Bus driver rude over £10 note

paulineb_2

Oh and as someone who uses and has used buses most days for about 25 years now, I've been on journeys where there hasn't been a bit of trouble and some drivers are still rude.

Can't blame it all on the public. As I said before, it's common knowledge that working conditions are awful.

And it certainly shows. There are nice drivers who I assume have the same working conditions. Maybe their view is if they are at least civil to their passengers they might have a better day.

I've not once given a driver cause to behave the way they have towards me and I've been on buses where I've seen drivers be rude to other passengers.

There's no excuse for passengers to be horrible to drivers. But that cuts both ways, you don't take out how other people behave towards you on the people who have done nothing to deserve it.

Some drivers do. I certainly appreciate the nice ones.

Horace

I couldn't be a bus driver - they do suffer from terrible abuse sometimes. I have seen youths demanding to be let off the bus when it hasn't been at a stop and threatening the driver to let them off, in the end one youth has hit the emergency door open button and they have all piled off. Here in Birmingham we have a good system where passengers can report on-bus crime or anti social behaviour by texting or calling a special number.

Most of the buses here either take bus passes that you have to swipe like an oyster card, have a photo ID pass that you show to the driver, or you buy a ticket by putting the correct change into a secure box that the driver does not even have access to. A daysaver costs £4 so I can hop on and off buses all day (handy when I have a hospital visit as I would have to catch 4 buses in a day and the max single fare is £2.10), there have been times when I haven't had the correct change (particularly when the bus fare was £3.90 but I had to suck it up and pay).

I sort out the correct change before I leave and put it in the pocket of my coat which I then zip up, I keep the ticket in the same pocket too (neatly zipped away).

Oakie

Is there any way you can find out what the bus fare is before boarding a bus. I use the bus so infrequently,that when I do I'm always amazed how much it costs.

Bogof_Babe

Oakie wrote: »

Is there any way you can find out what the bus fare is before boarding a bus. I use the bus so infrequently,that when I do I'm always amazed how much it costs.

A very good question. How are you meant to have the correct fare ready if there's no way of finding out how much it is until you board the bus?

paulineb_2

Oakie wrote: »

Is there any way you can find out what the bus fare is before boarding a bus. I use the bus so infrequently,that when I do I'm always amazed how much it costs.

First in my area have a list of the fare prices on their website.

jellyhead

Kimberley wrote: »

I'm a Bus driver. I refuse to take a £10 note even if I can change it because if we take a fake we have to replace it with our own money. I'm so glad that we will no longer have to take cash fares later this year. Also many people try to get on the Bus free making out they only have a tenner and know full well we won't have change and think we will just let them on. I'm amazed that some have been waiting for a while within arms reach of a shop that they could have changed it up in. It does not hurt for you to go in a shop to get change, get a drink or something, you must walk past a shop on your way to the Bus stop.

Unless the shop is Poundland, not many people could afford to just go and buy a drink or a bag of crisps at standard corner shop prices though.

The driver for my bus was grumpy when I only had a tenner, and would have refused to let me on. I couldn't wait for the next bus and get change in the meantime because I had to get home in time for the school run. A lovely teenager gave me a pound, so I had enough change, bless him.

Fair enough, it's a route where hardly anybody pays for their ticket so the drivers don't have much change, but there's no need for a driver to be rude to me if I'm smiling and asking him nicely if he can change my note. He could have politely told me why he couldn't change it.

jellyhead

Can you buy your tickets online? The stagecoach website mentions it.

We have Arriva buses where I live, and you can now buy tickets on your mobile phone then just flash your app to the driver.

Dizzy_Ditzy

Kimberley wrote: »

I didn't mean you try it but many do. However it does annoy us when the same people keep trying to get on with a tenner or even a twenty. I mean are they having a laugh? A £20 note?

Especially the ones who try giving you a twenty on the first Monday morning bus :mad:

Others have already said ways to get change. I'd suggest a ten trip ticket too.

First drivers in Bristol are pretty crap too. I was one, I know exactly why they're like that

You're already running late, someone gets on moaning that they've been waiting 10 minutes or whatever then faffs around in their bag looking for their purse! They've been waiting long enough, they've had plenty of time to get their money ready

I only use the bus because I can't park at work. I hate it with a passion but I just get on with it. It not the drivers fault that they're late or they've got no change

Indie_Kid

queen_of_cheap wrote: »

You're already running late, someone gets on moaning that they've been waiting 10 minutes or whatever then faffs around in their bag looking for their purse! They've been waiting long enough, they've had plenty of time to get their money ready

This really annoys me. I'm a bus pass holder and I just have to tap in. But the person in front of me who has just got on the bus is looking for their purse.:mad: So you've just had that time to look for it and get the right money out, why wait?

Oakie

I was walking into town the other day and the roads were typically gridlocked.I noticed each car just had one person in it.
Now if buses were cheaper or even free to use,more people may be inclined to leave the car at home and travel into town by bus.
Just think how much better that would be for the environment and stress levels.