Still low on drivers?

[Tiptonian]

By simply comparing hourly rates of pay between staff & agency it isn't like for like, NX will not have to pay agency staff holiday pay, sick pay or NI employer contributions for starters on top of the hourly rate they pay their own drivers as they are not their staff.

Agency staff are generally a short term solution to cover for shortages and can be finished at a short notice.

True, it is not like for like. NX would have to pay the agency considerably more than the hourly rate received by the agency driver to cover the agency employee costs and profits. If it did not cost considerably more, they would use agency drivers more to cover such things as holidays and short-term requirements.

[andy41]

Agency staff are generally a short term solution to cover for shortages and can be finished at a short notice.

That's what they said in Haulage 20 years ago Winston and the job still runs on Agency and short term contracts with no terms or conditions.

I genuinely never thought it would happen to buses, but here we are,

Any company that builds its operation around short term agency staff will soon start to feel the damage that this policy causes in the long term.

[2900]

But it does work for the management.

Divide and rule is the oldest trick in the book. After the initial relief of getting a job, the realities of the job start to dawn, together with the resentment of feeling second class because you can never catch up to a top-rate driver, no matter how conscientious you are and what a lead swinger he is.  Lower-rate drivers will thus vote against anything that will disadvantage them in favour of higher-rate drivers, and vice-versa for high rate drivers to maintain differentials and their own superiority. The more rates, the more division, and the resulting bad feeling creates disunity among the drivers. No-one has the desire or stomach for an all-out strike nowadays as there is too much to lose. Management attitude is if you don't like what we do, there's the door. If experienced people leave they can be replaced at lower cost. If low-rate drivers leave, well, a few lost is worth the gains. The use of agency staff proves they can afford to pay more. Until it change this approach, which is very common in the industry, it will always be short of drivers, who can in turn be blamed for not wanting the overtime, whether that is true or not.

Yes, people will moan in any industry, but these guys get it from every direction. They have plenty to moan about.

when I started it was £4.95 an hour I think back then which wasn't to bad when you compare the bills of today. We were told you will never see top rate, due to severe shortage of drivers then management backed down eventually and offered market rate drivers top rate through a 5 year rate of progression, quite a few  left because of it because couldn't stomach another 5 years, it meant at the time some drivers would have done 13 years service on market rate.  Drivers who are coming into the job today seem to forget we,ve put years in to get top rate. From personal point of view I never agree to any pay deal because we all know they can pay more, for me now personally top rate doesn't mean shit I just want to do something where I  can be treated as a person, I don't what it is as soon as get in that cab you become dehumanised some how.

[Liverpool Street]

when I started it was £4.95 an hour I think back then which wasn't to bad when you compare the bills of today. We were told you will never see top rate, due to severe shortage of drivers then management backed down eventually and offered market rate drivers top rate through a 5 year rate of progression, quite a few  left because of it because couldn't stomach another 5 years, it meant at the time some drivers would have done 13 years service on market rate.  Drivers who are coming into the job today seem to forget we,ve put years in to get top rate. From personal point of view I never agree to any pay deal because we all know they can pay more, for me now personally top rate doesn't mean shit I just want to do something where I  can be treated as a person, I don't what it is as soon as get in that cab you become dehumanised some how.

What job would pay the same though without being forced to do 50hours a week?

[B.C Driver]

What job would pay the same though without being forced to do 50hours a week?

The bottom line is we deserve a decent pay rise, not a poultry pay rise year after year.
There are plenty of jobs that pay the same, but don't have the responsibility of driving hundreds of people around every day safely, that don't force you to inhale cigarettes or drugs, deal with drunks, irate passengers.

[2900]

The bottom line is we deserve a decent pay rise, not a poultry pay rise year after year.
There are plenty of jobs that pay the same, but don't have the responsibility of driving hundreds of people around every day safely, that don't force you to inhale cigarettes or drugs, deal with drunks, irate passengers.

here here I agree , as I ,ve said on another thread I,m prepaid to take a cut in pay, just so I don't have to deal with the cattle. I currently earn £72 for a duty after tax,stoppages etc average duty compass at west brom is 8hrs 45 mins So that's works to be £8.52 an hr , that drops even further on split duty. Your average joe thinks bus drivers earn fortunes you can if your prepared to  live at at garage live and breathe diesel fumes. There are plenty of those types at every garage ,some of these guys don't understand the abuse given to them , they come to me and say this was said to me what does it mean, these guys laugh it off where as I wanna use a baseball bat. Fun an games

[monkeyjoe]

I think there are people who probably have it a lot worse than bus drivers and probably get treated a lot worse. Like I say everyone needs to get stuff of their chest I suppose.

[Mike K]

I think there are people who probably have it a lot worse than bus drivers and probably get treated a lot worse. Like I say everyone needs to get stuff of their chest I suppose.

With unsociable hours, weekend working, split shifts, low pay, anti-social behaviour, horrendous traffic and the shocking driving and parking behaviour of many road users, I can think of few jobs I'd less rather do.

[GeminiFan1991]

With unsociable hours, weekend working, split shifts, low pay, anti-social behaviour, horrendous traffic and the shocking driving and parking behaviour of many road users, I can think of few jobs I'd less rather do.

You should try working at Amazon ! The 10 hour shifts are remarkably tiring not to mention you get policed and hassled if your not hitting your "rates"

[AndrewLee]

I personally still enjoy the job for the most part. Been in nearly five years. Enjoy driving anyway so that's a bonus. I engage with the passengers wherever possible, makes the day  go a bit quicker. Take my time in the traffic, if that car wants to go in front that's fine, I'll take a timed ticket thanks very much! I don't check fares or tickets that's what Revenue are for - saves a whole load of stress!

[BU07 LGO]

I personally still enjoy the job for the most part. Been in nearly five years. Enjoy driving anyway so that's a bonus. I engage with the passengers wherever possible, makes the day  go a bit quicker. Take my time in the traffic, if that car wants to go in front that's fine, I'll take a timed ticket thanks very much! I don't check fares or tickets that's what Revenue are for - saves a whole load of stress!

im the same though you can still get abuse! The amount of threats ive received by people not realising the x51 doesn't stop at one stop is amusing!

[P419 EJW]

im the same though you can still get abuse! The amount of threats ive received by people not realising the x51 doesn't stop at one stop is amusing!

Or Newtown!

[BU07 LGO]

Or Newtown!

Had one today saying he was going to kill me for not stopping at one stop haha!

[P419 EJW]

Had one today saying he was going to kill me for not stopping at one stop haha!

Lmfao. He should have checked which bus he boarded on! But then again, who doesn't? ::)

[Solo1]

Have on the front sides non stop from brum to alexendt stadium on the x51 but would they still see it or have it when u board