Dear First bus drivers

Many thanks to the First bus driver who snorted indingnantly "what, a tenner for a 50p ride?" at my nine-month pregnant wife this afternoon. Desperate to pee, she really did actually need the ride home at the time. How grateful all the people behind her must have been as she put down her five bags of shopping and rootled around in all her pockets until she happened upon a quid.

Now obviously, I realise that you may have a personality disorder, but the occasional customers asking to break a note for a fare aren't actually criminals on a scale of mass murderers or child fiddlers. I realise also that your job brings you into contact with many rather sub-standard beings, but it isn't necessary to absorb their failings into your own personal deportment. Many of your profession do their jobs admirably, with good humour and great discretion. Trouble is, scumbags like you bring the whole trade into disrepute. If you're a badly adjusted sociopath, can I suggest that piloting a public service vehicle is possibly not the ideal career path? After all, the parking enforcement agencies and fast food retail sector are crying out for recruits with just your qualifications. Go get the job you deserve.

in bus driver's defence I cannot see why people cannot get change ready. They get a lot of people comng on with notes (often students) and they cannot change it.

I always make sure I have change and if not I'll go in a shop and buy something so that I have change.

I can see why he did what he did.

Dear boy, why must we all run around buying things just so we can get on a bus? Free market economics dictate that legal tender is legal tender. Shops have to carry change, so why in the blue blazes not buses?

Furthermore, if a man is confronted by a tired, tiny, extremely pregnant woman carrying loads of shopping, he'd have to be more than a cad to expect her to heave herself around the local shops begging for coppers just for his convenience. Unless you think that courtesy and discretion are unneccesary in these modern times, of course...

dear chap,

common sense dictates that you make sure you have change. A driver cannot be driving around with hundreds of pounds in change and notes.

One would think if your wife had just been shopping she may have thought ahead. Her condition is irrelevent as she seemed healthy enough to cart around 5 bags of shopping I'm sure she is healthy enough to carry a £1 coin....

Driver could've been more polite and helpful in the circs.

But surely if one buys 5 bags of shopping, it might be sensible to get change for the bus while one is at it? Whenever I've sheepishly got on a bus with a note I've expected grief from the driver. What if everyone did it? [no, just kidding, not that old chestnut].

Didn't your mam tell you to get your fare ready while you're waiting in the queue?

I totally agree with ya, theres nothing more annoying when the bus driver goes mad at you cos you haven't got any change. I've tried the opposite and got on a bus with a lot of change andf the driver just turns round and says something sarcastic like 'ohhh, have you raided your piggy bank' or 'I'm not taking that!' It's a catch 22 situation.

They do carry change, I believe each driver actually has their own "money bag" which they take off the bus when the change busses. So say 10 people want to pay for a £1.10 fair with a £10 or £20 note. Then that is a lot of change they need to carry. Especially when they don't like to carry too many notes in case of muggings. Have you ever tried carrying a large number of poind coins, more than 20 and it starts to get heavy, never mind 50 or more plus all the other change.

So can you see why they don't like people paying with notes.

Actually, have to say that a tenner for a 50p ride would stress me were I a driver, and I'm not the world's greatest fan of First Mainline.

I stick my bus fare in one side of my wallet away from other change, or even behind my driving licence, so that I've got teh right money and don't spend it.

Joe

I travelled on a First bus on Monday from Pond St. For a start it was about 15mins late. Then we were held up getting out of Pond St. The traffic thro Shefield Centre was horrendous which held us up further.
The bell to ring to get off the bus didn't work and he kept taking people past their stops and I mean a long way past as if he didn't want to let them off and he also wouldn't let anyone on after the station. He kept telling other drivers to F=== O== and when he got about 3/4 of the way home he left us for 10mins without any explaination. I thought he had gone to have a quiet nervous breakdown. I was on that bus 1 & 1/2 hrs for a 35min ride.
I learned when I got home that there had been an accident on the M1 and traffic had been diverted thro Sheffield.

Hazel

"Please have the correct fare ready if possible. Our drivers will give change" - First website.

Yes they'd prefer correct fares, but do give change, or at least their drivers 'should' give 'change', not 'attitude'.

I caught a bus yesterday, thought I had the right money, but I didn't. Appologised to the driver, and gave him a tenner. He appologised for giving me all the change in £1 coins. We were both polite, and friendly. He got rid of lots of heavy £1 coins, and I spent them in the pub. No problem.

So, to the nice driver yesterday, thanks, to the grumpy jobsworths, lighten up a little.

OK so maybe its abit annoying but what happened to Customer Service? Does the 'Customer is King' approach not apply to the transport industry??

Mat


ps. where's Kirky - would have thought he'd have a couple things to say!

:D

Originally posted by march
They do carry change, I believe each driver actually has their own "money bag" which they take off the bus when the change busses. So say 10 people want to pay for a £1.10 fair with a £10 or £20 note. Then that is a lot of change they need to carry. Especially when they don't like to carry too many notes in case of muggings. Have you ever tried carrying a large number of poind coins, more than 20 and it starts to get heavy, never mind 50 or more plus all the other change.

So can you see why they don't like people paying with notes.

but I am sure that this driver, who was *obviously* all sweetness and light would not have had "every" passenger pay with a tenner... and how absolutely awful for him, to be weighed down with ten pound notes, instead of lots of Light-as-a feather coins! I am sure he had change, but was just being awkward.


and the logic does not add up, about the amount of moneyt hat needs to be carried it is an argument that carries no weight, (excuse the pun).

A hundred pounds, in ten pound notes is the same amount of money, as a hundred pounds in five pound notes or pound coins, or for that matter, two-pence pieces.

If the driver carries a thousand passengers, all paying for a pound fare, during his shift on duty, then the driver will have a thousand pounds to deal with, whether in fives, tens or twenties even! what is the problem? changing a note for a passenger who has no change will simply mean that the driver has less change to carry back to cash in when his shift finishes. In a shop you expect to get change when you offer a tenner for a pound purchase, and I can't se the reason for the quibble from this driver, except that he perhaps needs to attend charm school...

This driver behaved awfully, and reprehensibly to a lady who was heavily pregnant. (and at nine-months, it's not like it would not be , erm.... blatantly obvious that this lady was expecting)

For crying out loud! was a bit of chivalry toward joyphil's wife that difficult to provide?

Was it so hard to be a bit compassionate towards this lady? I work in customer service, and I pride my self on being bright and friendly to all my customers who come to the office where I work. When I was a volunteer, they got the same level of service as they do from me as a paid stafff-member.

I treat every customer who comes through that door with courtesy and respect. I expect nothing less, of myself and my colleagues.

Joyphil, I hope your lady wife kept her ticket from this journey, when she was driven by this boor!

Contact First mainline with the ticket details, and ask for customer service, making a complaint about it. I am sure that his superiors would be interested to know what a "lovely" impression the ambassadors for their bus company are making, when facing the public... (the ticket will give the time, route and driver number, and will help the bosses trace who this sweet man was, that your Missus encountered)
good luck, and I hope Missus Joyphil is okay. Keep us posted about baby Joyphil and his/ her arival, won't you?

PT

i agree that you should at least try to have change for the bus when you can. however, in some circumstances for example when you are in a hurry, there is no shop nearby or the bus turns up and you don't get time to obtain change i think it is acceptable to give the driver a note, apologise politely and not be grumped at.

last summer i had to leave work early because i had become very ill in the office, with a high tempreture, shivers and generally very weak. i did not have the energy to go to the shop and get change the bus driver was really grumpy until i protested that i was poorly and i needed to get home, the bus driver then turned his grumpyness into a wry smile and let me on the bus for free. (thank you driver)

joyphil i think your wife was right to be a little upset given that she was pregnant and in need of the toilet, maybe she didn't think to get change (her fault) but then later did not have the energy to go and get some....unless of course she was stood right outside a newsagents type shop, in which case i probably would have told her to sling her hook ;)

She had a pound in change and still offered a tenner? It doesn't excuse the bus driver's behaviour but why didn't she have the pound ready, she had after all managed to get the ten pound note out.

