idiotic things said by bus companies

[neilmc]

How about "This is a schools service".

So? In Greater Manchester at least, if it's a service which takes fares and not one of those designated "yellow buses", ordinary passengers can catch it if it happens to go where they want.

There's a local Stagecoach school service which I'd like to challenge this on, if I can be bothered to incite an argument.

 

[transmanche]

How about "This is a schools service".

So? In Greater Manchester at least, if it's a service which takes fares and not one of those designated "yellow buses", ordinary passengers can catch it if it happens to go where they want.

There's a local Stagecoach school service which I'd like to challenge this on, if I can be bothered to incite an argument.

Are ordinary passengers barred from schools services in GM?

In Tyne & Wear, services that are designed for the convenience of schoolchildren are usually shown as 'Scholars service, all passengers welcome.' on the destination display. Whereas in London, although TfL services in the 6xx range are all schools services I don't think they are advertised as 'schools services' - just normal services that just happen to have only one or two journeys each way per day and they only run Mon-Fri in term-time.

 

[dave12435]

On Stagecoach East Kent's route listing all school routes are numbered 900+ and have school service listed alongside however I have anecdotal evidence that as they are service routes rather than private anyone can use them and also my Nan has used the school routes before
Therefore making it stupid to even call them school services in the sense that they are for students only

 

[PermitToTravel]

Whereas in London, although TfL services in the 6xx range are all schools services I don't think they are advertised as 'schools services' - just normal services that just happen to have only one or two journeys each way per day and they only run Mon-Fri in term-time.

The stop flags in London call them school buses (though as you say, anyone can use them)
There is one anomaly, the 607 (not a school bus), which is in that range because it retains its trolleybus number.

 

[Deerfold]

The stop flags in London call them school buses (though as you say, anyone can use them)
There is one anomaly, the 607 (not a school bus), which is in that range because it retains its trolleybus number.

There's also the 603 which runs during school holidays and continues later than most schools start.

 

[Martin2012]

A few years ago when traveling with National Express I got one of those drivers who was using the front seat for their bags. When I asked if I could sit there the driver's response was "Why? Are you pregnant?"

 

[pompeyfan]

In regards to school buses, from what I recall to officially class them as a school bus they must be tacho'ed, they must carry yellow school children warning signs and must carry a first aid kit, all other services are open services. Although some operators get round this by stipulating that only passengers carrying X pass can travel on that service.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

A few years ago when traveling with National Express I got one of those drivers who was using the front seat for their bags. When I asked if I could sit there the driver's response was "Why? Are you pregnant?"

Basically, the front seat is not for travel (and is blocked off on the system) but if there's a pregnant or infirm person, then they will naturally allow someone to sit there. However, not if you're able bodied and just want a better view.

 

[Martin2012]

I was always under the impression that National Express drivers are required to make front seats available to passengers- unless they have been reserved for a disabled person or need to be used by the second driver in the absence of a crew seat.

Also that same day another driver suggested to me that front seats should be made available for all passengers and an NX agent who overheard me moaning with a friend about it asked if I'd like to put in a complaint?

Incidentally, after that driver had made that comment, he allowed an able bodied male carrying a guitar to sit in those two seats.

 

[MCR247]

How about "This is a schools service".

So? In Greater Manchester at least, if it's a service which takes fares and not one of those designated "yellow buses", ordinary passengers can catch it if it happens to go where they want.

There's a local Stagecoach school service which I'd like to challenge this on, if I can be bothered to incite an argument.

In Nottingham due to the conucil cutting back on proper school buses, Nottingham City Transport operate a number of school extras/duplicates depending on the route/school. Some of these, however, whilst shown in the timetable and therefore on the realtime displays, will run with the display 'Not in Service' once they've left the school bus stop as on routes with plenty of alternatives, I imagine most people would rather not stand on a packed bus full of noisy annoying school children

 

[duncombec]

On Stagecoach East Kent's route listing all school routes are numbered 900+ and have school service listed alongside however I have anecdotal evidence that as they are service routes rather than private anyone can use them and also my Nan has used the school routes before
Therefore making it stupid to even call them school services in the sense that they are for students only

The difference, I think, is whether it is a registered service or a closed door contract. All of SEK's 900-series school routes are publicly registered routes, and anybody can use them. Arriva in the Medway Towns number all their school services in the 600-series. But as other posters have said, who would want to share a bus with a load of schoolchildren if they didn't have to? It is a service designed for schools, running at school times only, during school terms only. There is not going to be another one along in an hour, and the number helps make that abundantly clear!

Closed door contracts, by contrast, are strictly limited to school children attending the particular school, and most councils seem to use four-figure numbers or E-prefixed numbers. I'm not sure what the legalities of registration are, but others may know better.

Interestingly, when Herts CC used to produce books, they listed all of the E-prefix and "normal" services in the public timetables, just with a note on the E-series contracts restricting use. I would quote it, but my Herts books are too far down the pile for now.

 

[bussnapperwm]

In the west midlands our schools are numbered in the 7xx, 8xx and are for the general public....except some special closed door services...

...some of them have types from depots that don't normally operate in that area

 

[ACBest]

Closed door contracts do not need to be registered.

