As some of you have had a go at driving a bus today at the Go North East depot. How would you describe the experience? Would you do it again?

(22 May 2016, 2:33 pm)Multi21 wrote As some of you have had a go at driving a bus today at the Go North East depot. How would you describe the experience? Would you do it again?

Didn't drive anything as I'm too young, Though I spent the majority of my time in the cabs of various vehicles and thoroughly enjoyed it.

No one could manage to get the PB Streetlites electrics on, Though someone saved the day... I actually enjoyed the Streetlite's cab the most out of the lot, Eventhough its very basic compared to the Volvo's.

Only 4 more years till I can have any sort of drivers licence, So I've got a few more years of just playing on static vehicles!

(22 May 2016, 2:33 pm)Multi21 wrote As some of you have had a go at driving a bus today at the Go North East depot. How would you describe the experience? Would you do it again?

My dad thoroughly enjoyed driving 3972

(22 May 2016, 4:14 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote Didn't drive anything as I'm too young, Though I spent the majority of my time in the cabs of various vehicles and thoroughly enjoyed it.

No one could manage to get the PB Streetlites electrics on, Though someone saved the day...    I actually enjoyed the Streetlite's cab the most out of the lot, Eventhough its very basic compared to the Volvo's.

Only 4 more years till I can have any sort of drivers licence, So I've got a few more years of just playing on static vehicles!

Only 4.5 years until Big'un's old enough to drive. The thought terrifies me. He has very little road sense and i suspect will have to be catching the bus for many years to come.

(22 May 2016, 4:32 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Only 4.5 years until Big'un's old enough to drive. The thought terrifies me. He has very little road sense and i suspect will have to be catching the bus for many years to come.

He must be the same age as me, There's talk of my school getting me a apprenticeship at a bus company next term, ( In Year 9 ) Though it will definitely not be driving cause I'm not old enough.
Probably something in the Depot. And knowing my school it will probably be at GCT!

(22 May 2016, 4:42 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote He must be the same age as me, There's talk of my school getting me a apprenticeship at a bus company next term, ( In Year 9 ) Though it will definitely not be driving cause I'm not old enough.
Probably something in the Depot. And knowing my school it will probably be at GCT!

Interesting you mention that, it was quite nice to hear that Gateshead College did apprenticeships for the company, too. Not quite sure which areas they do them in but i'd love to spend more time in that control room like! Absolutely fantastic.

(22 May 2016, 4:45 pm)S813 FVK wrote Interesting you mention that, it was quite nice to hear that Gateshead College did apprenticeships for the company, too. Not quite sure which areas they do them in but i'd love to spend more time in that control room like! Absolutely fantastic.

We send Apprentices there from the engineering side.

So next time your bus is late, just think about them people working in the Service Delivery Centre.  It can get pretty hectic in there!

(22 May 2016, 4:45 pm)S813 FVK wrote Interesting you mention that, it was quite nice to hear that Gateshead College did apprenticeships for the company, too. Not quite sure which areas they do them in but i'd love to spend more time in that control room like! Absolutely fantastic.

Which company? Never got round to the tour round the depot, Though some of the men on the gates let me in for some photos of the maintenance bays and jacks etc.
I like a more physical job compared to computers, Though any job will be a change so I'm up for it!

(22 May 2016, 4:42 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote He must be the same age as me, There's talk of my school getting me a apprenticeship at a bus company next term, ( In Year 9 ) Though it will definitely not be driving cause I'm not old enough.
Probably something in the Depot. And knowing my school it will probably be at GCT!

He's the older end of year 7, so 12.5.

Even GCT would be good work experience. You could see how it's not done!

(22 May 2016, 4:50 pm)BusLoverMum wrote He's the older end of year 7, so 12.5.

Even GCT would be good work experience. You could see how it's not done!

Same as me, I'm just a July birthday... I can't do work experience in Y7

I drove 3973 and 3966 today.