This business of not using notes to buy small items seems to be a particularly British affliction. When I lived in France I often used to buy a paper or whatever with a 200 Franc note (i.e. the equivalent of £20) and nobody batted an eyelid. Having said that when it comes to buses they have a completely different system of buying your tickets in advance of course.

At least we should be thankful that buses in Sheffield still do theoretically offer change. There are plenty of places (Birmingham for example) where you have to offer the right money, and they don't give change under any circumstances. All very well if you know where you're going and how much it costs, but if you've never been there before it's incredibly frustrating to be told that you should have had the right money when there's absolutely no bloody way you could have known in advance how much it was going to be...

Im not taking sides here but just for the record bus drivers for the company in question receive the princely sum of £2 for their float to start the day.

Originally posted by d71146
Im not taking sides here but just for the record bus drivers for the company in question receive the princely sum of £2 for their float to start the day.

If I didn't know that you could could lay even-odds on someone offering a fiver for a quid-fare, I might find that comment believeable, rather than the written work of a certain mr H. Christian Andersson of Denmark......

no way, on god's good earth, would they start with a float as paltry as £2. what utter, utter tripe!

* I* keep a float, at work, with change for a minimum of a tenner. because I am expecting any one of the customers to offer a tenner for their £2 hire charge for the scooter they borrow, and I expect at least five or so hirings during the working day.

PT

Originally posted by metalman
At least we should be thankful that buses in Sheffield still do theoretically offer change. There are plenty of places (Birmingham for example) where you have to offer the right money, and they don't give change under any circumstances. All very well if you know where you're going and how much it costs, but if you've never been there before it's incredibly frustrating to be told that you should have had the right money when there's absolutely no bloody way you could have known in advance how much it was going to be...

I'm not sure if you should be thankful. Although born and bred in Sheffield I now live in a city whose main bus company has not offered change for over 20 years. It works well because the fare table is clearly displayed at every bus stop (along with the timetable) and there are only 2 fares, 80p and £1. People have got use to it, they board faster because there is no messing about with change, the bus gets away quicker, journey times are shorter and the driver can't get mugged for the dosh because the cash falls in to a secure box. It's so good that the main competitor (First) has converted their buses to same principle.

By the way Sheffield Corporation Transport tried the same system in 1973 on the 150/151 (later 47/48) route, complete with an inspector who carried a bag of change, just in case!!

no way, on god's good earth, would they start with a float as paltry as £2. what utter, utter tripe!

I can believe it. The First Group is based in Aberdeen. Most English folk refer to Scots as tight. The Scots refer to Aberdonians as even tighter. That is when they are not mentioning the sheep and the wellies.

in response to "robbie" why presume that its often students who have a note? on what grounds are you making this pathetic presumption? i have a bus pass, and even to buy this i always try to have the right money, thinking of the driver. i think you live in a very small minded world. im glad people do not always try and give students a bad reputation, like you seem to be doing.

just for the record..
drivers do only start with a £2 float
in the psv regs the the driver is not obiged to give change
they do because they are nice poeple
running time on routes is very tight if everyone got on with £10 and £20 notes they would nerver going

[QUOTE]Originally posted by pdrnsf
in response to "robbie" why presume that its often students who have a note? on what grounds are you making this pathetic presumption? i have a bus pass, and even to buy this i always try to have the right money, thinking of the driver. i think you live in a very small minded world. im glad people do not always try and give students a bad reputation, like you seem to be doing. [/QUOTE

on the gorunds that the vast majority of people who try to pay with notes on the busses I'm on are students.

I'm small minded? I've been a student and it was the same back then.

some people are so wishy washy liberal that they will never point the finger at anyone because they may offend someone. This is why the country is going to the dogs....

Originally posted by shefflad
just for the record..
drivers do only start with a £2 float
in the psv regs the the driver is not obiged to give change
they do because they are nice poeple
running time on routes is very tight if everyone got on with £10 and £20 notes they would nerver going

If the busses carried conductors at busy times then there wouldn't be a problem woth the time taken to give change. I'm always amazed at how much change the tram conductors carry. I've never had one been unable to give me change.

Maybe if we had a system where either 1) Busses carried conductors at peak times or 2) Day/Week/Month passes for the entire sheffield transport network were priced as to be affordable then we wouldn't have this silly problem.

as for the French system it is good in principal (ie you buy books of tickets and stamp them off when you get on a bus0 but in practice most people just reuse tickets. They would lose a lot of money

There are some miserable, unhelpful bus drivers - but they are probably a minority. When they just do the job efficiently you don't even notice them.
Imagine driving round Sheffield's pathetic and dangerous road system all day (most of us only commute to work and we're angry). Add to that the portion of the public that are themselves grumpy, impudent and unhelpful.
Seems bus driving could get to be a job where it's difficult to remain the normal cheery chap you wish for.
My god these happy pills are working tonight.

Originally posted by Plain Talker
If I didn't know that you could could lay even-odds on someone offering a fiver for a quid-fare, I might find that comment believeable, rather than the written work of a certain mr H. Christian Andersson of Denmark......

no way, on god's good earth, would they start with a float as paltry as £2. what utter, utter tripe!

* I* keep a float, at work, with change for a minimum of a tenner. because I am expecting any one of the customers to offer a tenner for their £2 hire charge for the scooter they borrow, and I expect at least five or so hirings during the working day.

PT
Plain Talker.
Just ask any bus driver and they will confirm this is not utter tripe as you eloquently call it.Ask the company when you next have occasion to ring them to complain about or commend the drivers.

I've worked in my current post for almost 1 yr now.
Until 2 months ago I used the bus.
I have never wanted to learn to drive nor do I
personally own a car.

I must have written to First Group 4 or 5 times complaining about the p**s-poor service/ driver during that time; not to mention the bad behaviour of other passengers (teenage girls being the worst offenders) and lack of driver response.
When of course the bus does turn up.
I've had drivers go past me at bus stops without stopping and drivers smoking while driving - social lepers!

I always tried to give correct fare especially when catching the 6am bus to Sheffield from Rotherham; even if this did mean I actually raided the kids' money box & left a Daddy-i.o.u.

One day I got on with a fiver for a £2 day saver & received so much hassle from the driver I suddenly appreciated just why drivers are so frequently assaulted. :rant: :loopy:

I now walk the 6 miles either to work & get a lift home or I get a lift in & walk home. I've saved almost £100 in bus fares & have lost half a stone in weight. I feel much fitter & the route I can walk along the river/canal is beautiful with herons & kingfishers among the sights!:thumbsup:

SO FIRST GROUP; YOU DIDN'T HEED MY LETTERS & NOW YOU LOST A CUSTOMER! :razz: :nod: LOSERS!

PS. It takes me 1 hr 40 mins to walk = about the same as catching a bus from work into Rotherham & then one out to home!!!!!

Originally posted by Don_Kiddick
PS. It takes me 1 hr 40 mins to walk = about the same as catching a bus from work into Rotherham & then one out to home!!!!!

Good on you Don. Sounds like you've had a lifestyle upgrade.

If I could force myself toget up out of bed in time to walk into work then it would take me 40 minutes. It takes me an average of 20 minutes on the tram including waiting at this end and walking at the other. The decision in the morning is always: Do I want to be on time or do I want to be 20 minutes late for work?

I really should walk in, I'ld appreciate the exercise and the solitude but unfornately I don't think I'd save any money as I buy the weekly tram passes which are good value even if you only use the tram three days out of seven.

