A strong performance from an Elite driver tonight on the 2146 21 ex Newcastle, who left Eldon Square 16 late and inexplicably managed to lose an additional 20 between there and Chester. I could count on two hands the number of passengers that remained from Harlow Green. Also managed to overshoot my stop and dropped me about twenty yards up the road. Bravo.

(06 Dec 2024, 11:06 pm)R852 PRG wrote A strong performance from an Elite driver tonight on the 2146 21 ex Newcastle, who left Eldon Square 16 late and inexplicably managed to lose an additional 20 between there and Chester. I could count on two hands the number of passengers that remained from Harlow Green. Also managed to overshoot my stop and dropped me about twenty yards up the road. Bravo.

At least you were provided with a nice, comfortable, Angel StreetDeck for the trip. Certainly no way they'd have a gloomy, ghetto spec ex-London E400 on that board, right? Right?

(06 Dec 2024, 11:06 pm)R852 PRG wrote A strong performance from an Elite driver tonight on the 2146 21 ex Newcastle, who left Eldon Square 16 late and inexplicably managed to lose an additional 20 between there and Chester. I could count on two hands the number of passengers that remained from Harlow Green. Also managed to overshoot my stop and dropped me about twenty yards up the road. Bravo.

I had a driver like that on the 56 before left ontime, arrived into Gateshead 18 mins late, there was no traffic whatsever. 

Theres a couple of drivers I know when I see I've got them I think oh im going to be late

What about passenger loads or vehicle faults? Or because the driver is getting used to routes and are being thrown straight into higher profile routes whilst getting used to different vehicles, tickets and company operating procedures?

Anyone remember Unit 1 and Unit 2 routes pre 2014? Unit 1 = more experienced drivers and Unit 2 = newer drivers?

Percy Main example from before 2014:

Unit 1: 19, 309, 310, X39
Unit 2: 1, 9, 17, 40/41, 80 and whatever else Percy Main had at the time although I presume the more experienced Unit 2 drivers did the 1?

Would it not be better having more experienced Riverside drivers doing the 21, X10 & X21 on a dedicated rota?

(06 Dec 2024, 11:06 pm)R852 PRG wrote A strong performance from an Elite driver tonight on the 2146 21 ex Newcastle, who left Eldon Square 16 late and inexplicably managed to lose an additional 20 between there and Chester. I could count on two hands the number of passengers that remained from Harlow Green. Also managed to overshoot my stop and dropped me about twenty yards up the road. Bravo.

trying their best

Tbf to the 21 drivers the allocated and can I say…ghetto spec ex London stock (bravo PH-BQA) struggle to hit above 30 on the challenging terrains of erm…low fell and Birtley.

The amount of them that can’t operate a ticket machine is baffling too.

(07 Dec 2024, 9:40 pm)Unber43 wrote I had a driver like that on the 56 before left ontime, arrived into Gateshead 18 mins late, there was no traffic whatsever. 

Theres a couple of drivers I know when I see I've got them I think oh im going to be late

I remember getting a 21 a while back from Birtley towards Newcastle (after a 25 failed to materialise) and the driver dragged his heels in a clear attempt to get the service turned at Gateshead, driving very slow to try and get another 21 to take much of the slack. Being made to change onto that other 21 at Gateshead which ended up rammed was it for me.

21 experiences since have been little to no better, not helped when changeovers seemingly aren't factored into the timetable, resulting in late departures from Gateshead, whixh results in extra passengers on one bus which usually ends up with the next bus getting ahead.

on achange over on the 28b at kibbles wiorth 2 drivers were saying how one of them had an easy shift as all he did was follow at 21 from town to kibblesworth. never overtook it just sat behind it the whole way, even stopping at stops the 21 stopped at even if no one was alighting or boarding.

It would presumably be a lot harder to discipline for 'toading' on a more frequent service though.

Let's say a driver on the X45 left Consett and intentionally got to Rowlands Gill 15 minute late meaning that the following 47 would have to pick up the slack and allow the X45 to get regulated, then it's clear and obvious (if pattern is repeated on numerous occasions by same driver) that the driver is deliberately toading to get regulated.

