(05 Jun 2014, 6:57 pm)aureolin wrote See them or use the bus they're driving? I quite often see familiar drivers out and about when I'm out for photos or a ride about, but when I use the same services day in day out, it's rare I'll see the same driver more than once every couple of weeks. This was the case when I used exactly the same 21 there and back every day, and 'tis also the same now that I use the X1 and 56 every day.
Thinking about the numbers that citaro5284 provided a while back by depot, and the way my mate's shifts seem to fluctuate, I'd say it's rare as a commuter that you'd *often* see the same driver. I find that commuters travel patterns rarely change, and I can almost predict who's getting on the X1 at each stop on a morning.
The only exception I can think would be drivers on EU rules? Don't X9/X10 drivers work compressed hours with almost static shifts and rest days for example? It probably explains why I recall the last time someone winning being an X10 driver. Trish someone?
I'm a bit like that with my 21 to school. It's a board that I think only has a handful of drivers - I believe it's a 4 day rota. I'm very familiar with every driver - if I get one a Monday I'm guaranteed to get them on the Wednedsay. I know most by name as well.
I too can predict who gets on the bus - normally it's just people at the stop who I see everyday; but a fair few get on and get off on the way continuously. My mate and me always bag the front seats as we're normally the first people on the bus. For the past fortnight or so though, this woman has been getting on and just looking at us walk up the stairs then just walk up and cut in front of us then take the front seats.
This morning I thought I was going to die from laughter; she got dropped off in a black car and the bus was pulling into the stop early - we were walking towards the bus - and she yelled at her driver the following - 'come on, get a f***ing move on I've gotta get there before those two kids'. She ran onboard like it's all her life was worth. I mean - how sad.....