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Post by john on Aug 19, 2016 17:48:16 GMT
1 is perfect estentially. It's graded from 1 to 4 and can be done internally (Stagecoach assessor in our case), by TfL mystery traveller (encompasses everything) and AA Drive Tech. It's basically just to ensure our driving standards are up to the minimum required. A box 1 or 2 are good, though a box 2 means some minor faults were found. A box 3 is more serious, possibly requiring re training where as a box 4 is an instant return to training school. Obviously it's kept on record but a box 3 and 4 will end up in management scrutinising your driving, for obvious reasons. Just to give you an idea, running an AMBER light is a box 3, so red is a clear box 4, though that one could lead to instant dismissal. Personally, although it may sound harsh, it certainly keeps you on your toes and making sure any little error you make you rectify for the future. I myself got a box 1 with a little side comment of how I greeted passengers in a very polite and happy manner Running an amber light is perfectly legal and so surely it shouldn't be treated as a fault? This is true but in terms of being a professional driver it's deemed dodgy, hence why it's a 3 and a red is 4 |
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Post by VPL630 on Aug 20, 2016 8:08:02 GMT
1 is perfect estentially. It's graded from 1 to 4 and can be done internally (Stagecoach assessor in our case), by TfL mystery traveller (encompasses everything) and AA Drive Tech. It's basically just to ensure our driving standards are up to the minimum required. A box 1 or 2 are good, though a box 2 means some minor faults were found. A box 3 is more serious, possibly requiring re training where as a box 4 is an instant return to training school. Obviously it's kept on record but a box 3 and 4 will end up in management scrutinising your driving, for obvious reasons. Just to give you an idea, running an AMBER light is a box 3, so red is a clear box 4, though that one could lead to instant dismissal. Personally, although it may sound harsh, it certainly keeps you on your toes and making sure any little error you make you rectify for the future. I myself got a box 1 with a little side comment of how I greeted passengers in a very polite and happy manner Running an amber light is perfectly legal and so surely it shouldn't be treated as a fault? If the assessor thinks that a safe and controlled stop can be made but isn't taken its marked down as box 3, then again I think it's very hard to call, 1 hand steering is a box 3 as well |
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Post by sid on Aug 20, 2016 23:19:13 GMT
Running an amber light is perfectly legal and so surely it shouldn't be treated as a fault? If the assessor thinks that a safe and controlled stop can be made but isn't taken its marked down as box 3, then again I think it's very hard to call, 1 hand steering is a box 3 as well One hand on the steering wheel never looks good! |
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Post by rambo on Aug 21, 2016 0:53:30 GMT
Now I'm not saying the job is easy in terms of hours, I genuinely hate earlies and would much rather do a last bus duty. However I actually do feel like I get more time with my family than I did in my old job. My other half has also noticed so for me, it was the right decision. I'm kind of split on this. I don't mind earlies - well - earlies that start between 5-7AM. Can tolerate around half four starts, but anything before that is awful. Living so far away from the garage as I do (I'm in Strood) and also having to negotiate the A2, most days I have to leave a couple of hours early just in case something is up with A2 or the M25/A2 is buggered because of the tunnel. Touch wood, I've not been held up too greatly yet, but sods law dictates the time I do decide to only give it an hour to get to work, I'll get stuck. I have a week of 6;00 starts this week coming, and the week after I have 3:32 sign on, and I am really not looking forward to it. On a good run it takes me 40 minutes to get in, so I will be going to bed around half 7 for a 1:30 wake up. My wife gets home about 18:00, so will only get to spend an hour and a half with her and the little 'un. But lates - they are the worst. I've just finished a week of midnight finishes, and by the time I've signed off, got to my car and got home, I don't roll in until gone 1:00. Obviously even later when I've done the 1:00 and 2:00 finishes. I then stay up for about an hour or so to unwind, then go to bed. The wife isn't up when I get in as she is up any time from 4;30 depending on what time the little 'un gets up, and obviously she is gone by the time I get up - and I do find it hard not seeing them for almost an entire week. It has been a bit of a struggle, but on the plus side, I guess it makes the time we do have more precious. The other frustrating thing is, is I'm an avid supporter of my football team, and going to games now is going to be nigh on impossible. The thought has already entered my head to perhaps work more locally, as Arriva in Northfleet and Gillingham are crying out for drivers, but the downside of that is, is for the first 9 months the pay is absolutely awful. I have looked in to it and it's just not enough for us to live on at the moment. The better hours and non-tfl routes isn't yet a big enough carrot for me to take a £100 a week pay cut at the moment. Strangely though, after 9 months, the pay goes up to more than I'm on now - but it's getting through those 9 months that's going to be a problem. Like others, I am permanently tired, but that I can live with. Just about  If you are spending 40mins each way commuting, a £100 pw pay cut will not matter. I was spending approx 30 minutes each way- 1 hour a day= 5 hours per week unpaid travelling. I now spend 10 minutes approx each way, saved a fortune in fuel and no more pounding up/down the A13! |
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Post by rambo on Aug 21, 2016 0:55:29 GMT
I got a box1 3 years on the spin, used to get £50 in vouchers from blue triangle for it.
