Turns in Outer London

[Deleted]

I'd like to know whether or not if bus services in outer london or anywhere else in the country ever have 'turns'.

Obviously, services which run hourly or 2 hourly etc do not have turns.

I've only ever seen services which have 'turns' on London services

[Deleted]

What is a 'turn'?

[greeny253]

Dec 15, 2008 16:34:41 GMT @wispa said:

What is a 'turn'?

A turn is when a bus terminates somewhere other than it's usual destination. For example, the 247 runs from Barkingside Station to Romford Station. If it was running late then the bus could be curtailed at Romford Market or in extreme cases Romford North Street Garage

In answer to Alex's question - yes. If a bus goes mechanical for example then it can be sent out of service to pick up somewhere or if the bus is running excessively late (that is: time that couldn't be made up somewhere else on route) then a curtailment can be used. When we had the 373 at GY a common curtailment was Lakeside if the service was about 25 minutes late. Otherwise it just ran.

[Deleted]

Dec 15, 2008 15:26:26 GMT @truffles1234 said:

I'd like to know whether or not if bus services in outer london or anywhere else in the country ever have 'turns'.

Obviously, services which run hourly or 2 hourly etc do not have turns.

I've only ever seen services which have 'turns' on London services

What a great question.

I did my training at First in Chelmsford and drove with them on their long wheelbase Optare Solo single deckers for 12 months before going to work for Arriva at GY.

My experience is that the roadside officials are rubbish compared to those in London. Likewise the office based controllers. Neither knew how or when to issue a decent turn that would allow a driver to return to time. Of course the First Essex buses don't have radios so comms with either official can only be via mobile or landline.

I wouldn't go back to out of London 'commercial' work for anything.

[greeny253]

Dec 15, 2008 17:41:30 GMT @fearlesspierre said:

Dec 15, 2008 15:26:26 GMT @truffles1234 said:

I'd like to know whether or not if bus services in outer london or anywhere else in the country ever have 'turns'.

Obviously, services which run hourly or 2 hourly etc do not have turns.

I've only ever seen services which have 'turns' on London services

What a great question.

I did my training at First in Chelmsford and drove with them on their long wheelbase Optare Solo single deckers for 12 months before going to work for Arriva at GY.

My experience is that the roadside officials are rubbish compared to those in London. Likewise the office based controllers. Neither knew how or when to issue a decent turn that would allow a driver to return to time. Of course the First Essex buses don't have radios so comms with either official can only be via mobile or landline.

I wouldn't go back to out of London 'commercial' work for anything.

The local buses at GY didn't either and like with First Essex the only way to contact the depot was by phone - but we couldn't use a hands free kit

[Deleted]

I've only ever seen them used in other big cities like Liverpool and Edinburgh (where Lothian use some nice "Part Route" displays to highlight this)

[Deleted]

National Express West Midlands have some short routes on some services, the 50 is a good example, but they are timetabled and not off the cuff decisions.

[eggmiester]

for one thing operators are not allowed to allow buses to run excessively late, even outside london. In London TFL do all the monitoring of services, outside london, in areas where thesres no PTE's etc, the Traffic Commissioner's office for the particular regions do the monitoring and can demand that action be taken to prevent buses running exccessively early and excessively late.

[Madstuntman]

When I was at Arriva Northfleet there was no such thing as a turn. You just kept going untill you about to come off for meal break or to finish and they'd usually run you light back to the garage. I know its not right but the usual way was to put yourself back on time by filling your right boot with lead!! ;D always a giggle in the scanias... strangely all my passengers sat at the back... in a pile!! He He!! All good customer service... help them to their seat (at the back) with the accellerator... then help them to the front (40ft single door bus) when they stand up to get off with the brakes..

Or just do it the Arriva Kent Thameside/Kent Cunty Council way and just build your own roads... never get stuck in traffic and never need turns that way!!

[Deleted]

here in belfast metro we use 'turns' all the time.
around 90% of our routes have a short turn destination which are included in our destination screens

[Deleted]

Jan 26, 2009 0:07:39 GMT eggmiester said:

for one thing operators are not allowed to allow buses to run excessively late, even outside london. In London TFL do all the monitoring of services, outside london, in areas where thesres no PTE's etc, the Traffic Commissioner's office for the particular regions do the monitoring and can demand that action be taken to prevent buses running exccessively early and excessively late.

Supervision of bus services ouside of London is pretty non existant. You are right technically the Traffic Commisioners can take action but they have next to no staff and only in extrme circmstances takes any action. Its vary rare