Should be free travel for everyone except for the people moaning and complaining here who have to pay £4

I’m sure if Go North East posted a million quid through every letterbox in the north east some here would find fault

So if Go North East posted a cheque for a million quid through your letterbox, and you went to the bank to pay the cheque into your account only to find that the cheque had been cancelled, you wouldn't be annoyed?

Irrespective of the intended goodwill, or the realisation that was the gesture was largely unworkable, Go North East communicated an offer which was later rescinded without any real explanation given on their website. In my view, people have a right to be upset about that.

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Should be free travel for everyone except for the people moaning and complaining here who have to pay £4

I’m sure if Go North East posted a million quid through every letterbox in the north east some here would find fault

The whole point of a forum is for discussion and debate. Just because someone has a difference of opinion, doesn't mean they're moaning!

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Does anyone see a difference in drivers' attitudes?

My mam complained to me that a driver was rather arsey with her this morning as she thought she could get on and sit down. Called her back up to the cab and told her she needed at ticket, she said ok give me the ticket, then the driver demanded to ask where she was going. Mind this bearing in mind that she had waited over 30 minutes for a bus, even 3x 22s that were scheduled to turn up never showed up. Neither operator showing bus travel in a positive light, even if one was offering free travel.

Dread to think of the chaos around 10pm when the arena, city hall and St James' Park kick out at the end of their respective events.

Does anyone see a difference in drivers' attitudes?

Drivers attitude more important than a bus actually turning up....after 5 weeks of no service?

Does anyone see a difference in drivers' attitudes?

Out of the manu drivers I seen today. I've seen very very little of happy drivers

Out of the manu drivers I seen today. I've seen very very little of happy drivers

Well they are playing in Newcastle tonight, so I guess Man U drivers would be operating locally.

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My mam complained to me that a driver was rather arsey with her this morning as she thought she could get on and sit down. Called her back up to the cab and told her she needed at ticket, she said ok give me the ticket, then the driver demanded to ask where she was going. Mind this bearing in mind that she had waited over 30 minutes for a bus, even 3x 22s that were scheduled to turn up never showed up. Neither operator showing bus travel in a positive light, even if one was offering free travel.

Dread to think of the chaos around 10pm when the arena, city hall and St James' Park kick out at the end of their respective events.

I did a full return on the X10 today and both drivers just waved everyone straight on with no tickets issued (or destination asked for on  way back)

Drivers attitude more important than a bus actually turning up....after 5 weeks of no service?

I could argue that customer service is as important as a punctual bus service

The 21 driver last night has dozens of tickets printing before he even pulled into the stand!

No journey cancellation list any more?

No journey cancellation list any more?

Give it a few days. There's no way in hell journeys ain't getting cancelled. Find that hard to believe. Before the strikes there were cancelled services left right amd centre then all of a sudden the services are complete fine. I'm sure a certain wise man will come in here and bless is with his long paragraph on how the depot are now full staffed (like we haven't heard that sentence before)

Give it a few days. There's no way in hell journeys ain't getting cancelled. Find that hard to believe. Before the strikes there were cancelled services left right amd centre then all of a sudden the services are complete fine. I'm sure a certain wise man will come in here and bless is with his long paragraph on how the depot are now full staffed (like we haven't heard that sentence before)

Casper, Melchoir or Balthasar?

Casper, Melchoir or Balthasar?

Or Heyman?

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I used to use it when I needed to get down to Birtley as the Blyth and Tyne tickets were valid so it was free to use it and would happily let a 21 or 2 go by to use it - it was quicker aswell and you'd always pass the 21 that I'd let go since it stops everywhere.

Arriva should definitely consider reintroducing the half hourly frequency for the Durham to Newcastle section of the X12.  I think they could provide some good competition for GNE if they did that

Casper, Melchoir or Balthasar?

Aren't they Santa's reindeer?

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Give it a few days. There's no way in hell journeys ain't getting cancelled. Find that hard to believe. Before the strikes there were cancelled services left right amd centre then all of a sudden the services are complete fine. I'm sure a certain wise man will come in here and bless is with his long paragraph on how the depot are now full staffed (like we haven't heard that sentence before)

Seeing as a big chunk of the fleet are (or were last week) parked up at Volvo in Crowther, they're going to struggle - drivers or not.

I could argue that customer service is as important as a punctual bus service

On this note, are GNE now offering customer service on a weekends and longer hours? They seem to be replying to complaints/comments today and yesterday.

On this note, are GNE now offering customer service on a weekends and longer hours? They seem to be replying to complaints/comments today and yesterday.

