Yesterday (Thursday) I went into work at 7am for an 8am departure. The manager told me that on Friday I was to drive up to Bristol and meet a coach at Gordano services at 11:30. Now it takes just under 2 hours to get to Gordano so I said I would not need to leave until 9:30. That suited me as I don't like getting up early if I can avoid it. A notice was duly printed telling the guests this information. We also had a guest coach in the hotel which was going at 8:45. He would be long gone well before me, no chance of getting cases or passengers mixed up.
Any way 8am arrived and I departed for Frankley Services near Dudley getting there as arranged at 12 noon. OK I was 3 minutes late but still got moaned at because the passengers had been kept waiting. Not by the passengers I should add but by the transport manager who told me to leave Torquay and get to Frankley between 12 and 12:15. It's all good fun really. So after 30 minutes break (I already had a similar break at Michealwood services) I was ready for the trip south to Torquay. It was completely uneventful.
Back at the hotel I noticed that my departure time had been changed by the manager who had already gone home so I didn't know why but figured there had to be a reason. I was now due out at 8:45, the same time as the other coach but what the hell. Always fallow the last instruction. The 8:45 departure would get me to Gordano by no later than 10:45. The coach I was meeting must be setting off a bit earlier than usual. I got there for 10:36 and the other coach arrived at 11;28. When I asked the driver why he was so late he said he was two minutes early. So why did the manager send me on my way at 8:45 and have me and my passengers hanging around Gordano for an extra 45 minutes. I just love hanging around motorway service stations.
After I got back I decided to catch a bus home. normally I walk, takes 15 minutes but a footpath I use as a shortcut has been closed by the council for the next 4 weeks. Down at the bottom of Belgrave Rd I waited along with 8 other people for a 12. Eventually it turned up but it stopped 20 yards short of the bus stop, doors opened two people got of and the bus drove away ignoring us completely. Now I have in my time as a bus driver done exactly that. Usually because I have been running very late and the driver of the bus behind has offered to pick up the passengers at the next stop . The operative word here is 'behind', it has to be close behind, 10 or 20 yards then the waiting passengers can see what's happening but there was no bus in sight any where and at Belgrave Rd you can see several hundred yards along the road. The next bus turned up over 5 mins later.
On Sunday afternoon we have a coach leaving the hotel at 2:30. I'm not driving it.
2 comments:
Bus drivers are a different breed to Coach drivers and the more I read of your blogs the more I think you-like I was- are one of the former.
Why on earth don't you see if Stagecoach have forgiven you? Maybe there is a different Manager there now.
Between 1957 and 2001 I enjoyed the interaction with the passengers and driving for drivings sake but uncertain hours, last minute changes to what I was expected to do and checking that had not over run my hours thus upsetting my customers by making them spend hours at Service Areas was not generally for me.
In my spells on coaches I learnt that I was a bus driver.
work together and you could save money
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