Changing the topic a little, a few weeks ago going home to my boyfriends from Rotherham, I have a mainline monthly saver thing but the only bus I could get was a stagecoach, it was about 6pm on a sunday night and I only had a £20 on me and a couple of coppers, went to pay with the £20 and was told I couldnt pay with it because the Stagecoach paying in office wouldnt accept them, wasnt sure as to why, but luckily cos I had nothing else the driver let me on for free.

And back to mainline... Yesturday morning got the bus to work, just pulling nto sheffield, down the long straight street leading to the bus station, I got up and all of a sudden the driver jerked the bus... I flew off my feet and hurt my arm, this lovely old woman helped me up... as I was walking past the driver he didnt ask how I was, all he said was, your not going to report me are you.... best thing is, the reason for him swerving the bus.. he was tired and started to fall asleep!

Susie
xx

Originally posted by robbie
[

on the gorunds that the vast majority of people who try to pay with notes on the busses I'm on are students.

I'm small minded? I've been a student and it was the same back then.

some people are so wishy washy liberal that they will never point the finger at anyone because they may offend someone. This is why the country is going to the dogs.... [/B]

This is good! Students, Bus drivers & wishy washy liberals all in one posting, now there's a recipe for disaster......huh, bus drivers & students the city would be better off without any of em :P

I nominate robbie as the poster of the month:clap:

as for having your fare ready, it would be great if they 'bus drivers' knew what the correct fare was.

On the same route on three seperate days at approximately the same time each day I was charged three seperate fares - between 70p and a quid. Each driver told me that was the correct fare - are they all right? I rang the bus people up to query what the correct fare and they suggested a different fare - dearer I must add. Its no wonder people get confused over the fares and that bus companies are struggling to make it pay.

Originally posted by Don_Kiddick
I've worked in my current post for almost 1 yr now.
Until 2 months ago I used the bus.
I have never wanted to learn to drive nor do I
personally own a car.

I must have written to First Group 4 or 5 times complaining about the p**s-poor service/ driver during that time; not to mention the bad behaviour of other passengers (teenage girls being the worst offenders) and lack of driver response.
When of course the bus does turn up.
I've had drivers go past me at bus stops without stopping and drivers smoking while driving - social lepers!

I always tried to give correct fare especially when catching the 6am bus to Sheffield from Rotherham; even if this did mean I actually raided the kids' money box & left a Daddy-i.o.u.

One day I got on with a fiver for a £2 day saver & received so much hassle from the driver I suddenly appreciated just why drivers are so frequently assaulted. :rant: :loopy:

I now walk the 6 miles either to work & get a lift home or I get a lift in & walk home. I've saved almost £100 in bus fares & have lost half a stone in weight. I feel much fitter & the route I can walk along the river/canal is beautiful with herons & kingfishers among the sights!:thumbsup:

SO FIRST GROUP; YOU DIDN'T HEED MY LETTERS & NOW YOU LOST A CUSTOMER! :razz: :nod: LOSERS!

Don, On the matter of little or no response by the the driver on the subject of noisy teenage girls and boys and on the odd rare ocassion adults as well most drivers will not do or say anything because the company are not in the habit of backing up the staff in the event of trouble. Not only that you wouldn't believe what some of these young people carry onto the vehicle these days knives etc etc hidden on their person.

A tenner for a 50 p faire? That's one bit of paper and three coins in change. Jesus - what's the problem with that?

The ticket has the driver number on, remember, if you need to make a complaint in the future.

As a soon to be an Ex Bus Driver tomorrow(Thank God).I can confirm that the drivers do indeed only get a £2.00 Float.

Just yesterday i started work at 17:00 with my little £2.00 float in town,the first customer got on and said 50p please with a Tenner,I explained that i had only just started and that i had no change.So the lady said she would have a student saver instead so she started looking for her NUS card in her bag.

All this took well over 3 minutes,now baring in mind that to get from T J Hughes to the Markets you get 4 minutes including the loading of passengers at both stops( at rush hour) and you all wonder why Buses turn up late.

If only the lady had the correct fare ready then she would not have kept 60+ people waiting.

In many other Cities the Buses do not give change and it would be easier all around if the same applied here.

The same goes for OAP's Mobility ,and Child passes the amounty of times people get on say 40p and you ask for their pass,they look at you as though you have asked for a kidney!

Now as for challanging unruley children,well i will change that to yobs,The one thing i will not do is get out of the cab if i feel that i would be putting my health at danger,yes i will shout at them to keep quiet which usally does the trick.

I was just thinking that this web site had gone a bit thin on the ground for new posts etc and then i log on today to find another popular Bus Thread its all been said many times before and i just can not help but wonder why the MODS do not close these Threads down or at least merge them with that Super thread that was on here not so long ago.

All though i will not be a Bus Driver as of tomorrow i will continue to stick up for them on this web site as a lot of crap is spouted on here which for all we know could all be made up.

Pig ignorant bus drivers! Well there are pig ignorant Taxi drivers,call centre workers,shop workers,civil service employees,dentists,doctors, candle stick makers, garage workers,cabin crew,dole scroungers,OAP's,Children,Dogs,Cats i could go on and on which i think i will !.

Yes the Bus service in sheffield is not perfect then in life nothing ever is but having lived in other cities its a hell of a lot better than some i could mention.

So the next time a Numpty Bus driver(as someone once said) nearly runs you over a red light,can i suggest that the first thing that you do is ring the police and not come on hear with all your judgments that we can not really take seriously with out evidence.

Anyway If anyone is catching a 41 or a 95 todayand you have a Driver in a foul mood that will be me because i have been looking at these pathetic Bus driver threads on here again,so i oppologise in advance!

Time to sign off now to go a drive the 41 with my bad attitude,my £2.00 float,my inability to lower the ramp and brake slowly without jerking the bus,my inability to smile or say hello/goodbye,my inability to keep to a time table or indicate when pulling out of a bus stop with my back end sticking out blocking of all the traffic due to a numpy car driver parking in the bus stop bay. My inability to stop at selected bus stops and charge the incorrect fare and rob from you all by giving you the incorrect change,My ability to refuse people in Wheel Chairs as i can not be bothered to turn off the engine get out of the cab to let you on.my inability to let more than 2 huge buggies on the bus and my inability to take the mother seriously when she starts calling me a f***ing B*****d because i have turned up in a bus and not a buggy transporter and there is no room for her(classey lady in front of her little darlings).

Have a nice day forum users and yes i was being sarcastic.


Oh my god a Bus driver with a sence of humour now there's a first

Vote Unners for the next user of the month. Although can not see a Bus Driver being Nominated ,Hell will freeze over first on which day the Buses will get cancelled due to the Cold weather!

Originally posted by unners


Time to sign off now to go a drive the 41 with my bad attitude,my £2.00 float,my inability to lower the ramp and brake slowly without jerking the bus,my inability to smile or say hello/goodbye,my inability to keep to a time table or indicate when pulling out of a bus stop with my back end sticking out blocking of all the traffic due to a numpy car driver parking in the bus stop bay. My inability to stop at selected bus stops and charge the incorrect fare and rob from you all by giving you the incorrect change,My ability to refuse people in Wheel Chairs as i can not be bothered to turn off the engine get out of the cab to let you on.my inability to let more than 2 huge buggies on the bus and my inability to take the mother seriously when she starts calling me a f***ing B*****d because i have turned up in a bus and not a buggy transporter and there is no room for her(classey lady in front of her little darlings).

Have a nice day forum users and yes i was being sarcastic.




Sarcasm???...and there was me thinking you'd described a typical day in the life of a bus driver.
Good luck with your career change. Lets hope you take a better attitude into your new job :thumbsup:

http://www.sheffieldtoday.net/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=58&ArticleID=905961

And some of you say Bus drivers are bad.

Hope you are alright pal.

