Warrington's Own Buses

[Valandil]

RE: WBT Network Warrington
To be honest, I think customer service has got better over the last decade across the bus industry.
E.g. I remember times when drivers would complain at having to get out the ramp, but this would be pretty much unheard of nowadays thank goodness.

[Mayneway]

RE: WBT Network Warrington
I actually think it's got worse in a way. I can remember in the early 90's jumping on GM buses Olympians and atlanteans, I was only young and my mum was normally laden down with a buggy, I can remember virtually everytime we travelled the driver was out of the cab helping my mum onto the bus folding the buggy for her and putting it in the luggage pen - yes things seemed more relaxed then - drivers often had a ciggy going while they were driving and a radio on the go but let's not forget back then we were passengers not customers like today.

How come independants can get it right with happy polite drivers, Blackpool transport is another one where drivers often seem to have a high grade of customer service training - yes it's probably down to the fact it's because of the amount of tourists they in counter but they seem to have it right.

I'm not having a knock at drivers the job is challenging but where the big firms are concerned far too many people go into the job simply to pay the bills, they don't look at it as a career.

[M60lad]

RE: WBT Network Warrington
I'm guessing you can blame Management and rules and regulations for some of the things you put down Mayneway, I remember myself when I was younger getting on my local operator Citibus and drivers would always have a radio on especially on a Saturday afternoon and there was plenty of banter between driver and passengers as more often than not on a Saturday the driver would be listening to the football while he was driving and passengers would often get on the bus and ask how such and such a team was going and then would more often than not get a reply.

Also I know some drivers who I speak to at various companies don't like the way Health and Saftey has gone in the past couple of years and some operators specifing that on newer vehicles the saftey feature is incorporated whereby you can't open the doors or even drive off before the hand brake is on or released and on some vehicles depending on how slow the doors are add times to the journey, then there's the add-blue situation which deratrates some vehicles and makes them slower.

Sorry for going on and taking this off-thread but the above is what drivers have to put up with on a daily basis and why some drivers seem miserable, its not just some passengers they have to put up with its some of the vehicles they drive as well.

Gone are the days when you could listen to a radio in the cab without fear of getting caught and also driving a bus in summer with doors open adding ventalation to the vehicle because its too warm.

[RSTurbo50]

RE: WBT Network Warrington
Some very interesting comments made. I was only speaking to a fellow WBT driver the other day and he has been driving buses over 30 years unlike myself that has only had a PCV license 5 years. He said years ago, drivers had much more time to chat and get to know passengers. Whereas today, because running times are so tight it's a case of getting passengers on as fast as possible, get them sat down and on with the journey to keep to time...

I like to be polite and courteous to all my passengers but frustration does kick in when keeping to time is often more important than customer relations..

[Valandil]

RE: WBT Network Warrington
You definitely couldn't get the same sort of relations that drivers for independents often have, driving and knowing the regulars on certain journeys each day, particularly as drivers don't just stick to one route.
The only exception being the "Connect" 17, where apparently there are dedicated drivers so maybe some of the drivers on there know their regulars.

[Raawwwrrr!]

RE: WBT Network Warrington

(15/01/2017 09:49)Mayneway Wrote:  How come independants can get it right with happy polite drivers, Blackpool transport is another one where drivers often seem to have a high grade of customer service training - yes it's probably down to the fact it's because of the amount of tourists they in counter but they seem to have it right.

Quite simply the answer to this one is they're is only one bus operator in the area. If you lose you're job you either have to get a new job that isn't driving buses or join Catch 22 (and probably lose your job once the Traffic Commissioner manages to remove the license)

[Valandil]

RE: WBT Network Warrington

(15/01/2017 19:53)Raawwwrrr! Wrote:  Quite simply the answer to this one is they're is only one bus operator in the area.

Thanks for confirming that competition definitely doesn't always bring higher standards.
In fact, it often seems just to bring more sort of frantic running around like headless chickens ...

[Mayneway]

RE: WBT Network Warrington

(15/01/2017 19:53)Raawwwrrr! Wrote:  Quite simply the answer to this one is they're is only one bus operator in the area. If you lose you're job you either have to get a new job that isn't driving buses or join Catch 22 (and probably lose your job once the Traffic Commissioner manages to remove the license)

Over the years I've had dealings of both stagecoach and first both positive and negative. First seem to have there own methods but I know for a fact stagecoach are very strict and investigate every complaint intensley and they nearly always operate in areas where there's plenty of other ops so that dosen't quite back up your theory that drivers at blackpool HAVE to be on there best behaviour. Personally I think blackpool transport recognises that a helpful polite friendly driver is a must when your operating in an area that attracts a lot of tourists.

[Valandil]

RE: WBT Network Warrington
Real time info systems from the council have gone live:
http://www.networkwarrington.co.uk/news/...-goes-live

[ant17612]

RE: WBT Network Warrington
Connect 17 Versa No. 99 has been on the 5 today.