Bring Back Bus Conductors

[Andy Burgin 10]

Buses in Sheffield are so Unreliable because the Bus Drivers take so Long sorting the people getting on the Buses,with 7 Day Savers or Not having Change for Notes,on the Supertram they have conductors an the Trams are more Reliable,if we had Bus Conductors back it would take the Pressure of Drivers an make the Buses somewhat more Reliable an the Conductor to Check peoples tickets out,Just hope we could get them an get a more Reliable Bus Services

[moooo 10]

Or have a smart card system like the Oyster Card.

[NERVY-OWL 192]

it will never happen as much as we would want it to. the only way to improve it is to make it so the driver doesn't have to deal with money at all, best way would be an oyster style card as mentioned above. that said traffic will only get worse so even that might not be enough

[Jim Hardie 523]

Buses in Sheffield are so Unreliable because the Bus Drivers take so Long sorting the people getting on the Buses,with 7 Day Savers or Not having Change for Notes,on the Supertram they have conductors an the Trams are more Reliable,if we had Bus Conductors back it would take the Pressure of Drivers an make the Buses somewhat more Reliable an the Conductor to Check peoples tickets out,Just hope we could get them an get a more Reliable Bus Services

 

So you'd be happy to see fares double?

[Annie Bynnol 612]

Making the service more reliable is essential.

 

Using cash is slow and has security implications.

 

As a regular fare payer I would not be prepared to pay the bus fare increase to pay bus conductors and then the increase in local taxation to keep free/subsidised fares the same.

Smart cards are on the way as the poster says. This will enable you to load the card with the ticket/pass of your choice before you travel.

Buying tickets before boarding at a discount/ or on board at a premium is widespread worldwide.

 

Supertram did not have conductors when it started and their introduction had nothing at all to do with speed or reliability.

 

I regularly use a weekly saver. On the first boarding of the week the transaction does take longer for the other 20 plus there is no faster method.

[vizzbucks 10]

Unreliable buses in sheffield?

 

 

Almost everyone i have spoke to about this blame the drivers...

 

I am a bus driver in sheffield, and there are many reasons the buses are late / travelling together or even missing.

 

For example, buses may be missing due to broken down buses or accidents.

buses can be late for many reasons, for example, traffic, passengers not having fare or passes ready when boarding (average 30 seconds per passengers like that are lost per person while searching or counting out change).

 

I've lost count of the number of times i've gone down a road, and cannot get through because of bad parking (22 route especially bad) and as the law says i cannot legally reverse, i have to wait for the car to be moved, or contact control for assistance.

 

Drivers don't like being late just as passengers don't, the later we are, the less breaks we get. On average we get 1 hour for our lunch, if we are 15 mins late, we only get 45 mins etc, so i'm sure you will understand from that point we don't like being late.

 

Many routes were calculated a few years ago, for example the 22 route, when the time sheets for this route were made out, there were 40mph and 30mph limits, but since there have been 3 20mph restrictions introduced, so we have to abide by these new restrictions, as it's my driving licence, not the bus companies and i ain't losing it for anyone.

 

Buses that are travelling together is easy to explain, if the first bus gets delayed for any reason, the bus behind is gaining, and often is able to catch up to the bus in front, then both buses have to complete the route before anyone can get redirected to seperate them.

 

Remember, bus drivers are human too, and having a go at them for buses being late, or missing, or travelling together isn't nice. Mention it to them by all means, but i've had passengers being downright rude, even swearing at me, which i find unacceptable.

 

Like most of you, i go to work, and don't expect to be abused, verbally or physically. We would all like the buses to run like clockwork, but as any car drivers out there will know, traffic is unpredictable.

 

here's a small example...... I had an elderly passenger waiting at a bus stop, i was five minutes late. The lady started being nasty about it, then couldn't find her pass, altogether from the time i stopped to the time i started again was about 3 mins, then she got off at the next stop. On the way back, she got on my bus again, and complained i was then 10 mins late. 3 of those minutes were caused by the elderly passenger on the first trip, other was traffic volume etc.

 

I personally would love to see conductors reinstated, it would help in certain aspects of buses being late, but would not solve it, traffic will continue to be bad, parking issues will continue, etc

Edited November 9, 2012 by vizzbucks
adding info

[gnvqsos 10]

So you'd be happy to see fares double?

 

Fares would not double unless the wage of a conductor was the same a the drivers wage,diesel,insurance,depreciation and other ancillary costs combined

 

ie about £30 per hour

[slugger 10]

bus conductors were timesavers for obvious reasons eg no queuing with the driver to get your ticket can i see conductors coming back the answer is no. Did fares go down when they scrapped conductors no would fares go up if they reinstalled conductors ? Yes I think they would would people want this ? No im sure they wouldnt Just a few thoughts on the subject thats all :-)

[Super Hans 10]

how about just doubling the fare for those who have been stood at the bus stop for 10 minutes when they had plenty of time to get it ready.

 

it's incredibly rude, selfish and arrogant.

 

conductors cost too much.

 

 

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[cgksheff 44]

............. and often is able to catch up to the bus in front, then both buses have to complete the route before anyone can get redirected to seperate them.

..........

 

Both buses don't "have" to complete the route. It is only as a result of poor supervision/management.

[Happ Hazzard 10]

They should bring back clippies.

[AlexAtkin 10]

Conductors would never work as the worst reliability is understandably during peak time, when the bus would be too full for the conductor to move around collecting fares.

 

Stagecoach must lose a mint on the tram from people getting away without paying during peak times, when the conductors cannot get around properly.

 

Also the tram most definitely DID switch to conductors for efficiency, although it was more about the ticker machines efficiency than the tram itself.

 

Both buses don't "have" to complete the route. It is only as a result of poor supervision/management.

 

Except the number of people waiting won't necessarily FIT onto a single bus.

 

Nothing more annoying than being at a bus stop when two busses arrive and the empty one sails right past because they assume everyone will fit on the one already at the stop.

 

I have been that person having to wait for the NEXT bus because the one at the stop got full, more than once.

Edited November 9, 2012 by AlexAtkin