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Double Decker driving school?

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notadriver

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Has anyone been watching this series on ITV? I'm particularly interested in the experiences of those who have been bus drivers and have gone onto the rails - conductor or train driver. How would you compare the training between the two roles ? The London bus driver course is 6 weeks long - which is about the same time to qualify as a conductor (minus routes). Do ex bus drivers going through the conductor course find the training as intensive as when they were learning to drive a bus ?
 
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quarella

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Afraid I can't answer your question as, although having done some bus and coach driving before moving onto rail it was not as train crew. I have perservered with the series and although I know it is a tv show where the producer is looking for "a story" I have not been impressed by the standard of driving where the bare minimum to pass the test seems to be all that is required or the attitudes displayed.
 

Simon11

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I'm not particularly keen on the style of how the trainers teach the drivers how to learn. Some of their attitude and conduct is appalling.

If the cameras weren't there, would the standard of teaching fall even further?
 

RJ

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My trainer snapped, snarled and turned up late for every lesson - even on my test day, making me miss my test. But boy was he effective, after 8 days of training, I passed first time - after he paid for a retest :lol:
 

CC 72100

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I have perservered with the series and although I know it is a tv show where the producer is looking for "a story" I have not been impressed by the standard of driving where the bare minimum to pass the test seems to be all that is required or the attitudes displayed.

The one that got me was the one who passed a few weeks back, and upon passing and doing normal services, seemed to be very proud of "how easy" the job was - maybe it is an easy job(!) but a sort of blasé attitude right after passing I imagine would make a few managers wince.
 

ECML180

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Most passes on this show leave me making a comment along the lines of "I hope they monitor the new starters"!

I have to say the style of teaching is not too far different from what I received (With a different company in a different area), but what I received that isn't shown on the TV is the 'boring bits'. For example driving through tight areas repeatedly to get a grip on positioning and avoiding curbs, manoeuvring practice where every trainee is spot on every time but it's repeated for familiarity...etc. That's the stuff where you really learn, but it isn't exactly riveting to watch!
 

47802

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Most passes on this show leave me making a comment along the lines of "I hope they monitor the new starters"!

I have to say the style of teaching is not too far different from what I received (With a different company in a different area), but what I received that isn't shown on the TV is the 'boring bits'. For example driving through tight areas repeatedly to get a grip on positioning and avoiding curbs, manoeuvring practice where every trainee is spot on every time but it's repeated for familiarity...etc. That's the stuff where you really learn, but it isn't exactly riveting to watch!

Yeh I can imagine that would be the case, I went for a driving assessment with using a full size bus, and as you say positioning is everything, I also found being told to go out to the road centreline or beyond a bit disconcerting at times. Unfortunatly I passed the driving assessment but got rejected on medical grounds.
 

ECML180

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Unfortunatly I passed the driving assessment but got rejected on medical grounds.

Many drivers would say that is a blessing in disguise! ;)

One thing they do seem to have drilled into the trainees is speed control, haven't seen last night episode yet so I hope that hasn't proved me wrong! :lol: None of them seem to be rushing into it...too much...nor hesitating unduly, like you say when you have to move out into the middle of the road it's disconcerting and it's dead easy to sit there forever indicating and waiting for an easy gap.
 

richw

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Many drivers would say that is a blessing in disguise! ;)

One thing they do seem to have drilled into the trainees is speed control, haven't seen last night episode yet so I hope that hasn't proved me wrong! :lol: None of them seem to be rushing into it...too much...nor hesitating unduly, like you say when you have to move out into the middle of the road it's disconcerting and it's dead easy to sit there forever indicating and waiting for an easy gap.

They had a "boy racer" on last night and still haven't proved you wrong.
 
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