FAO: Bus passengers

Sat on the top deck of a night bus after a day out in Skegness with some mates, and a bunch of drunken Glaswegians got on and sat up there with us.

All of them were smoking and drinking, which prompted the bus driver to literally scream "STOP ******* SMOKING!!" over and over. The driver then stopped the bus a couple of miles later and went up top to threaten them, which as you can imagine wasn't a very good idea. After being "shoved around a bit" the driver just went back down and continued the route, he kept shouting that he was calling the police every few minutes for a while before giving up.
 
The two buses I get are pretty decent, only really let down by the state the school kids leave the one in that I get from work to my second bus. Half eaten sandwiches, crips packets, sweet wrappers, chewing gum pretty much everywhere.

The only thing that let's them down besides that is the elderly people. They'll complain about everything humanly possible, take forever and a day getting on and off the bus, never seem to know how much a return ticket costs even though they were only on the bus a couple of days ago and can never remember where they wanted to get off the bus in the first place.

I listen to music quite loud but I use in-ear headphones so only I can hear the music - this has been tested. I wash, I always have my ticket ready to show the driver and I sit upstairs or at the back of the bus when I can. I must be one of the few bus passengers that are bearable :p

I've never came across number 4 either.
 
SPARC said:
First Bus in Scotland haven't done this in 10+ years, so it's exact change or no ride.
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Not entirely, they are willing to take more than the exact fair! :( Though, amazingly First Glasgow have actually dropped their prices recently!

Some companies still give change, I was surprised to not have to look at the driver of a bus in Stirling behind a plastic cage and when he gave me change I was even more shocked!
 
jp_bl_68 said:
3. It is not the driver's fault that you don't have the correct fare.


/rant
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Yes it is, I have money he should be able to provide me with change.
I get the bus and my return fare is 4.90. I offen have to draw £10 out to get on the bus. It is totally reasonable to think that with the price of bus fares these days that notes are going to be used more often.
He should have an ample supply of change and notes for the job, but always seems to be annoyed that he has to give me a £5 note.
Bus drivers in general are very angry people.
 
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Ahleckz said:
Not entirely, they are willing to take more than the exact fair! :( Though, amazingly First Glasgow have actually dropped their prices recently!
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Boo hiss.

Lothian Buses have upped theirs again citing this that and the next thing.

Poor fuel hedging more like in light of the above inflation increase they "asked for" last time.
 
ChroniC said:
Bus drivers in general are very angry people.
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The amount of abuse they get on a daily basis has made them that way though. It's sad really that the people who are helping us get around are treated like utter scum ... most of that treatment is from other scum though. :( It's no wonder that they have plastic shields to protect them from the drunks and junkies.
 
Biohazard said:
Boo hiss.

Lothian Buses have upped theirs again citing this that and the next thing.

Poor fuel hedging more like in light of the above inflation increase they "asked for" last time.
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It is probably due to the reduction in fuel subsidies and a decrease in the concessionary tariffs, around 20% and 30% respectively in some regions, rather than poor hedging.

Unfortunately fare paying passengers are being forced to help subsidise the concessionary scheme as Govt and Local Councils are reneging on the deals they promise when the Bus companies agreed to support the scheme.

Take it up with the local councils and Govt rather than the Bus Companies.
 
ChroniC said:
Yes it is, I have money he should be able to provide me with change.
I get the bus and my return fare is 4.90. I offen have to draw £10 out to get on the bus. It is totally reasonable to think that with the price of bus fares these days that notes are going to be used more often.
He should have an ample supply of change and notes for the job, but always seems to be annoyed that he has to give me a £5 note.
Bus drivers in general are very angry people.
Click to expand...

Give over, it is a bus, not a shop or a bank. It is not unreasonable to expect passengers to have the correct change especially as they have obviously planned their journey.

How much change do you think it is reasonable for a Driver to carry around with him, and what happens if (as happens on occasion) he runs out of change due to a high incidence of £10 and £20 notes for £1.80 fares etc, is he expected to pull over at the nearest bank and get more?

A lot of companies are moving to Exact Change Only systems so think yourself lucky that your local company gives change at all. Some have a system where the Driver would give you a receipt to the value of your change which you would then cash in with another driver or at the bus depot itself, others will refuse you travel and some take your name and address, give you your ticket and you sign a form, the company then charges you at a later date via post. Of course the latter is open to abuse so many urban companies will not do this and insist on exact change or use the earlier receipt system.

Sort your life out, and plan your journey in advance, that way you will have the correct money and your journey would be more pleasant. Remember also that you are not the only person that day to have had a go at that Driver, he/she would have had to put up with abuse from passengers and other road users all day, so just give the driver a break once in a while, you will find that the vast majority are perfectly reasonable and happy people who are just ticked off with being abused by everyone having a bad day.
 
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