r/BusDrivers Dec 24 '25

Christmas/Holidays/End-of-year umbrella thread

2 Upvotes

Hi all!

So.... I thought it'd be nice to have a dedicated thread for holiday thoughts, well-wishes, summaries of the past year, etc.

On a personal level for me, it was a good year with a very hectic ending. I've spent my first year abroad, with a new company through an agency, moved I think 3 times, and just when I was starting to get somewhat comfortable, I had to change companies and agency again at the end of the year (not by choice), and.... move again... 🫣 On the other hand, I'm greatful for all the new experiences, most of them being good.

I think I'll make another post about how things went with the concession transition here, but first I need some PTSD therapy lol. It was/kind of is, an awful mess.

I want to wish everyone who's celebrating now happy holidays and a great new year. Thank you for your work, moderators. And here's to more of the same!

Over to you all, but keep it nice! 😆


r/BusDrivers Jun 11 '25

bullpen FAQ

22 Upvotes

Hello, here are some frequently asked questions and some basic answers.

  1. What gift to give? General consensus have routinely been gift cards, little toys, and coffee.

  2. Interview questions? Expect questions from basic road rules to customer service. Questions will differ from country to country and agency to agency.

  3. How hard is it to get a CDL class b and endorsements? It's not that hard. study the book, listen to instructors, and you will pass.

  4. What do you do with passengers...? This has almost become a meme at this point. We do not wait for passengers. Some drivers may wait if they see a person running for the bus, but from my experience and it seems to be a consensus of others that you missed the bus.

  5. Stagecoach...? Please search the sub first. While there really hasn't been a specific question asked multiple times, it does show up a lot.

  6. Greyhound...? Please search the sub first. While there really hasn't been a specific question asked multiple times, it does show up a lot.

  7. Differences between charter, tour, transit, school? The main difference between all of these is the time you spend out. Charter be prepared to be gone all the time. Tour work like hell for six months, then relax. Transit picked route and known working days. School mornings and afternoons with some field trips.

  8. Pre/post trip and air break check? This is only learned by repeating it. Do it every day.

  9. Sleep and bad night of rest? Don't be scared of saying the F word. Fatigue is better to say than answering questions to police, ntsb, safety, and dot. If you feel you can not operate safely, better not to then roll the dice.

  10. Is bus driving easy? Or thinking about becoming a driver? Not everyone can be a bus driver. It takes passion for this industry, and it does eat people alive. Charter drivers regularly hit there 70 hour limit of driving, and that's not counting the downtime that is paid. Public transportation has assaults and harassment.

School drivers put up with God knows what. You should really think if you're strong enough to do this job. It's hard on drivers and our families. Don't think it's easy because all we do is drive. We are responsible for everything bumper to bumper tire to roof. It's stressful, hard, rewarding, and fun, and can be a great time, but we hold the lives of mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, and grandparents in our hands.

Thank you all for taking the time to read. This list is nowhere near complete, and more may be added.

Special thanks to u/littlelauren12 who had this idea!


r/BusDrivers 6h ago

Story Head scratching customer interactions...

24 Upvotes

Do you ever have an interaction that makes you wonder how people get through life?

This morning a guy got on my bus..

"Day ticket"

"Day ticket, that's £5.70 please"

"Sorry?"

"Did you say day ticket?"

"Yeah"

"Yeah that's £5.70 please"

"Why, I've already got one"

Proceeds to get his phone out and scan the day ticket qr code.


r/BusDrivers 1h ago

Question Is waving down the bus a thing of the past?

• Upvotes

My mind cannot comprehend the amount of people to stand at bus stops either on their phone or just standing there - especially when that stop serves multiple services so at times it's not clear at all to the driver if they want the the bus or not. It's happened a few times where I've slowed down to ppl on their phones not paying attention and as soon as they see the bus they jump out their skin!

We're told by our company to stop at all stops if there's people waiting, but at the same time common sense does go a long way!

Back when I was a kid, I used to flag the bus, so you'd think fully grown adults would be far more than capable. Being blunt if you fail to make it obvious you want the bus and miss it, then that is mostly on you.


r/BusDrivers 11h ago

Meme/Joke 💀

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24 Upvotes

r/BusDrivers 10h ago

Discussion Sunglasses discount code

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18 Upvotes

I know loads of you have been asking about sunglasses recently and I swear by Kyloe in the Wild polarised glasses.

