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.

Bank Holiday Monday Blues?

Another Bank Holiday, well, the first of 2011.  While many people in Britain are off, I and a number of my fellow bus drivers worked, to keep London moving.  I usually volunteer to work on Bank Holidays, because I don't have any family in this country and I am happy to get the extra pay that is offered.  Traffic is light and we usually run to a Sunday schedule.  A number of people are still coming on board unaware that fares have increased.

While mostly uneventful, I did have one "moment."  In the afternoon, as I was driving in service, an warning alarm sounded, along with a warning light on my dashboard.  It was the alarm indicating that the emergency exit door was open.  Looking at my offside wing mirror, I didn't see the door physically open, so I figured someone had just opened the latch.  I pulled over at the next bus stop, put on the parking brake on, and put the gearbox into neutral.  After opening the door to my cab, I straightened my uniform.  Might as well try to look my best when amongst the passengers.  Then I locked the cab door behind me and walked purposefully don the aisle, toward the rear.  What did I find?  On the rear bench seat, next to the emergency exit, a young toddler.She must have touched the emergency exit door handle and accidentally unlatched it.  Her mother wasn't even sitting next to her, but was in another, side facing seat, ninety degrees to the little girl's left.  I reached over the girl and opened the emergency exit door, then slammed it shut.  This silenced the alarm.  Looking at the mother, I said, "perhaps it's not a good idea for her to sit there.  She must have hit the latch and that sets off an alarm up front."

As I walked back to the cab, I noticed that the mother did move the little girl.  Perhaps I should have pointed out that her daughter could have fully opened the door and fallen out of the bus, right into traffic, while the bus was moving.  The little girl could have been killed.  Oh well, another life saved.  All in a day's work, I suppose.  Parents, don't place young children next to the emergency exit door.  Not only can it cause a delay in the bus service, as the driver has to stop and secure the door, if the child unlatches it, it's dangerous.  Your child could potentially end up as road kill.

Fares Increase

It's January 2nd and, once again, bus fares in London have gone up.  As of today, the fare, on Oyster, is £1.30.  Cash fares have increased to £2.20.  Some people have been complaining, in the media, about the increases, but the Oyster fare remains well below what fares are outside of London.  Last time I took a bus where I live, in Berkshire, I paid £1.80 to go three stops.  Many Londoners don't realize how good they have it.  If you ride London buses, you really should use Oyster and take advantage of the discount available.  Those of you who insist on paying cash, and I don't know why you do that, please try to have exact change.  The bus companies in London do not provide drivers with a "float," so, usually, any change we have comes from the passengers themselves, as they buy tickets.  Don't turn up first thing in the morning, as I had one young man do today, with paper money, as most drivers won't have change.  This is especially true early on a Sunday morning!  The vast majority of customers use Oyster, or Travelcards, so we take very little money in, during a typical day.  In my opinion, Transport for London(TFL) should do what the Metropolitan Transit Authority(MTA), in New York, does and require exact change.  For all the details on new transport fares, in London check TFL's website.

Introduction

It's the start of a new year, so I figured it was a good time to start a new blog.  I'm a bus driver in London, England, although I'm originally from America.  I love my job and try to provide the best service I can.  I  have held professional driver's licenses both in America and in the United Kingdom, and driven buses in both countries.  At first, I will focus on issues about the London bus network, and London transport in general.  In time, I will also be happy to discuss public transport, generally, anywhere in the world, plus any other topics you fancy, including politics, economics, business, law, and social commentary.  We have a great transport system, in London, and I'm proud to be a part of it.  Feel free to contact me with any questions, comments, or topics you want discussed.