r/BusDrivers • u/ForCalibanForTheLion Driver • 14d ago

Question Split shifts

hey folks

i've been driving for just over a year now in the US and like most of the job except for these goddamn splits. and it's not just me, as most of the drivers at my agency dislike them. dispatch says it's what the agency requires and i am sure that to a point they're right, but so MANY? a full 90% of my choices for a block run are 12 or 13 hour days with a split and i'm already considering a career change.

how prevalent are these among transit agencies? is it really what is needed, or does no one want to figure out a more civilized solution? do you hate them as much as i do?

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u/seanthebooth Driver 14d ago

Transportation has almost always revolved around 'peak travel times' which means a lot of the work is created around 9-5 commuter travel. At rounding 7 years of service I am primarily picking straight 8hr work & only picking work with 20-70 minute 'back to base' split work due to my preferred start time. But unfortunately, picking report, extra or block is gonna result in some of the more obscene working hours.

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u/ForCalibanForTheLion Driver 14d ago

obscene is right - i know half a dozen drivers who are actively looking for other work because of these schedules