What should passengers/bus users expect from the driver of their bus?

[JoNi]

Views from both perspectives welcomed.

[Stu]

To drive the bus. I wouldn't expect to have to drive it myself lol  :D

[filbus1]

Do his job which all the ones I have contact with do.

[karl724223]

No stupid questions

[Bob]

Not to have a portable radio in the cab with the football on and pull over at Featherstone cheslyn hay and Bridgetown to stop and listen to it as the driver of the 16.10 arriva 70 to cannock did today lol??

[Stuharris 6360]

Surely you expect a driver, to drive the bus safely abiding by all the rules of the road, to be polite to his customers and to deal with any incidents in a correct manner.

In return the passengers/customers should show the driver respect at all times, and not talk to him when he is driving except in cases of emergency.

[Tony]

Surely you expect a driver, to drive the bus safely abiding by all the rules of the road, to be polite to his customers and to deal with any incidents in a correct manner.

In return the passengers/customers should show the driver respect at all times, and not talk to him when he is driving except in cases of emergency.

Perhaps someone on here should take note of the last line as I regularly see them stood on the platform of buses in the Cannock area talking to the driver while it is in motion!

[karl724223]

Name and shame

[Stu]

There's not much I ask from a bus driver really:

1) When I'm stood at a bus stop and I stick my arm out to flag a bus down, I expect the driver to stop the bus and let me on. When he drives past me, and I start waving my arm at the bus right behind, I'd expect him to stop instead and let me on, not just ignore me and drive past!
2) Once I'm on the bus, that's about it really. Drive the bus safely and to time. But also bear in mind the following:
a) Insist that passengers take a seat if one is available, and if they choose to stand, don't let them stand near the door or in the gangway, so that other passengers don't have to fight their way past them to get off.
b) If there are passengers with buggies onboard, don't let the bus become dangerously overcrowded with standing passengers, so that it takes ages for them to get off.

[Westy]

Surely you expect a driver, to drive the bus safely abiding by all the rules of the road, to be polite to his customers and to deal with any incidents in a correct manner.

In return the passengers/customers should show the driver respect at all times, and not talk to him when he is driving except in cases of emergency.

Perhaps someone on here should take note of the last line as I regularly see them stood on the platform of buses in the Cannock area talking to the driver while it is in motion!

There used to be one on the 529 regularly when Walsall used to run it!

[Liberator9]

From a passengers point of view I appreciate a driver who is polite, drives the bus sensibly and is willing to help out if there is a problem. From a driver's point of view you would want polite passengers simply; of course the latter is hard to achieve considering the attitude of some people I've seen.

I'd say the garage with the best drivers from what I've seen is Yardley Wood; nearly every morning on the 76 when I say good morning the driver responds and one case a few weeks ago the 76E broke down in Kings Heath. He was a very polite young chap who apologised profusely even joking with me and another passenger about needing a better bus! I've also seen one driver who was off duty help a wheelchair passenger off the 27 in Kings Heath and pushed her across the road without her needing to ask. NX have some excellent drivers and sometimes I think passengers should hold more respect for the drivers considering the gruelling days they have to put up with at times.

[Liverpool Street]

When the driver says: "Hang on before you all board, I've still passengers getting off." - Please abide by this; don't get half way on then start apologizing to all and sundry!

When the driver says: "Can you please fold the buggy prior to boarding the vehicle." - Please abide by this; don't get half way on then attempt to fold the pushchair with a baby in one hand, phone in the other, shopping on the handles and a fag behind the ear, in the gangway of the bus (Note: Narrowest part of the bus & a lot smaller then the outside!)

And if you do manage to board the bus without paying; don't go upstairs and smoke your quota of drugs and then abuse the driver and other public members if they ask you politely to stop. Everyone has the RIGHT to travel/work without the fear of assault or intimidation.

Unfortunately it does seem the bus is safe haven for druggies to do their stuff without the fear of the Police catching up with them. If I had one wish; No scum to use public transport. Unfortunately, it feels like a large proportion of the public are exactly that.

--

On the other side, as a passenger, I expect the driver to wait for frail/blind passengers to get to a seat. And also the go slowly around tight corners, and no excessively sharp braking. I could not care less if the driver smiles at me, or talks to me, or says thanks to me, or is even on time, just don't bruise your passengers.

--

Now anyone want to argue that I'm biased? Trust me; I've been full circle. And Richie/Karl, I'm looking at you ;)

[Stuharris 6360]

When the driver says: "Hang on before you all board, I've still passengers getting off." - Please abide by this; don't get half way on then start apologizing to all and sundry!

When the driver says: "Can you please fold the buggy prior to boarding the vehicle." - Please abide by this; don't get half way on then attempt to fold the pushchair with a baby in one hand, phone in the other, shopping on the handles and a fag behind the ear, in the gangway of the bus (Note: Narrowest part of the bus & a lot smaller then the outside!)

And if you do manage to board the bus without paying; don't go upstairs and smoke your quota of drugs and then abuse the driver and other public members if they ask you politely to stop. Everyone has the RIGHT to travel/work without the fear of assault or intimidation.

Unfortunately it does seem the bus is safe haven for druggies to do their stuff without the fear of the Police catching up with them. If I had one wish; No scum to use public transport. Unfortunately, it feels like a large proportion of the public are exactly that.

--

On the other side, as a passenger, I expect the driver to wait for frail/blind passengers to get to a seat. And also the go slowly around tight corners, and no excessively sharp braking. I could not care less if the driver smiles at me, or talks to me, or says thanks to me, or is even on time, just don't bruise your passengers.

--

Now anyone want to argue that I'm biased? Trust me; I've been full circle. And Richie/Karl, I'm looking at you ;)

Wouldn't the bus companies loose a hell of a lot of money if scum weren't allowed to use the bus?

[Liverpool Street]

When the driver says: "Hang on before you all board, I've still passengers getting off." - Please abide by this; don't get half way on then start apologizing to all and sundry!

When the driver says: "Can you please fold the buggy prior to boarding the vehicle." - Please abide by this; don't get half way on then attempt to fold the pushchair with a baby in one hand, phone in the other, shopping on the handles and a fag behind the ear, in the gangway of the bus (Note: Narrowest part of the bus & a lot smaller then the outside!)

And if you do manage to board the bus without paying; don't go upstairs and smoke your quota of drugs and then abuse the driver and other public members if they ask you politely to stop. Everyone has the RIGHT to travel/work without the fear of assault or intimidation.

Unfortunately it does seem the bus is safe haven for druggies to do their stuff without the fear of the Police catching up with them. If I had one wish; No scum to use public transport. Unfortunately, it feels like a large proportion of the public are exactly that.

--

On the other side, as a passenger, I expect the driver to wait for frail/blind passengers to get to a seat. And also the go slowly around tight corners, and no excessively sharp braking. I could not care less if the driver smiles at me, or talks to me, or says thanks to me, or is even on time, just don't bruise your passengers.

--

Now anyone want to argue that I'm biased? Trust me; I've been full circle. And Richie/Karl, I'm looking at you ;)

Wouldn't the bus companies loose a hell of a lot of money if scum weren't allowed to use the bus?

How'd you figure? They don't pay anyway!

[Liberator9]

Probably not as most of the passengers aren't scum; at least during the day. Plus it wouldn't matter even if they did as vandalism costs would go down.