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Congratulations to him!

Thank you Wumpty!

One final update I promise.

He passed his case study test at Walsall and starts training next Monday (7th October) and takes his driving test on October 22nd. If he passes his driving test, he will be driving from West Brom garage which is our local garage and the one that we both hoped he would get when he started the process.

Thank you to everyone who answered this thread either in the thread or by PM, it's really been appreciated.

The 89 I was on yesterday hit a parked car at the bottom of Brasshouse Lane in Smethwick heading towards Birmingham city centre.

It wasn't really the drivers fault, there is building works going on and the road is single carriageway only, buses to West Brom are on diversion, the problem is there are some shops and a cafe at the end of the road and people park their cars outside them, not thinking  about the buses trying to get through.

The driver was really good, stopped the bus outside Rolfe St Station and dealt with the man who's car had been hit very well. He had done quite a lot of damage to the car a!omg the drivers side door and wing, and I was quite surprised to see that, when I got off the bus, there really wasn't that much damage to it, just some scratching and a indicator had been broken, just shows how tough buses are!

Afraid I didn't get the number of the bus, not a bus watcher, it was a single Decker that left West Brom at about 14.35.

Now a moan on behalf of NXWM. Sandwell Council really, really need to sort out the parking by those shops, it's not the first incident, a driver has knocked off a car wing mirror there a few weeks ago and on Monday when MrPB and I were coming back from Walsall, we had a driver stop his engine and wait until cars were moved, causing a large traffic jam and lots of abuse from other drivers. They need to get traffic wardens or the police there moving vehicles if need be, or maybe NXWM will have to consider diverting buses from West Brom as well, it's just not fair on the driver. I bet they dread getting the 89 Rota with all this going on.

I asked the driver of he was ok when I got off, he said he was, just a little shaken by it. Tbh I would've quite happily given a statement if needed about the appalling car parking there.

Well, my husband passed both theory and hazard awareness tests on Monday, I think I was probably more nervous than he was! He is now revising for the case study test which he is taking at Walsall next Monday, they offered him a cancellation so he took it.

I've got my fingers crossed that he will pass this last text and will then be given a date to start training at Walsall garage.

Congratulations to your hubby @PinkBus - he'll have a blast working at NXWM.

I know everyone will offer you both advice and, given he's been driving since 1984, he'll already have a driving style. I've been driving for 27 years and I have a very subtle observation style in terms or mirrors, special awareness and have learned to make that more pronounced since I had a fairly recent driving assessment at work.

My advice would to be to give a Police, Camera, Action type of running commentary as he's driving so the examiners know he's actually performing his mirror checks, observations, road conditions and road signs. It can be very daunting to begin with but it gave the examiner confidence in me and I actually enjoyed doing it!

I'm sure he'll pass and do very well - good luck!!!!

Thank you for your lovely message, I will pass that suggestion  on to him. He's really looking forward to passing his theory test and beginning training. It's been  a long wait, but I'm sure it will be worth it.

Just wanted to update this one more time.

Well after a extremely long wait from our doctors (he's type 2 diabetes and had to have a letter sent to DVLA confirming he is ok to hold a provisional PSV licence,) his licence finally came back today all ok which was a great relief.

He phoned up NXWM and has to take his theory test on 09/09/19 at Walsall garage. Hopefully (when) he passes that, he'll be given his date for training to start and he'll be a fully fledged bus driver by the end of the year.

The 48?

Ok, I'll rephrase that, the bottom end of Bearwood Road, doesn't have a direct route, as the 89 goes all the way round the Wrekin.

I'd reintroduce the 450 service (numbered 50?) to run from Bearwood Bus Station to West Brom, I don't know why this service was messed around with and then dropped as it was always busy, especially on Saturdays. Matchdays, it could go along Dartmouth Road like the 89 does. I know you have the 80 also going to West Brom, but Bearwood doesn't really have a straightforward link to West Brom these days.