Weren't my first buses I've driven; I've had a go on a preserved Leyland Olympian previously so have a wee bit of past experience. Really enjoyed the Volvos, very responsive and it's such a brilliant feeling knowing you have control of a huge, heavy and long vehicle! Managed to park up next to the kerb perfectly on my first run too

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(22 May 2016, 4:50 pm)BusLoverMum wrote He's the older end of year 7, so 12.5.

Even GCT would be good work experience. You could see how it's not done!

Ah right, My birthdays October so I'm 13.5.

I suppose, Though there's less variety and most things I've heard about the company is bad things.

(22 May 2016, 4:48 pm)citaro5284 wrote We send Apprentices there from the engineering side.

So next time your bus is late, just think about them people working in the Service Delivery Centre. It can get pretty hectic in there!

Wouldn't be surprised that's where I will end up if I got a Apprentership, I love anything mechanical.
Though like everyone else, The best job will of course be a driver!

(22 May 2016, 4:55 pm)northern156 wrote I drove 3973 and 3966 today.

Weren't my first buses I've driven; I've had a go on a preserved Leyland Olympian previously so have a wee bit of past experience. Really enjoyed the Volvos, very responsive and it's such a brilliant feeling knowing you have control of a huge, heavy and long vehicle! Managed to park up next to the kerb perfectly on my first run too

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Well done mate

I think you could be a good bus driver, And a jolly one too!

(22 May 2016, 4:48 pm)citaro5284 wrote We send Apprentices there from the engineering side.

So next time your bus is late, just think about them people working in the Service Delivery Centre.  It can get pretty hectic in there!

Not my cup of tea then but i'm not going to Gateshead College next year anyway - too awkward to get to and I didn't really like it when I visited it for an open night


My bus has been doing well for punctuality over the past couple of weeks lately. 4 days has it arrived at the school at around 8:30 (5 minutes earlier than it should) but has been on time getting to my stop (so the chances are, it has become early after I have got on). I know they have been told to make sure the buses are on time (or as on time as they can with any build up in traffic) and it has improved massively and I love it.

One thing that I may suggest contributes to the early running is the route that the drivers take at Hollyhill Gardens. As seen I the attachment, it usually turns right where the 78 would go straight along. Google seems to correspond to this, as does the GNE app (stops shown as 'Hollyhill Gdns Shops' and '17/123 Hollyhill Gdns West'). However, only 1 driver in 2 weeks has actually gone that way and, although it doesn't usually pick anybody up around there, I still don't see why drivers don't go up there, especially when an official company app says that it should.

(22 May 2016, 5:05 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote Well done mate

I think you could be a good bus driver, And a jolly one too!

Haha cheers. It's something I'd genuinely love to do but not really possible with my current line of work. Who knows - maybe one day.

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(22 May 2016, 4:42 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote He must be the same age as me, There's talk of my school getting me a apprenticeship at a bus company next term, ( In Year 9 ) Though it will definitely not be driving cause I'm not old enough.
Probably something in the Depot. And knowing my school it will probably be at GCT!

(22 May 2016, 4:50 pm)BusLoverMum wrote He's the older end of year 7, so 12.5.

Even GCT would be good work experience. You could see how it's not done!

While GCT receives a fair amount of criticism (and may not be as flash and have all the mod-cons), for anyone seeking brief work-experience within the bus industry, I feel you'll probably learn more observing an independent than you'll get with one of the larger operators.

(22 May 2016, 5:04 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote Wouldn't be surprised that's where I will end up if I got a Apprenticeship, I love anything mechanical.
Though like everyone else, The best job will of course be a driver!

http://www.simplygo.com/news/new-apprent...start-now/

This is the link for this year, but normally its the same every year.

(22 May 2016, 5:13 pm)citaro5284 wrote http://www.simplygo.com/news/new-apprent...start-now/

This is the link for this year, but normally its the same every year.

Just read it, It sounds good. Though I'm still not sure what role my school will consider, Could be something else.