Originally posted by wibbles
Sarcasm???...and there was me thinking you'd described a typical day in the life of a bus driver.
Good luck with your career change. Lets hope you take a better attitude into your new job :thumbsup:

Cheers matey

Although i need to corret you on my attitude. Im one of those nice happy Bus Drivers.Even get a letter from a nice lady saying how lovely and polite i was the other week.No money in the letter though!

I just feel the need to balance things out on here a bit thats all.

Originally posted by robbie

on the gorunds that the vast majority of people who try to pay with notes on the busses I'm on are students.

I'm small minded? I've been a student and it was the same back then.

some people are so wishy washy liberal that they will never point the finger at anyone because they may offend someone. This is why the country is going to the dogs.... [/B]

Oh come on, I know some of them may be students, but stop the student bashing!! They are no worse than anyone else at paying with notes, and anyway, how exactly do you know they are students? You say you have been a student and it was the same then, so was it you paying with a note?! Because when I was a student and got the bus most days I had the correct change.

I had a lovely bus driver yesterday. Got on near the station, had never been on that route before, didn't really know where to get off so didn't know which fare to ask for, had about 80p in change, so had to pay with £5 note. He apologised he didn't have enough change, but told me to get on and he would give me my change when I got off. He made sure I got off in the right place (by shouting down the bus "where's me lost lamb?!")
and gave me my change. Thankyou Mr nice bus driver!

Everyone tries to have the right change, sometimes it just doesn't happen.
Remember that not all of them are rude about it though, it's the usual case of a minority giving the majority a bad name.

One other thing is that when on the tram, the person selling the tickets always has plenty of change, and actually told me not to apologise for giving her a fiver, she had a heavy bag.

Originally posted by unners
Cheers matey

Although i need to corret you on my attitude. Im one of those nice happy Bus Drivers.Even get a letter from a nice lady saying how lovely and polite i was the other week.No money in the letter though!

I just feel the need to balance things out on here a bit thats all.
Glad to hear it. Bus drivers do get a bashing and quite right in some cases but you seem an ok guy...shame you're not staying on then.
Sincerely good luck in your career change.

think I'm mellowing in my older age..maybe its just christmas

Ladies and gentlemen you are to be congratulated on what has to be an utter classic among sheff forum threads. All the elements of a winner are here, the healthy spread of positive and negative feeling, a couple of elegant digressions and fine sentiments from Plain Talker (for which I thank you sir! The little beggar was due yesterday and the mother is doing very well thus far. Although quite why she thought shopping was a good idea escapes me. Mind you, she only gave up bouldering four weeks ago).

Ah, also present and correct was one of Max's trademark nit-picks (fyi she discovered a quid lurking in a pocket after conducting a thorough search. It had been through the wash several times, so now you can accuse her of money-laundering should it help you get through your day). But the star of the show has to be Robbie. He covered all the necessary elements for a student bash-tastic, perfect ten-scoring, Herbert Gusset award-winner of a performance, never once deviating from his curmudgeonly line. Ground well held, old chap!

Rest assured, I have taken the ticket for the journey concerned and shall later today write to First, giving the company a little advice on the virtues of positive behaviour among their personnel. After all, if one behaves with discretion and good humour one generally tends to get treated accordingly, and has the strength to rise above the odd occasion when one isn't.

But all told, what a stonker of a thread. Well done everybody!

Originally posted by robbie
in bus driver's defence I cannot see why people cannot get change ready. They get a lot of people comng on with notes (often students) and they cannot change it.

I always make sure I have change and if not I'll go in a shop and buy something so that I have change.

I can see why he did what he did.
students with notes? you having a laugh:hihi:

they come in handy for snorting so I'm told!!!:clap:

I kno wits been said,but it is a £2 float,given to me when I started in 2 shiny £1 coins!!

I added a pound o fmy own,and broke it down into small coins.

That was fine untill you picked a gang of schoolkids up in the morning with their shiny £1 coins.

Then someone else gets on and they want change,and the little heathens have taken your change.Then you have to explain,in a civilised manner that you have no change.Then they get stroppy and call you a mardy arse and an unhelpful tosser,when you have done nothing wrong!!

Thats one of many reasons I no longer drive buses.

A quick tip for unners.When you pay in for the final time.Take the £2 float home with you and spend it,because they stop it out of your final wage!

The other day I caught the 77 or 80, and bought a day saver at £2.20. I gave the driver £2.50, and he looked at me like something he'd scraped off of his shoe and scowled ' I don't have change for that.' Quite taken aback, I replied 'I'm sorry?' and he barked 'I DON'T HAVE CHANGE FOR THAT!' Luckily my lady friend had 20p handy, so the miserable barstard was appeased.
A few years ago when I lived at Walkley, the 95 service was an absolute joke, after a bollocking from my supervisor, who didn't believe I was late every day because the bus didn't bother turning up, I sent quite an angry email to First customer services. I recieved a fawning, patronising reply but I hope things have improved on the route since.
I'd like to add though that I use the 53/77/80 regularly now, and most of the drivers are a credit to their profession, and I know that they do have to put up with a lot, as let's face it, the general public have a lack of manners, bad attitude and a rudeness to rival anyone.

Originally posted by joyphil
Ladies and gentlemen you are to be congratulated on what has to be an utter classic among sheff forum threads.



On the contrary...just another bus driver bashing thread. There seem to have lots of these over the last few months.

One thing I have learnt is that the £2 float given to drivers at the start of their shift is not "utter tripe" as PT claimed. It's downright stupidity on First's part :loopy:

Actually, have to say that a tenner for a 50p ride would stress me were I a driver, and I'm not the world's greatest fan of First Mainline.

I agree with Joe,
I bet you all have a pound for a supermarket trolley without having to go and get change.

Originally posted by Plain Talker

no way, on god's good earth, would they start with a float as paltry as £2. what utter, utter tripe!

* I*
PT

Not utter tripe at all...they do have a £2 float and that is fact.
The float is provided by the company.
Anything greater must be provided by the driver himself.

or maybe First lied to me and kept the rest of the float for themselves

I find this topic interesting.
Over where I live (Canada),most of the public transportation charge a flat rate.Whether you are going one stop or the entire route it is the same fare. you can transfer to another route without paying any extra.
It as always the exact fare or buy tickets ahead of time.
By the way' First ' also run the Paratransit in Ottawa..
The last time I was in Sheffield 2002 I used the public transportation all the time .

Theres 1 bus driver in Sheff who i found particularly rude.

I once gave a bus driver in Derby 80p in 1pennies... Sweet revenge on the collective group that is 'bus drivers.' It was glorious!

Originally posted by Greybeard
On the contrary...just another bus driver bashing thread. There seem to have lots of these over the last few months.

One thing I have learnt is that the £2 float given to drivers at the start of their shift is not "utter tripe" as PT claimed. It's downright stupidity on First's part :loopy:

Oh dear. Were you having a bad beard day? Words in jest should make you smile, Grey... basic physiological response. Anyhow, why have there been lots of bus driver-related rants? Could it be that there's a collective madness among passengers that causes them to see their pilots in a rather negative light? Or could it be that there's no smoke without fire and quite a few people are having a rather hard time as passengers? Answers on an old First ticket, please!

But you're right. Two pound coins wouldn't float a tombola stall, let alone a public service vehicle in an urban area.

So Happy Christmas to all. Especially as the big day itself is one on which less people than usual need to use the thoroughly ragged public transportation system de-regulation and neglect has heaped upon them.

Ah, and I forgot the reason I returned to this thread. To those who expressed their best wishes many thanks. After three days of hard labour, Mrs Joyphil produced 8lbs 1oz of Olivia Amelie early on Sunday morning. A beautiful seasonal gift.

We were told that were she to be born on an aircraft, the carrier is likely to give her free tickets for life. Utter tosh I realise, but a fine idea. Let us all be thankful that a: it isn't generally applied, and b: she wasn't born while riding up Woodseats High Street, to be thereby condemned to a lifetime's free travel with First Bus...