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Post by nickfreckle on Aug 21, 2016 7:51:45 GMT
If you are spending 40mins each way commuting, a £100 pw pay cut will not matter. I was spending approx 30 minutes each way- 1 hour a day= 5 hours per week unpaid travelling. I now spend 10 minutes approx each way, saved a fortune in fuel and no more pounding up/down the A13! It's still £400 a month not coming in to the house, which I cannot afford to lose for 9 months regardless if I'm not getting paid for my travelling time. Unfortunately, landlords and council tax, car payments etc still need to be paid. I'm fortunate enough to have a car that averages between 60-65 MPG and my fuel bill is only about £25 a week, so I won't be saving a bundle in fuel. Even if it goes down to a tenner a week, it's only £60 a month I'm saving against a loss of £400 ish. I will still be £340 down.That's a lot of money. |
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Post by rambo on Aug 21, 2016 18:10:15 GMT
If you are spending 40mins each way commuting, a £100 pw pay cut will not matter. I was spending approx 30 minutes each way- 1 hour a day= 5 hours per week unpaid travelling. I now spend 10 minutes approx each way, saved a fortune in fuel and no more pounding up/down the A13! It's still £400 a month not coming in to the house, which I cannot afford to lose for 9 months regardless if I'm not getting paid for my travelling time. Unfortunately, landlords and council tax, car payments etc still need to be paid. I'm fortunate enough to have a car that averages between 60-65 MPG and my fuel bill is only about £25 a week, so I won't be saving a bundle in fuel. Even if it goes down to a tenner a week, it's only £60 a month I'm saving against a loss of £400 ish. I will still be £340 down.That's a lot of money. My current hourly rate is £11.85(IIRC) New drivers at my place start on full rate once they are out on their own. |
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Post by nickfreckle on Aug 30, 2016 18:16:05 GMT
Hooray! I've finally been given some duties that are not 51s! Considering I was only supposed to be doing them for 8 weeks from 31st May, I've been doing nothing but. I've got a couple of 472 and 96 duties in the pipeline for the end of this week and part of next week. looking forward to the change of scenery. |
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Post by ThinLizzy on Sept 2, 2016 15:49:43 GMT
Had a ride on Mr 10301s 499 earlier today from Queens Hospital (very smooth driving btw) Just a shame it was in an older rattly E200 instead of a lovely MMC
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Post by VPL630 on Sept 3, 2016 15:17:44 GMT
Had a ride on Mr 10301s 499 earlier today from Queens Hospital (very smooth driving btw) Just a shame it was in an older rattly E200 instead of a lovely MMC Should of said Hi, if you did and I was staring out the window, I was trying not to look at how early I was I really don't like those older E200's, they are terrible over bumps and any imperfection in the road really I'm officially back at T from today despite the fact I'm currently driving a 247 and I'm on loan to NS until Wednesday |
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Post by nickfreckle on Sept 4, 2016 7:42:33 GMT
Done my first 472 on Friday. A rather enjoyable experience. It certainly made a difference to have a change of scenery. Alas, I was back on 51 on Saturday, and my god what a horrible day. Temporary lights at the junction of Sidcup Hill and Cray Road caused huge delays on the route. I had a turn at St Mary Cray Station, and still ended up 35 minutes late for my meal relief.
On 51 today, and hopefully it's better.
Tomorrow, 1st day out on 96 for a couple of days. Quite enjoying being on the proper spare rota rather than the 51 nursery rota. Much prefer the variety.
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Post by VPL630 on Sept 4, 2016 11:16:24 GMT
Done my first 472 on Friday. A rather enjoyable experience. It certainly made a difference to have a change of scenery. Alas, I was back on 51 on Saturday, and my god what a horrible day. Temporary lights at the junction of Sidcup Hill and Cray Road caused huge delays on the route. I had a turn at St Mary Cray Station, and still ended up 35 minutes late for my meal relief. On 51 today, and hopefully it's better. Tomorrow, 1st day out on 96 for a couple of days. Quite enjoying being on the proper spare rota rather than the 51 nursery rota. Much prefer the variety. The variety is what I like and it's the only thing putting me off going on rota, I've still applied for the 55 rota just so I can plan what I'm doing ect but I think I'm going to miss doing the other routes, hopefully stagecoach suddenly get a bag of tender wins and I can do my rest days on other routes  |
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Post by londonbusboy on Sept 4, 2016 17:53:18 GMT
Done my first 472 on Friday. A rather enjoyable experience. It certainly made a difference to have a change of scenery. Alas, I was back on 51 on Saturday, and my god what a horrible day. Temporary lights at the junction of Sidcup Hill and Cray Road caused huge delays on the route. I had a turn at St Mary Cray Station, and still ended up 35 minutes late for my meal relief. On 51 today, and hopefully it's better. Tomorrow, 1st day out on 96 for a couple of days. Quite enjoying being on the proper spare rota rather than the 51 nursery rota. Much prefer the variety. The variety is what I like and it's the only thing putting me off going on rota, I've still applied for the 55 rota just so I can plan what I'm doing ect but I think I'm going to miss doing the other routes, hopefully stagecoach suddenly get a bag of tender wins and I can do my rest days on other routes Being on 1 route constantly is boring but the spare board is so bad with them messing you about! |
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Post by sid on Sept 4, 2016 19:40:10 GMT
Done my first 472 on Friday. A rather enjoyable experience. It certainly made a difference to have a change of scenery. Alas, I was back on 51 on Saturday, and my god what a horrible day. Temporary lights at the junction of Sidcup Hill and Cray Road caused huge delays on the route. I had a turn at St Mary Cray Station, and still ended up 35 minutes late for my meal relief. On 51 today, and hopefully it's better. Tomorrow, 1st day out on 96 for a couple of days. Quite enjoying being on the proper spare rota rather than the 51 nursery rota. Much prefer the variety. Are new drivers put on the 51? I did the 51 donkeys years ago from SP and quite liked the route, being a fairly long route it was never boring. |
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Post by nickfreckle on Sept 4, 2016 21:18:43 GMT
Are new drivers put on the 51? I did the 51 donkeys years ago from SP and quite liked the route, being a fairly long route it was never boring. No, the route new drivers are put on depends on what route their mentor was on. My mate that was on the training bus with me, he's spent all his time on 472/177 rota, and another one that was on there had a baptism of fire and was on the 53/122 rota. |
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