North East Buses

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Under timetables & maps on Go North East website. You can now view the days and map the santa bus will take

Small thing I've noticed with the North Tyneside one is that it is split into two parts of the route during the day
Full info can be found here:

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/santa-bus
(03 Dec 2021, 9:28 am)Train8261 wrote [ -> ]Under timetables & maps on Go North East website. You can now view the days and map the santa bus will take

Small thing I've noticed with the North Tyneside one is that it is split into two parts of the route during the day
Benwell westbound in prime time if the sun wishes to pop out
Both Durham trips avoiding pity me and fram.
When operators are fully staffed, then its a nice thing to do. But I can't help but feel some current rank and file drivers will be rather annoyed seeing this go ahead when they are probably being asked every day to do overtime to cover bread and butter service work. It's quite easily the sort of thing you could see a Northen Echo headline about.
Isn't it normally office staff that drives the Santa bus, sure that was the case last year.
(05 Dec 2021, 12:59 pm)DeltaMan wrote [ -> ]When operators are fully staffed, then its a nice thing to do. But I can't help but feel some current rank and file drivers will be rather annoyed seeing this go ahead when they are probably being asked every day to do overtime to cover bread and butter service work.  It's quite easily the sort of thing you could see a Northen Echo headline about.

To be fair, it's been ran out of Deptford, who aren't struggling for drivers.
(05 Dec 2021, 12:59 pm)DeltaMan wrote [ -> ]When operators are fully staffed, then its a nice thing to do. But I can't help but feel some current rank and file drivers will be rather annoyed seeing this go ahead when they are probably being asked every day to do overtime to cover bread and butter service work.  It's quite easily the sort of thing you could see a Northen Echo headline about.

I'd say its a good example of community engagement and welcome it, but I can see the other side of the argument and recognise that if someone is stood waiting for their bus that's been cancelled, they aren't going to be best pleased seeing a PR bus go floating past.

On overtime: isn't it optional? I'm not sure why drivers would get annoyed over it, if they can refuse to do it if they don't fancy it.
SB18 - this specific route looks like the yellow line on the metro or at least closley resembles it. Albeit in the wrong location.
How are these Santa bus routes decided upon? Benwell isn't traditionally GNE but gets a Santa bus, yet Kingston Park has the 42A, but no Santa bus and there is the 74 in Cowgate, Slatyford and Westerhope, but no Santa bus.