Messages

6846, 24E Harborne. Part route showing on the side destination display.

The information on TFWM is rubbish, it should be prominent on the buses section of the website. And then after hunting for it, all they provide Is a Web link a about the project and a map of the stops, but no details of what buses stop where?  The only decent info is on the NX site.  

Thankfully I have no experience of this shambolic operation.  Surely the Traffic Commissioner must be aware of their failures.  

Good luck to them!  People don't know what they're going to miss without the buses running.  So many people are so ungrateful and disrespectful, they don't deserve don't a bus service. Let's wait for the whingeing to start come tomorrow!

These are just my thoughts and observations so am not expecting it to be correct

I haven't worked at NX for well over a year now. I'm under the impression this deal was rejected as if it was accepted then it would means the terms and conditions would not be improved for the drivers. Proposals for improvements were supposed to be implemented back in January but have been delayed numerous times, which is why I think the drivers want to go on strike.

I didn't realise the unions were not negotiating for improved conditions, only for the pay side of things

Like othes have said these strikes will not do any good for the public/driver relationship as it is going to be a massive disruption to their everyday lives and I think will impact the already suffering public transport sector with falling passenger numbers. This in some part due to the driver shortages and missing services, which in turn is a vicious circle leading to less people using buses becuase they simply can not rely on them to get around

Personally I think on the surface of things the pay deal offered by NX seems decent but it would mean giving up an improvement on terms and conditions which is what the drivers don't want
A lot of people are just thinking the strikes are down to pay, and it doesn't help when the media only states what they want the public to hear to create a better news story, and friction between the public and staff. Bus driving is a thankless job and you are looked down upon by the general public and treated like you are something on the bottom of their shoe. One of the reasons why I had enough and left (amongst many others I know and some had been in the job 20+ years. I had done 8 years), one decision i don't look back on at all even now I only work part time working 27.5 hours a week before overtime and with overtime I pick up £40 less a week than with NX with no overtime, I feel I actually have a life outside of work, and not working all hours of the day burning myself out for no appreciation whatsoever. It just goes to show that money isn't everything. I found the pay to be decent while I was there, enough to live on comfortably. Granted this was before this cost of living crisis. But its not enough to be treated like dirt from all sides.

What people don't seem to realise just what driving a bus requires from you. The majority of the public just seem to think you are sitting down all day doing nothing and its a very easy job, this is what i gather from comments on facebook posts and news items. And people are then saying why should drivers get an increase for doing stuff all all day every day. I can tell them that its a very mentially draining job requiring 100% concentration all the time which I felt I was not giving the job towards the end. The final nail in the coffin for me anyway was COVID. Thats what I feel changed the publics attitude towards others (not bus drivers but everyone as a whole), and all respect and courtesy just seemed to vanish. And also just peoples selfishness to abide by the rules imposed by the government at the time regarding lockdowns, unessecarry travel and mask wearing, unregardless on what you may have thought of the rules

There is much more to these strikes than just a pay increase which is what most people don't seem to realise.

I am sorry for the long rant but want to get my understanding of these strikes across

Would also like to wish the drivers at NX the best of luck with these strikes and hope they get resolved asap

A good point well made 👍.

I know that when Arriva were out on strike in Wakefield, the screens in the bus stations were showing their departures as cancelled (i.e same as railway practice) rather than not showing at all.

It's not life and death.  The army are not required!

Stagecoach have tweeted that there are several journeys on the 41 not running today due to "circumstances beyond their control".  Not the best for an hourly service.

Looks like there's no live tracking on Google maps or bus checker either.