This is a post that is inspired from a comment we recently got on one of our YouTube video’s.
This video confirms what miserable gets you bus drivers are,wouldn’t hurt to have a little bit of customer service
I recently had a genuinely civil conversation with a viewer—a rarity—and I promised to make a video to explain something crucial: No bus driver sets out to be rude or difficult.
There are countless pressures and systemic issues that have a huge impact on driver morale and behavior, especially in high-volume inner-city operations. I’m going to take you through a typical shift, sharing my own experiences with a large operator in Greater Manchester.
Key Point to Address: My experience is with one large firm and specific depots. This is not a blanket statement for every operator or every depot across the UK—they can be vastly different.
The Day Starts at the Depot: Frustration before the First Fare
The frustration for a driver often begins the moment they step into the depot, not when they start driving.
- The Sign-On Gauntlet: I hate being late, so I’d arrive at least 30 minutes before my booked-on time. First, you struggle to find parking. Then, you head to the traffic office.
- You are immediately asked to show your license and CPC card.
- The Overtime Push: You are asked about overtime, pretty much every single time you sign on.
- The Dreaded Note: Even worse was finding a note saying, “See ‘Someone'”—often on a weekend when that person wasn’t even in. It creates instant anxiety: What did I do wrong?
- The Duty Board Red Flags: After signing on, you review your duty. With experience, you see certain routes or trips and immediately think, “Oh no.” You know this means a late break, a late finish, or dealing with specific problem spots.
- Example: We had a trip where you knew you’d get “rammed” (over capacity). Factory workers wouldn’t listen when you said the bus was full and would argue aggressively. To enforce safety (refusing to move due to being over capacity), you risked an altercation. The company would put on an “extra” bus, but honestly, it rarely helped.
- The Vehicle Hunt: You head out to find your bus, only to discover the vehicle allocation has changed. You have to play “hunt the bus,” which instantly puts you behind schedule and increases pressure.
On the Road: Defects, Danger, and Policy Battles
Once you’re on the road, the challenges continue, often involving vehicle maintenance and personal safety.
- Questionable Vehicles: You are often met with buses that have defects not marked on the card—some so severe you genuinely question why the vehicle is on the road.
- The Moral Dilemma of Damages: I always did a quick walk-around check for damage. If I found damage that wasn’t on the card, I had a tough choice. Reporting it meant an allocator had to witness it (to cover my own back), but it also felt like I was potentially dropping the driver who used the bus before me into trouble.
- A Culture of Fear: With these big companies, you are constantly watching your back. It always felt like you were one mistake away from being sacked.
Real Incident: Piccadilly Gardens Safety Policy
When I drove late shifts, especially in Manchester, safety was a huge concern. We were dealing with a rise in knife crime and cash trays being stolen through the cab window.
- In areas like Piccadilly Gardens late at night (9 PM+), drivers were simply not comfortable getting out of the cab for a quick break. Too many angles, too many risks.
- We would sit in the cab with the engine off, but the electrics on (for the radio), sitting on our phones. The police never bothered us.
- The Company Report: However, many of us were reported by the company for breaking the “No mobile phones in cab” policy. Our defense was always the same: We weren’t getting out of the cab in that area. This went on until the company finally backed down, only for the argument to resurface again later. We were essentially being asked to choose between safety and policy.
Dealing with Passengers: The Tipping Point
Most passengers are brilliant, nice, and polite, but dealing with the bad ones, combined with all the internal pressures, creates the tipping point.
Real Incident: The Door Trap and Assault
This incident in Denton truly cemented my feelings about the lack of company support.
- A passenger pressed the bell after I had already passed the stop and moved into the right-hand lane to turn. I was sitting at traffic lights. It was not safe to let them off.
- They became aggressive, and as I was pulling up to the nearest safe place to stop, a larger woman wedged herself between the two doors.
- As the bus stopped, the safety system—the “Door Trap”—activated, swinging the doors open. She fell onto the pavement (unhurt).
- Her companion became enraged and started punching the assault screen.
- I immediately pressed the audible alarm (the “Help, this bus is under attack” sound). This was like a red flag to a bull.
- I then pressed the radio alarm, which, for a change, was answered promptly. The man ran off, leaving his blood and spit on my assault screen.
- The Betrayal: Due to the blood on the screen, policy dictated I should be taken out of service and returned to the depot. I was told to carry on driving.
- A few days later, I was pulled into the office. The ultimate feedback? I was told I should have just let them off at the traffic lights to avoid confrontation.
- The Catch-22: If I had let them off at the lights and they fell and injured themselves, I would have been in trouble for an unsafe drop-off. If I followed safety, I was blamed for the confrontation. The company’s backing for the violence I experienced felt nonexistent.
5. Daily Grinds & Conclusion
These major incidents are mixed with constant, smaller irritations:
- The OAP Pass Problem: OAP passes in Manchester weren’t valid until 9:30 AM. You would have passengers trying to board before that time. Some drivers refused them outright. I would often bend the rules slightly, letting them ride if they were close to the time or if their destination was after 9:30 AM. You tried to be fair, but even this was a rule-bending headache.
- The Obvious Questions: Dealing with questions like “Do you go to [place name]?” when the destination is clearly written on the front and side of the bus.
- The Wrong Way Demand: Passengers who realize they got on the wrong bus and expect you to take them back when you are out of service.
These are just some of the things that happen almost every day. I hope this helps shed some light on the daily stresses and systemic frustrations that impact a bus driver’s behavior and morale.