Oh, joyphil! congratulations on your little girl's safe arrival!

I bet you and Mrs Joyphil are made up!

what lovely news!

hope mum and baby, and new daddy are doing ok?

PT

I once missed a lecture at uni cos the bus driver wouldn't let me on with a £10 note as he was finishing his shift when he got to town and had packed his money away. I had some change but not the full fare.

I emailed a complaint to First and surprise, surprise, got no response back what so ever.

I went on the bus today for the first time in ages. Another driver got on & was moaning about buses being late and not turning up. If he thinks he has troubles, he should try being one their customers :lol:

Congratulations though Joyphil, that's a lovely name :)

I've not used public transport for quite some time now, due to the fares increacing, and not seeing a better service for my money. The attitude of some of the drivers on my route was inappropriate and the condition of the bus' was very poor. We seem to get all the old ones which can't get up Greystones road.

Where I live, first seem to think everyone has cars and won't want the bus. They claim to be every 45 mins, but in actual fact its whenever they feel like it. When I used to catch it in the morning, it wasn't uncommon for the service to be canceled and leaving me late for work.

Now I either drive or ride my MTB.
Another customer lost.

Originally posted by Plain Talker
Contact First mainline with the ticket details, and ask for customer service, making a complaint about it. I am sure that his superiors would be interested to know what a "lovely" impression the ambassadors for their bus company are making, when facing the public... (the ticket will give the time, route and driver number, and will help the bosses trace who this sweet man was, that your Missus encountered)
good luck, and I hope Missus Joyphil is okay. Keep us posted about baby Joyphil and his/ her arival, won't you?

PT
Actually You'll probably find that First Mainline wont give a toss about Mrs Joyphils experience, as they didn't when I had a similar experience with one of their less delightful members of staff.

Originally posted by scross
Actually You'll probably find that First Mainline wont give a toss about Mrs Joyphils experience, as they didn't when I had a similar experience with one of their less delightful members of staff.

Correct

i got on a bus two weeks ago to pay £1.10 and the bus driver said it was onyl £1 as after 6pm.
since then ive tried to pay £1 and ever driver has argued with me saying no its £1.10 and one said I cant charge you £1 coz I dont have the right button to press.
another one said, its either £1.10 or 80p, i kpet saying well actually its £1 as its afte 6pm, so he charged me 80p, then let me get off at my usual stop -so i paid 30p less then everyone else on the bus
im sure not many passengers know that its £1 after 6 and so are all paying £1.10

Originally posted by donniedarko
i got on a bus two weeks ago to pay £1.10 and the bus driver said it was onyl £1 as after 6pm.
since then ive tried to pay £1 and ever driver has argued with me saying no its £1.10 and one said I cant charge you £1 coz I dont have the right button to press.
another one said, its either £1.10 or 80p, i kpet saying well actually its £1 as its afte 6pm, so he charged me 80p, then let me get off at my usual stop -so i paid 30p less then everyone else on the bus
im sure not many passengers know that its £1 after 6 and so are all paying £1.10

It is not £1.10 after 1800 their are no on peak or off peak fares except on Day Savers my guess is that the person put down two £1 pound coins for the fare then thats ninety pence change to be found and thats just one customer the driver probably charged a £ 1 just to keep some change on board.

well actually now 3 drivers have agreed to let me pay £1
i dont think the others know about the promotion
no didnt put down 2 pound coins, i put down one and 10p
and he said no its only a pound after 6.15pm
other drivers have agreee, but soem say no

Ticketing Offers
13/12/2004 £1 Maximum Fare - Service 51 SHEFFIELD

It’s always been easy to get out and about by bus – but now with a £1 MAXIMUM fare on ALL Service 51 journeys after 6pm it’s less expensive too!!

From 13th December 2004 you can travel for a maximum fare of just £1 after 6pm, making it miles cheaper to travel by bus in the evening, 7 days a week.

So whether you’re planning on catching up with friends, having a drink or two, grabbing a bite to eat or perhaps you just want to check out the latest blockbuster at the cinema – catch the bus!

· £1 maximum fare on Service 51 after 6pm, 7 days a week
· Services every 20 minutes after 6pm
· Low floor ‘non-step’ entrance to make life that little bit easier
· Modern and comfortable interiors for a relaxing journey
· CCTV for your peace of mind
· Ultra low pollution levels, keeping your travel ‘green’

And all for a maximum fare of just £1 after 6pm on Service 51.

Avoid the hassle of parking and forget about the cost of taxis – travel with First and spend less getting there so you can have more fun when you arrive!

http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/yorkhumber/southyorkshire/offers/offers.php?item=114

Originally posted by d71146
It is not £1.00 after 1800 their are no on peak or off peak fares except on Day Savers my guess is that the person put down two £1 pound coins for the fare then thats ninety pence change to be found and thats just one customer the driver probably charged a £ 1 just to keep some change on board.

Originally posted by d71146

Previous post ammended should have read not £1.00 after 1800 but still £1.10 except I understand on 51s

In my experience ALL bus drivers are miserable t***s. Nuff said! How are they not obliged to give change? I don't understand that at all. If anyone pays for anything with a note and their goods cost less than the note offered then it is your right to expect change regardless of wether you're travelling on a bus or buying goods from a shop, No?! Where is it written in the bus drivers guide to being a miserable ******* that thou shalt not give change? And what about taxi drivers? they give change and they are providing a similar service are they not?:confused:

I cant believe I'm the first person to ask: What the hell is a nine month pregnant woman doing on a bus with 5 bags of shopping??????

Originally posted by fredsredhat
I cant believe I'm the first person to ask: What the hell is a nine month pregnant woman doing on a bus with 5 bags of shopping??????
Pregnant women need to shop, gone are the days when you are confined to your room with minions to pander to your every need.

Originally posted by fredsredhat
I cant believe I'm the first person to ask: What the hell is a nine month pregnant woman doing on a bus with 5 bags of shopping??????

Blimey, this thread returns to life... I'm with you in bemusement here too. Mrs J left the house, trilling merrily that she was 'just popping to the shop'. I thought that by this she meant the local Spa, but no. An epic trip to Tesco ensued, in which she bought enough nosh for a rather sizeable banquet. In fact, she then prepared one and invited some friends round to consume it. I'm sure you'll agree that most sane individuals would simply provide the doting father-to-be with a shopping list and a deadline for dinner, but Mrs J lives by her own rules. Still, that's why I love her, and why I bought her a surfboard for Christmas instead of scanties and perfume...

I have found many FIRST and Yorkshire Terrier bus drivers to be both rude and unhelpful. The most recent incident occurred when I enquired if it would be possible for me to alight the bus early as it was stuck in a long queue of traffic that was not moving. The bus driver barked at me, "No you can't because it's illegal and I'm not going to lose my job because YOU want to get off HERE!"
Immediately, I replied saying, "Who do you think you are speaking to? You work in a service industry and I spoke to you politely, therefore I expect a courteous reply!"
I was unaware that is was illegal to alight not at a bus stop but the driver could have been polite and said, "I'm sorry but you can't - it's illegal I'm afraid." That would have sufficed.

Two weeks ago another FIRST bus drivers grumbled at me because I had a £1 instead of 80p to which I replied, "So much for Christmas cheer!"

An epic trip to Tesco ensued, in which she bought enough nosh for a rather sizeable banquet. In fact, she then prepared one and invited some friends round to consume it.

