None - Bus and Coach drivers

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Sun 8 May 2011 19:05
None - Bus and Coach drivers - kentdave1973
I'm trying to find out what car drivers think of bus drivers and coach drivers. Is there and difference in driving standards between bus drivers and coach drivers and is their driving generally good or bad? Would you be embarrassed to tell your mates you did bus or coach driving for a living?
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Sun 8 May 2011 20:28
None - Bus and Coach drivers - Armstrong Sid

As an overall generalisation I reckon most coach and bus drivers are pretty good; their average is better than yer average car driver.

They seem to be better at lane discipline; they are usually in the right one at the right time and don't make sudden changes. They have to be patient at bus stops for car drivers who won't let them pull out, and car drivers who think any bus pulling out of anywhere is in the way, and car drivers who think bus stop areas are short-stay car parks. And they have to think ahead to make allowances for the sheer size of the thing they are driving, unlike some car drivers who treat buses like another car.

And no, I'm not a bus/coach driver, and I don't know anyone who is.

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Sun 8 May 2011 20:42
None - Bus and Coach drivers - pcvpilotmick
Would you be embarrassed to tell your mates you did bus or coach driving for a living?

My mates laughed when they found out that I drove buses for a living. They soon shut up when they found out how much I was earning.........................

Driving standards between bus drivers vary, the vast majority at my depot are well above average compared to some of the smaller independant operators.

Company officials will board your vehicle in civvies every now and again to conduct a "covert driving assessment". These officials will usually be based in a depot in another town, so you don't know who they are. Once they have completed their assessment of your conduct and driving, you will receive a letter a couple of days later informing you when and where you were assessed, how you performed, how you could improve,etc. If you failed the assessment, you would be relieved of duty and hauled into the traffic managers office for a formal disciplinary interview to highlight your failings. What usually followed was a day in training school, but if your driving was really bad then you would be made to retake a pcv driving test. Fail that and its hello P45......................

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Sun 8 May 2011 21:06
None - Bus and Coach drivers - veryoldbear

I am always amazed that most of them know EXACTLY where the corners of the vehicle are.

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Sun 8 May 2011 23:13
None - Bus and Coach drivers - Berisford

We've two main companies here, one wins lots of awards (according to the claims on the backs of the vehicles) and the other is Stagecoach.

I can only assume that Stagecoach either pay a bonus to bring the buses back in good condition or rule with a rod of iron 'cause their drivers are far more considerate and courteous than the award winners.

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Sun 8 May 2011 23:37
None - Bus and Coach drivers - RaineMan

I find that like lorry drivers they vary considerably, and also like the previous post they vary between companies. Around here Arriva buses buses are generally driven well whereas UH (uno) buses should be given a wide berth! The same with courier companies - FedeX drivers are geneally considerate whereas Securicor are not. Royal Mail have both good and bad drivers. The main problem is that far to many forget the mirror part of "mirror, signal, manouvere"!

Edited by RaineMan on 08/05/2011 at 23:38

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Mon 9 May 2011 13:23
None - Bus and Coach drivers - injection doc

well kentdave I was never embarresed to tell my mates what I did for a job. I worked as a mechanic ( Fully qualified ) for £23.00 week over 30 years ago and when i wanted a mortage it was impossible. I joined London buses and went fom £23.00 - £166.00 + overtime and double deck allowance and meal allowance and uniform + shift allowance ! & six weeks holiodays so there was jsut no comparison and working 55-60hrs used to see me take home about £322.00 a week. 30 years ago !!! Job was great and went on to National Express, earning great money and loads of tips for weekend breaks and holidays etc. Then in 1985 is privitization was comming in and I could see the writing on the wall, pay just tumbled and shifts went etc etc so back into the motor trade i went.

I had been extensivley trained to be polite and courteous on the road and our driving was monitered and we used to collect certificates each year for accident free driving, best thing was the better and more carefull we were the better the tips were ! I have to admit I have been on some coaches these days and do wonder about some of the driving standards ! but its like everything else.