Essentially if a service is arranged by someone other than the bus company, and passengers organised by someone else too; AND it is not advertised to the public; AND everyone is travelling to/from the same place; AND everyone pays the same price no matter how long or short their journey is, then it need not be registered.

So for example, locally there's a run from the city to a poultry factory near Sleaford. It isn't registered as it meets all the requirements above: The service and passengers are arranged by the recruitment agency; it isn't advertised; Everyone is travelling to/from the factory; Unsure on fare arrangements though.

Similarly, on school buses I used to be a passenger assistant on, the council organised and gave invitations to tender for the service, and then organised the passengers for it; we nor anyone else advertised it; everyone was going to/from school; no fares were taken.

Hopefully that clears that one up

 

[thealexweb]

A Stagecoach operated 125's driver claimed to never have seen / heard of PlusBus Chorley before despite his vehicle carrying two large adverts for PlusBus.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

"You know what'd be a really good name for a bus company? Yorkshire Tiger! After all if there's anything Yorkshire is famous for, it's tigers!" was presumably said once by someone... It was later bettered by someone who said "Yeah, and some of those tigers are blue!"...

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I was always under the impression that National Express drivers are required to make front seats available to passengers- unless they have been reserved for a disabled person or need to be used by the second driver in the absence of a crew seat.

Also that same day another driver suggested to me that front seats should be made available for all passengers and an NX agent who overheard me moaning with a friend about it asked if I'd like to put in a complaint?

Incidentally, after that driver had made that comment, he allowed an able bodied male carrying a guitar to sit in those two seats.

As I said, if a coach has 49 seats, the booking system will only actually have 47 available to book. The front two are not supposed to be for passengers as they're for crew. That said, for pregnant and the infirm (or disabled) then they naturally are expected to make the seats available. Also, the booking system does allow special instructions and comments to be inserted.

A man with a large unwieldy musical instrument may also have been regarded as a special case,

 

[quarella]

the thread is about idiotic things said BY bus companies not passengers

Which are sometimes required due to the idiotic things, said/done by passengers.

 

[jp4712]

I think the most idiotic thing ever said by a bus company would be at West Riding in about 1960, when someone said "hey lads, what we really need is a hundred Guy Wulfrunians!"

 

[Deerfold]

Which are sometimes required due to the idiotic things, said/done by passengers.

Surely it'd make more sense for the bus company to be sensible rather than adding to the idiocy?

 

[neilmc]

I think the most idiotic thing ever said by a bus company would be at West Riding in about 1960, when someone said "hey lads, what we really need is a hundred Guy Wulfrunians!"

Mmm. I wonder if they were the same idiots who were in Leeds a couple of years previously and said:

"Hey, lads what we really need is a hundred more motor buses, then we can ditch all those trams with their non-pollution and reserved trackbeds and be a proper bus company!"

 

[HugePilchard]

Had an Avon bus driver working a Merseytravel contracted service [Greasby to Birkenhead] become somewhat befuddled by my Plusbus this evening.

A few years back, I had a run-in with a Darlington Arriva driver who refused to recognise a Plusbus ticket, despite being on one of the routes that ran past the station.

On one occasion he grumpily allowed me on, having presumably got fed up with arguing over the validity of my ticket.

On another occasion, he told me that my monthly Plusbus was valid, but that he'd have to punch it. I asked him exactly what sort of state he thought my monthly ticket would be in if it got punched twice every day, were it indeed possible to find space to punch it 40 or more times!

 

[ACBest]

Best one I can remember was trying to use a multi-operator ticket in Norwich - Fusion.

The driver on First didn't know how to issue it for a start, and then konectbus and Norse drivers refused to accept it. By the time I got to Norse, I'd got that annoyed with the situation that I just took a seat anyway, much to the displeasure of the driver.

 

[richw]

Best one I can remember was trying to use a multi-operator ticket in Norwich - Fusion.

The driver on First didn't know how to issue it for a start, and then konectbus and Norse drivers refused to accept it. By the time I got to Norse, I'd got that annoyed with the situation that I just took a seat anyway, much to the displeasure of the driver.

I've had drivers ask me "What is this?" or "this is a rail ticket" when using plusbus or Ride Cornwall tickets issued on rail stock.

As soon as tell them what it is they say oh yes, and that is it. Only once have I had a problem after that - A plusbus ticket, driver said nope don't accept them. I pointed to the sticker on the side of his bus, he huffed and said no more.

 

[bussnapperwm]

I've had drivers ask me "What is this?" or "this is a rail ticket" when using plusbus or Ride Cornwall tickets issued on rail stock.

As soon as tell them what it is they say oh yes, and that is it. Only once have I had a problem after that - A plusbus ticket, driver said nope don't accept them. I pointed to the sticker on the side of his bus, he huffed and said no more.

When I went to Manchester earlier this week I brought a System One Daysaver for all buses, trains and trams on Metrolink stock...confused 2 diamond bus drivers, one Stagecoach driver and a Wigan Buses LTD driver with it!

 

[nottinghamcity]

few years back, I had a run-in with a Darlington Arriva driver who refused to recognise a Plusbus ticket,

London midland have an almost universal agreement with Midland Metro and NXWM for disruptions in the Birmingham/ Black country area. I know what is awaiting me when I get on a bus or tram with my nr season ticket!