Drivers Being Very Late

Started by narc855, September 28, 2021, 10:03:33 PM

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do you think drivers have the time responsibility to deliver the service, which means they need to start the trip with no more than 5 minutes late or they need to be no more than 5 minutes early for most stopsif there's no issue with the bus?

narc855

Hello
It's noticed that some drivers would always like to depart very late for a service and they may be on time at the end of that service.
But recently I have found that more and more drivers (main artics drivers from both depots and when drivers do route 57) depart 10 minutes late or more just becasue of personal reasons (first run, after meal break or just watching the phone etc.), and they sometimes can't be on time when they finish the trip or they just be on time for the last few stops. In addition it's noticed that this matter also occured for R4 now (680 left Belconnen with 19 minutes late last week and 677 left Belconnen with 10 minutes late)
Someone might yell at me to say that's becasue of the bus problems. I do believe some of them are due to bus problems, but if you could look at anytrip frequently during a day, you see lots of "all-red fleet numbers", you will know that some of them are actually not due to bus problems. And I saw two driver on 541/616 today, both left City with 8/9 minutes late, but the drivers just on his phone before they departed.
So, question: do you think drivers have the time responsibility to deliver the service, which means they need to start the trip with no more than 5 minutes late if there's no issue with the bus?
In my opinion I would choose option 2. Personally, I was always late for my school because a driver always departed very late, caused more than 5 minutes late when at the school stop, issues were fixed when I finally decided to report it.

Stan butler

Call 13 17 10 if it bothers you. 

Sylvan Loves Buses

Not during lockdown I find it very annoying. Even if the weather isn't bad, I hate waiting around for the bus to even arrive at the platform - finish your newspaper or whatever after you pick me up... I don't mind waiting 10-15 minutes at the platform after I've boarded the bus. This is how things were over a decade ago, it was so much better back then.

However, so far during the lockdown I've had many of my connections ruined because the buses are the opposite. Many route 70's (especially the higher number 70's) have been running 10 minutes early during the routes as they haven't been picking anyone up and not waiting at time points. Sure no one's probably going to get on, but it's better to know your bus is on time than knowing you've already missed it - especially if it's the weekend and you have to wait another 2 hours for the next one.

triumph

All this goes to reliability of service.
It is noted that drivers have a display that tells them how early or late in (if I recall correctly) 10 sec blocks. There is no excuse for a casual attitude.
 
Firstly, running significantly early is a major annoyance and should be a 'hanging offence'.

Secondly, it is simply not good enough to start a run late so as to reach the other end on time. The irritation here is missed connections, being late for appointments, and so forth. (Yes I understand the frustration of fast drivers having to dawdle or wait at timing points. The latter often is an irritation to passengers wanting to be somewhere, especially at the Interchange stops each side of popular Westfield Belconnen, common because of congestion at Westfield. But not adhering as close as practical to the published times is a major unreliability factor.)

Thirdly, an often overlooked aspect is personal safety and security, particularly for women. Advice for this includes trying to time your arrival at the stop as close as practical to the expected time of the bus you wish to catch. A window of 20 minutes (10 min either side) just doesn't cut it. This also feeds into missed connections. Personal safety and security is probably by far the actual most important reason for reliable as practical time performance.

Overall, reliability of service is a significant input to customer utilisation and growth - witness the success of light rail.

Sylvan Loves Buses

Quote from: triumph on September 29, 2021, 02:57:20 PMdrivers have a display that tells them how early or late in (if I recall correctly) 10 sec blocks

I think even now there's still some drivers out there who don't realize RED means you're early. Like the ticket machines beeping when they're low on paper, the above display should beep when the service exceeds 3-5 minutes early.

narc855

Quote from: triumph on September 29, 2021, 02:57:20 PMdrivers have a display that tells them how early or late in (if I recall correctly) 10 sec blocks

That actually provides a strong edivence for what time is best for drivers to do.
Drivers could read that display correct to every 10 seconds with + means late, - means early. Or by colour, red is early, even you are just 20 seconds early; green is for on time - 3 minutes and 50 seconds late; blue is for 4 or more minutes late. So drivers are encouraged to keep on time or up to 3 minutes late.

Sylvan Loves Buses

I still remember how 1 minute early/late was ACTION's 'on time' policy with recommending you to be at your stop at least 5-10 minutes before your bus is due. Every time I complain to TC about drivers being way too early now, they now say 5 minutes early is considered 'on time' and that you should arrive 10 minutes early at the very latest, I find this outrageous.
5+ minutes late is annoying, but 5+ early is disgraceful.

narc855

I have seen 657 on 42 yesterday, and 652 on 43 just now, leaves Belconnen Interchange with 1min early...
It's really simple to check if it's the time to leave so they are getting more and more irresponiable.

Busnerd

As is this post, reporting on exact buses and trips that are running early. If you have a complaint to make then fill out the online feedback form at Transport Canberra and not here, thread now locked.