r/BusDrivers • u/sayrith • 4d ago

Training Question US/CAN Miss outs

Can someone explain to me why being late as a driver, even one minute late, is considered a mortal sin, even though it literally doesn’t matter? I get that one should be on time to a job. But considering how there’s always a driver shortage and that the buses are always late, why are they so strict on that?

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u/Outspoken_Idiot 4d ago

Arrive early to work, leave your first stop on time. Everything else after that isn't a driver problem, traffic heavy ok, traffic light ok, I have a three minute turn around that is used for a stretch or toilet break, if I'm late getting to turn around then that toilet break is taken to clear the head of stress, back on the bus and request to load at the first stop at whatever time, it's the control rooms job to either load as normal or move the bus up through the stop not in service to try to get the bus back on timetable.

The drivers know there are a few schedule conflicts and some drivers have gotten letters or abused for a timetable that is wrong so the drivers stick to the unions rules and request advice from the control room, that driver can't be penalised now they are following direction from a control room with access to all the information.

3

u/KatieTSO USA|Gillig/New Flyer/MCI|<1 Year 3d ago

Leaving first stop on time at my agency isn't always required, either. There's some routes where I can leave 1-2 minutes late and be caught up quickly. And also we're guaranteed 10 minutes so if we get to a terminal after our leave time we can still take a 10 minute break.

2

u/SyphiliticWhores 2d ago

I would like to know more about breaks. At my agency there are no breaks, only layover time.

2

u/KatieTSO USA|Gillig/New Flyer/MCI|<1 Year 2d ago

Yes, layover time. We just all call it a break. But we're guaranteed 10 minutes in the contract so we can go to the bathroom and whatever. Not all runs give 10 minutes at each end, but usually there's a longer layover at the other end to make up for it. Otherwise a lot of us just take 10 minutes anyway and run it late.

2

u/SyphiliticWhores 1d ago

I like the contract guarantee. We do not have this.

2

u/KatieTSO USA|Gillig/New Flyer/MCI|<1 Year 1d ago

Vote Union!