(09 Sep 2026, 4:40 pm)S830OFT wrote I don't know why this company can be allowed to operate contracted services with the attitude of one of their drivers.

I boarded the 960 this evening at Washington Galleries, the bus pulled up between the two stands with 'L&G Coaches' displayed on the destination. I ran over to board, boarded without any question.

The bus gets to Jarrow & the driver opens the cab door and shouts up "where are you going" I replied with "Marsden" she said it doesn't go there, I said it has every other year & I have boarded on a morning. She said "It's different on a morning, this is a private bus paid for by HMRC"

I replied back "If it's a private bus, then everybody would need permits to travel on it" she replied with "can you please vacate the bus as these people would like to go home", I replied with "where's this bus going", she said " the end of York Road."

She then demands that I get off the bus, I tried to explain that what she was doing is illegal as she is not following the advertised route, she said again it's not going to Marsden.

I said that she was discrimating against someone with a hidden disability, she burst out laughing saying "oh I'd love to know that one".

I decided it would be easier to just leave than make the situation worse, as this employee must have a very low life if throwing people off the bus on a route where it's the only bus, simply because she can't be bothered to complete the route it because it means she will finish work late.

All timetables online & at bus stops show the 960 as operating to South Shields in both directions.

She also did not register the 960 trip & continued the live tracking from the 803 service, before logging out of the machine at Hebburn. Based on previous tracking data, this appears to be a daily occurring thing.

Yes, we all know every year it rarely reaches South Shields on an evening with every company that has had it, but to throw someone off at Jarrow & not operate to Marsden, and be so unpleasant is just unjustified.