Posted by Noel on July 2, 2009, 10:27 am, in reply to "Re: Translink Bus Driving Standards"
194.32.3.2
Alan,
you raise some very cogent points about tight and/or illogical running times - this issue is probably as big a reason as any for rough driving. But I would refer you back to my original remarks about flying rucksacks on Goldliners - this journey was that driver's last run of the day, and an understandable eagerness to get home does not, in my view, excuse rough, or excessively fast driving.
You also mention about drivers having to use one hand to change gear on Leopards, Tigers, REs etc., thus only having one hand on the wheel at the same time - while this is true, back in the day when these vehicles were the entire fleet strength - when I was at school and watching things as closely then as I do now - I do not recall drivers doing their one handed act to anything like the same extent as you see nowadays - it seems to be a generational thing. The older hands are less prone to do this than the newer intake.
I don't mean to pick faults, and like Andrew, who raised the issue initially, I am not making general criticisms of drivers who do have a challenging job to do, of which timekeeping is probably the biggest challenge.
As someone who always wanted to be a bus driver, but who can't, for health reasons, it always saddens me when I see the job I always wanted to do, being done badly.
However, Translink management should note - if running times, such as the 7C issue which Alan has quoted as an example, are a major part of the cause of any rough driving, then something should be done. You can't get blood out of a stone.
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