(Yesterday, 9:54 am)Brampton Trev wrote So for Slatyford based drivers, before the electric buses, did any driver drive any bus, whether single deck or double deck, and any route or not specific routes?So to answer your questions from a driver at Slatyford for the past 4 years.
For the 685 which is a longer route and thus takes a longer time route learning, do all drivers drive the 685, or just volunteers, or a small pool, or do some request not outside Newcastle?
As the 685 is a 5 hour roundtrip,do drivers what routes do drivers work on to make up a full shift?
Everyone drove everything however deckers can’t go on routes such as 6/7 and 32/32A. But every route has their own rota so you tend to drive the same buses all the time. 32/32A for example has the smaller E200’s 364** and 373**’s as they need them for the tight estates.
685 is made up of 5 duties with a rota of 9 lines. Only certain drivers do them (drivers on the rota and some spare drivers to cover people on holiday etc).
Most duties for the 685 you’ll find will pick up at Denton burn go to Carlisle back to Denton burn and get off for break or end of shift. One or two of them go to Eldon square and then get off after that. There are 2 late shifts that start at either 16:30 or 17:30 go to Carlisle get their break up there (40 minutes) even if they’re late they still have to have that break then go back to Newcastle and finished.