I'd also reintroduce the 444, (numbered 51?) and run it down Manor Road like the 46 used to, to the island at Hales Lane, then up Hales Lane and it's old route to Norman Road, then up Alexander Road, Abbey Road, Barclay Road, Upper St Mary's Road, then onto Bearwood Road and the bus station. Run it every half hour until 7pm Monday to Sunday. I live on the 89 route and on Sundays because Diamond's 21 doesn't run, we have no service to Bearwood or Oldbury, a reintroduced 444 would give us links back to Bearwood, Warley, Oldbury and a increased link to West Brom.

There can't be to many other jobs with this level duty/shift flexibility you can nearly always find duty to fit your appointments and lifestyle. I ,ve done late nites for 20 years no need to be scared it's simple you question nobody just record what you see or make out reports etc just keep the wheels rolling keeps the punters happy.
Lately I have done 3 weeks of middles 10/11 am/12 pm starts till 7/8 pm finishes and some 7/8 am starts till 3/4/5 pm finishes really enjoyed these dutys even on Dudley rd, it seems the vast majority of punters,re proper fare paying customers during the day , different story during the evenings.
I might start doing more of these dutys in future.

Thanks for this, that has actually answered a question I had about nights. I was a bit concerned about him doing them, but now I'm not so worried.

Might get on your bus during the daytime then when your are on the Dudley Road routes as I live on and use the 89. I'm always polite and say hello and thank drivers when I get off the bus!!

Update:- He went for the interview on Tuesday at Miller Street and passed the all the tests and the interview went really well, so now he has to go for his medical next Tuesday at 51 Bordersley Green.

Fingers crossed that goes ok and then hopefully he will get his start date for training.

Thank you to everyone who has answered this thread and sent private messages. I'm really grateful.

Thank you for that really detailed reply, especially the van advice! He does currently drive one as part of his job, but I will definitely pass on that advice!

I just hope all goes well now on Tuesday and he is accepted as I think he would really enjoy the job and be very good at it. The shift pattern sound a lot better than his current job where he can be driving for 12 hours all over the country.

My husband has got a interview on Tuesday at Miller Street to hopefully become a bus driver as he is utterly fed up of his current job.

I wonder if the drivers on here or anyone currently going through the process can give him (and me) any idea of what he can expect to be doing, apparently the interview lasts for around 3 hours. Apparently there is a theory test which has worried him a little as he's been driving since 1984 when there was no theory test! Also a driving test in a van?

If he is accepted, he would be driving at Perry Barr after training, so I was wondering what services run from there. Also, how the shift patterns work, e.g. a split shift.

Thanks in advance for any information anyone can give.

It looks as if the app that actually tracks buses is no longer available on Google. I tried to download it to my husband's phone yesterday as he has changed jobs, now working in Wednesbury and needs to know the Times of the early 79 and 89s. As I have the tracking app, I've been tracking the buses and texting him, he wanted to try it out for himself, but when I downloaded it, it was the old app and I couldn't find the other all on Google play.

Dear Madam


If you can email me on simon.dunn@rotala.co.uk, I will put your husband onto the right person



Simon

Hi Simon

Many thanks for your reply, I'm sorry I haven't answered sooner but have been busy with family over New Year.

I'll email you for the details, as he is very interested in working for Diamond.

Hope you have a Happy and successful 2019.

Hi Simon,

Hope you had a good Christmas.

I have a question regarding working for Diamond.  My husband is a Sandwell Private Hire driver and picked up a member of your staff last week. While they were talking in the car, your staff member mentioned that Diamond were looking to recruit drivers. He obviously holds a full driving licence with no points on it and has a current CRB. He would be interested in working from your Tividale depot as we live in Smethwick.

Does he get in touch with you via your website or send a CV and covering letter as he is interested in obtaining his PSV.

Any details you can give would be gratefully appreciated.

Many thanks, and hope you have a Happy New Year.

A bit late (been busy with family), but hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and hope 2019 is a good year for everyone on the forum.