Customer Service

[Ginger66]

Are drivers trained in customer service?

I like many passengers today had a nightmare journey getting home from work.   I was waiting from 16:00 for the 80 bus from Five Ways outside LA POP to get to West Bromwich and the bus turned up 1hr 15 mins late.  When the bus turned up, I was livid and moaned at the driver that I had been waiting over an hour for a bus and the driver of NX BUS 4692 replied it's not his fault. 

I agree it's not the drivers faulty.  But I would expect driver to offer the customer an apology on behalf of the company if a passenger ask them why is there a delay to service.  Some drivers when you ask whats with the delay shrug shoulders.

[2206]

Some drivers when you ask whats with the delay shrug shoulders.

Maybe they don't know what the delay is? And what did you think moaning at them would achieve?

[j789]

Speaking from experience, your complaining about a late bus was my number one gripe as a bus driver.

99.9% of the time the delay is nothing to do with the driver so expecting them to apologise on behalf of the company (who again are most likely not at fault for traffic, road works, accident delays etc) is ridiculous and that poor driver probably reached his wits end after the 20th passenger complained!

Why passengers think they are entitled to an apology for lateness when the cause is completely out of the drivers hand is mind blowing. I suggest you give bus driving a try for a bit, after one week of driving around Birmingham you would soon change your attitude and expectations towards bus drivers. It's a bloody hard job not helped by passengers lacking any understanding that delays do happen in large cities and it is not the driver having a 90 minute fag break that has caused it!

[Westy]

To be fair, they have a radio in the cab, so presumbly they have to have half an ear on that, in case anything is broadcast that affects the route/area they're driving.

Incidently, I've looked at one of the WA 9 journeys that my sister normally catches (& has problems with!), that leaves Wolves about 1715 & should reach Wednesfield around 1730, on Bustimes.

Tracking the same bus back through the day, I've noticed it starts to slip around 1400 in Wednesfield.

We reckon it's down to kids leaving school at that time.

[PB2938]

To be fair, they have a radio in the cab, so presumbly they have to have half an ear on that, in case anything is broadcast that affects the route/area they're driving.

Incidently, I've looked at one of the WA 9 journeys that my sister normally catches (& has problems with!), that leaves Wolves about 1715 & should reach Wednesfield around 1730, on Bustimes.

Tracking the same bus back through the day, I've noticed it starts to slip around 1400 in Wednesfield.

We reckon it's down to kids leaving school at that time.

The 9 is late in peak hours due to extreme tight running time and severe delays. The route needs a proper retime or split back at Bloxwich. The only 9 most likely to be on time is the 701 board

1625 Wabs and 1746 Wolverhampton,.

Regarding Buses being late all Missed. It is a big nightmare for the driver if the bus in front is missing most passengers grunt or moan like its the drivers fault. Late buses occur usually at peak hours a passenger can clearly see the hold up but expect the bus to be on time. Some really nasty passengers moan just because its 4-5 minutes late.

[Westy]

The 9 is late in peak hours due to extreme tight running time and severe delays. The route needs a proper retime or split back at Bloxwich. The only 9 most likely to be on time is the 701 board

1625 Wabs and 1746 Wolverhampton,.

Regarding Buses being late all Missed. It is a big nightmare for the driver if the bus in front is missing most passengers grunt or moan like its the drivers fault. Late buses occur usually at peak hours a passenger can clearly see the hold up but expect the bus to be on time. Some really nasty passengers moan just because its 4-5 minutes late.

I seem to recall issues when it was the 60 as well.

The main one I remember being the massive gap between 6pm & 720pm on a Sunday evening, as Wolves were changing duties at the time, the same gap that Walsall manage to fill.

[fleetline6477]

Are drivers trained in customer service?

I like many passengers today had a nightmare journey getting home from work.   I was waiting from 16:00 for the 80 bus from Five Ways outside LA POP to get to West Bromwich and the bus turned up 1hr 15 mins late.  When the bus turned up, I was livid and moaned at the driver that I had been waiting over an hour for a bus and the driver of NX BUS 4692 replied it's not his fault. 

