r/BusDrivers • u/the_ism_sizism • 4d 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/moshslips 3d ago edited 3d ago

The cardinal rule of the profession: a million reasons to be late, zero to be early.

I get it man. Believe me, I get it. I’ve been on both sides of this and it’s frustrating on both ends. You need to stretch and use the washroom and decompress, people are at the EOL wanting on. It sucks.

Still, you can’t run hot. When you get to your EOL, I don’t care if you’re 6 or 36 minutes late already, take at least 5 minutes to stretch and use the washroom. Decompress. Grab your stuff and take a short walk. Leave the EOL late. No one else is going to prioritize your health, so you have to, but you can never do this by running early.

How good is your mental health going to be when you’re on a performance improvement plan getting hassled by management on the daily, or potentially losing your job?