It's all about productivity, you see.

Their counterparts at Stagecoach are more productive (with shorter/unpaid breaks), so it's a drive to increase productivity by making customer service work weekends/evenings.

Or at least that's what supermarket worker at Aldi told me as they were stocking shelves whilst being on the till at the same time.

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It's all about productivity, you see.

Their counterparts at Stagecoach are more productive (with shorter/unpaid breaks), so it's a drive to increase productivity by making customer service work weekends/evenings.

Or at least that's what supermarket worker at Aldi told me as they were stocking shelves whilst being on the till at the same time.

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I'd heard the drivers are actually the ones on customer service duties to improve their productivity relative to the Stagecoach drivers. At all traffic lights they're expected to load up their assigned social media platform (single deck drivers are Facebook, double deck on Twitter) and respond to at least 5 queries per stop.

I'd heard the drivers are actually the ones on customer service duties to improve their productivity relative to the Stagecoach drivers. At all traffic lights they're expected to load up their assigned social media platform (single deck drivers are Facebook, double deck on Twitter) and respond to at least 5 queries per stop.

Think the Traffic Commissioner would have raised eyebrows if that was happening haha!

Love the sarcasm though if intended!

Think the Traffic Commissioner would have raised eyebrows if that was happening haha!

Love the sarcasm though if intended!

I don't know where you get the temerity to suggest anyone on this forum is being sarcastic.

Next you'll be saying that I'm extracting the urine out of you by suggesting that a zeppelin service is more viable than a bus between Newbiggin and Newcastle.

I'd heard the drivers are actually the ones on customer service duties to improve their productivity relative to the Stagecoach drivers. At all traffic lights they're expected to load up their assigned social media platform (single deck drivers are Facebook, double deck on Twitter) and respond to at least 5 queries per stop.

Jokes on them though. We do 3 crosswords per stop using only our feet.

I got told that at least 28 drivers have been suspended over comments on social media, and 19 have quit already

I got told that at least 28 drivers have been suspended over comments on social media, and 19 have quit already

Like what.

That Ben's a bell**d, sometimes the truth just hurts that nigel is a C U Next Tuesday

Like what.

That Ben's a bell**d, sometimes the truth just hurts that nigel is a C U Next Tuesday

I don't think 'Ben' exists now that the strike is over. His name seems to be have omitted from various news stories over the past few days; replaced by someone called 'Nigel', who has seemingly resolved the strike, and gifted free travel to passengers all week. If the rumours are true, 'Nigel' is heading out to the middle-east next week to broker some sort of deal between Israel and Hamas, both of whom have requested his services due to his success in his role here. What a guy 'Nigel' is, shame 'Ben' couldn't be more like him.

Like what.

That Ben's a bell**d, sometimes the truth just hurts that nigel is a C U Next Tuesday

Publicly slating your employer on social media is usually seen as bringing the company into disrepute and disciplinary action usually follows.

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Publicly slating your employer on social media is usually seen as bringing the company into disrepute and disciplinary action usually follows.

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If we're talking bringing the company into disrepute, then I wonder when they'll be hitting Ben with the book, for his staff comms during the dispute.

Policies apply to everyone, after all.

If we're talking bringing the company into disrepute, then I wonder when they'll be hitting  Ben with the book, for his staff comms during the dispute.

Policies apply to everyone, after all.

He's avoided it by being super productive, some reports are that he's actually more productive than Stagecoach drivers if you would believe it? 

As an aside, I've heard that the following bloke would actually be fired at GNE as 98% just isn't productive enough: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfiw3lwrkp0.

If we're talking bringing the company into disrepute, then I wonder when they'll be hitting Ben with the book, for his staff comms during the dispute.

Policies apply to everyone, after all.

Absolutely it should be across the board.

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If we're talking bringing the company into disrepute, then I wonder when they'll be hitting  Ben with the book, for his staff comms during the dispute.

Policies apply to everyone, after all.

As unwise as some of the staff comms were, I can't recall seeing defamatory comments in what has been made public or anything derogatory being shared from his or Feathams social media accounts.....

If we're talking bringing the company into disrepute, then I wonder when they'll be hitting  Ben with the book, for his staff comms during the dispute.

Policies apply to everyone, after all.

As much as I hate the comms from GNE, the behaviour of some drivers on that GNE Facebook strike debate group has been incredibly ill advised. I get the emotional context and getting riled up by the average thicko who uses Facebook 

Would have hoped the Union might have given some advice out