Some days I wonder why I do the job I do…

This evening, While driving the last 500 that goes back to Aylesbury from Watford, The bus ran out of diesel at Berkhamstead.

This lady (I use the term VERY loosely) came stomping down the stairs and said..

“Get on the f***ing phone to your f****ing office and tell then I want a Taxi to take me home and they can f***ing pay for it”

After telling her to not speak to me like a piece of shit, I rang the depot who advised that they wouldn’t book the taxi and that she could get one if she liked, Got a receipt and tried to claim it back from ARRIVA.

This was relayed to said lady who then continued to F and blind for a few more seconds. Then her other half asked if I’ve tried to start the bus in gear. This brings a look of puzzlement to my face as I can’t quite see how thats going to change the fact that the bus is out of diesel. I explain that the bus is an automatic, So if it is in gear the ignition won’t work.

The reply “But have you tried it?”

I chose to just ignore him.

Anyway they go off walking towards Berko to find a taxi, and the couple of other passengers wait with me for the engineers from Hemel Hempstead to arrive with fuel.

About 40 minutes later we are back on the road and as I get into Berko Town centre these two are waiting at the bus stop.

I pull up and open the doors and ask “what happened to the Taxi?”

The reply was “Are you some sort of f***ing C*** of summat?! You told us you had run out of diesel”

I tried to explain that we had and that now the engineers had put some more in the bus we could go again.

This was met with “You lying c***. You must have to be a wanker to get this job or summat”

This continued for the rest of the trip, Until the lady got off, Who then walked straight infront of the bus so I had to hit the brakes and then threw a large stone and a number of eggs at my cab window and told me i was “A F***ing knob”.

At Aylesbury her other half got off and told me “I’ll look out for you around town and I’m gonna do ya” and walked off.

After a very unpleasant 40 minutes driving (Well after my proper finish time), and with alot of other stuff (which I may blog about later) going round my mind I shut the doors, and burst into tears on the drive back to the yard. 🙁

Yes I know I’m a big girl, But it really got to me today… Today was the day I nearly gave it all up.

You Said – “Facilities at the depot needed improving”

We said – “We have created an outdoor rest area to provide space for employee’s enjoyment”

Translated as – “We’ve shoved a few concrete slabs down by the Bus Wash with some plastic chairs as a Smoking area – of no use to us non-smokers”

You Said – “The condition of many buses was demoralising”

We Said – “We put a team of drivers together to list and prioritise improvements so they can be actioned”

Translated as – “We’ve already told you that you won’t be getting any new buses at Aylesbury Depot, So stop moaning about your current fleet of vehicles”