(12 Sep 2023, 4:35 am)Dan wrote This is quite common practice in the industry. You will find that Arriva drivers aren’t paid to travel on the staff shuttle between Belmont and Durham City Centre too.
As I mentioned above, Go North East’s terms and conditions are more favourable to drivers - presently at all depots barring Riverside and Hexham, this travel time is paid (ie between Park Lane and Deptford, or Hownsgill and Consett Bus Station).
Both of these examples are very different to the Stagecoach example in that Go Ahead pay their drivers for their travel time, so they are technically working and could be asked to drive a company vehicle.
Arriva offer transport between the depot and Durham City Centre for example, but the driver isn't working (i.e operating any company vehicle) in order to use it. A dedicated driver operates the shuttle and it is there as an option.
The driver of course doesn't need to use the shuttle and they could go straight into the City Centre to sign on (and some will), but by the sound of the Stagecoach example, staff need to take a vehicle in order it l to relieve (and therefore provide a vehicle for that driver to return), which sounds really iffy and should absolutely be paid.