Sounds v "nesty" to me - my sister did something similar (involving a whole heap of pumpkins) just before she went into labour :D

I think the poor dears are overworked. 3 times in the last fortnight they have missed stops. Must not be getting enough sleep....

when i get on the bus its about the 3rd stop from where they start and most the time they have very little change. Last week he had a 1 pound coin and a 10p!! i have the right change most the time but why dont they start with a larger float to avoid all the confrontation with people that is bound to happen if you have no change to give. I'm not talking 100's of pounds. just get a bag of 10's, 20's and £20 in pound coins and your sorted. and you could always keep most of the larger coins in your jacket.

:D well i woundt want to argue with people first thing in the morning about correct change.

Originally posted by MTheo
when i get on the bus its about the 3rd stop from where they start and most the time they have very little change. Last week he had a 1 pound coin and a 10p!! i have the right change most the time but why dont they start with a larger float to avoid all the confrontation with people that is bound to happen if you have no change to give. I'm not talking 100's of pounds. just get a bag of 10's, 20's and £20 in pound coins and your sorted. and you could always keep most of the larger coins in your jacket.

:D well i woundt want to argue with people first thing in the morning about correct change.
First provide the drivers with £2 float.

One time i didnt have any change and approached the drivier with a tenner, he said i would have to wait until he had change and to go and sit down, when i was at my stop i asked again, he said "no your alright love dont worry about it". another time i tried to pay with a ten pound note he just gave me ten pounds in change not minusing the fare, i did however point this out on that occasion, to his shock horror. another time a bus driver let me on for free but then asked me out as i was getting off the bus, uughhhh, but all in all i have found bus travel in sheffield both cheap and amusing.

however legal tender is legal tender, funnily enough they don't like it when you get on with bags of copper (which is definatley change) either!!!

I often save my coppers in a jar for when I get home at night and don't have enough change for the morning. Once, I had to use 30p in 2p pieces - the driver refused the fare saying he could refuse coppers over the value of 20p.
I just used a fiver instead... won't bother trying to save them the hassle of running out of change again!

Another time the change in my pocket meant the best option to pay for a £1.10 fare was to pay £2.20 (£2 coin). I thought many people would have paid the same fare in correct change, so the driver would appreciate finding it easy to give me £1.10 back. Did he ever... I just got abuse for not having the exact change!

I think the majority of bus drivers are really good and helpful, unfortunately there are also some real jerks out there who love whielding the 'power' they have over you.

Perhaps First should revert to a 'exact change only' system some other citys have.

£2.00 float?? thats just stupid of FIRST then. for once i have a bit of sympathy for their drivers on that subject!! they are bound to run out of change. pah!

id prob take my own money and change it wiv notes as i go. just to save hassle of people gettin annoyed about not getting change.

Originally posted by MTheo
£2.00 float?? thats just stupid of FIRST then. for once i have a bit of sympathy for their drivers on that subject!! they are bound to run out of change. pah!

id prob take my own money and change it wiv notes as i go. just to save hassle of people gettin annoyed about not getting change.
Thats right the princely sum of £2 this has been confirmed on the Forum several times before so,if a passenger tenders two one pound coins for a fare of say £1.10 at the beginning of the shift thats it nearly all the float gone with just one fare not that the bus company cares a jot about that.

I am not sure if a ticket machine has been designed or is on on the market but you would think that a machine that is now in most major shops that read your credit card/chip and pin or a card similar to phone cards could be used for public transport travel to speed things up. The card could be topped upped on the bus or in advance at say the post office. Just a thought.

Firts, back when it was still Mainline had a system like that; it was called "wayfarer". it was mostly on the number 60 route.

You bought a card for about a tenner, and you got about 11 quid's worth of travel for that.

there was a machine, which you put your card into, and it'd read it, like a credit card, and if you had "credit" on the card, your ticket was issued.

now I can see the logistics of a chip & pin system as they have in shops being a problem.

ther'd be the delay whilst the card owner got the card out,
then a bit more of a wait whilst they got the card into the machine,
and then the delay whilst they remembered, their pin, and typed it in.
(that's not counting any other delay in case someone entered the wrong pin, or put the card in upside down..

when the Supertram first opened, you could buy books of tickets. it worked in a similar way, you'd pay a fiver for six one- pound single journeys.

it was stopped off because the number of people who faied to validate the tickets before travelling (whether intentionally or by mistake) cost SYSL a small fortune.

that's why conductors were introduced

It's a great idea, in concept, but it's whether it would work in practice

PT

You are probably thinking more of smart card technology.

London Transport have allready started using it with their 'Oyster Card' scheme. You top it up with so much money then everytime you go through the barriers on the underground you put the card over a pad and it deducts the fare for the journey you just made.

Yes I was thinking more on Andy's line.At work we have a girovend card where you insert your card into a machine then put either put 50p/£1/£2 or a note into a slot this is then loaded onto the card. When you then go to the cafe or a vending machine the cost of the product purchased can be taken off automatic.All based on bar codes. The smartcard girovend card also logs where you are in the building when you swipe to enter various parts of the building. The idea I had is you would just present the card to the driver who would just swipe it on the ticket machine and if the driver had no change they would give you a new card with the loaded 'change value' on it.

Just this morning I witnessed another First Bus driver being completely unhelpful and unreasonable to a customer. Here's what happened:

A young French girl got on the bus with two suitcases, she was obviously a student returning home to France. She had only a £10 note or 90p in change and needed to get to the train station to catch a train which I presume was to Manchester Airport to catch a flight. The bus driver grunted that he did not have change for a £10 note and asked her what change she had. She was 20p short of the fare and so he told her to get off the bus and wait for the next. She then protested that she had a train to catch and he just said, "Well I don't have the change for a tenner". At this point I asked the girl how much she was short by and offered her the 20p. I looked at the bus driver and said, "You disgust me". He replied saying, "Well people obviously can't read the sign about having change available". To which I replied, "Well sir, I CAN read and that's exactly why I'm not driving a bus!"

Getting a First bus with suitcases is difficult enough as it is - the new low floor buses don't have luggage racks, so you have to put your cases in the wheelchair space.

Good for you JonJParr. It really is pathetic isn't it? Go by bus we are told. Well frankly, with ar*eholes like this at the wheel who in their right mind would want to? 20pence, for crying out loud...,

but she had a quid?

t i have noticed now is that quite a few bus drivers are taking the fare off me and giving me my change yet they arn't issueing me with a ticket- thats a proper scam!!!!!!

Originally posted by leighrichy
but she had a quid?

She had 90p and the fare was £1.10p so I gave her 20p.

Mr Parr you are a star. :thumbsup: Good one mate.

I hope she goes home with a better impression of British; nay Sheffield people as a result!

I personally buy an Off-peak Travelmaster which costs £8:50 per week. What I find sligtly annoying is when I get on a bus and the driver looks very grudging about accepting it. I should point out that not all drivers are like this but some are.

I don't see what their problem is. The pass is always in date and it is much quicker for the driver than having to bother taking a fare.

Can someone explain why they act like this? I get the impression that some drivers would rather have no customers at all as nothing seems to please them.

Originally posted by slimsid2000
Can someone explain why they act like this? I get the impression that some drivers would rather have no customers at all as nothing seems to please them.

The quicker they get round there route, the quicker they get home im afraid!!

Originally posted by scottf
The quicker they get round there route, the quicker they get home im afraid!! There is a saying amongst a few Sheffield drivers that says 'An empty bus is a happy bus'

Originally posted by scottf
The quicker they get round there route, the quicker they get home im afraid!!
I speak for myself and my colleagues at work (no not @ First) but isn't work without customers boring ? Try passing time with nothing to do...

I know bus drivers have two jobs in one, and they'd rather enjoy themselves driving, but it's only ½ their job, so might as well have someone with a bus pass so they have to use their till !

not a criticsim of bus drivers (and they've been pretty good lately) but passengers.

There are no seats left (or none except at the back) why cannot people (especially students it seems) stand at the back of the bus instead of loads of people crushed standing up at the front.

Its just plain stupid.

