Disruptions and driver shortages

North East Buses Local Bus Scene Operations, Management & Infrastructure Disruptions and driver shortages

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mb134

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02 Sep 2022, 10:28 pm #983

(02 Sep 2022, 10:10 pm)Andreos1 This isn't a new issue. This isn't an issue unique to current or recent management or the pandemic.

This is an issue which has gone on for far too long. It sees people making the wrong decisions (see above) rewarded. Whilst those at the receiving end (generally the drivers at the bottom of the heirachy) shafted.

It stinks and it's resulted in the situation we see now. A situation which has built up over years and a situation that conveniently has a finger pointed in the direction of Covid.

So how are current management meant to sort it then?

Majority of my post was relating to the current situation, with current management.

There's realistically always going to be overtime of some description, holidays need covered, as does sickness. Generally that's more than fine, because you'll always have 'x' amount of drivers who are more than happy to do it. But those drivers also have a limit, so when the overtime is constant they'll eventually say no - which is a part of the reason for the current situation.

I'm not disagreeing that drivers should be paid more, and should have been paid more for years, but again it's only part of the solution. Lots of people have chosen the end of the pandemic to explore new careers, or to spend more time with family for example. I'd suggest it would be hard for any management to forsee the Covid pandemic and the subsequent landscape. It's not just the bus industry either, I know some people working in recruitment and from what I gather people are looking for new jobs across the board - lots with no issues where they currently are, but just want a new challenge. It's hard for management to stop that too, especially within a bus company where there is only so much progression.

I'm not denying that decisions made by management at some point in the past could have had an impact on this situation now, but I think it's unfair to suggest that the current driver shortage is mainly down to management when the working landscape has changed so drastically over the past couple of years.

(02 Sep 2022, 10:26 pm)James101 I’m not sure I follow entirely. If a driver has happily worked a 6-day week since 2015, I don’t really see how continuing at the same rate would suddenly now fatigue them. Though I do see how that if abuse from customers is on the rise, it would put drivers off picking up extras. It may be the case that any pride in wearing the uniform, providing a service, has been eroded.

As long as the removal/‘drying up’ of overtime isn’t been used as a Shapps style threat, then I agree that relying on overtime isn’t a sustainable way to staff a rota. It may be a little disingenuous for job adverts to promote overtime as a route to a £35k salary if the genuine intention is to recruit to a point where that overtime will no longer be available.

The thing is, they probably won't have done a 6-day week since 2015. They'll likely have done a 6-day week every now and again to help out, picking up some overtime, but they're now being asked to do it constantly which no longer suits them - and those occasional 6-day weeks turn into constant 5-day.

All bus companies will rely on overtime to some extent, it is massively inefficient not to do so. You'll always have holidays and sickness to cover, so overtime will always be there, the difference is that usually it's a small amount and is competitive, for want of a better word.

Edited 02 Sep 2022, 10:32 pm by mb134.

mb134

02 Sep 2022, 10:28 pm #983

(02 Sep 2022, 10:10 pm)Andreos1 This isn't a new issue. This isn't an issue unique to current or recent management or the pandemic.

This is an issue which has gone on for far too long. It sees people making the wrong decisions (see above) rewarded. Whilst those at the receiving end (generally the drivers at the bottom of the heirachy) shafted.

It stinks and it's resulted in the situation we see now. A situation which has built up over years and a situation that conveniently has a finger pointed in the direction of Covid.

(02 Sep 2022, 10:26 pm)James101 I’m not sure I follow entirely. If a driver has happily worked a 6-day week since 2015, I don’t really see how continuing at the same rate would suddenly now fatigue them. Though I do see how that if abuse from customers is on the rise, it would put drivers off picking up extras. It may be the case that any pride in wearing the uniform, providing a service, has been eroded.

As long as the removal/‘drying up’ of overtime isn’t been used as a Shapps style threat, then I agree that relying on overtime isn’t a sustainable way to staff a rota. It may be a little disingenuous for job adverts to promote overtime as a route to a £35k salary if the genuine intention is to recruit to a point where that overtime will no longer be available.