night' recently.Washington appear to be having problems with the 50 as well. The 13:20 from Durham this afternoon only ran as far as The Galleries then the 15:22 failed to appear in Durham. The cancellation of the 15:22 resulted in the 21 at 15:33 being rammed full to the point it had to drive past intending passengers in Pity Me with the bus arriving in Chester le Street 18 mins late.
Looking at bustimes.org journey history, it certainly backs up what he said. Since the start of last week, the 19.53, 20.53, 21.53 and 22.53 runs (they're all done by the same bus) failed to run on 07/03, 08/03, 12/03, 14/03, 15/03, 16/03. They're also listed as cancelled this evening.
Just waiting for those shorts to be cancelled in the next round of cuts due to low use now...!
RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Unber43 - 17 Mar 2022
(17 Mar 2022, 5:33 pm)GuyParkRoyal Washington appear to be having problems with the 50 as well. The 13:20 from Durham this afternoon only ran as far as The Galleries then the 15:22 failed to appear in Durham. The cancellation of the 15:22 resulted in the 21 at 15:33 being rammed full to the point it had to drive past intending passengers in Pity Me with the bus arriving in Chester le Street 18 mins late.Washington itself is getting worse and worser over the past week, yet the X1 are returning to Normal Timetables.
Today there wasn't a 26 or a 50 for 90 mins.
RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - busmanT - 18 Mar 2022
(17 Mar 2022, 7:28 pm)Unber43 Washington itself is getting worse and worser over the past week, yet the X1 are returning to Normal Timetables.
Today there wasn't a 26 or a 50 for 90 mins.
I hadn't expected the X1 to return to "normal" - seems to work quite well now fitting with the 56 times between Springwell Village, Washington, Gateshead & Newcastle.
I'm surprised that the Dalton Park extension still runs, I saw a couple of journeys arrive and depart with only a couple of passengers last week.
RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Train8261 - 18 Mar 2022
(17 Mar 2022, 7:28 pm)Unber43 Washington itself is getting worse and worser over the past week, yet the X1 are returning to Normal Timetables.I headed over to Jarrow yesterday around 3.50pm. There was only two 26 tracking yet six 50 were tracking as well
Today there wasn't a 26 or a 50 for 90 mins.
RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Unber43 - 18 Mar 2022
(18 Mar 2022, 9:46 am)busmanT I hadn't expected the X1 to return to "normal" - seems to work quite well now fitting with the 56 times between Springwell Village, Washington, Gateshead & Newcastle.Maybe if they advertised it, it might get more traction, especially when its only a extra 10 mins journey if you are waiting for the X10 when the X1 pulls up
I'm surprised that the Dalton Park extension still runs, I saw a couple of journeys arrive and depart with only a couple of passengers last week.
RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - BusLoverMum - 18 Mar 2022
(17 Mar 2022, 5:33 pm)GuyParkRoyal Washington appear to be having problems with the 50 as well. The 13:20 from Durham this afternoon only ran as far as The Galleries then the 15:22 failed to appear in Durham. The cancellation of the 15:22 resulted in the 21 at 15:33 being rammed full to the point it had to drive past intending passengers in Pity Me with the bus arriving in Chester le Street 18 mins late.Can't have helped that the x20 had a lot of disruptions, yesterday. The 13:20 50 was listed on the cancellations page, mind.
Disruptions and driver shortages - Adrian - 18 Mar 2022
One step forward, two steps back...
![[Image: 83c72822a8d314823d02cbbc608a975a.jpg]](https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220318/83c72822a8d314823d02cbbc608a975a.jpg)
Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Unber43 - 18 Mar 2022
(18 Mar 2022, 6:46 pm)Adrian One step forward, two steps back...Can't wait for the X1's to go back to Every 12 Mins, can't wait to see how many cancellations are then.
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RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - F114TML - 18 Mar 2022
I thought they had a really successful recruitment drive to help eliminate the list of short notice cancellations that is still massive?
RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - DeltaMan - 18 Mar 2022
(18 Mar 2022, 8:55 pm)F114TML I thought they had a really successful recruitment drive to help eliminate the list of short notice cancellations that is still massive?I don't know the situation at GNE but I do know of operators with near full driver establishment where they have been completely decimated with cancelled trips this week due to one thing, COVID. Not only drivers, but shunters, engineers and control staff.