Originally posted by robbie
not a criticsim of bus drivers (and they've been pretty good lately) but passengers.

There are no seats left (or none except at the back) why cannot people (especially students it seems) stand at the back of the bus instead of loads of people crushed standing up at the front.

Its just plain stupid.

Basically, robbie, it's that folk, generally, (it's not just the "young 'uns) are suffering from a condition called "JPI".... just plain idle(!) , they just can't be bothered to walk another five or ten feet further down the bus, to leave the front part of the gangway clear.

And it's *so* aggravating, when they won't move out of the way of my wheelchair, when I want to get off. They just stand there, and look at you, all gormless, and expect you to be able to de-materialise, and pass through them, whilst they are blocking the gangway.

PT

Speaking as an ex bus driver:

Didn't do the job for very long (thank God) and I only took the job on as I was "between jobs" so to speak.

I can confirm the fact that when first starting the job you are given two £1 coins as a float (which is paid back when leaving the company). As the wages are pathetically poor it is, in my opinion, unrealistic to expect a driver to use money of his own.
As stated before your float can disappear with the first passenger so it's obvious that the paltry £2 is nowhere near enough. I've had many a day where £22 wouldn't have been enough. I know there are times when it's not been possible for a passenger to offer something like the correct change but there are people out there who purposely offer a note hoping to gain a free ride (I'm certainly not saying everyone's at it!!).
Faced with the situation of the heavily-pregnant lady, I personally would have let her on without charge. At the same time, it would have come as no surprise to have been reprimanded by the company for doing this following a passenger complaint from someone aggrieved at having paid his/her fare. Believe me - things like this happen.

I would say not all bus drivers are ignorant , uneducated, unhelpful types - but there is no doubt some are. But then again, quite a few passengers are too. Most passengers I found to be courteous, they'd do their best with change, they'd thank you when getting off the bus (in which case I ALWAYS thanked them) , they'd be otherwise polite and understanding with the horrendous traffic situation - but others would be downright rude and as unhelpful as they possibly could be.
I always tried to treat people as they did myself - I was either as polite or as rude as they were. As a driver I met plenty of both types - from the litle old ladies who just wanted someone to talk to and to the mindless drunk itching for an argument. Boarding a bus should be the easiest thing in the world - you get on, pay your fare and get off when it's your stop. But there are those who have to turn it into some kind of drama.Having been a driver and a passenger I have seen it from both sides of the fence. I've met some of the dregs of society as passengers and as drivers too. But please don't tar them all with the same brush - for every bad apple there are plenty of good ones too.
As I only found this forum yesterday I have enjoyed reading the various threads and have seen a few names that have contributed to this thread. I've found them to be well balanced, intelligent, forgiving people on other threads but on this one they seem to be, at best, ill informed and, at worst, insulting and insensitive - it seems this is an emotive subject indeed.

As I said before, thank God I don't have to do this job anymore.
The major bus operator in our fair city is, in my opinion, a terrible company to work for as a driver. On first joining the company I found morale amongst some employees to be frighteningly low - assaults and muggings were frequent and while nothing serious ever happened to me I consider myself quite lucky to have escaped unscathed at times (as long as you consider being spat upon as not serious). I knew of at least three drivers while I was there who had been robbed at gunpoint and quite a few others who had been physically assaulted. But I certainly accept that whilst it is not the easiest and safest of careers some drivers could certainly use a term at
the "charm school" mentioned in an earlier post.

So spare a thought for most of the bus drivers out there - they're just tyring to get through the day with as less hassle as your good self.

bit late coming in on this thread, but 9 months pregnant and 5 bags of shopping! - come on! what man/partner would allow this situation to occur?

Originally posted by manortopper
Speaking as an ex bus driver:

Didn't do the job for very long (thank God) and I only took the job on as I was "between jobs" so to speak.

I can confirm the fact that when first starting the job you are given two £1 coins as a float (which is paid back when leaving the company). As the wages are pathetically poor it is, in my opinion, unrealistic to expect a driver to use money of his own.
As stated before your float can disappear with the first passenger so it's obvious that the paltry £2 is nowhere near enough. I've had many a day where £22 wouldn't have been enough. I know there are times when it's not been possible for a passenger to offer something like the correct change but there are people out there who purposely offer a note hoping to gain a free ride (I'm certainly not saying everyone's at it!!).
Faced with the situation of the heavily-pregnant lady, I personally would have let her on without charge. At the same time, it would have come as no surprise to have been reprimanded by the company for doing this following a passenger complaint from someone aggrieved at having paid his/her fare. Believe me - things like this happen.

I would say not all bus drivers are ignorant , uneducated, unhelpful types - but there is no doubt some are. But then again, quite a few passengers are too. Most passengers I found to be courteous, they'd do their best with change, they'd thank you when getting off the bus (in which case I ALWAYS thanked them) , they'd be otherwise polite and understanding with the horrendous traffic situation - but others would be downright rude and as unhelpful as they possibly could be.
I always tried to treat people as they did myself - I was either as polite or as rude as they were. As a driver I met plenty of both types - from the litle old ladies who just wanted someone to talk to and to the mindless drunk itching for an argument. Boarding a bus should be the easiest thing in the world - you get on, pay your fare and get off when it's your stop. But there are those who have to turn it into some kind of drama.Having been a driver and a passenger I have seen it from both sides of the fence. I've met some of the dregs of society as passengers and as drivers too. But please don't tar them all with the same brush - for every bad apple there are plenty of good ones too.
As I only found this forum yesterday I have enjoyed reading the various threads and have seen a few names that have contributed to this thread. I've found them to be well balanced, intelligent, forgiving people on other threads but on this one they seem to be, at best, ill informed and, at worst, insulting and insensitive - it seems this is an emotive subject indeed.

As I said before, thank God I don't have to do this job anymore.
The major bus operator in our fair city is, in my opinion, a terrible company to work for as a driver. On first joining the company I found morale amongst some employees to be frighteningly low - assaults and muggings were frequent and while nothing serious ever happened to me I consider myself quite lucky to have escaped unscathed at times (as long as you consider being spat upon as not serious). I knew of at least three drivers while I was there who had been robbed at gunpoint and quite a few others who had been physically assaulted. But I certainly accept that whilst it is not the easiest and safest of careers some drivers could certainly use a term at
the "charm school" mentioned in an earlier post.

So spare a thought for most of the bus drivers out there - they're just tyring to get through the day with as less hassle as your good self.
I agree with everything that's been said its a pity that these bus 'managers' didn't read these threads they might learn something or thinking about it perhaps not.

Well thank god i have been driving for a year. The bus drivers were mostly horrible men, regardless of whether the bus was on time or not. It never usually was, and there was always a huge queue of people waiting and then it would have to stop at each stop and I would never get to my destination on time.

Oh you poor thing,couldnt have the bus all on your own.

Originally posted by vin rigby
bit late coming in on this thread, but 9 months pregnant and 5 bags of shopping! - come on! what man/partner would allow this situation to occur?
Sadly not everyone has the luxury of a choice!

Originally posted by joyphil
Dear First bus drivers

Many thanks to the First bus driver who snorted indingnantly "what, a tenner for a 50p ride?" at my nine-month pregnant wife this afternoon. Desperate to pee, she really did actually need the ride home at the time. How grateful all the people behind her must have been as she put down her five bags of shopping and rootled around in all her pockets until she happened upon a quid.

Now obviously, I realise that you may have a personality disorder, but the occasional customers asking to break a note for a fare aren't actually criminals on a scale of mass murderers or child fiddlers. I realise also that your job brings you into contact with many rather sub-standard beings, but it isn't necessary to absorb their failings into your own personal deportment. Many of your profession do their jobs admirably, with good humour and great discretion. Trouble is, scumbags like you bring the whole trade into disrepute. If you're a badly adjusted sociopath, can I suggest that piloting a public service vehicle is possibly not the ideal career path? After all, the parking enforcement agencies and fast food retail sector are crying out for recruits with just your qualifications. Go get the job you deserve. First bus drivers should remember who pays their wage.:rant:

Originally posted by Sniper
First bus drivers should remember who pays their wage.:rant:

Err would that be First by any chance.