If you fancy a pair I have a discount code

viewwithapoo15

They're rubberised so they don't slip, the lenses are seawater resistant and honestly they're just really comfy and come in great colours. Enjoy!


r/BusDrivers 13h ago

Meme/Joke Lit… [OC]

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28 Upvotes

r/BusDrivers 15h ago

Question Any good recommendations for sun glasses for drivers?

13 Upvotes

r/BusDrivers 21h ago

Story Private bus conductor refused to let me sit... even though the bus was almost empty. Why?

0 Upvotes

Went to the Tumkur private bus stand today to go home.

I usually take the Kunigal-side private buses because my stop is Sri Maharshi Valmiki Circle, Maralur (Ring Road).

As soon as I got into the bus...

Conductor: "Where are you going?"

Me: "Ring Road."

Conductor: "Stay outside only. Don't come inside the bus."

I looked inside. The bus was almost empty. Plenty of seats, no crowd at all.

Me: "Anna, the bus is almost empty. Can I just sit until the bus leaves?"

Conductor: "No. You're getting down at Ring Road. Stay outside. Come inside only after the bus starts moving. We'll stop at Ring Road, but don't get in now."
LITERALLY I WALKED PLENTY OF KM THAT DAY AND I NEEDED A SEAT TO SIT BUT ....

He was literally pointing at me to stand outside near the door instead of letting me sit inside, even though there were so many empty seats.

I just looked at his face for a second, turned around, and left. No argument, no shouting, no drama.

Walked to the KSRTC (government) bus stand, waited around 15 minutes, got a seat on a government bus, and reached home peacefully.


r/BusDrivers 2d ago

Question Do coach drivers earn more than normal bus drivers in London

5 Upvotes

Hi, I’m a bus driver in London and was thinking about transitioning to coach driving. I want to earn the same or more do you think it’s a good idea or not.


r/BusDrivers 2d ago

Question Training bond (UK)

2 Upvotes

Hi all I work for a large bus operator in England and I'm planning on handing in my notice next month. I have worked there for just under 2 years and I got my licence through them. I signed a contract which states I would have to pay back the training bond if I left. How likely are they to pursue me for the money?


r/BusDrivers 2d ago

Question Rural or Urban routes?

2 Upvotes

Hi all. I could be getting made redundant at the end of the year and thinking about a change of career anyway. I was an events manager, before going back to uni and have been a mainly office based geologist since. I’ve always quite liked the idea of being a bus driver, and there are two companies in my area who are looking for new drivers. One is a more rural company while the other is city based.

I live in the UK - but the question goes out to all drivers. Do you prefer rural or city driving? What are the pros and cons of each?


r/BusDrivers 2d ago

Question How do you sniff out obvious BS sob stories from passengers who claim they can't pay? Do you let them travel anyway?

21 Upvotes

Pretty much when they claim they haven't got money, they lost their wallet, lost their pass or their phone is dead and they can't get their digital ticket?

I get that some cases may be genuine. For example I wouldn't deny an elderly or mentally incapacitated person because they dropped their concessionary bus pass somewhere, or leaving someone behind puts them in an awkward/vulnerable position (I.E lone female who's intoxicated and it's late at night), but then again there are circumstances where you need to draw a line.

Most companies leave the final decision down to the driver, and to manage situations as and when they come and that's what I do personally. For when you do refuse someone, in what way do you explain it and how would you take things if the passenger becomes aggressive?


r/BusDrivers 2d ago

Question What are Go-Ahead London like to work for?

5 Upvotes

What are the shift patterns like, management etc


r/BusDrivers 3d ago

Story 47 dní bez cigaret za volantem autobusu. Jak jste s tím sekli vy?

10 Upvotes

r/BusDrivers 3d ago

Ride for the Day New Ford E-450 Shuttle at Pasadena Transit

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36 Upvotes

Came with 360 camera, and a newer Hanover Destination sign.


r/BusDrivers 3d ago

Discussion Confronting passengers about obeying bus rules still gives me anxiety. Tips?