So if thats a sitatuon at a well off location, it would be a lot worse where driver numbers are a problem
RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Adrian - 18 Mar 2022
(18 Mar 2022, 9:00 pm)DeltaMan I don't know the situation at GNE but I do know of operators with near full driver establishment where they have been completely decimated with cancelled trips this week due to one thing, COVID. Not only drivers, but shunters, engineers and control staff.
So if thats a sitatuon at a well off location, it would be a lot worse where driver numbers are a problem
Makes you wonder why public transport is so adversely affected? Transpennine Express have posted a load of cancellations too.
It doesn't fit well with the message that public transport is safe to use.
RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Andreos1 - 18 Mar 2022
(18 Mar 2022, 6:46 pm)Adrian One step forward, two steps back...Noticed that they've had a play about with the settings and removed the ability to comment or reply to that particular post.
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Appreciate there's inevitably gonna be the 'what about this bus' type of posts, but there's also going to be plenty of passengers worried and have genuine comments/questions.
RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - F114TML - 18 Mar 2022
(18 Mar 2022, 9:00 pm)DeltaMan I don't know the situation at GNE but I do know of operators with near full driver establishment where they have been completely decimated with cancelled trips this week due to one thing, COVID. Not only drivers, but shunters, engineers and control staff.I was more having a jib at the fact they put this at the top of the cancellations page:
So if thats a sitatuon at a well off location, it would be a lot worse where driver numbers are a problem
"Thanks to our ongoing recruitment efforts, we're no longer expecting as many on-the-day short notice cancellations."
There's plenty of times I've checked that page and I'm sure there's more listed than before they started using that sentence.
RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Unber43 - 18 Mar 2022
The X1 to every 12 mins shouldn't go ahead, from Washington Depot they might aswell just publish which service on the 4/50/26/X1 will run instead of what won't. There wasn't a 26 for over 2 1/2 hours the other night from South Sheilds
RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - DeltaMan - 18 Mar 2022
(18 Mar 2022, 9:27 pm)Adrian Makes you wonder why public transport is so adversely affected? Transpennine Express have posted a load of cancellations too.Probably more to do with the profile of the role.
It doesn't fit well with the message that public transport is safe to use.
You don't notice if a shelf stacker in ASDA is sick or if the postman doesn't turn up for a few days. But you do notice if your bus or train has been cancelled due staff sickness
RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - stagecoachbusdepot - 18 Mar 2022
(18 Mar 2022, 10:30 pm)DeltaMan Probably more to do with the profile of the role.
You don't notice if a shelf stacker in ASDA is sick or if the postman doesn't turn up for a few days. But you do notice if your bus or train has been cancelled due staff sickness
Agree, Covid cases are really taking off again though with everything else happening in the world and the government deciding Covid is over with, it’s barely mentioned in the news. Not sure what the policy is at GNE with regard to isolation for staff who test positive but assuming they are doing the right thing and supporting those staff to isolate regardless of symptoms, that may explain the high rates of absence. And it looks set to worsen as looks like we are still on the steep incline in case numbers.
RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - BusLoverMum - 19 Mar 2022
(18 Mar 2022, 10:30 pm)DeltaMan Probably more to do with the profile of the role.Probably also the fact that supermarkets have a largely part time work force to call on and, even for full timers, there is no equivalent of the driving time directive - no one is likely to die of a stray pile of courgettes in the cucumber slot, unlike if a tired driver misses a turn and drives a double Decker under a low bridge.
You don't notice if a shelf stacker in ASDA is sick or if the postman doesn't turn up for a few days. But you do notice if your bus or train has been cancelled due staff sickness
RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Adrian - 19 Mar 2022
(18 Mar 2022, 10:30 pm)DeltaMan Probably more to do with the profile of the role.
You don't notice if a shelf stacker in ASDA is sick or if the postman doesn't turn up for a few days. But you do notice if your bus or train has been cancelled due staff sickness
Maybe that is to do with resourcing too? Bus operators schedule for the exact scenario, so outside of leading drivers covering some mileage, there isn't really a fall-back plan. Supermarkets dynamically resource, so not only do they ensure that their staffing matches the peak checkout times, they have the flexibility of borrowing from other duties (such as shelf stacking) to cover what will most adversely affect customers - queuing at checkouts.
