Becoming a bus driver?
- Thread starter PH4NT0MBL4DE
- Start date
That depends on where your working.
We have different rotas for different shift patterns, splits 6am - 7pm with 3-4 hrs off in the middle (8hrs over 13). Mids anywhere from 8 am start to a 10pm finish ( never mor than a 9hr working day), long dutys 10hr days working the max 5.5hrs drive per work portion. Latest starting at 5pm finishing around 3 or 4am. And mixed where you will do a variety of shifts from earlys (4am starts) Mids latest splits and what ever else they can find.
We get 20 days holiday (goes up to 25 after two years) and every bank holiday, you work a rolling 5 over 7 and on average get a 4day weekend every 6 weeks.
Coach driving is even more mundane that bus driving as you tend to cover the same stretches of motorway on a daily basis.
You consider £24k to be well paid in London?!
It's an average wage anywhere else in the country, but in London...
Soldato
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What routes do you do BigBoy? I only ever get the 8 and 9 in Bristol.
Also, did the OP genuinely ask if it was difficult? Not to take anything away from those that do, but I'd imagine most people could be a bus driver it's just whether you want to or not. And sadly most staff are useless, though that's true of a lot of customer-facing industries.
Also, did the OP genuinely ask if it was difficult? Not to take anything away from those that do, but I'd imagine most people could be a bus driver it's just whether you want to or not. And sadly most staff are useless, though that's true of a lot of customer-facing industries.
Soldato
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Bah, will never see you then!
Paid with Bristol Pounds the other day and driver didn't know what on earth to do with them. I assume you'd be better
Paid with Bristol Pounds the other day and driver didn't know what on earth to do with them. I assume you'd be better
Soldato
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Local currency, had some left over from a festival in the summer and all the First buses here are plastered with acceptance adverts so thought I may as well use them. No idea what First are supposed to do with them but hey-ho.
Idea is to encourage local purchasing so they suit food places more really. Thought the whole thing was going to flop but they actually seem to be doing pretty well.
Idea is to encourage local purchasing so they suit food places more really. Thought the whole thing was going to flop but they actually seem to be doing pretty well.
I see. Are they par with normal currency or is there some incentive to use them other than using local stores etc?
I think the other bus driver requirement is to never have any change because you expect customers to have memorised every possible fare combination in advance for that once in a year occasion when they decide to get the bus home from somewhere when it starts raining.
Preferably on a bus service that does not accept any other 21st century payment method like a card.
Preferably on a bus service that does not accept any other 21st century payment method like a card.
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Soldato
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Yeah par with Sterling, and some retailers offer a discount or promotion if paying in £B. More info at www.bristolpound.org.
Shame would be good to meet some more of the OcUK locals
Paid with Bristol Pounds the other day and driver didn't know what on earth to do with them. I assume you'd be better
Hahah yea I know what they are, don't like taking them though as they have already been copied and faked lol.
Never as they are limited to 52mph by law!
I swear most of the buses in Bristol are empty for 70% of the day, quite funny driving at quieter hours and just seeing bus after bus with no one on them.
Can't say I envy the job though, driving in city traffic is stressful enough without the added addition of a strict timetable to stick to. I try to let buses out where I can (tbh they tend to just pull out anyway) but after Ferguson changed all the bus stops on park street so cars can't get past I think car drivers give them a lot more aggro.
Can't say I envy the job though, driving in city traffic is stressful enough without the added addition of a strict timetable to stick to. I try to let buses out where I can (tbh they tend to just pull out anyway) but after Ferguson changed all the bus stops on park street so cars can't get past I think car drivers give them a lot more aggro.
Soldato
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Which feels bloody fast in a bus!
Depending on the driver I either travel at ~30mph on the A55 having lorries barrelling past or maxed out which feels like my stomach is going to get rattled out of my arse. They are all pretty cheerful round here though, must be the sea air.