Back to Work

Today was the first full working day of the new year.  Most schools are back in session and people who had the bank holiday off are back to commuting to work.  I started work before dawn, reporting to the garage at 04:55 AM.  Before taking our buses out on the road each day, we drivers do a walk-around inspection, checking for any faults or unsafe items.  Having completed mine, I pulled out of the garage and headed off to begin the work day.  My duty required me to drive empty, or "light," as we say in the industry, to the far end of the route, then go into service.  I always enjoy that, as I get to do a bit of driving, empty, not needing to make stops.  I tend to think of these empty trips as "driving for myself."

Once in service, I worked the morning rush hour, the first one of 2011.  Personally, I like working morning, or evening rush.  I like it when it's busy and I get the satisfactory feeling of accomplishing a lot, helping loads of people get to work, or home in the evening.  After finishing two-thirds of my duty, I had my break.  Back at the garage, I bought myself a hot breakfast.  It's pleasing to eat, drink, and chat with fellow drivers, in the garage canteen.  When my break was over, it was back to the road.  A single round trip would finish my work day.  Half way through the outbound leg, a man approached me at one of the stops.  He was trying to work out how long a bus on the route would take to make the round trip.  Upon further inquiry, I determined that he'd left something on an earlier bus on my route and was hoping to meet the same bus at that stop, to try to get it back.  I gave him the garage phone number and suggested he call and alert the staff there to ask the driver if his lost item was found, or turned in.  That satisfied him and I continued on my way.  Having worked eight days in a row, I am looking forward to being off, tomorrow.  If you accidentally leave an item on a London bus, contact the garage for the route involved and they can ask the driver to look for it, on the bus.  We can even be contacted via radio, by our garages, and alerted to look for lost property.  However, prevention is the best cure and it's advisable to try to avoid leaving bags or packages on the bus, when you alight, as such items can trigger a suspect package alert.  Whatever you bring on board, with you, try to take away with you, when you leave.  Enjoy your trip.