Bus Driver allocation

[Dutsey]

Hi,

This may seem like a stupid question to all you bus drivers out there but when you work how do you get allocated? Do you only work on one bus route or do you work across multiple?

[winston]

http://wmbusphotos.com/forum/index.php?topic=1596.0

[Liverpool Street]

Good question.

At BC it worked like this:

1) Look at the rota. You'll see your name, followed by rota line number, then your duty numbers for the week. E.g.

Green / 33 / 12 /   6. / off / 2 / 2 / 2 / off / 1
Smith / 34 / Off / Off / 26 / 34 / 26 / 27 / 19

Etc

Then you look at the duty sheets to see the information regarding the given duty.

As in, on Tuesday, smith has duty 26.

He'll find duty 26 as follows:

63-23 0715b/o 0730g 1230g
63-02                  1643r 1900g

Which means his first portion of work is a garage to garage piece, and the second piece he takes it over on the road and finishes back at the garage at 1900hrs.

The rest is pretty self explanatory.

[Gareth]

I'm assuming that over the years, especially as multiple garages have closed that the way rotas are done have changed a lot. I certainly remember early to mid 90s at Wahwood Heath that the same driver would be on the same trips for about a week at a time and change the following week.
I recall on trips to school having the same driver for a week. Either changing on a Tuesday or Thursday (I think)

[Trident 4194]

Do you get told off if your late changing drivers?

[Tony]

I'm assuming that over the years, especially as multiple garages have closed that the way rotas are done have changed a lot. I certainly remember early to mid 90s at Wahwood Heath that the same driver would be on the same trips for about a week at a time and change the following week.
I recall on trips to school having the same driver for a week. Either changing on a Tuesday or Thursday (I think)

It was normally the early duties at Washwood heath that worked like that. They were the most popular, so the way the rota was done meant you got the nice duties for 7 days on the trot. You would either get Sun/Mon off then do duty 1 Tuesday to Saturday. The following week you would also do duty 1 Sunday & Monday. It could also be done the other way so you would do duty 2 Friday & Saturday, then the following week do it Sunday to Thursday with days off on Friday & Saturday

[winston]

Do you get told off if your late changing drivers?

As in if you're late for work & there's a bus full of passengers sat waiting for you, what do you think?

[Trident 4194]

Does anyone know the relief for the 9s as they never seem to get a break

[winston]

Does anyone know the relief for the 9s as they never seem to get a break

Stourbridge Bus Station

[Gareth]

I'm assuming that over the years, especially as multiple garages have closed that the way rotas are done have changed a lot. I certainly remember early to mid 90s at Wahwood Heath that the same driver would be on the same trips for about a week at a time and change the following week.
I recall on trips to school having the same driver for a week. Either changing on a Tuesday or Thursday (I think)

It was normally the early duties at Washwood heath that worked like that. They were the most popular, so the way the rota was done meant you got the nice duties for 7 days on the trot. You would either get Sun/Mon off then do duty 1 Tuesday to Saturday. The following week you would also do duty 1 Sunday & Monday. It could also be done the other way so you would do duty 2 Friday & Saturday, then the following week do it Sunday to Thursday with days off on Friday & Saturday

Thanks Tony. It's great to know that my brain has actually stored this useless to most people information. And that it hasn't all become a huge blur over time!

[Ronnoc]

This also may be a weird question but how does a bus driver memorize the routes? Does he be in training for it? Does he get a map showing where to turn?

[wbdriver]

This also may be a weird question but how does a bus driver memorize the routes? Does he be in training for it? Does he get a map showing where to turn?

drivers go round the route with another driver, and making mental notes of turnings, ie pubs, landmarks etc. if its a brand new route, at WB they put a bus on Sunday mornings normally and take the drivers round, pointing out landmarks and road names etc.

Personally, if i have to learn a new route, i learn it on the bus, then on a day off, i drive it as much as i can in the car and take my time to look out for the turnings and landmarks.

the worst one at WB was the 444. turnings all over the place, crossing other routes and the joke was as long as you end up in Bearwood, it didn't matter which way you went, because no one ever went the right way!

It also helps if you know the area where the route goes as well.

[Trident 4194]

What are the shifts you work?

[Ronnoc]

This also may be a weird question but how does a bus driver memorize the routes? Does he be in training for it? Does he get a map showing where to turn?

drivers go round the route with another driver, and making mental notes of turnings, ie pubs, landmarks etc. if its a brand new route, at WB they put a bus on Sunday mornings normally and take the drivers round, pointing out landmarks and road names etc.

Personally, if i have to learn a new route, i learn it on the bus, then on a day off, i drive it as much as i can in the car and take my time to look out for the turnings and landmarks.

the worst one at WB was the 444. turnings all over the place, crossing other routes and the joke was as long as you end up in Bearwood, it didn't matter which way you went, because no one ever went the right way!

It also helps if you know the area where the route goes as well.

Thanks! I get confused in the Solihull station area, which way do the buses turn first then second?

[Liberator9]

Depends on the route -

the 37 and 966 go to Poplar Road first. They then head down station road towards a large island. At the island they take the second exit. Then about 100-150 metres down that road they turn right into the "station approach." They terminate at the stops at the far north end of the station. When they've had their break they head along the rest of the road. At the lights they turn right. They head down Streetsbrook Road back towards the large island. They take the second exit again back into Poplar Road.


6, 76, 49, S4

These come down Blossomfield Road - they go past the station approach road and continue to the large island. They take the 3rd exit into Poplar Road, and drop off in Poplar Road. After that they turn left, onto the Warwick Road. They turn left at the next island and head back towards the large island. There they take the 4th exit, and head up Streetsbrook Road. They turn left into the station and terminate on the eastern side of the station. Once finished there, they head down to the large island, and then do the reverse of what I've just explained. It's a bit of a long winded route, and a pain when there is traffic.

If the 6, 49 or 76 is running over 10 minutes late, the drivers may be told to just skip the station. Therefore at the large island, they head straight over towards the warwick road. Then do the right turn into it, and then right again into Poplar Road, to pick up the outbound passengers.

Hope that is clear! If you want I can do a quick map of it