(03 Sep 2022, 6:16 pm)Unber43 wrote You said it not us! All Customer Service team, they're great!

(03 Sep 2022, 6:22 pm)Dan wrote No, no - customer services are shite too.

Supervisors in the control room, duty detailers allocating shifts, leading drivers, as well as a whole host of other staff sitting behind the scenes - useless. Sack the lot of ‘em.

None of them will be working hard, working tirelessly to reduce the inconvenience to customers that the current service delivery is causing, stopping back late beyond their hours to get the job done. Nah.[emoji57]


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(03 Sep 2022, 6:37 pm)streetdeckfan wrote This new Commercial Development Manager, whoever he is, seems like a load of crap as well! Been in the job 3 days and everything's already gone to pot!

(03 Sep 2022, 6:22 pm)Dan wrote No, no - customer services are shite too.

Supervisors in the control room, duty detailers allocating shifts, leading drivers, as well as a whole host of other staff sitting behind the scenes - useless. Sack the lot of ‘em.

None of them will be working hard, working tirelessly to reduce the inconvenience to customers that the current service delivery is causing, stopping back late beyond their hours to get the job done. Nah.[emoji57]


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(03 Sep 2022, 6:41 pm)Unber43 wrote Whoever allocates vehicles need to go I can tell you that!

(03 Sep 2022, 6:11 pm)Dan wrote Aye, everyone’s shite apart from drivers and engineers.


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(03 Sep 2022, 6:51 pm)Ambassador wrote you’re part of the problem Dan, sorry you can’t see it 

you can’t defend today.

(03 Sep 2022, 6:56 pm)wibblejunior wrote I mean, at least GNE's customer service isn't just a team of, like, 4 people somewhere in London  that know literally nothing about the North East, since that's essentially what Arriva's customer service is like.

(03 Sep 2022, 6:57 pm)Dan wrote You clearly don’t realise that people are employed to do specific jobs. Just because service delivery is poor doesn’t mean to say that people in other roles are doing a bad job, or aren’t trying. You’re criticising people who aren’t of a position to change things to combat the issues with service delivery.

I normally agree with most of your comments, but you’re just making yourself look like an even bigger cock by having a vendetta against everyone who isn’t a driver or engineer. Feel free to carry on though - sorry you can’t see it.


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(03 Sep 2022, 6:57 pm)Dan wrote You clearly don’t realise that people are employed to do specific jobs. Just because service delivery is poor doesn’t mean to say that people in other roles are doing a bad job, or aren’t trying. You’re criticising people who aren’t of a position to change things to combat the issues with service delivery.

I normally agree with most of your comments, but you’re just making yourself look like an even bigger cock by having a vendetta against everyone who isn’t a driver or engineer. Feel free to carry on though - sorry you can’t see it.


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(03 Sep 2022, 6:58 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Isn't it just a team of 2 for GNE these days?

And isn't Arriva's CS based in Sunderland? I'm sure last time I spoke to them I got someone with a funny accent

---

He's probably the type of guy that shouts at the staff in Tesco because they've ran out of Corn Flakes

(03 Sep 2022, 8:31 pm)Ambassador wrote oh dear Streetdeckfan…what a sellout, expected more.

(03 Sep 2022, 6:58 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Isn't it just a team of 2 for GNE these days?

And isn't Arriva's CS based in Sunderland? I'm sure last time I spoke to them I got someone with a funny accent

---

He's probably the type of guy that shouts at the staff in Tesco because they've ran out of Corn Flakes

(03 Sep 2022, 8:33 pm)tyresmoke wrote No, Arriva CS is based in Luton


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(02 Sep 2022, 10:38 pm)Andreos1 wrote There are many ways to improve buy in and loyalty beyond pay.
If pay is a motivating factor, then look at it and do something about it.
Ditto rotas, planning, routes, management, rewards, incentives, on-board driver monitoring, micro-management and many other things beyond fancy slogans and depot meetings that promise lots, but deliver little.
Ultimately, they need to value the people that keep the company alive.
Without them, it sinks.

I don't think there's an all singing, all dancing solution which will fix this problem overnight.
It's far too gone for that.

(03 Sep 2022, 7:36 am)Stanleyone wrote From an ex drivers point of view, I left just over 6 months ago, opting for life as an HGV driver. 10 years I spent at GNE, Crook, CLS and finally Stanley/Consett. I loved the job but the politics of it were ridiculous, the final push to get out came after being "awarded" with a 6 month personal coaching plan (PCP) for hitting the trigger points. These trigger points being off more than 1 week more than once over a year long period. Harsh I thought seeing as those periods of absence were for 1, catching covid 2, Death of a family member and finally 3 a heart condition, but hey trigger points. Add to that the daily abuse recieved from those not happy about the bus infront not running, over 18s not getting the child fare, it all added up. Stressed coming in from work every day/Night.

Since leaving the buses, stress is no more, work/life balance is so much better. Still friends with those on the buses and it's the same talk of " the jobs sh@@ ", pay needs to go up massively but years of " we can't afford x% " are now paying off and drivers like me that have left and others that are waiting to go through their class 2 or 1 and get away.

