Questions about coach delays

[telstarbox]

When a scheduled coach service (National Express/Megabus etc) becomes severely delayed, eg due to traffic congestion:

Do drivers have a maximum number of hours before they need a break/to sleep and so is a spare driver have to be sent out?

Do drivers have to 'sign' different varieties of coach as train drivers have to maintain traction knowledge?

Are there also potential issues with a vehicle ending up away from base and not able to start its return journey on time?

Is there any way to inform passengers waiting at subsequent stops? Some NX stops in particular are just regular bus stops with no staff presence.

Also, what's the longest diagram in terms of miles from base for scheduled coaches in the UK?

 

[fowler9]

When a scheduled coach service (National Express/Megabus etc) becomes severely delayed, eg due to traffic congestion:

Do drivers have a maximum number of hours before they need a break/to sleep and so is a spare driver have to be sent out?

Do drivers have to 'sign' different varieties of coach as train drivers have to maintain traction knowledge?

Are there also potential issues with a vehicle ending up away from base and not able to start its return journey on time?

Is there any way to inform passengers waiting at subsequent stops? Some NX stops in particular are just regular bus stops with no staff presence.

Also, what's the longest diagram in terms of miles from base for scheduled coaches in the UK?

Without wanting to stray too far from topic one of the most amazing experiences of my life was on a Turbus coach from La Serena to Arica. It was a lovely Marco Polo bodied Merc. At about three in the morning near Iquique it spat bits of its engine out and caught fire. Somehow Turbus found an almost exact replacement that got us in Iquique.

The place the bus bit the bullet was in the middle of the Atacama not far from the sea. Another Turbus coach took us as far as Iquique. Wild.

 

[mbonwick]

I think the answer to all your questions is "yes"!

In terms of informing passengers - presumably a contact number will have to be given on the booking? Failing that there's always twitter, Farcebook etc.

The Megabus fleet mostly works on a 3-day roster, so only sees their home base a couple of times per week. Obviously they do get to a Stagecoach depot every day however.
Euro Megabus is a 2-day round trip I think.

 

[Martin1988]

I've been on a number of NX journeys where the coach has been delayed on the outward journey and consequently been delayed on the return journey.

Remember one Friday evening where I was waiting in London Victoria for an 040 back to Bristol and all the services were delayed. The coach arrived onto the stand but the driver sat there for about 10-15 minutes before passengers were informed the driver needed to have his legal break and wouldn't be loading any time soon.

Also had a similar situation in Birmingham traveling on services where the driver was scheduled for an hour's break in Digbeth before doing the return trip. The coach was delayed on the journey down meaning it subsequently left late on the return trip.

 

[rick9525]

I once caught a Megabus from Manchester to Newcastle that was over 3 hours late due to a major smash further south on the M6. The bus driver then had a 40 min break and left for Leeds with only me on it. I then had to switch to another N/B coach at Woolley Edge services, which was held for me, as he was switched to drive down towards London.
Upon returning later that evening the incoming bus was over 1 hour late and again the driver had a 40 min break but let us sit on the coach. Thankfully he missed out going via Sunderland and Middlesborough as no one wanted them so a bit of time was made up by coming straight down the A1.

Pre smart phone I had to ask at general bus info at Shudehill but in Newcastle there was very little info.

Did not complain as not their fault and my return ticket was £2.50

 

[BestWestern]

As to your question regarding 'signing' different vehicles, it's nothing like as stringent or complex as the railway but drivers should certainly undergo some form of 'type training' or vehicle familiarity prior to going out in service. Often this tends to be a supervisor telling you to go and take a spare motor for a drive to get comfortable with it.

 

[howittpie]

To answer your question how are passengers informed of delays.
Nat ex have a coach tracker app available to all passengers while Megabus use Twitter. Both have a phone number though the Megabus one costs an arm and leg and you seem to get through to Citylink in Glasgow but they have been helpful when I have rung them.

 

[34D]

When a scheduled coach service (National Express/Megabus etc) becomes severely delayed, eg due to traffic congestion:

Do drivers have a maximum number of hours before they need a break/to sleep and so is a spare driver have to be sent out?

