(04 Oct 2024, 9:24 pm)Storx wrote Not defending them at all, but is there only CLS runs now. I thought they all interworked now so every bus will eventually do a long run.

Looking at bus times you may be right actually. 

Though with some common sense a single deck run to Durham could avoid peak time or schools. 

Then you have standing room only on a X39 (first run a permanent single decker for operational convenience) and I’ve got Cobalt Sustainable travel asking why our bus numbers are so low.

One thing I would note is that driving standards have fallen off a cliff. I love the older drivers (said this before) chasing yellows, pedal to the metal, get on and go 

versus the Elite lot…scraping the bus by the bus gate at the old swallow hotel, slowing for yellows, forever aiming the pavement for perfect alignment 

Id like to fire back a little too…those drivers on here, are you happy? I guess us being miserable as passengers is a thing but…how is life behind the wheel?

(06 Oct 2024, 9:21 pm)Ambassador wrote Looking at bus times you may be right actually. 

Though with some common sense a single deck run to Durham could avoid peak time or schools. 

Then you have standing room only on a X39 (first run a permanent single decker for operational convenience) and I’ve got Cobalt Sustainable travel asking why our bus numbers are so low.

One thing I would note is that driving standards have fallen off a cliff. I love the older drivers (said this before) chasing yellows, pedal to the metal, get on and go 

versus the Elite lot…scraping the bus by the bus gate at the old swallow hotel, slowing for yellows, forever aiming the pavement for perfect alignment 

Id like to fire back a little too…those drivers on here, are you happy? I guess us being miserable as passengers is a thing but…how is life behind the wheel?

I see they decided to put a Versa on this morning which has even less capacity than a Streetlite...

(06 Oct 2024, 9:21 pm)Ambassador wrote Looking at bus times you may be right actually. 

Though with some common sense a single deck run to Durham could avoid peak time or schools. 

Then you have standing room only on a X39 (first run a permanent single decker for operational convenience) and I’ve got Cobalt Sustainable travel asking why our bus numbers are so low.

One thing I would note is that driving standards have fallen off a cliff. I love the older drivers (said this before) chasing yellows, pedal to the metal, get on and go 

versus the Elite lot…scraping the bus by the bus gate at the old swallow hotel, slowing for yellows, forever aiming the pavement for perfect alignment 

Id like to fire back a little too…those drivers on here, are you happy? I guess us being miserable as passengers is a thing but…how is life behind the wheel?

You have just highlighted the 2 different driver groups:

The more experienced who drive to try and keep to timetable and those who drive how the training school teaches them and how the company likes to think everyone drives (but impossible to keep to time). 

It is near impossible to stick to a timetable and drive how the company wants you to drive (especially Sundays where running time is reduced). 

Timetables may look great on paper and be fantastic for interworking patterns (and convince of saving a few quid and buses) but are they realistic and what impact does this have on driving and the overall customer experience?

(07 Oct 2024, 2:56 pm)morritt89 wrote You have just highlighted the 2 different driver groups:

The more experienced who drive to try and keep to timetable and those who drive how the training school teaches them and how the company likes to think everyone drives (but impossible to keep to time). 

It is near impossible to stick to a timetable and drive how the company wants you to drive (especially Sundays where running time is reduced). 

Timetables may look great on paper and be fantastic for interworking patterns (and convince of saving a few quid and buses) but are they realistic and what impact does this have on driving and the overall customer experience?

And the only way for them to see sense and give extra time is through malicious compliance. 

At work I'm paid to do a certain job in half an hour, we recently got a new manager in who says I should be able to do it in half an hour so I'm being given more work to do on top. Sure, I could do the job in half an hour, but company policy allocates me half an hour to do the job, so I do it in half an hour. If I don't have time to do the extra stuff they want me to do, then that's a them problem.

Why would you risk passengers safety to try and keep to timetable if it's impossible? 
It's absolutely not in your best interest to do so, when you inevitably end up in an accident, saying "but I was just trying to keep to the timetable" won't be an acceptable excuse, and you will be absolutely thrown under the bus (alongside the old lady you hit) by the company.

Quite interesting the comments on driver standards.

When 6101 was almost brand new, I remember a woman driver in her late 20's / early 30's who had short hair......you'd think she was driving a Leyland / Volvo Olympian! Foot to the floor and she was going mental constantly shutting up messages on the Tacho haha!

Quite interesting that even with High Farm, the 309 has the same if not more running time than it did back in 2019 when it went standalone back then. But still manages to run late. But I wouldn't put that necessarily down to the driving, but more the s**t show of NTC and their pie in the sky road schemes!

I wouldn't say any of the "elite" drivers are intentional 'toads' though. If the road & traffic conditions aren't permitting safe timekeeping, then the local authorities and operators need to work together for solutions.

If wanting a real example of a toad......go back 10 years on any of Jesmond's work and always was the same driver with glasses & toon hat getting chased by a following 43/44/45 or 306/308! Them poor Volvo B10BLE's must have been crying for a bit more oomph!

---

Getting flashbacks already of the days when NMS/ANor & GoCLine used to chase 57 minute running times on the 308 on Sundays, with the beasty Leyland Olympians (C*** LJR / B*** GCN), Volvo Olympians (S*** OFT, M*** FTY, M*** HPF), Scania N113's (N*** OTY) and DB250's (Y*** EBR).

(06 Oct 2024, 9:21 pm)Ambassador wrote Looking at bus times you may be right actually. 

Though with some common sense a single deck run to Durham could avoid peak time or schools. 

Then you have standing room only on a X39 (first run a permanent single decker for operational convenience) and I’ve got Cobalt Sustainable travel asking why our bus numbers are so low.

One thing I would note is that driving standards have fallen off a cliff. I love the older drivers (said this before) chasing yellows, pedal to the metal, get on and go 

versus the Elite lot…scraping the bus by the bus gate at the old swallow hotel, slowing for yellows, forever aiming the pavement for perfect alignment 

Id like to fire back a little too…those drivers on here, are you happy? I guess us being miserable as passengers is a thing but…how is life behind the wheel?

Yeah, credit where credit's due, it seems they've added more time to them as they've got 11 minutes waiting time at CLS by the looks of things, which should help them out a bit. Sure it used to be around 6 minutes so guessing they've added an extra bus to the PVR (happy to be corrected here).

Mind must say living in Arriva land, it feels like the complete opposite and is like wacky races lately with them the foot to the ground everywhere. Guess there's different standards between the two. Mind that said if I had to suffer a Solo all day, I'd probably do the same (new drivers are pretty much always on the 57/57A up here).

Some interesting comments. Personally, I'd reluctantly call the matter a real strike - with no cars firebombed and no police presence on the pickets. Just a sad game of egotism which played with the economic wellbeing of some of the most socioeconomically challenged in our region.