Stagecoach MCSL - Chester & Wirral Depots

[clarkethomas94]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(08/02/2017 23:57)PO59 MXJ Wrote:  Drivers on that X8 are clueless. Been seem stopping at Backford as well recently. Musnt be getting trained correctly.

Firstly I take great offence to X8 drivers being branded as "clueless." I stopped at backford a few weeks ago on an X8 due to the fact someone wanted backford and got on the wrong bus. As a driver I always ask where people are going especially people going to Birkenhead because the X8 doesn't stop there, yet I still have people coming to me asking if I'm going to Birkenhead.

The stops for the X8 are from chester:
Foregate Street
Chester Railway Station
Hoole Road(all stops)
all stops down the A41
Chester Zoo
Cheshire Oaks
Blue Planet
Sports Village Stanney Lane only
Ellesmere Port Bus Station
Thomas Telford Wetherspoons
Ellesmere Port Station
Bridle Road
Park Road
All Port Road
Bromborough Cross (before 9am and after 4pm weekdays and Saturdays)
Magazine Road
Shore Drive
Liverpool

Also as drivers we are trained to stop at a bus stop if someone waves us down in order to maybe assist them. So I don't think that really makes us clueless.

[R557 ABA]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(09/02/2017 17:25)clarkethomas94 Wrote:  Firstly I take great offence to X8 drivers being branded as "clueless." I stopped at backford a few weeks ago on an X8 due to the fact someone wanted backford and got on the wrong bus. As a driver I always ask where people are going especially people going to Birkenhead because the X8 doesn't stop there, yet I still have people coming to me asking if I'm going to Birkenhead.

The stops for the X8 are from chester:
Foregate Street
Chester Railway Station
Hoole Road(all stops)
all stops down the A41
Chester Zoo
Cheshire Oaks
Blue Planet
Sports Village Stanney Lane only
Ellesmere Port Bus Station
Thomas Telford Wetherspoons
Ellesmere Port Station
Bridle Road
Park Road
All Port Road
Bromborough Cross (before 9am and after 4pm weekdays and Saturdays)
Magazine Road
Shore Drive
Liverpool

Also as drivers we are trained to stop at a bus stop if someone waves us down in order to maybe assist them. So I don't think that really makes us clueless.

I feel route learning has been an issue at Chester. It took way too long for drivers to familiarise themselves with the 2 route, getting lost and finding themselves on all sorts of strange roads in Birkenhead. I don't travel on the X8 so I really can't pass judgement, however, if it is anything like the 2 then comments raised on this forum really don't surprise me.

[Bevan Price]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(09/02/2017 13:39)Turbostar Wrote:  Oh I agree. What prompted my question was that the driver on the day picked up at both stops, so it wasn't a case of a punter getting on the wrong bus & wanting to be dropped off, (that does happen though).

From E'port bus station, the present stops are (or should be);

1. Westminster Road
2. Ellesmere Port rail station
3. Eastham Bridle Road
4. Eastham Carlett Park
5. Allport Road
6. Bromborough Cross (Peak only)
7. Magazine Road
8. Shore Drive
   

The loop passing Ellesmere Port rail station seems a pointless waste of time, especially southbound, when there is a nearby stop on the main road. Very few passengers have used the station stop on my occasional trips on the X8.

[iMarkeh]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(09/02/2017 20:07)R557 ABA Wrote:  I feel route learning has been an issue at Chester. It took way too long for drivers to familiarise themselves with the 2 route, getting lost and finding themselves on all sorts of strange roads in Birkenhead. I don't travel on the X8 so I really can't pass judgement, however, if it is anything like the 2 then comments raised on this forum really don't surprise me.

I don't know if Chester is having the same problem as Rock Ferry but a mate of mine who is currently on loan to Rock Ferry has said there is no one spare to help him route learn and they sent him out with route directions. If Chester has the same problem then is it any wonder when drivers are basically left to their own devices.

(09/02/2017 22:49)Bevan Price Wrote:  The loop passing Ellesmere Port rail station seems a pointless waste of time, especially southbound, when there is a nearby stop on the main road. Very few passengers have used the station stop on my occasional trips on the X8.

Fully agree. The northbound route I understand. The X8 never used to serve the loop when it started and only recently has is started doing that. I think they should keep the times the same but just remove the loop therefore freeing up time for the regular lateness.

[clarkethomas94]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(09/02/2017 20:07)R557 ABA Wrote:  I feel route learning has been an issue at Chester. It took way too long for drivers to familiarise themselves with the 2 route, getting lost and finding themselves on all sorts of strange roads in Birkenhead. I don't travel on the X8 so I really can't pass judgement, however, if it is anything like the 2 then comments raised on this forum really don't surprise me.

Firstly, you can't learn the 2 in one go. END OF. If you are not familiar with the area it covers it can be a struggle especially when you are given a piece of paper with a list of where to go. I learned it once, then was expected to show other drivers. I was still unfamiliar so I asked to do it a 2nd time then I was more confident. I already knew the part of the route round Great Sutton and knew round Birkenhead so it was just port sunlight and Bebington I was a bit perplexed by. So how any of you can expect a driver who may not have been to through Liverpool and the Wirral before to get on without getting lost I think are asking too much.

Lastly, Stagecoach Chester have taken on a hell of a lot of new drivers over the last 12 months either from GHA or new freshly trained like me. I read this forum quite a bit, I used to comment when I was a bit younger but lost interest due to some of the bias this forum has and the slander that makes towards companies and drivers, this being a clear example. Don't know what any of you have against Chester depot but whatever it is, it shouldn't be taken up on a public forum.

[wirralbus]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral
Port sunlight - the amount of chester vehicles that have drove past the front of Port Sunlight Station instead of down Bolton Road , when the service 2 started .

[X782 NWX]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral
18156 - PX04 DPV is now in standard stagecoach colors and is out on the 471/2 today.

[busdude]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral
Just seen YJ09 FWH on the 41

[Valandil]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral

(10/02/2017 12:59)clarkethomas94 Wrote:  Firstly, you can't learn the 2 in one go. END OF. If you are not familiar with the area it covers it can be a struggle especially when you are given a piece of paper with a list of where to go. I learned it once, then was expected to show other drivers. I was still unfamiliar so I asked to do it a 2nd time then I was more confident. I already knew the part of the route round Great Sutton and knew round Birkenhead so it was just port sunlight and Bebington I was a bit perplexed by. So how any of you can expect a driver who may not have been to through Liverpool and the Wirral before to get on without getting lost I think are asking too much.

Lastly, Stagecoach Chester have taken on a hell of a lot of new drivers over the last 12 months either from GHA or new freshly trained like me. I read this forum quite a bit, I used to comment when I was a bit younger but lost interest due to some of the bias this forum has and the slander that makes towards companies and drivers, this being a clear example. Don't know what any of you have against Chester depot but whatever it is, it shouldn't be taken up on a public forum.

In general, I would 100% expect a bus driver to know the route which they are driving, but I would expect the managers to ensure that this is the case, and wouldn't put the blame on the driver if they haven't been route trained adequately.

[motormayhem1]

RE: Stagecoach Chester & Wirral
1 thing ive learnt from driving buses is never sign your name next to a route in the training program if you dont know it as if ewt happens the driver will be the blame no matter what .