PG
Established Member
Maybe the radio only plays the Rose Royce song Car Wash (substituting Bus for Car) once at the depot
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Bus Driver Listening to Music
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Trainfan2019
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The ones I used to see were portable/personal radios belonging to drivers.
njlawley
Member
The drivers clean the buses at the end of their shift. In return, Jim has radios installed on all of his buses.
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Statto
Established Member
When MTL brought Northern Counties Palatine II, Volvo Olympians for Wirral Peninsula cross river routes, they had speakers fitted inside the vehicles, with Radio on, passengers complained & the radio was subsequently disconnected
Martin2012
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I used to regularly travel on a National Express journey between Leeds and Birmingham (a weekend extra contracted out to a private hire operator) where the drivers would regularly have the radio on although they normally had it at a volume so you could only hear it if you were sitting at the front. One of their drivers once suggested that having the radio on allowed them to get traffic updates.
Have on a number of occasions been on South Gloucestershire Bus and Coach vehicles where the radio has been played. Some buses where the driver had one in their cab but have also been on journeys being worked by coaches where it has been played at full volume.
Have on a number of occasions been on South Gloucestershire Bus and Coach vehicles where the radio has been played. Some buses where the driver had one in their cab but have also been on journeys being worked by coaches where it has been played at full volume.
Martin2012
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I used to regularly travel on a National Express journey between Leeds and Birmingham (a weekend extra contracted out to a private hire operator) where the drivers would regularly have the radio on although they normally had it at a volume so you could only hear it if you were sitting at the front. One of their drivers once suggested that having the radio on allowed them to get traffic updates.
Have on a number of occasions been on South Gloucestershire Bus and Coach vehicles where the radio has been played. Some buses where the driver had one in their cab but have also been on journeys being worked by coaches where it has been played at full volume.
Have on a number of occasions been on South Gloucestershire Bus and Coach vehicles where the radio has been played. Some buses where the driver had one in their cab but have also been on journeys being worked by coaches where it has been played at full volume.
Thanks. That makes rather more sense.
Driver362
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It's a no no at my place
Geordie driver
Member
We had some Optare mini buses at Northumbria that came fitted with a radio / cassette, they were great. At the same time the company would discipline you for listening to your own radio. Then they fitted TVs that played all the time and the drivers couldn't switch off. I would listen to my own radio when traveling light but not in service.
Most Yellow Schoolbuses up here in Manchester at various operators I think including First and Stagecoach have radioes fitted to try and calm the kids down as they go to and from School and to help with behaviour on said School Services.
Its only on the Yellow Schoolbuses though the normal standard buses don't.
Its only on the Yellow Schoolbuses though the normal standard buses don't.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
The big problem with installing radios is not the cost of the radios, but the cost of the PRS for Music licence, which is absolutely swingeing as it requires you to pay a percentage of all revenue (not profit) from the vehicle or premises licenced. It's something I think really needs sorting out and reducing to a more reasonable level, or a level assessed based on the likely additional revenue that might be derived from the use of music in those premises. It's reasonable for example that a nightclub or concert venue should pay a heavy licence fee because the entire basis of their business is music, but on something like a bus or in a dentist's waiting room it's pretty incidental and should really be very small.
Another example of where it's pretty swingeing is Scout groups, which don't have any exemption, but because the building is typically managed in the same charity as the overall operations they want 1% of the entire turnover (at last count) which just means we don't use recorded music as it is ridiculous.
Furthermore I would say there should be no additional licence fee at all for just playing broadcast radio as broadcast, because licence fees for that are already paid.
Another example of where it's pretty swingeing is Scout groups, which don't have any exemption, but because the building is typically managed in the same charity as the overall operations they want 1% of the entire turnover (at last count) which just means we don't use recorded music as it is ridiculous.
Furthermore I would say there should be no additional licence fee at all for just playing broadcast radio as broadcast, because licence fees for that are already paid.
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py_megapixel
Established Member
It always comes across as quite unprofessional to me if a driver is listening to music out loud. I expect a comfortable experience when I get on board a bus, and I think minimum background noise is a part of that (I appreciate there is a diesel engine hammering away in the back but you get the idea). Some music I've heard on buses over the years is absolutely awful in my opinion and I'd rather it wasn't forced on me.
However, I think it's perfectly reasonable for a driver to use wireless earbuds for example, as long as it is not reducing the driver's concentration on the road.
However, I think it's perfectly reasonable for a driver to use wireless earbuds for example, as long as it is not reducing the driver's concentration on the road.
Strat-tastic
Established Member
py_megapixel
Established Member
Surely the same could be said for a radio in the cab though?It certainly prevents a driver from hearing 'the road' and is dangerous.
Honestly I don't expect unwanted noise when I get onto a bus, and music falls into that category. Some people want to catch up on the news or read a book for example, without having distractions.
