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Post by VPL630 on Jul 25, 2015 22:21:19 GMT
Have you got your "thank goodness I can now travel for free on TfL services" pass and your "ha ha ha I can travel on any Stagecoach bus in the UK" pass yet? I'm guessing you get the latter from Stagecoach but what company specific benefits do you get as a trainee / qualified driver? Enjoying your updates btw - interesting to get some other input than what appears on the TV.  I get a TFL pass and that's it, I should get it next week, That's all I get, no Stagecoach pass or anything nice like that I've not really looked into it yet but you don't get much |
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Post by greeny253 on Jul 26, 2015 8:52:34 GMT
Wrong, I'm going to Leyton garage, then going to put in a Transfer request for NS, I've spoken to 3 instructors and they say in over 10 years they have never trained a driver that went to NS, They never seem to be short of drivers for some reason. That would be because a driver has to die before there's a position at NS! My brother waited something like 3 years from when he put his transfer request in to when he actually got moved from WH! |
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Post by VPL630 on Jul 31, 2015 8:22:19 GMT
So I had my Progress check yesterday (Thursday) and passed, Got my Mod 4 on Tuesday and Driving Test on Thursday, I've currently had around 18 hours of drive time, seems to be going quickly at the moment, feels like I've only just started to be honest
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Post by snoggle on Jul 31, 2015 8:51:53 GMT
So I had my Progress check yesterday (Thursday) and passed, Got my Mod 4 on Tuesday and Driving Test on Thursday, I've currently had around 18 hours of drive time, seems to be going quickly at the moment, feels like I've only just started to be honest Well done. You'll be driving Boilmasters on the 55 before you know it.   |
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Post by VPL630 on Jul 31, 2015 12:34:49 GMT
Nope I won't, new drivers have to be there 6months to a year and depending on having a good record to even be allowed to get type trained on them.
I will be on spare rota so will be on everything but the 55
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Post by snoggle on Jul 31, 2015 12:51:45 GMT
Nope I won't, new drivers have to be there 6months to a year and depending on having a good record to even be allowed to get type trained on them. I will be on spare rota so will be on everything but the 55 Interesting that the seniority rule applies to NB4L driving as it did for bendy buses. Slightly surprised about that as the labour market must be getting tighter now so operators probably can't be too choosy as to who they put on what routes. Anyway I shall have to watch out for you on the 275 or on the 179 if I'm in Ilford. Sounds like you're enjoying it all which is good. |
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Post by VPL630 on Jul 31, 2015 20:03:59 GMT
Nope I won't, new drivers have to be there 6months to a year and depending on having a good record to even be allowed to get type trained on them. I will be on spare rota so will be on everything but the 55 Interesting that the seniority rule applies to NB4L driving as it did for bendy buses. Slightly surprised about that as the labour market must be getting tighter now so operators probably can't be too choosy as to who they put on what routes. Anyway I shall have to watch out for you on the 275 or on the 179 if I'm in Ilford. Sounds like you're enjoying it all which is good. You have good days and bad days and yesterday wasn't a good one, but yes I'm enjoying it, can't believe I'm saying this but I want a proper slow bus for my test, makes you more aware of what's around you ect ect I'm really not that bothered, the last thing I want to drive is one of those horrid monstrosities, give me a trident any day Now on the other hand if Bendy buses were still about I would jump at the chance to drive them |
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Post by VPL630 on Aug 3, 2015 13:27:37 GMT
If anyone was wondering about how many people are being churned out of the Stagecoach PCV factory, There are currently 42 trainees and this is just above the norm
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Post by snoggle on Aug 3, 2015 13:54:35 GMT
If anyone was wondering about how many people are being churned out of the Stagecoach PCV factory, There are currently 42 trainees and this is just above the norm I assume they have to churn through quite high numbers of trainees given the pass rate isn't that high and not everyone can stick bus driving in the medium to long term. I also suspect that the improving jobs market means higher staff turnover. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2015 18:30:14 GMT
I was once told the avg is that half will quit within the first year. Quite a few quit during training and I've seen 1 or 2 quit on their first day out route learning. Driving a bus is the easiest job in the world. The Hard part is stopping and opening those doors and having everyone and their dog out to lose you your job. If anyone was wondering about how many people are being churned out of the Stagecoach PCV factory, There are currently 42 trainees and this is just above the norm I assume they have to churn through quite high numbers of trainees given the pass rate isn't that high and not everyone can stick bus driving in the medium to long term. I also suspect that the improving jobs market means higher staff turnover. |
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Post by londonbusboy on Aug 3, 2015 19:24:59 GMT
If anyone was wondering about how many people are being churned out of the Stagecoach PCV factory, There are currently 42 trainees and this is just above the norm I assume they have to churn through quite high numbers of trainees given the pass rate isn't that high and not everyone can stick bus driving in the medium to long term. I also suspect that the improving jobs market means higher staff turnover. Not sure how true it is but ive heard that there is a shortage of drivers at garages around London regardless of company |
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Post by VPL630 on Aug 3, 2015 19:49:56 GMT
I assume they have to churn through quite high numbers of trainees given the pass rate isn't that high and not everyone can stick bus driving in the medium to long term. I also suspect that the improving jobs market means higher staff turnover. Not sure how true it is but ive heard that there is a shortage of drivers at garages around London regardless of company Big big shortage at the moment, on Monday's if the instructors don't have trainees they are sent out working on routes |
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Post by snoggle on Aug 3, 2015 21:28:15 GMT
Not sure how true it is but ive heard that there is a shortage of drivers at garages around London regardless of company Big big shortage at the moment, on Monday's if the instructors don't have trainees they are sent out working on routes Not surprised to hear that there's a shortage of drivers. It's a traditional thing that happens when the economy improves and there are skills shortages. I suspect that some of the "fly on the wall" TV series may not have helped in that they show it's a tough job, not an easy one and also that there is a high attrition rate during the training. The fact that wages aren't wonderful either will have been highlighted by recent strikes / threatened strikes. |
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Post by Connor on Aug 3, 2015 22:07:17 GMT
The Hard part is stopping and opening those doors and having everyone and their dog out to lose you your job. Possibly SOH failure on my part; how would a dog cause you to lose your job? |
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Post by VPL630 on Aug 4, 2015 13:18:45 GMT
Well I passed my module 4 driver cpc test, Just need to pass my test on Thursday, Should be iBus and Type Training on Friday, Route learning (not that I need it  ) on Monday |
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) on Monday