I agree it's not the drivers faulty.  But I would expect driver to offer the customer an apology on behalf of the company if a passenger ask them why is there a delay to service.  Some drivers when you ask whats with the delay shrug shoulders.

And standing moaning to the driver about the bus being so late just delays the bus even further, if every passenger did this could easily add 10 - 15 minutes to the lateness of the bus!!

The driver's reply 'it's no my fault' is accurate and honest and the driver not saying 'just go and sit down' or 'stop moaning you're delaying me even further' suggests training in customer service.

[danny]

Never quite understood why some passengers think its acceptable to complain to the driver... he can't help traffic  and last time I checked buses could not fly over such obstacles... your complaining is only going to delay the service further... just sit down... pipe down and be greatful that the bus turned up attal... there is nothing more annoying than being a passenger who hasn't moaned and had common sense to realise it isn't the drivers fault to then have to listen to some entitled Karen type demanding an unwarranted apology because of something out of the drivers control... get over it... its a mild inconvenience...

[Stu]

Never quite understood why some passengers think its acceptable to complain to the driver... he can't help traffic  and last time I checked buses could not fly over such obstacles... your complaining is only going to delay the service further... just sit down... pipe down and be greatful that the bus turned up attal... there is nothing more annoying than being a passenger who hasn't moaned and had common sense to realise it isn't the drivers fault to then have to listen to some entitled Karen type demanding an unwarranted apology because of something out of the drivers control... get over it... its a mild inconvenience...

Well said there.

There are two instances that stick in my mind, one was one time I was waiting on the Stratford Road in Sparkbrook and anyone could see that the traffic was pretty heavy and slow moving, yet someone decided to start gobbing off to the driver about how long they'd been waiting!

And of course on another occasion, I was onboard an X1/X2 that was stuck in traffic on Small Heath Highway, and I was sat in front of someone who was having a phone conversation... along the lines of "I'm gonna be late for college bro, this bus driver is taking the piss man".

Look up from your phones, and open your eyes to the real world around you.

[metrocity]

Why passengers think they are entitled to an apology for lateness when the cause is completely out of the drivers hand is mind blowing.

What a strange attitude you have towards the people that ultimately pay your wages!

[Trident 4194]

What a strange attitude you have towards the people that ultimately pay your wages!

A train driver apologised for the delay and so do pilots so why are bus drivers exempt? Obviously you wouldn't expect a driver to say sorry to every customer but still

[mikestone]

Customer service has sweet F.A. to do with training - if you don't select people who do it naturally no amount of classrom instruction is going to instill it, more likely the opposite

[Ginger66]

Never quite understood why some passengers think its acceptable to complain to the driver... he can't help traffic  and last time I checked buses could not fly over such obstacles... your complaining is only going to delay the service further... just sit down... pipe down and be greatful that the bus turned up attal... there is nothing more annoying than being a passenger who hasn't moaned and had common sense to realise it isn't the drivers fault to then have to listen to some entitled Karen type demanding an unwarranted apology because of something out of the drivers control... get over it... its a mild inconvenience...

So waiting an over hour is perfectly acceptable to you. If buses are supposed to every 10 minute I can understand a 5 to 15 minutes but an hour delay to anyone else unacceptbale

[Ginger66]

A train driver apologised for the delay and so do pilots so why are bus drivers exempt? Obviously you wouldn't expect a driver to say sorry to every customer but still

I have heard of conductors issuing notes to passengers to prove to bosses why there staff was late.

[Abluhwleh]

So waiting an over hour is perfectly acceptable to you. If buses are supposed to every 10 minute I can understand a 5 to 15 minutes but an hour delay to anyone else unacceptbale

Absolutely none of which is the poor driver's fault from whom you demanded your apology. Sense of entitlement from some people is staggering.