Do drivers have to 'sign' different varieties of coach as train drivers have to maintain traction knowledge?

Are there also potential issues with a vehicle ending up away from base and not able to start its return journey on time?

Is there any way to inform passengers waiting at subsequent stops? Some NX stops in particular are just regular bus stops with no staff presence.

Also, what's the longest diagram in terms of miles from base for scheduled coaches in the UK?

In order:

Break of 45 minutes after max 4.5 hours driving, which could be split a 15 min break during the 4.5 hours and 30 after. The break must be a proper 'break' and mustn't involve dealing with luggage/passengers/control, though of course he can talk to passengers if he wishes.

No. The big companies might do this for their lower level drivers, but those of us with experience and skill are expected to have the knowledge to drive anything.

Yes, certainly an issue. NX and Megabus have arrangements with smaller coach companies to cover this scenario.

I'd guess if a coach hasn't turned up 15 mins from booked time most people will phone or go online?

Not sure nowadays, but there are some Cornwall to Scotland routes....

 

[Bwsbro]

Only once have I received major delays on a coach journey from Leeds to Gloucester, We had to change from a Hired coach to a Megabus coach in Manchester which wasn't too bad, but having got to Knutsford services the coach had a breaks failure and had to wait 1.5 hours for a Manchester based engeneer to come and fix the coach.

Having arrived at Brimingham 3 hours late and missed the last National Express coach to Gloucester. I had to use a train (Which took me to Gloucester 30 mins earlier). luckily enough Megabus refunded my Megabus ticket and payed for the unused National Express Ticket and the rail fare to Gloucester

 

[notadriver]

In order:

No. The big companies might do this for their lower level drivers, but those of us with experience and skill are expected to have the knowledge to drive anything.

Not sure nowadays, but there are some Cornwall to Scotland routes....

The 336 I believe now terminated at Plymouth vice Penzance from Edinburgh. It must still be one of the longest routes in the UK. The other is the 591 from London to Inverness which perhaps is the fastest long distance NX service as it there are few stops.

Regarding type training, while those of us who are experienced pcv drivers (i include myself) are expected to drive anything, do you think it should be changed so drivers are assessed and passed out on a particular vehicle type as they would be on trains or perhaps is the railway method 'OTT' and train drivers should like experienced pcv drivers be expected to be able to drive anything ?

 

[richw]

I've been using megabus Cornwall to London recently simply because of price.
They seem to change driver at every stop where there is a depot nearby.

On Penzance to Victoria the drivers do Penzance to Plymouth (same driver who brought it down from Plymouth), Plymouth to Exeter, Exeter to Bristol, Bristol to London.

On a recent journey we arrived at Bristol around 1 hour late, but were only 10 late into Victoria.

The Penzance departures were always 0500 until recently now we have varying departure times, however the running time from Penzance to Plymouth has been left the same timings as when it was 0500, so the 0900 for example can not keep to time through Cornwall as nobody seems to have told megabus that Cornwall has more traffic at 0900 than 0500!

 

[notadriver]

I've been using megabus Cornwall to London recently simply because of price.
They seem to change driver at every stop where there is a depot nearby.

On Penzance to Victoria the drivers do Penzance to Plymouth (same driver who brought it down from Plymouth), Plymouth to Exeter, Exeter to Bristol, Bristol to London.

On a recent journey we arrived at Bristol around 1 hour late, but were only 10 late into Victoria.

The Penzance departures were always 0500 until recently now we have varying departure times, however the running time from Penzance to Plymouth has been left the same timings as when it was 0500, so the 0900 for example can not keep to time through Cornwall as nobody seems to have told megabus that Cornwall has more traffic at 0900 than 0500!

Based on your experiences and my previous thread about train vs coach delays, would you say scheduled coach services are more punctual than trains ?

 

[richw]

Based on your experiences and my previous thread about train vs coach delays, would you say scheduled coach services are more punctual than trains ?

Depends where your destination is, I use pretty much end to end and find arrival at the end point pretty punctual, however intermediate points not so much. There tends to be a lot of catch up time scheduled near the end of the journey.