(03 Sep 2022, 2:49 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Tbh, it's no different from when they closed Crook and all the CLS drivers were constantly going the wrong way because of the lack of route learning. Although in this case I would think they'd just allocate CLS drivers to the X21 who know the route!

I'm not usually one to blindly defend GNE, but I think it may be wise to give them a few days to get things sorted
If you're expecting them to transfer an entire depot 10-15 miles overnight and there not to be issues the next day, then you're completely deluded!

(03 Sep 2022, 5:44 pm)Ambassador wrote I think we all knew today had the potential of being a disaster but today has been spectacular! We knew the switch was coming but there’s been apparent zero prep to absolute chaos

Maybe GNE need to stop playing with marketing and gimmicks and let some professionals come in and run the business because the current lot have failed beyond belief. The Durham Road corridor and kibblesworth has been abandoned today.

For all the failings of Arriva and Stagecoach, at their worst day they are a million times better than GNE and aside drivers and engineers I’d be utterly embarrassed to claim to be a employee

Excuse after excuse.,perhaps GNE can look inward and work out the problem is perhaps them

(03 Sep 2022, 8:46 pm)Adrian wrote I don't always agree with you, but I think in terms of route learning, you can only teach someone a route a limited amount of time in advance of them doing it. There's no point in doing it 3 months prior to the move, because most drivers will have forgotten it having not driven it for the 3 months that follow.

You can only lead a horse to water too. I know if I'm working on something I'm unfamiliar with, I make it my business to work out what I need to be doing. As above though, when you have the morale issues that exist in the bus industry, you're not going to get that same level of buy-in of people wanting to go over and above... after all, it's the operator's responsibility to roster a service with drivers that know the route.

(03 Sep 2022, 9:00 pm)streetdeckfan wrote I know when Crook was closed and the X21 was transferred to CLS, I did see drivers a few times sitting upstairs at the front taking notes. Not sure whether this was a thing they were doing in their own time as they were wearing their uniform, or whether it was a part of the route learning by GNE, but it seemed like a pretty good idea to me.

I often wonder, when drivers are learning the route, are they told alternative ways like if a road is closed, or if they make a wrong turn how to get back on to the route?

(03 Sep 2022, 6:58 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Isn't it just a team of 2 for GNE these days?

And isn't Arriva's CS based in Sunderland? I'm sure last time I spoke to them I got someone with a funny accent

---

He's probably the type of guy that shouts at the staff in Tesco because they've ran out of Corn Flakes 

(03 Sep 2022, 9:04 pm)Unber43 wrote Also running dead I noticed the X20 drivers some go via Durham whereas some go via washington.

Do they learn these dead runs or do they need to learn them in their private time.

(03 Sep 2022, 9:04 pm)Unber43 wrote Do they learn these dead runs or do they need to learn them in their private time.

(03 Sep 2022, 9:09 pm)streetdeckfan wrote I don't think there's a set route for dead runs is there? 
I know with the X21 some drivers would go via the A167 while others would go down the A1.

(03 Sep 2022, 9:14 pm)Unber43 wrote no, however how do drivers learn Dead runs, if there are dead runs from such places as South Sheilds & Hexham going via 27/10 would take ages

So do they just need to know where to join and turn off of the A69 and Leam lane etc

(03 Sep 2022, 9:18 pm)streetdeckfan wrote If you had to drive somewhere, how would you know which route to take?

(03 Sep 2022, 9:27 pm)mb134 wrote I need to consult with management before getting in my car to drive to the shops.

I may get lost on my trip to Tesco and then what would I do? I'd have no option but to blame management for their lack of babysitting on my journey. I certainly couldn't just check Google.

(03 Sep 2022, 9:33 pm)Unber43 wrote I just don't see how you should rely on drivers to do after work research on running buses dead to and from places. 

Especially with roads with weight/road restrictions I know the usual 10A dead run avoids a road which I assume is deemed to be usafe for buses however would Riverside Depot inform them of this..

(03 Sep 2022, 9:33 pm)Unber43 wrote I just don't see how you should rely on drivers to do after work research on running buses dead to and from places. 

Especially with roads with weight/road restrictions I know the usual 10A dead run avoids a road which I assume is deemed to be usafe for buses however would Riverside Depot inform them of this..

(03 Sep 2022, 4:33 pm)Unber43 wrote I wonder how many CLS drivers actually like the X21, X21 & 21 moving to gateshead will definitely add some life into the rota

(03 Sep 2022, 9:09 pm)streetdeckfan wrote I don't think there's a set route for dead runs is there? 
I know with the X21 some drivers would go via the A167 while others would go down the A1.

(03 Sep 2022, 9:14 pm)Unber43 wrote no, however how do drivers learn Dead runs, if there are dead runs from such places as South Sheilds & Hexham going via 27/10 would take ages

So do they just need to know where to join and turn off of the A69 and Leam lane etc

(03 Sep 2022, 9:58 pm)Rob44 wrote Anyone know the email address for the equivalent of nexus in Durham? Was just getting warmed up on the jd before I realise my last bus of the day was leaving at 720pm. I know I shouldnt moan but I'm am paying twice for this "service"

(03 Sep 2022, 10:01 pm)Storx wrote https://www.durham.gov.uk/complaints - There's no transport body in Durham.