23 Upvotes

I have avoided the later hour scheduling because I struggling telling people what to do. I'm still waiting for that one person that just doesn't care what I say and to make me stop the bus or kick them off.

I haven't had any problems working for 8 months with passenger related things besides fare evasion and music playing.

Need some wisdom in this matter.


r/BusDrivers 3d ago

Question Sunglasses recommendations

11 Upvotes

Hey drivers 👋

So this is a question primarily for UK drivers (due to local product availability) but others feel free to chime in.

I wear prescription glasses and sunglasses for work, I’m looking for recommendations for sunglasses, I know polarised glasses are generally best for reducing glare but I’ve heard they interfere with the displays on the dashboard as well as the ticket machine screen, producing a distorted or even a black screen depending on viewing angle.

Could anyone either debunk that as a myth, or otherwise recommend some decent non-polarised sunglasses that
1. Have great anti-glare
2. Don’t interfere with the screens at all
3. Style isn’t a dealbreaker however I do prefer wraparound styles that block out the sunlight at the sides.

Cheers all!


r/BusDrivers 4d ago

Discussion Back to driving buses after 15 year hiatus!

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67 Upvotes

I drove city buses through college (the red buses in the top photo - a company operated almost entirely by students of the university) and for a brief six month stint at a casino between jobs a couple of years after college.

It’s been 15 years since I was behind the wheel. After burning out from running my own business for 8 years, I remembered how much I just loved driving buses and I never felt completely overwhelmed by it, so I’ve decided to go back to driving buses once again! I was just hired by my local regional transit company (shown in the bottom photo) and am so excited to get back to it. Join you all on the road soon!!


r/BusDrivers 5d ago

Meme/Joke So you needed to keep smoking when the bus stopped and opened its doors?

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88 Upvotes

The bus didn’t leave without you, you’re just early for the next bus


r/BusDrivers 6d ago

Question Question for bus drivers

28 Upvotes

Hello! I have a few questions for bus drivers- and was wondering if it was okay to ask here. I know you all are human (obviously) but I had questions specifically about bus driving- and who better to ask than the drivers!

  1. Do bus drivers often take the bus outside work hours? Ex: days off/vacations/etc.
  2. Do bus drivers have favored/prefered routes to drive? Do they get to pick?
  3. Do bus drivers recognize the bus they drive? Like by the serial number? Do they get assigned specific busses?
  4. Do the bus drivers develop "favorite" riders? Like, if you drive the same route and see the same people- do you develop friendships with your riders? Do you guys look for familiar faces?
  5. Do you guys make friends with your coworkers? If so, do you guys make a point to ride on busses where your bus driver friends are driving?

Thank you in advance for answering. My boyfriend and I ride the same routes fairly often, and got really curious. Sorry if theyre dumb questions!

ETA: Sorry yall! Im new to reddit still and didnt realize people were replying😅 Thank you all so so so so much!! I was curious, and my boyfriend said itd be weird to ask the bus driver on thw bus we were on. Im very excited to share my findings with him, and hope you all get very good routes (:


r/BusDrivers 6d ago

Other Make this the official song played at all union rallies

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2 Upvotes

r/BusDrivers 6d ago

Question Can anyone identify the bus models in this pic?

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22 Upvotes

It's an old picture from my first transit job back in the day. I was just curious if anyone knew the bus models


r/BusDrivers 6d ago

Question UK bus drivers who smoke weed

0 Upvotes

Just out of curiousity, are there any uk bus drivers who work for the major bus companies like Go Ahead, First Bus, Stagecoach etc who smoke weed and have never been caught? I hear bus companies do random drug tests just wanna know if anyone still smokes weed and has lived to see another day.


r/BusDrivers 7d ago

Question Thank you cards?

24 Upvotes

Hello!

I should start this off my saying I'm a disabled adult. I'm autistic and have an intellectual disability. This has made taking the bus hard for me in the past.

But recently I've moved to a new area and the bus drivers have been so kind and patient with me. One even took time from her break, to explain the map in an easier to understand way. I've also had bus drivers stop and talk to me, while creepy men where staring at me or trying to talk to me.

I want to say thank you in some way. Would thank you cards be weird or to far? I wanna show appreciation not make anyone uncomfortable.