(06 Dec 2021, 4:09 pm)streetdeckfan wrote The pick/up drop off point at Bowburn is absolutely packed at shift change, to the point where it can take a good 15-20 minutes to actually get to it. I wonder how many of those people would use the bus if they could?The other week I was searching for some info about a bus to Amazon's Darlington site from Middlesbrough after seeing a pic on Facebook and whilst searching I stumbled upon a Facebook group dedicated to car sharing to reach some of the sites in the North East, various people asking if anyone else would be able to pick them up who are also working at Amazon sites like Bowburn who don't have alternative travel options, many offering money towards fuel for the lift some offering as much as £20 which is more than some of the local weekly ticket options avaliable on buses in the areas of the sites. Most of the shift times were pretty similar too so could even just divert a few trips a day and extra journeys for the night shifts.
They've also just extended the car park, presumably because people have no choice but to drive!
When my brother started there last year, there was a bus service provided by Amazon. It was tight, but he could make it there on time. Now it's impossible for him.
My mother actually bought a second, smaller car just to take him to work because the other car is a big heavy 4x4 and it was costing a fortune.
It would require extra resources for Arriva to divert the 56/57/57A and X12 although the latter wouldn't need extra buses due to long layover in Middlesbrough Bus Station following the diversion of the route into Teesside Park a while back.
Other Amazon sites have special buses like the one that ran from Durham by Weardale last year which can be booked on the Zeelo app