|
Post by Swadbus on Apr 13, 2010 21:46:41 GMT
I was lucky enough to attend HT garage London Buses roadshow today. I have it on good authority from several people in the right places that the "This bus is being held in order to help regulate the service" is being removed from the announcements on the iBus in the next few days. Reason given is that it discourages use of the PA system. IMHO - a ridiculous move.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2010 21:58:57 GMT
I was lucky enough to attend HT garage London Buses roadshow today. I have it on good authority from several people in the right places that the "This bus is being held in order to help regulate the service" is being removed from the announcements on the iBus in the next few days. Reason given is that it discourages use of the PA system. IMHO - a ridiculous move. Pity they don't remove ALL the bloody announcements on iBus
|
|
|
Post by lc1 on Apr 14, 2010 13:57:11 GMT
I was lucky enough to attend HT garage London Buses roadshow today. I have it on good authority from several people in the right places that the "This bus is being held in order to help regulate the service" is being removed from the announcements on the iBus in the next few days. Reason given is that it discourages use of the PA system. IMHO - a ridiculous move. Agreed, although on nights I don't get to use that message much
|
|
|
Post by eggmiester on Apr 14, 2010 15:16:41 GMT
Use the PA!! Whats the problem with using the PA? eventually all announcements will be removed and drivers will have to use the PA! On london Underground Tube Drivers are assest on thier PA skills every year as part of thier annual review.
I use the PA quite a bit, even on rail replacements, i announce all the stations as i serve them. Whats wrong with that.
|
|
|
Post by lc1 on Apr 14, 2010 15:35:49 GMT
Sorry I disagree, I personally don't like using the PA, however I will if I have to. As you say if they want us to use the PA then they might as well get rid of all the messages Also you know as well as I do that there are certain driver's who don't even use the pre-recorded messages so they are hardly likely to use the PA are they And sad as it is I'm like you and use the PA on Rail Reps to announce the stations more so when you don't stop outside the station, for example Swanscombe
|
|
|
Post by Paul on Apr 14, 2010 16:17:45 GMT
There are drivers who don't like using the PA. Indeed, on the last CPC course I attended some drivers confessed they didn't even know the iBus system had a built-in PA system!!
Like lc1, I'll use the PA if I have to but I don't particularly like doing so. I can see all the pre-recorded messages going because there does seem to be a bit of a drive at the moment to get us to use the PA more. We've got a notice up in the output at the moment detailing the announcement they want us to say for the Orpington High Street diversion and telling us we are NOT to simply play the pre-recorded message on its own
|
|
|
Post by Steve80 on Apr 15, 2010 5:03:28 GMT
Thats daft. What about passengers who can't hear what drivers say via the PA And if they get rid of the messages then I certainly won't be using the PA. Us drivers will just go back to the old way of just sitting there with a newspaper!
|
|
|
Post by busdryver on Apr 15, 2010 6:45:16 GMT
Thats daft. What about passengers who can't hear what drivers say via the PA And if they get rid of the messages then I certainly won't be using the PA. Us drivers will just go back to the old way of just sitting there with a newspaper! Great Customer Service! I use the PA to my advantage, as it saves all the bellyaching when passengers don't know what's happening. The diversion announcement says 'Please listen for further announcements' at the end, but most of the time it is played on its own. As for the 'we are being held' message, I'm glad to see the back of it, especially where it was being played one stop before the terminal, just so the driver wouldn't get booked for running early! Much better to regulate yourself, and make sure you get to the terminal at about the right time.
|
|
|
Post by jamaal on Apr 15, 2010 11:00:14 GMT
Just to add.I've been on the 114 many times and the driver has put on the announcement 'this bus is being held here briefly in order to help regulate the service' however we stay static for around 3 minutes and still end up catching up or even passing the Bus in front.