(22 May 2016, 5:10 pm)MurdnunoC wrote While GCT receives a fair amount of criticism (and may not be as flash and have all the mod-cons), for anyone seeking brief work-experience within the bus industry, I feel you'll probably learn more observing an independent than you'll get with one of the larger operators.

Thanks for the advice, Though its my schools decision where they send me too, So it could be anywhere.

(22 May 2016, 4:42 pm)South Tyne Lad wrote He must be the same age as me, There's talk of my school getting me a apprenticeship at a bus company next term, ( In Year 9 ) Though it will definitely not be driving cause I'm not old enough.
Probably something in the Depot. And knowing my school it will probably be at GCT!

(22 May 2016, 4:45 pm)S813 FVK wrote Interesting you mention that, it was quite nice to hear that Gateshead College did apprenticeships for the company, too. Not quite sure which areas they do them in but i'd love to spend more time in that control room like! Absolutely fantastic.

Do they still do work experience in schools? I'm in Year 10 now and we've not done any at all but might just be our school.

Actually I think a few people might have done it not sure but you'd think it'd be everyone!

(22 May 2016, 5:41 pm)Tom wrote Do they still do work experience in schools? I'm in Year 10 now and we've not done any at all but might just be our school.

Actually I think a few people might have done it not sure but you'd think it'd be everyone!

The only way you can get work experience in my school is if you do Health and Social Care and then its usually in a nursery or care home.

(22 May 2016, 5:45 pm)S813 FVK wrote The only way you can get work experience in my school is if you do Health and Social Care and then its usually in a nursery or care home.

Ah ok I though they had stopped it. It's a shame are instead of the boring crap you do in PSHE or whatever it is you could do something that will actually help you instead of wasting my afternoon

(22 May 2016, 5:13 pm)citaro5284 wrote http://www.simplygo.com/news/new-apprent...start-now/

This is the link for this year, but normally its the same every year.

You got big'un's attention with that link!

Drove 3968 today. Completely different to driving a car as well as never having driven an automatic as I've only driven manual cars. Wasn't expecting it to move as soon as I took the handbrake off, got a bit of a surprise there. Was stopping suddenly a bit when first started with not being used to the brakes as I just braked as done in my car and can see why you need to press the bell in plenty of time before the stop. Steering was a lot different with having to turn sooner than I would in the car. Managed to get the hang of it about half way round and stopped just about perfectly when finishing the route. Seemed a bit odd when moving and not pressing the accelerator pedal except when was instructed to by one of the recruitment team members. Overall an enjoyable experience and I hope to do again. Have a lot more respect now for bus drivers after this and for pressing the bell in plenty of time before my stop.


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Do you just have to be a full manual licence holder to test drive in this scenario, or are there any restrictions on how long you have to have held the licence to do this? Might turn up next year if I'm eligible and it's on again.

(22 May 2016, 10:37 pm)Jamie M wrote Do you just have to be a full manual licence holder to test drive in this scenario, or are there any restrictions on how long you have to have held the licence to do this? Might turn up next year if I'm eligible and it's on again.

Seemingly not. A number of younger people test drove the bus even if they didn't hold a provisional car license.

(23 May 2016, 4:32 am)Dan wrote Seemingly not. A number of younger people test drove the bus even if they didn't hold a provisional car license.

Oh, wasn't expecting that. Thanks.

(23 May 2016, 4:32 am)Dan wrote Seemingly not. A number of younger people test drove the bus even if they didn't hold a provisional car license.

The instructor offered my wife a go of 3974 even though she said she only had a provisional.  She bottled it like!

I had a blast of 3974.  In fact, I enjoyed it so much I had 2 goes.  I was expecting the brakes to be a bit bouncy but they weren't.  The instructor (Tracey, I think?) was spot on as well.

https://twitter.com/DTJobcentreplus/stat...5560226816

Sessions at Gateshead College for potential drivers.