Pat1105
Member
I sometimes have drivers who wear earphones whilst driving. They’re often using them to talk on the phone hands free or to block out the noise, as you’d get a headache after a 10 hour shift on the road - especially in an e200.
During the World Cup in 2018, I had some drivers who would listen to the football live in the cab. I didn’t have a problem with this, and I’m sure the other passengers didn’t either as it meant they didn’t miss the match!
.During the World Cup in 2018, I had some drivers who would listen to the football live in the cab. I didn’t have a problem with this, and I’m sure the other passengers didn’t either as it meant they didn’t miss the match!
philthetube
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No, a radio in a cab is no more distracting than one in a car, using ear buds blocks out other sounds and could lead to a driver being unaware of a situation and that leading to an accident.
First eastern counties had radios fitted on the P reg plaxton coaches that used to ply between Norwich and Peterborough,and going back to the eighties had a bristol VR painted up as the Radio Broadland bus with said station played through speakers all day long!
barrow trains
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I often use National Express 502 route when commuting between Tiverton and South Molton when commuting on Sundays, radio was often playing at a low enjoyable volume.
When also getting the college bus from South Molton into Exeter as well, the drivers sometimes used to have the radio over the coach speakers, sometimes fairly loud but can't complain with a bus full of 16-17 year olds lol. Their (Kingdoms) drivers are always friendly tho.
When also getting the college bus from South Molton into Exeter as well, the drivers sometimes used to have the radio over the coach speakers, sometimes fairly loud but can't complain with a bus full of 16-17 year olds lol. Their (Kingdoms) drivers are always friendly tho.
Up until their demise recently, Jim Stones forked out for a music licence on their bus services.
Even had speakers installed onto their buses so that the passengers could listen, the volume was never obtrusively high either. Of course most other operators cannot afford or simply do not see any value in it.
White Bus, an independent operator based in Surrey and Berkshire, have drivers using the radio to listen to music, though most use earphones whilst driving. But are bus drivers listening music through earphones legal?
Strat-tastic
Established Member
I don't know but I'd rather not be a passenger.
PG
Established Member
I'd suggest it's legal but a very dubious practice due to not being in full control of their bus. I'm certain that the Traffic Commissioner would frown upon the practice as would the police.
Geordie driver
Member
I would listen to Wogan through a single earpiece when not in service but you are on dodgy ground should the police see it. But as I have mentioned before, the police mostly just left us alone.
Edit, I forgot scholars, there was zero chance of any company official boarding a scholars service so I would listen to it then.
Edit, I forgot scholars, there was zero chance of any company official boarding a scholars service so I would listen to it then.
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Busaholic
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I agree with you on the swingeing cost of the PPL , but I doubt it'll come down any day soon as the whole business of artists/composers being rewarded for their recorded work has been so devastated by the technological changes over the last couple of decades and more. When I ran a bookshop I used to get calls every few months asking why I hadn't applied for a music licence: I always pointed out it was because (a) I didn't play music or broadcast material of any kind in my shop, but also (b) I loathed music being played in book, and other, shops, and if required by law to play it I'd sooner close my shop down than comply! I only cited (b) once, when, having been informed I wouldn't be bothered any more on the subject I got another call a month later.
Personally, I think the fewer distractions the passenger is subjected to by a bus operator or their staff the better, though I applaud the provision of 'next stop' and other public info of that kind, so long as it's not overdone.
Statto
Established Member
I don't mind if drivers have radios on when out of service, but music is down to a persons taste, & driver/company could well get a load of complaints from passengers should the radio be kept on in service, i've noticed when some drivers have radios on they'll have talk stations on, or listening to the match rather than music on.
I'm sure some tube stations had an experiment playing classical music in an attempt to reduce anti-social behaviour. I wonder if this would work on buses, or are the disruptive element too busy playing with their i-Phones (other phones are available) now to cause problems?
Pat1105
Member
Some bus stations in the West Midlands play classical music on the PA system to discourage loitering and anti social behaviour. It can make for a nice soundtrack to accompany the comings and goings of buses!
Busman84
Member
I have no issue at all with drivers playing a radio. Drivers are stuck in cab beyond 8 hours a day in many places. The likes of music not played too loud shouldn’t be an issue for passengers. Enough noise on a bus with interior parts rattling away (differs from certain vehicles).. Most drivers will have Live Football on as this type of job takes a lot of your time over the weekend and with working nearly every weekend you don’t see anything of the football.. Appears to be too too much of an issue now with companies having daft policy’s regarding drivers radios.. Go back the 90s and just about every driver had Sport on during a Saturday afternoon. Having a radio too makes the day go in quicker..
cnjb8
Established Member
Yes, the District Line between Barking and Upminster I think.
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