I have been using the Buses now for two months as a passenger and have yet to see any major problems. But that's proberly because iam undestanding to potential problems in the day to day running of the service.
I always try and give the driver the correct fare or at the very least nothing more than a £2 coin and i make sure that its in my hand ready and not searching throuigh my bag for two minutes.

Keep up the good work drivers. Someone appriciates you.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by manortopper
[B]Speaking as an ex bus driver:


there are people out there who purposely offer a note hoping to gain a free ride (I'm certainly not saying everyone's at it!!).


I never even considered that this is what bus drivers think of you when you (unfortunately) have 'only' a note to offer! If this is the view that drivers have of passengers then that would explain the abuse and downright evilness dished out by drivers when you dare to offer a note to PAY for your fare.

Just out of curiosity, when did anyone last see an inspector?

I've sure I haven't had my ticket checked in 10 years!

Originally posted by vin rigby
bit late coming in on this thread, but 9 months pregnant and 5 bags of shopping! - come on! what man/partner would allow this situation to occur?

my reaction exactly!

Originally posted by JohnnyBoi
Well thank god i have been driving for a year. The bus drivers were mostly horrible men, regardless of whether the bus was on time or not. It never usually was, and there was always a huge queue of people waiting and then it would have to stop at each stop and I would never get to my destination on time.

Classic !! :D

Perhaps the govt. should find some way for all those people in that huge bus queue to afford to buy and run a car, so the the buses could run empty and wouldn't need to stop at bus stops....and they might then manage to run on time. :rolleyes:

Originally posted by joyphil
Blimey, this thread returns to life... I'm with you in bemusement here too. Mrs J left the house, trilling merrily that she was 'just popping to the shop'. I thought that by this she meant the local Spa, but no. An epic trip to Tesco ensued, in which she bought enough nosh for a rather sizeable banquet. In fact, she then prepared one and invited some friends round to consume it. I'm sure you'll agree that most sane individuals would simply provide the doting father-to-be with a shopping list and a deadline for dinner, but Mrs J lives by her own rules. Still, that's why I love her, and why I bought her a surfboard for Christmas instead of scanties and perfume...

JOYPHIL

As a matter of interest - what do you do for a living?

Originally posted by cgksheff
Just out of curiosity, when did anyone last see an inspector?

I've sure I haven't had my ticket checked in 10 years!
I haven't seen one in 20 years.

Actually, I have never, ever seen a ticket inspector.

Originally posted by Captain_Scarlet
I haven't seen one in 20 years.

Actually, I have never, ever seen a ticket inspector.

whats the point in having a conductor - you have to pay the driver when you get on! - hes the conductor!

They said an inspector...which isn't the same as a conductor.
An inspector gets on a bus from time to time to check everyone has a ticket and paid the correct fare.

Not a conductor, Gazza. An Inspector.

An inspector is one who jumps on and off buses at random to check that you as a passenger have a valid ticket and also to check that the drivers not letting folk travel for free.

If there are no inspectors checking, why should a driver care who pays or not?

According to the First South Yorkshire website next month
(March) sees the return of the inspector, 8 have been recruited to monitor services. The sooner First roll out some of the more modern customer information services it has on trial around the country the better.

****!!!

yer sorry all!

note to self, read the posts correctly :loopy:

Originally posted by varina
[QUOTE]Originally posted by manortopper
[B]Speaking as an ex bus driver:


there are people out there who purposely offer a note hoping to gain a free ride (I'm certainly not saying everyone's at it!!).


I never even considered that this is what bus drivers think of you when you (unfortunately) have 'only' a note to offer! If this is the view that drivers have of passengers then that would explain the abuse and downright evilness dished out by drivers when you dare to offer a note to PAY for your fare.


I did say not everyone's at it!!
But it doesn't alter the fact that some are.
Can't ever remember dishing out evilness myself..........

Originally posted by unners
Err would that be First by any chance.

I have been using the Buses now for two months as a passenger and have yet to see any major problems. But that's proberly because iam undestanding to potential problems in the day to day running of the service.
I always try and give the driver the correct fare or at the very least nothing more than a £2 coin and i make sure that its in my hand ready and not searching throuigh my bag for two minutes.

Keep up the good work drivers. Someone appriciates you. First get there money from the paying public also I think they get money from the goverment for punctuality like the railways. :thumbsup:

Question: Why the frigg do women wait until they get onto the bus before they delve into their purse to scrummage through the rubbish they have in their bags to find the money to pay for the fare??? wouldnt it be so much easier if they for once used their brain and got the money out during the 10/15 mins that they are waiting BEFORE they walk onto the bus!!!

School Kids on buses.........wouldnt you just like to give them a good slap

Originally posted by briggy1967
Question: Why the frigg do women wait until they get onto the bus before they delve into their purse to scrummage through the rubbish they have in their bags to find the money to pay for the fare??? wouldnt it be so much easier if they for once used their brain and got the money out during the 10/15 mins that they are waiting BEFORE they walk onto the bus!!!

Maybe some women are reluctant/scared to get their purse out on the street as they think it might increase their likelyhood of becoming a target/victim of a mugger/snatch thief.

Originally posted by briggy1967
Question: Why the frigg do women wait until they get onto the bus before they delve into their purse to scrummage through the rubbish they have in their bags to find the money to pay for the fare??? wouldnt it be so much easier if they for once used their brain and got the money out during the 10/15 mins that they are waiting BEFORE they walk onto the bus!!!

What?!! Why exactly are you targeting women in this?! I always have money in my hand when I get in the bus, and try to have as near to the correct change as possible. I agree, it is annoying, but it happens regardless of the gender of the person!

Originally posted by silverknight
I am not sure if a ticket machine has been designed or is on on the market but you would think that a machine that is now in most major shops that read your credit card/chip and pin or a card similar to phone cards could be used for public transport travel to speed things up. The card could be topped upped on the bus or in advance at say the post office. Just a thought.

It sure does exist and is working in other UK cities. Works very well and is very fast. However, it does mean that the bus company has to spend some money on new farebox equipment. It could be alleged that certain bus companies are a bit tight fisted .

Originally posted by superCol
It sure does exist and is working in other UK cities. Works very well and is very fast. However, it does mean that the bus company has to spend some money on new farebox equipment. It could be alleged that certain bus companies are a bit tight fisted .
Tight fisted thats an understatement for Sheffield's major bus company

What about the passengers that insist on loitering as close to the driver as possible.

This is worse on the new Barbie Buses,the rest of the bus can have very few passengers,but these people insist on congrigating in the isle at the front.

Yes im talking about you !

Originally posted by briggy1967
Question: Why the frigg do women wait until they get onto the bus before they delve into their purse to scrummage through the rubbish they have in their bags to find the money to pay for the fare??? wouldnt it be so much easier if they for once used their brain and got the money out during the 10/15 mins that they are waiting BEFORE they walk onto the bus!!!


Not just women men do it as well,also the people that insist on slamming their money down on the tray without a please or thankyou.

Wot about overiders,they think they are so hard done to when they get caught,but think they are dead clever when they get away with it.
The rules are simple,if you cant afford the fare then dont travel.

Originally posted by briggy1967
School Kids on buses.........wouldnt you just like to give them a good slap

Dont get me started on that subject,,,,lol

Originally posted by 2fat2run
Maybe some women are reluctant/scared to get their purse out on the street as they think it might increase their likelyhood of becoming a target/victim of a mugger/snatch thief.

In this day and age they are just as likely to mugged on a bus than in the street.