r/BusDrivers

I was wondering—I’ve been driving for a few weeks now. Thanks to everyone who said I’d be okay and that the nerves would go away.
I’m actually driving with one hand now smh…

Just a quick question: this particular route I do in the morning is from 2 hours long ,I’m always late 20 mins or so—every time, it never fails—but it’s not my fault. It’s elderly people getting on, and I don’t move until they sit. Also, it’s mostly in neighborhoods, so I can only go but so fast.

Should I worry about being late, I never rush this time I did and I touched the mirror on something—it didn’t break, but it twisted a little. Will anyone notice? Lol. I didn’t call it in or anything—it wasn’t that serious; it didn’t fall or anything.

It was this story where a driver was rushing and killed 2 women and I always think of that when I want to rush and in rushing trying to make it to a point I actually tapped something..

I guess that’s two questions in one…

What’s your trick for getting rid of the onion salad smell throughout the bus?

Sometimes it just feels impossible — I’m about ready to hang a few air fresheners from the mirror.

[note: I will be/ have reposted in other groups to get as much info/advice as possible]

I have been driving a school bus for the past 9 months, and while I like the job, it being part time and all the breaks are unsustainable for me. I am hoping to find a new full time job as soon as the summer break starts. 

Any places that would be hiring, or would be a good fit? Any advice would also be greatly appreciated. 

Looking for places in or close to the Columbus, OH area.

For bus operators "metroline" and "first bus" trainee roles. Is holding a licence for 12 months a mandatory requirement?

I have been planning on getting my licence for like 7 months to apply for a trainee role at stagecoach (they don't have that requirement). I got my licence this week and when I applied for Stagecoach they rejected me. I made another account but with a fake address closer to the depot I'm applying to... It hasn't been rejected yet. I applied twice with my actual address (i live an hour away) and got rejected twice in 2 days. I called both of their recruitment team phone numbers but they did not pick up. I also called metroline's but they did not either.

Im really unsure on what to do, also if stagecoach was gonna discrimnate location... they could have said that in the description, its not a protected characteristic anyway.

Can i still apply to metroline/first bus considering their 12 month rule or is it strict?

I am union driver whos company just offered the union to redo the extra board rules as part of contract negotions that have been in place since 1994. Im on the subcommittee so tell me all your extra board thoughts. How does yours work? Has yours changed or have u worked 2 diffrent cities/styles?

We currently do Seniority based, pick it in the draft or be low enough that no runs are left.

Picks weekly based on seniority, either someones runs who's off (vacation or sick) then rotating (pick your days off for rotating). They only work unassigned runs or missed clock ins as regular day off runs are assigned to drivers in blocks at the pick.

For rotating it's 1st come 1st serve, so earliest show time goes 1st.

On top of that Xtra board always go 1st before regular day off and double overs unless they can't drive enough hours because they did a part time piece earlier.

Shine out after 7 hours with no work or after working a full time piece unless they are really really short they might send you back out for a part time piece.

Rotators either want money or have low seniority the biggest complaint is with how the dispatcher assignes and cuts works, specifically a 3 am show time sit till 8am get assigned early afternoon work at 8, cut and have to come back in a few hours to work till 10pm when they came in at 3 am its burning driver out especially if you were forced on the board straight from training.

I really want to do a mix of a couple of methods to have rdo work to go to the extra board and everyone who works those blocks now will be extra board oporators who pick "cafateria style" for thier days off and sign times (I want these to be consistent for drivers not to feel overworked or a non consistent schedule) at the regular quarterly pick. But to accomdate the people who want flexibility in their scheduale that a weekly work assignment offered, we leave, lets say, 20 spots in the old style as "fill ins" for unasigned runs and also for the daily assignments. I would have to flush the idea out throughly as a detailed proposal but this is my preliminary idea.

Others want to make tweaks but leave the overall structure the same.

Drop your thoughts, lets discuss!

Hey dudes in Uk

I have applied to go ahead passed theory and failed exam got fired
Did the same at metroline and was so fucking nervous and terminated my training , after i got moudle 4 now im afraid to apply to another company as they see me idiot and keep failing . Have theory from go ahead and moudle four cpc from metroline im gonna take 3 month break work as delivery driver and apply again what do u think

When you relieve or are relieved by another driver does your company provide relief cars? Do you take transit to do relief?

In my division we don’t fight with passengers about fare. If they just walk on the bus without looking at you - fine. Incomplete fare - fine. I’m glad to not have to get into fare arguments but I know it’s not like this everywhere.

Recently switched from transit to coach buses and was wondering why there was a change in etiquette in giving up your seat so an older person doesn't have to stand. On transit it seems there's usually at least one good citizen willing to give up their seat but on coach I've literally never seen someone do it.

We don't often get standees since we seat 57 but we have pretty robust coverage to some places and so will sometimes have an extra 10 or so passengers decide to switch routes and get put to standing room only. I have one route specifically where the last people on are two people seemingly in their late 60s/early 70s and it kind of irks me that no one is willing to give up their seat. It's a 30 minute drive down a super hilly highway to the first stop so I get not wanting to stand but that would just make me want to give up my seat even more!

Anyone else seen the same?

Like say if you worked at First for 10 years would you be on higher wages than someone that’s only been there 2 years?

I’m sure I heard some people are getting pretty decent hourly rates as bus drivers because they’ve been doing it so long. But maybe that’s not true.

Most jobs I’ve seen advertised are like £13 per hour or something and it doesn’t mention getting more based on experience.

I know you usually get an increase after doing your training with them and staying for a year or two but does it ever go up after that?

Just want to get a general feedback.

Driving a band bus/band wagon for the first time and I need some pointers on backing out of a venue onto a one-way street. It’s pretty tight, and I’m not sure how to have the bus follow the trailer. Is this just going to be a lot of small adjustments to get out? First time doing this so any pointers would be helpful, thanks yall