The dreaded FIRST BUS!

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Mon 23 Jul, 2012 8:48 am

buffaloskinner wrote: The guy was a consultancy agent Oh dear, doesn't that just say it all ?? When, oh when, will this Industry realise that we need BUSMEN to run bus undertakings !!

LS1 · Post by **LS1** » Mon 23 Jul, 2012 9:38 am

buffaloskinner wrote: Seems he (Howarth) didnt last long at Blackpool Transport or Strawberry Buses in St Helens.The guy was a consultancy agent He seems to have done quite well out of Strawberry - he founded it and then merged it with South Lanc, sold his shares and moved on. He must have been there for over 2 years...

somme1916 · Post by **somme1916** » Mon 23 Jul, 2012 7:47 pm

raveydavey wrote: From yesterdays YMP:http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/n ... 4763806New buses boss slams drivers EXCLUSIVEA new Leeds bus chief has slammed his drivers claiming they operate in a world of their own and snub passengers.Oliver Howarth, First Bus’s new general manager for Leeds, admitted customer courtesy was ‘poor’ on the city’s bus network.He said that passengers were being blanked by drivers because of the imposing anti-assault screens that separate them. He added that as part of a radical shake-up of bus services he wanted to see changes that improved customer service.He also warned that drivers who fail to help disabled passengers in wheelchairs board buses would be disciplined as part of his plan to put customers first.But unions have hit back and said bus drivers have to deal with one of the most “stressful” jobs in the country.Mr Howarth told a public meeting in the city: “Drivers are just blanking passengers.“Leeds have their buses fitted with anti-assault screens. They are completely soundproof.“Drivers are locked in a big plastic box of their own. They are in this other world.”No arguments with his comments, but surely this is a culture that Worst have fostered over a long period of time - the drivers haven't suddenly changed.A cynic might think that it's convenient that we are getting all these comments about service and courtesy at the same time Worst might be about to lose their monopoly in Leeds with the Quality Contracts proposed by Metro.... Don't quite know what's gone on here but this headline YEP story(yesterday) has completely disappeared off the YEP radar ????? Doesn't appear anywhere/section of the paper at all now.Perhaps the transponder isn't working......more likely the story has been "pulled".

WiggyDiggy · Post by **WiggyDiggy** » Tue 24 Jul, 2012 5:41 pm

somme1916 wrote: Don't quite know what's gone on here but this headline YEP story(yesterday) has completely disappeared off the YEP radar ????? Doesn't appear anywhere/section of the paper at all now.Perhaps the transponder isn't working......more likely the story has been "pulled". I think he's right, whenever I use a bus in leeds I find those cocooned within their box to be surly and unpleasant, but those without such a barrier much more pleasant - Centrebus on the 757 route are generally pleasant to chat to.Another annoying thing is not having my pass checked - I pay monthly and want bus drivers to look at it and check it, waving me on without a second glance makes me just want to wave coloured paper at them!Not all may be the fault of the drivers as I have a friend who works for First and he (along with his retired father) bemoans the company as uncaring and disrespectful towards its workforce.

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Tue 24 Jul, 2012 5:54 pm

It's strange that story has just vanished like that.http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/n ... -4763806It makes me wonder if it was an 'off the record' comment made about improving customer relations..Newspapers are well known to slightly elaborate and exaggerate on any small detail.Newspapers just don't get rid of stories like that for no reason, there is no explanation or apology, or even a follow up to it. I wonder if Oliver went ballistic about it and the Y.E.P pulled it for legal reasons??It isn't the kind of story that you know for sure ''will rock the boat'' that you lightly go to the press about.The only one I can recall similar was the shameful treatment of the long serving manager being made redundant at the City Varieties.

simong · Post by **simong** » Tue 24 Jul, 2012 6:32 pm

We're drifting onto another popular topic here, but as I've suggested before, the YEP, in common with a lot of online news services, can craft stories with URLs that get clicks and thus create ad impressions, but if those stories are controversial or misquoted then just changing them a bit makes them disappear. In addition, the cynical man who stands behind me might suggest that the Evening Post needs First, and indeed the council, more than First and the council need it these days, and could be persuaded to kill or change stories if they were incorrect, inaccurate or disagreeable.

somme1916 · Post by **somme1916** » Tue 24 Jul, 2012 9:08 pm

simong wrote: We're drifting onto another popular topic here, but as I've suggested before, the YEP, in common with a lot of online news services, can craft stories with URLs that get clicks and thus create ad impressions, but if those stories are controversial or misquoted then just changing them a bit makes them disappear. In addition, the cynical man who stands behind me might suggest that the Evening Post needs First, and indeed the council, more than First and the council need it these days, and could be persuaded to kill or change stories if they were incorrect, inaccurate or disagreeable. Yes,there would be some merit in that interpretation.....more plausible than a legal wrangle perhaps.They(YEP) think we don't notice these things of course.....we are S L'ers after all !