|
|
|
Post by Steve80 on Apr 16, 2010 4:31:35 GMT
Thats daft. What about passengers who can't hear what drivers say via the PA And if they get rid of the messages then I certainly won't be using the PA. Us drivers will just go back to the old way of just sitting there with a newspaper! Great Customer Service! I use the PA to my advantage, as it saves all the bellyaching when passengers don't know what's happening. The diversion announcement says 'Please listen for further announcements' at the end, but most of the time it is played on its own. As for the 'we are being held' message, I'm glad to see the back of it, especially where it was being played one stop before the terminal, just so the driver wouldn't get booked for running early! Much better to regulate yourself, and make sure you get to the terminal at about the right time. Nothing you can do about that, especially on the route 3 (and possibly all the other routes along regent street) as when you get to piccadilly circus, you only have one bus stop to play with, and approx. 6 minutes to get to the next timing point which is oxford circus. The unpredictable traffic there means you can't take any chances. Another good thing about the ibus message is when you serve a busy bus stop (such as brixton station) and are running early, you can easily let passengers already onboard know of your intentions while dealing with other passengers trying to board and ask questions at the same time. It would be very difficult or unprofessional to let passengers know via the PA system that the bus is running early while passengers are boarding. As for diverting, if its a long diversion then I let passengers know. A small diversion or one that is regular then I don't bother. Not great customer service I know but sometimes when using the PA I get my words in a twist A diversion annoucment of some sort is better than nothing. Definately something to work on
|
|
|
Post by busdryver on Apr 16, 2010 6:37:23 GMT
Great Customer Service! I use the PA to my advantage, as it saves all the bellyaching when passengers don't know what's happening. The diversion announcement says 'Please listen for further announcements' at the end, but most of the time it is played on its own. As for the 'we are being held' message, I'm glad to see the back of it, especially where it was being played one stop before the terminal, just so the driver wouldn't get booked for running early! Much better to regulate yourself, and make sure you get to the terminal at about the right time. Nothing you can do about that, especially on the route 3 (and possibly all the other routes along regent street) as when you get to piccadilly circus, you only have one bus stop to play with, and approx. 6 minutes to get to the next timing point which is oxford circus. The unpredictable traffic there means you can't take any chances. Another good thing about the ibus message is when you serve a busy bus stop (such as brixton station) and are running early, you can easily let passengers already onboard know of your intentions while dealing with other passengers trying to board and ask questions at the same time. It would be very difficult or unprofessional to let passengers know via the PA system that the bus is running early while passengers are boarding. As for diverting, if its a long diversion then I let passengers know. A small diversion or one that is regular then I don't bother. Not great customer service I know but sometimes when using the PA I get my words in a twist A diversion annoucment of some sort is better than nothing. Definately something to work on But why do you even bother to run to the schedule - If you are on time at Piccadilly Circus, then there is nothing you can do if you've got too much time on the way to Oxo. Nothing annoys passengers more than sitting just before where they want to go waiting for you to kill time. The operator I work for make it clear that as long as you are running to the correct headway (note - not *on time*), then just carry on, and sort yourself out when you get to the terminal.
|
|
|
Post by beaver14uk on Apr 16, 2010 11:39:11 GMT
Busdryver I do like this and many other comments that you have posted (sometimes in support of me) you seem to have a very level headed approach to things - far more so than many. Nothing you can do about that, especially on the route 3 (and possibly all the other routes along regent street) as when you get to piccadilly circus, you only have one bus stop to play with, and approx. 6 minutes to get to the next timing point which is oxford circus. The unpredictable traffic there means you can't take any chances. Another good thing about the ibus message is when you serve a busy bus stop (such as brixton station) and are running early, you can easily let passengers already onboard know of your intentions while dealing with other passengers trying to board and ask questions at the same time. It would be very difficult or unprofessional to let passengers know via the PA system that the bus is running early while passengers are boarding. As for diverting, if its a long diversion then I let passengers know. A small diversion or one that is regular then I don't bother. Not great customer service I know but sometimes when using the PA I get my words in a twist A diversion annoucment of some sort is better than nothing. Definately something to work on But why do you even bother to run to the schedule - If you are on time at Piccadilly Circus, then there is nothing you can do if you've got too much time on the way to Oxo. Nothing annoys passengers more than sitting just before where they want to go waiting for you to kill time. The operator I work for make it clear that as long as you are running to the correct headway (note - not *on time*), then just carry on, and sort yourself out when you get to the terminal.
|
|
|
Post by beaver14uk on Apr 16, 2010 11:49:53 GMT
This is the real reason for its removal which seems fair enough to me personally. I do think/hope that we do still maintain some of the pre-recorded annoucements as I think when used properly they are useful (the next bus stop is closed) springs to me). Usind the PA is all very good providing the MDT is set as a reasonable level in the cab (ETBBV will know what I mean) so you don't have to stand up to be heard on the microphone. When I asked about this a while ago I got some rubblish about different types of vehicle layout. Well I am sorry then sort it out properly - I wouldn't expect to order a fitted kitchen and find half of it has to be installed in the living room as it was all too difficult to fit surely.
As Paul has touched on drivers have been issued with advice for the current Orpington diversions. Whether they are being used is another matter.
With effect from Friday 16 April 2010, the pre-recorded passenger announcement, “This bus is being held here to help regulate the service,” will be removed as an option on the MDT. LBSL have decided to remove the announcement following increasing customer dissatisfaction that it was being used inappropriately and too frequently. An LBSL survey of use at the end of January 2010 confirmed that there had been over 22,000 activations of this announcement in two days.
Drivers should consider using the on-bus P.A. system if a genuine cause for delay arises.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 16, 2010 12:05:18 GMT
An LBSL survey of use at the end of January 2010 confirmed that there had been over 22,000 activations of this announcement in two days. Drivers should consider using the on-bus P.A. system if a genuine cause for delay arises. As I mentioned before with the DWL installation you have to stand up to be heard (no design award for that one) previously we had the flexible microphone which made better sense. As for removing the announcement because it is used is absurd, if it wasnt being used I could understand it.
|
|
|
Post by beaver14uk on Apr 16, 2010 12:48:21 GMT
Customers not happy with it being over used. An LBSL survey of use at the end of January 2010 confirmed that there had been over 22,000 activations of this announcement in two days. Drivers should consider using the on-bus P.A. system if a genuine cause for delay arises. As I mentioned before with the DWL installation you have to stand up to be heard (no design award for that one) previously we had the flexible microphone which made better sense. As for removing the announcement because it is used is absurd, if it wasnt being used I could understand it.
|
|