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Post by joefrombow on Aug 3, 2017 8:34:37 GMT
I Recently came across a BBC news report video on Facebook about Driver's Shifts and work patterns saying that Drivers can work up to 16 hours a day ! In the comments a few drivers were saying this is a regular occurrence and that the common shift pattern is 7 on 2 off and also only get paid for driving time !! I just wondered if this was the actual case ? Is this the usual shift pattern in London ? What sort of shift patterns do bus drivers work outside London ? Are there any drivers on a fixed Monday to Friday rota ? and what do drivers think could be done how it could be changed to be a bit more easy as it were or less tiring ? I find driving a car in London a few hours a week stressful, the amount of A-holes seem to be about , the thought of spending 70+ hours doing it or on shift hurts my head so can't imagine how some of you drivers must feel. I couldn't find the video to post but a link to a similar article m.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/the-worrying-report-into-safety-standards-on-the-london-bus-network/story-30444406-detail/story.html |
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Post by snoggle on Aug 3, 2017 9:51:37 GMT
I Recently came across a BBC news report video on Facebook about Driver's Shifts and work patterns saying that Drivers can work up to 16 hours a day ! In the comments a few drivers were saying this is a regular occurrence and that the common shift pattern is 7 on 2 off and also only get paid for driving time !! I just wondered if this was the actual case ? Is this the usual shift pattern in London ? What sort of shift patterns do bus drivers work outside London ? Are there any drivers on a fixed Monday to Friday rota ? and what do drivers think could be done how it could be changed to be a bit more easy as it were or less tiring ? I find driving a car in London a few hours a week stressful, the amount of A-holes seem to be about , the thought of spending 70+ hours doing it or on shift hurts my head so can't imagine how some of you drivers must feel. I couldn't find the video to post but a link to a similar article m.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/the-worrying-report-into-safety-standards-on-the-london-bus-network/story-30444406-detail/story.htmlThis is what happens when people take the most extreme example and then portray it as the norm. A 16 hour duty will almost certainly be a spreadover duty. There is not 16 hours worth of driving involved which I believe would be completely contrary to drivers hours rules. London's drivers have a stressful job without a doubt and there have long been downward pressures on pay and conditions. However this is not that different to the commercial networks outside London where containing costs is an absolute because of the need to earn a commercial return. Clearly rotas will be different outside London in most places because service levels are much lower, days and hours of operations are much less and there is far more inter-working between services. Obviously there are some exceptions (the usual places) that have high service levels but it is rare overall. Many operators are scaling back their services because of falling demand and cost pressures. This will no doubt be reducing the employment levels in the industry. I am sure our resident drivers and schedulers can provide much more detail. The report was from the London Assembly Transport Committee and is available on line. |
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Post by john on Aug 3, 2017 15:27:05 GMT
16 hours is abit much so far in my own experience BUT the total spread of a duty can be up to a maximum of 16 hours, under driving regulations. However that can only be a maximum of 10 hours driving time, one half of which can be no longer than 5 and a half hours before a minimum 30 minute break is to be enforced.
So 16 hours won't be an everyday thing, probably more likely 8-12 hour duties. Not saying there aren't any 16 hour duties out there, but I haven't come across any so far.
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Post by joefrombow on Aug 3, 2017 22:30:16 GMT
16 hours is abit much so far in my own experience BUT the total spread of a duty can be up to a maximum of 16 hours, under driving regulations. However that can only be a maximum of 10 hours driving time, one half of which can be no longer than 5 and a half hours before a minimum 30 minute break is to be enforced. So 16 hours won't be an everyday thing, probably more likely 8-12 hour duties. Not saying there aren't any 16 hour duties out there, but I haven't come across any so far. I did think 16 hours was a bit would be in extreme circumstances with extremely bad traffic and so on , is the working 7 days and having two off a normal thing though seems like a very long week ? . |
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Post by john on Aug 3, 2017 22:43:56 GMT
16 hours is abit much so far in my own experience BUT the total spread of a duty can be up to a maximum of 16 hours, under driving regulations. However that can only be a maximum of 10 hours driving time, one half of which can be no longer than 5 and a half hours before a minimum 30 minute break is to be enforced. So 16 hours won't be an everyday thing, probably more likely 8-12 hour duties. Not saying there aren't any 16 hour duties out there, but I haven't come across any so far. I did think 16 hours was a bit would be in extreme circumstances with extremely bad traffic and so on , is the working 7 days and having two off a normal thing though seems like a very long week ? . That would depend on operating company, garages and Rota etc. Nothing that a driver does is illegal. This is the most important aspect here. Under UK driving laws, a driver can work 13 days, but the 14th MUST be a rest day. Rota software will not allow a driver to be allocated a duty if this is to be broken. |
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Post by sid on Aug 4, 2017 9:00:08 GMT
I did think 16 hours was a bit would be in extreme circumstances with extremely bad traffic and so on , is the working 7 days and having two off a normal thing though seems like a very long week ? . That would depend on operating company, garages and Rota etc. Nothing that a driver does is illegal. This is the most important aspect here. Under UK driving laws, a driver can work 13 days, but the 14th MUST be a rest day. Rota software will not allow a driver to be allocated a duty if this is to be broken. In this day and age with all sorts of H&S legislation it's quite incredible that a bus driver can legally work 13 consecutive days. I've seen the article in the Croydon Advertiser and there is likely to be a lot of concern from the public especially after last years fatal tram accident. |
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