Putting resourcing aside though, I do think that both examples you gave (and in fact most other industries) have working conditions on their side. If, and we're assuming, the absence is COVID related, then I think operators need to look to do more to improve those conditions.
It's been law for a long time that employers must make sure there's an adequate supply of fresh air (ventilation) in enclosed areas of the workplace, yet until the pandemic hit, it was very rarely followed up on. Most supermarkets for example are a huge open space and have mechanical ventilation systems, whereas most bus drivers are squashed into something the size of a postage stamp with 50+ other people and rarely a window open. It creates a high risk environment for the spread of COVID and whatever else, which was evidenced ages ago: https://www.bmj.com/content/370/bmj.m3223
I'm actually surprised that operators and safety representatives haven't done more about this, such as ensuring all windows on all buses are wedged open to prevent them being shut. That in itself is a really small step, but would massively increase ventilation on packed buses and would do more to reduce transmission to those working in these conditions.
(19 Mar 2022, 1:06 pm)BusLoverMum Probably also the fact that supermarkets have a largely part time work force to call on and, even for full timers, there is no equivalent of the driving time directive - no one is likely to die of a stray pile of courgettes in the cucumber slot, unlike if a tired driver misses a turn and drives a double Decker under a low bridge.
There is - Working Time Directive. Rest time/breaks can't be opted out of, unlike the maximum working week, and is actually greater for those outside of transport than it is within... no idea why that is, but it always struck me as a bit odd! https://www.gov.uk/rest-breaks-work
RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - DeltaMan - 19 Mar 2022
(19 Mar 2022, 1:59 pm)Adrian Maybe that is to do with resourcing too? Bus operators schedule for the exact scenario, so outside of leading drivers covering some mileage, there isn't really a fall-back plan. Supermarkets dynamically resource, so not only do they ensure that their staffing matches the peak checkout times, they have the flexibility of borrowing from other duties (such as shelf stacking) to cover what will most adversely affect customers - queuing at checkouts.Thats not quite right. Operators tend to need between 10 and 20 % spare resource to cover holidays and "normal" levels of sickness.
Putting resourcing aside though, I do think that both examples you gave (and in fact most other industries) have working conditions on their side. If, and we're assuming, the absence is COVID related, then I think operators need to look to do more to improve those conditions.
It's been law for a long time that employers must make sure there's an adequate supply of fresh air (ventilation) in enclosed areas of the workplace, yet until the pandemic hit, it was very rarely followed up on. Most supermarkets for example are a huge open space and have mechanical ventilation systems, whereas most bus drivers are squashed into something the size of a postage stamp with 50+ other people and rarely a window open. It creates a high risk environment for the spread of COVID and whatever else, which was evidenced ages ago: https://www.bmj.com/content/370/bmj.m3223
I'm actually surprised that operators and safety representatives haven't done more about this, such as ensuring all windows on all buses are wedged open to prevent them being shut. That in itself is a really small step, but would massively increase ventilation on packed buses and would do more to reduce transmission to those working in these conditions.
There is - Working Time Directive. Rest time/breaks can't be opted out of, unlike the maximum working week, and is actually greater for those outside of transport than it is within... no idea why that is, but it always struck me as a bit odd! https://www.gov.uk/rest-breaks-work
Rotas therefore have either spare lines on main rotas or a dedicated spare rota. These usually deal with planned absence such as holidays or long term sick. Operators will also only allow a certain number of drivers holiday on the same day for this very reason. Most operators then have a smaller team of "on the day" spare drivers to cover on the day sickness or a breakdown. Leading drivers and such like tend to only get involved when something exceptional occurs.
So, normally there are quite a few layers before the $hit hits the fan.
Regards the buses themselves. Personally, I think mess rooms and garage facilites are a bigger risk.
RE: Disruptions and driver shortages - Adrian - 19 Mar 2022
Just spotted this on twitter
Your next options are a four-hour wait until 21.20 as far as Maften or a six-hour wait 23.20 beyond there. No alternative options provided, so that is some wait for those who aren't travelling direct to Hexham.