Electric Buses

[Straightlines]

Yes it may inconvenience a few passengers on certain peak hour trips

Yet the "peak hour trips" passengers usually pay the highest fares and those "few" passengers quickly find alternatives...

But oh I forget - passengers are an inconvenience to you!

[Jay71]

I agree, many times they've said it and i've still walked on and found seats and space to stand at least. Either have some frequency increases or buy buses that can accommodate the inconvenient frequencies...

Tonight I went to get the 16 from Upper Dean St. Driver said that the bus was full. Counted six empty seats downstairs & about twelve empty seats upstairs 

[The Real 4777]

Tonight I went to get the 16 from Upper Dean St. Driver said that the bus was full. Counted six empty seats downstairs & about twelve empty seats upstairs

When I was looking at the Northern rail franchise bid back in 2014 one of the enhancements we proposed was selective payload weighing on multiple units fitted with air suspension. This was a method of calculating loadings during operating diagrams.

Have the new buses got a similar laden weight indicator or alert that advises the driver when the bus thinks it's full, when it could be that some larger than average folk are on board, carrying rucksacks full of lead shot.

[Lukeee]

I agree, many times they've said it and i've still walked on and found seats and space to stand at least. Either have some frequency increases or buy buses that can accommodate the inconvenient frequencies...

So the driver has said the bus is full and you've still walked on... the words entitled spring to mind 

[Jack]

So the driver has said the bus is full and you've still walked on... the words entitled spring to mind

Considering empty seats are in full view and standing room is available like I just said then the drivers shouldn't be refusing passengers onboard. I'm not going to try and battle myself onto a bus that's clearly overcrowded and over capacity.

[SCS]

This does remind me of when I was in college taking the 72 bus. During the afternoon school rush, the buses usually got quite crowded as traffic along Lode Lane and the Wheatsheaf interchange gets rammed, causing them to get spaced out quite badly and heavily off timetable. Pretty much, two buses' worth of people at Solihull had to squeeze onto one bus.

Unfortunately, some quite liked to hang around the very front of the bus rather than taking seats on either deck, causing quite a bit of chaos up front. When we got to JLR, the staff coming off shift would get quite upset seeing a bus go past the stop despite seeing plenty of seats upstairs. As much as there are seats upstairs, it would have been extremely difficult to find your way on and off as the standees on the lower deck made it a maze to get through, no matter how many times the poor drivers told people to move back and sit down.

I think at the end of the day, it is the driver's responsibility to ensure the bus is being operated to a safe capacity. If anything happens due to overcrowding well beyond a safe limit, that will likely fall on their shoulders. A bit of common sense is also required. Like some have mentioned, it's probably not the greatest idea to try and push yourself onto an already rammed bus, as well as not being *that person* who stands at the front of a busy bus despite there being plenty of seats elsewhere. I do understand the newer E400EVs have a smaller capacity and the frequency of some services doesn't help, but there is a trade-off in trying to provide a somewhat profitable service whilst also meeting the environment goals set out by the council/TfWM. I'm sure as the battery technology and placement improves, future electric double decks will be able to have a similar floor space as the current diesel counterparts.

[jasmine]

Considering empty seats are in full view and standing room is available like I just said then the drivers shouldn't be refusing passengers onboard. I'm not going to try and battle myself onto a bus that's clearly overcrowded and over capacity.

Not to mention you are also paying, you ought to be "entitled" in that case.

[Lukeee]

Considering empty seats are in full view and standing room is available like I just said then the drivers shouldn't be refusing passengers onboard. I'm not going to try and battle myself onto a bus that's clearly overcrowded and over capacity.

It's the drivers discretion as to how many passengers he/she feels is safe to carry (providing they don't exceed the maximum capacity) 

[The Real 4777]

It's the drivers discretion as to how many passengers he/she feels is safe to carry (providing they don't exceed the maximum capacity)

How 'entitled' of them, to decide the bus is full when there are loads of empty seats!

[jasmine]

It's the drivers discretion as to how many passengers he/she feels is safe to carry (providing they don't exceed the maximum capacity)

Would you feel the same way if the bus has 5 people on it? that's how you sound right now, if it's at the driver's discretion and the driver says it's full with 5 people on it, do you think it's justified?

[Tony]

Would you feel the same way if the bus has 5 people on it? that's how you sound right now, if it's at the driver's discretion and the driver says it's full with 5 people on it, do you think it's justified?

If a driver cannot see the empty seats from his cab, and has a safe standing capacity then he will refuse any more passengers. 

In the cases above you are all presuming the driver knows he has empty seats

[karl724223]

If a driver cannot see the empty seats from his cab, and has a safe standing capacity then he will refuse any more passengers.

In the cases above you are all presuming the driver knows he has empty seats

I thought they was all qualified drivers 😂

[Tony]

number 101 into service is E285

[The Real 4777]

number 101 into service is E285

I've not checked, but it would be neat if its inaugural working was the 101 trundle.

[Tony]

I've not checked, but it would be neat if its inaugural working was the 101 trundle.

16 unfortunately