Snow & walking to work

Soldato
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10 Mar 2012
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unstated.assortment.union
So yesterday the north was deluged with heavy snow and as per usual our clowncils were caught with their pants down in terms of gritting and clearing even the main roads.

My employer, a bus company, ordered drivers to WALK to work 'in case services resumed'

I refused citing that the distance was not reasonable to walk. My usual commute is via dual carriageway and 9.3miles. It would be significantly more via other routes as the dual is a no pedestrian clearway.

They tried to argue that it's less than 10 miles therefore reasonable.

So GD, what would you consider reasonable?

Also, in addtion to this, they expected drivers to sit on buses, out in the bus park, as the offices aren't big enough with covid distancing. So expected to walk in the freezing cold to then sit in it for hours.
 
That's ridiculous. 9 miles? If you can't drive. How is it safe to drive a bus ?

About THIS SAFE

9 miles walk that's a crazy distance on a summer's day never mind in snow. Bet it's arriva.

For reasons regarding the company's social media policy I am not willing to divulge, employees have been fired for moaning about the company online.

Completely unreasonable. What do your HR department have to say about it?

You might aswell talk to a brick wall in all honesty.
 
Must be april fools right?

It’s so unreasonable I think there must be some crossed wires somewhere!

Sadly not. Our middle management is dire.

People will accept the job knowing the commute. if you drive the 10 miles then you should always make a plan for that day when the car goes kaput.

However, if you're unable to physically get there because of a hurdle such as snow, then the employer needs to understand and offer a solution whether that be a days holiday or an unpaid day. Managers who demand the walk to work are trying to flex the little power they possess, and doing so without offering up an alternative is just **** management imo.

I have a plan, I live a 3 min walk from a bus route that gets me to work, albeit a little longer journey & if I'm one of the first services out/last in then there's a staff taxi-bus that can be booked.

However due to the snow the service bus was suspended & the taxi-bus wasn't gauranteed to run when I'd finished after midnight.
 
Agree, this is seriously out of order. Sad thing, say you did embark on this journey, aren't the buses (which are running) virtually empty? :(

I didn't embark as I pulled a trump card, childcare.

As for buses running empty, yes for the most part however public transport is currently being paid in full (costs wise except wages) by Central government so they regardless.

That said every driver's major gripe happens at 0930 every morning. Many routes become full to (reduced) capacity. It seems the OAPs think that none of the rules apply. So off they trudge everyday into town for no reason.

For me and a lot of drivers, the government dropped the ball by not suspending free travel passes, at least during lockdowns
 
As from next week around here they'll be able to use them prior to 9.30 too. They want to run vaccinations across as many hours as possible and for people to be able to get there.

They still need the passes as they don't all drive or use the internet to get groceries.

Free travel encourages unnecessary travel and that's the major problem.

Personally I would have suspended all free travel passes & setup a claim-back system. They pay for their essential travel & then claim it back.
 
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