I was with a great bunch of guys who mostly have come from very good trades, shipping managers, undertakers, electricians., plasterers so anytime we wanted a job done at home we only had to ask a mate !

The downside was when I wanted to get back in the motor trade ( even though I had carried on working part time in a garage ) as soon as they saw Bus/Coach driver on your CV it appeared to knock all chances of a job ! and my mates had the same experince.

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Mon 9 May 2011 13:24
None - Bus and Coach drivers - injection doc

well kentdave I was never embarresed to tell my mates what I did for a job. I worked as a mechanic ( Fully qualified ) for £23.00 week over 30 years ago and when i wanted a mortage it was impossible. I joined London buses and went fom £23.00 - £166.00 + overtime and double deck allowance and meal allowance and uniform + shift allowance ! & six weeks holiodays so there was jsut no comparison and working 55-60hrs used to see me take home about £322.00 a week. 30 years ago !!! Job was great and went on to National Express, earning great money and loads of tips for weekend breaks and holidays etc. Then in 1985 is privitization was comming in and I could see the writing on the wall, pay just tumbled and shifts went etc etc so back into the motor trade i went.

I had been extensivley trained to be polite and courteous on the road and our driving was monitered and we used to collect certificates each year for accident free driving, best thing was the better and more carefull we were the better the tips were ! I have to admit I have been on some coaches these days and do wonder about some of the driving standards ! but its like everything else.

I was with a great bunch of guys who mostly have come from very good trades, shipping managers, undertakers, electricians., plasterers so anytime we wanted a job done at home we only had to ask a mate !

The downside was when I wanted to get back in the motor trade ( even though I had carried on working part time in a garage ) as soon as they saw Bus/Coach driver on your CV it appeared to knock all chances of a job ! and my mates had the same experince.

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Mon 9 May 2011 13:40
None - Bus and Coach drivers - injection doc

Well kentdave I was never embarrassed to tell my mates what I did for a job. I worked as a mechanic (Fully qualified) for £23.00 week over 30 years ago and when i wanted a mortgage it was impossible. I joined London buses and went from £23.00 - £166.00 + overtime and double deck allowance and meal allowance and uniform + shift allowance! & six weeks holidays so there was just no comparison and working 55-60hrs used to see me take home about £322.00 a week. 30 years ago!!! Job was great and went on to National Express, earning great money and loads of tips for weekend breaks and holidays etc. Then in 1985 is privatization was coming in and I could see the writing on the wall, pay just tumbled and shifts went etc etc so back into the motor trade i went.

I had been extensively trained to be polite and courteous on the road and our driving was monitored and we used to collect certificates each year for accident free driving, best thing was the better and more careful we were the better the tips were! I have to admit I have been on some coaches these days and do wonder about some of the driving standards! but its like everything else.

I was with a great bunch of guys who mostly have come from very good trades, shipping managers, undertakers, electricians. Plasterers so anytime we wanted a job done at home we only had to ask a mate!

The downside was when I wanted to get back in the motor trade ( even though I had carried on working part time in a garage ) as soon as they saw Bus/Coach driver on your CV it appeared to knock all chances of a job ! And my mates had the same experience.

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Mon 9 May 2011 16:12
None - Bus and Coach drivers - Sofa Spud

I think bus and coach drivers are generally pretty good - and the same goes for lorry drivers. Driving a large vehicle is a lot more demanding than a car, as I know from past experience. If you're driving a large vehicle for long periods of time, for a living, you're likely to make the odd mistake, just as with a car.

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Mon 9 May 2011 16:48
None - Bus and Coach drivers - LucyBC

The drivers are usually pretty good but when an accident occurs the companies are a borderline nightmare.

Most "self insure" and will oppose any and every claim so even if it is clearly 100% their fault the client gets into a long drawn out battle to assert the bus company's liability.

In the end they will fold but often afterr running up costs unnecessarily.

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Mon 9 May 2011 17:06
None - Bus and Coach drivers - kentdave1973
Thanks for your many replies everyone.
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