But on a more frequent service, it's a lot harder as the margins are far tighter.

If it's an ongoing case though.....maybe GNE would be better doing reliefs on the 21 at Eldon Square with drivers ferried in from Riverside on the MetroCentre routes? Therefore, it would be in their best interests to keep to time where safe to do so.

(08 Dec 2024, 5:09 pm)L469 YVK wrote It would presumably be a lot harder to discipline for 'toading' on a more frequent service though.

Let's say a driver on the X45 left Consett and intentionally got to Rowlands Gill 15 minute late meaning that the following 47 would have to pick up the slack and allow the X45 to get regulated, then it's clear and obvious (if pattern is repeated on numerous occasions by same driver) that the driver is deliberately toading to get regulated.

But on a more frequent service, it's a lot harder as the margins are far tighter.

If it's an ongoing case though.....maybe GNE would be better doing reliefs on the 21 at Eldon Square with drivers ferried in from Riverside on the MetroCentre routes? Therefore, it would be in their best interests to keep to time where safe to do so.

And would cost a fortune to pay drivers to be a passenger the amount of 21 changeovers there is, then if a service is running late past Riverside you then have the 21(s) standing with no driver(s) in Newcastle.

The only drivers from Go North East who are worthy of Elite Driver Academy are those from Percy Main. Witnessed a driver helping someone across the road and off the bus on the 317.

And in general, the. 1/317 are very pleasant. Compared to the miserable nasty drivers on the 22 and 40.

(08 Dec 2024, 8:54 pm)Thomas12 wrote The only drivers from Go North East who are worthy of Elite Driver Academy are those from Percy Main. Witnessed a driver helping someone across the road and off the bus on the 317.

And in general, the. 1/317 are very pleasant. Compared to the miserable nasty drivers on the 22 and 40.

Percy Main still has a lot of the old guard who were driving around in Atlanteans, Olympians and Pathfinders back in the Coastline days. By a whole, they're a pretty good bunch!

(07 Dec 2024, 10:06 pm)L469 YVK wrote What about passenger loads or vehicle faults? Or because the driver is getting used to routes and are being thrown straight into higher profile routes whilst getting used to different vehicles, tickets and company operating procedures?

Anyone remember Unit 1 and Unit 2 routes pre 2014? Unit 1 = more experienced drivers and Unit 2 = newer drivers?

Percy Main example from before 2014:

Unit 1: 19, 309, 310, X39
Unit 2: 1, 9, 17, 40/41, 80 and whatever else Percy Main had at the time although I presume the more experienced Unit 2 drivers did the 1?

Would it not be better having more experienced Riverside drivers doing the 21, X10 & X21 on a dedicated rota?

The distribution of drivers across the units wasn't as one-size-fits-all as presented here. Looking back to Chester pre-2014, I reckon a good twenty lines at least - possibly nearer thirty - on unit two were occupied by drivers who had been there prior to 2000, so I dare say many of these were on unit two by choice. Overwhelming majority of those drivers I can recall have since either retired or took severance when Chester closed, but at least two are still going at Consett and one at Washington.

Many of the unit one 4-day rota drivers from pre-2014 are also still there, mostly at Washington. Three drivers at Washington also have Bishop Auckland heritage. 

But yes, generally speaking, new drivers would start on unit two and progress onto unit one with time. Although, if a driver joined and was an existing licence holder, it wasn't uncommon for them to go onto unit one at the outset.

There were various changes to the rotas over the years as well. I remember the 50 was on unit one for several years before becoming a unit two duty, possibly swapped with the 25/X25.

(08 Dec 2024, 9:19 pm)L469 YVK wrote Percy Main still has a lot of the old guard who were driving around in Atlanteans, Olympians and Pathfinders back in the Coastline days. By a whole, they're a pretty good bunch!

Percy Main has thinned out a lot over the last few years. Probably no more than twenty, possibly as few as fifteen, still working there continuously since pre-2000.