(24 Nov 2015, 4:55 pm)DaveyBowyer wrote That's different. The management were wrong on this instance. Deliberate late running isn't such a problem on longer and less frequent routes and late running is more down to the traffic conditions. It's more of a problem on the more frequent routes. 35 mins late on the X20 is very noticable. But running 15 minutes late on the X21/X22/X10/X11/308 and any others isn't very noticable. These can be easily be regulated owing to their frequency. And to be fair, Ashington depot isn't such a problem and I've only experienced one late runner from there for such reason. It's another certain depot beginning with a B where I've noticed a small minority of drivers not making an effort.
I can't see how you think deliberate late running is not as big as problem on a frequent route rather than just limited frequency services, I'd sharp notice late running on the 7 which has a 15 minute frequency. I know it's obviously worse on the likes of the X20 but still.
(24 Nov 2015, 4:59 pm)mb134 wrote I could point out some drivers from that depot who are late (at least 5 minutes) pretty much every time I get on their bus. There are common themes, driving at 15-20 in a 30, taking forever to pull away from stops (as in not even attempting to pull away for quite a while after the passenger boards), being VERY hesitant, taking forever with the ticket machine etc.
So, it seems while they punish drivers who aren't intentionally running late, they let others get away with it.
Do drivers at other Arriva depots tend to wait for passengers to sit down before pulling away from a stop like most of Darlington depot's drivers tend to do? Although it was typical the one driver I've had recently that didn't do this was the one I had on the 5 to Darlington yesterday where I had to climb over someone's dog which was sat in the middle of the bloody aisle.
