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It's true, if you have a manual car licence, you can drive both manual and automatic buses if you pass your test on an automatic bus.

I understand First Essex have bid for some Scania buses to deploy on the X30 route in 2020.

To add, First Essex (Chelmsford) have quite a few long dead runs. Chelmsford to Colchester (Sunday) - 26 miles Chelmsford to Burnham-on-Crouch (Monday to Saturday) - 24 miles Chelmsford to Southend (Daily) - 22 miles

Welcome to the world of bus driving! The speed of your training is usually down to the luck of the draw, rather than your ability, so I hope you don't leave thinking you can't do the job! I think that once you have done 10-15 hours more training, you will be much more confident. I was lucky...

To try and answer your questions, generally it is fairly straightforward to get a job with First, but it might take a few months from applying to get out on the road, as the DVLA aren't always efficient! With First and it's probably similar with other operators, you fill out an application...

I doubt a bus driver would need to have any worries about job security! The buses, routes and drivers won't just disappear with First!

Understandably, the priority has been for First Essex has been to stem the losses. The next accounts due in January should show a profit, albeit a small one. Behind the scenes, a lot of work has and is being done to reduce inefficiencies, so the following accounts should make better reading...

Park and Ride sites in Essex: Chelmsford (Sandon) - 1500 Chelmsford (Chelmer Valley) - 1003 Colchester - 1000 https://www.essexhighways.org/getting-around/bus/park-and-ride.aspx#facilities

The start up sequence can vary depending on what the operator has specified, so the best option is to ask the operator you plan to work for.

First Essex operate the X30 once an hour for most of the day to and from Southend Airport to Southend, Chelmsford and Stansted. At Southend Airport, there is a branded bus shelter with fare and route information for the X30, so it would seem there is some sort of commercial agreement between the...

A modern double deck bus has a fuel capacity of 275 litres and Ad Blue capacity of 30 litres (taken from the Alexander Dennis E400 spec). Assuming a bus uses around 10mpg of fuel, the range would be around 600 miles. From experience, buses on 'ding ding' service routes would last a day and a bit...

As someone with some inside knowledge, it feels like First Essex are keeping their head above water, but paddling frantically underneath to provide a daily service. Seeing what the engineering and operations staff deal with just to provide a day to day service would shock an outsider. Some may...

Using a phone screen or a torch is a good way of getting a driver's attention, sometimes waiting passengers just blend into the background when street lighting is poor or non existent.

Newer First buses have driver seatbelts, but certainly not all of them. It's not a legal requirement though, more a company policy AFAIK. But a driver must wear a seatbelt where it is fitted.

It is unlikely First will dispose of Essex. A number of one off charges associated with depot closures and staff t&c changes hit last year's results.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/02/08/half-bus-routes-could-scrapped-underfunded-free-pass-scheme/

There are a few such stops in Essex that have a message 'buses stop on both sides of the road', although they are gradually being replaced with stops on both sides of the road. I presume the reason is twofold, firstly to save money and secondly, a lack of suitable location for a flag to be...

Matthew Gregory has been announced as the Chief Executive, he was previously Chief Financial Officer. Wolfhart Hauser has reverted back to Executive Chairman.

From what has happened so far, it seems that First aren't going to relinquish the route without a fight. Next week, we will be seeing 5 buses during peak serve the Bishops Hall Estate - 3 First and 2 Ensign. It's now Ensign's turn to show their card...

First Essex have reacted to Ensign. First off, from this week, fares have been reduced to match Ensign. Secondly, from 28th October, First Essex will be running a 15 minute service during morning and evening peak, where at present a 20 minute frequency is operated all day by both First and...