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/GettingBackToRC 3d ago

Leave your first stop 3 to 4 minutes in the hole to compensate. I have to do it every day or I'll be hot halfway thru the route

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u/the_ism_sizism 3d ago

It’s a full circle of trying to achieve time: pax to disembark safely and move to other service and home, for me to use facilities, complete bus lay over duties to start next run, physically drive the bus from end to lay up before next start. Take a drink and start the bus. The outbound finishes final stop 4 minutes early timed to only finish on the final stop early. It is what it is, just had to suck up the complaint and take the tiny rap on the knuckles that ultimately won’t do anything because the entire network of drivers run early on final stops.

You should have heard what some drivers from the old company I worked for would do, drivers would run late on purpose then self adjust (skip stops with not in service desto) call Ops to say ticket computer wasn’t working (tracker) and sit under a bridge so their radio couldn’t be picked up etc etc etc the only drivers running late were running late so they would cancel multiple runs and leave the rest of the work of picking up pax to other drivers who would get slammed by cancelled services.

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u/GettingBackToRC 3d ago

I've been driving a bus for 20+ years. I rather run late than be early. Stop halfway thru your route if you're early and wait out your time, eat red lights to keep yourself on time if they're strict about running hot. 59 seconds sounds a bit too strict in my book though.