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Wed 25 Jul, 2012 12:18 am

WiggyDiggy wrote: Not all may be the fault of the drivers as I have a friend who works for First and he (along with his retired father) bemoans the company as uncaring and disrespectful towards its workforce. I don't want to seem intolerant, or a traitor to bus employees, and as is well known I've no time at all for "First" - BUT to be fair I think they are far too tolerant to the employees, particularly in regard to uniform. The uniform is of good quality and is smart when properly worn, but I'm sick and tired of seeing drivers with their own baseball caps, trainers, and shirts hanging out - to say nothing of the wearing while driving of the yellow safety jackets which are intended only for use while walking in Company and Metro premises.Also there is far too much driving with one elbow resting on the cash counter or elsewhere and steering with NO fingers at all round the steering wheel, but simply the "heel" of the other hand on the rim of the wheel. Supporters of this suicidal practice arrogantly claim that "its OK with power steering" - of course its not !!Then there's the practice of deliberate slow driving so as to become far later than necessary and miss a trip or two later on - this is difficult to prove of course but is far more prevalent than the operator would care to acknowledge.Now, as with all discussions, there's nothing more unfair than the wicked "G" word - Generalisations !! I am the first to appreciate the hard work and difficult job performed conscientously by a large number of the lads and lasses - my comments above were in respect of the dodgers with no pride - I'm afraid there are a good few of those and always have been, and Leeds has always, even in LCT days, been a rich hunting ground for those of that persuasion.Two more unrelated points spring to mind here.I have always had the greatest admiration for lady bus drivers, and I've no hesitation in saying that the vast majority drive with considerable vehicle sympathy and good road sense. In particular I admired the first ladies who began in Leeds after the passing of the Sex Discrimination Act forced LCT and the TGWU to accept the move.Those first lasses had to put up with an awful lot of chauvinist nonsense at the time.One of my real pet hates is the expensive and utterly ridiulcous practice of the route branding of vehicles which is virtually impossible to adhere to. I've seen just one of many shining examples in Morley this lunchtime. Proudly displaying its "X 84" insignia all over, and lists of the attractions of lovely Wharfedale, was one of the recent Volvo B9TLs for the Skipton service. It was about to go via the 55 route to the City and Moortown !!I'm putting up the metal shutters now, as I fear that I may have ruffled one or two feathers among the "I'm super and slick and I don't need to hold the steering wheel even on tight corners in busy town centres" brigade. One such nearly wrote me off on Sunday afternoon as I was stood at the red traffic lights in Bridge End waiting to go up Briggate - around the tight corner from The Calls came our hero in just the manner I object to - wearing a superior expression and un-necessarily far too wide. His cab window was open, as was my car window, and so I bellowed out "Get hold of the steering wheel" - I'm very glad I didn't hear the inevitable retort

BIG N · Post by **BIG N** » Wed 25 Jul, 2012 3:23 am

BIG N wrote: First have indeed put everything North of Leicester up for sale with the exception of their First Leeds and First Manchester operations, not certain yet if First Leeds is to become First West Yorkshire under the reorganisation but as yet non of the First buses in Huddersfield, Halifax or Bradford are sporting the New First livery so its not looking good. Just an update on my previous comments quoted aboveThe new livery has now started to appear on First Huddersfield vehicles, complete with "Huddersfield" branding so I suspect First Leeds, First Huddersfield etc etc are to become First West Yorkshire with sub branding, still no sign of re-liveried vehicles in Bradford or Halifax as yet though.

Terry M · Post by **Terry M** » Wed 25 Jul, 2012 7:49 am

It is very easy to moan and groan about bus drivers and timetables.But you need to drive a bus for 10 hours a day and you will then realise why drivers can be miserable.You get moaned and groaned at for buses running early, running late, not running, even though you are on time and smiling.You get drunks who threaten you, you get foul mouthed kids who know you cannot do anything about them..You get prams the size of a wheelbarrow..And you are expected to run to time and smile at everybody.And if anyone should report you the result is you are taken off the road, disciplined without been able to question your acccuser and in most cases given written warnings for something you have not done.In 1974 there was a queue for getting a bus driving job, now there is a queue for leaving the job.Just for the record I started in the industry in 1974 and I am still in it today..