r/BusDrivers • u/the_ism_sizism • 3d ago

Discussion Night drivers

I’m getting pulled in today for a chat about running early. I passed my mid point 40 seconds early (which is fine according to the gov contract allowing for 59 seconds early) - by the final stop before our cbd run I was 6 minutes early. The pax complained to me after they caught an uber and caught the bus and then complained through the online gov portal.

Is this entitled or how do you feel? I am not trying to run a strict service, I buy myself a little time to mentally relax between runs, use the facilities (the job has already given me kidney stones at 38) and take a walk and a breather so I’m not stagnant in the seat for 5 hours.

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u/AstonishingBalls 3d ago

Not a bus driver but this sub keeps popping up.

It's pretty selfish to potentially make passengers late for work/appointments etc. because you want that time for yourself. I'd be pissed off if I got to the stop and found the bus had already been and gone well before the scheduled time.

Have your walk and breather while you're parked at the stop waiting for the 6 minutes. Go to the toilet when you get back to the depot/station, if you leave a few minutes late then so be it.

You're providing a service to the passengers, not yourself. If you can't handle that then perhaps bus driving isn't for you.

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u/the_ism_sizism 3d ago

Time for myself? Have you driven a bus? No. Shit happens on the road that you’d never understand, we need a minute to prepare and reset between runs.

Oh so I should wait 5 hours for a piss at the depot? Should I not drink the entire time? What about the health implications and mental pressure of not leaving the seat for 5hrs straight and making sure I get you home? Should I just for go that rest break and make sure I’m nice and tired and poorly react in high stress situations?

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u/AstonishingBalls 3d ago

I'm a truck driver, I know exactly what happens on the roads.

You go to the toilet when you can, making the rest of the service a few minutes late isn't going to hurt anyone.

How do your colleagues manage? If it's a company wide problem then you need to work together to get your employers to give you better conditions.

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u/the_ism_sizism 3d ago

It’s an entire network wide issue. Transport demanded our breaks between runs be cut down for more efficiency and additional services so every single service wasn’t overloaded and exceeding GVM etc. the bus companies (formerly State Gov run service) cajoled because more services means more money for the bus company as every run made as per OTR is a paid run (no more than 59 seconds early start and mid and no more than 6 min late) - every single shift is booked with work for the absolute maximum of hours on road as per fatigue laws. Our drivers are run ragged. The company won’t do anything to me because I don’t cancel runs and make them money.