Category Archives: Work

Employee Survey


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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”


You taking a photo of me?!


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I think it’s time for a moan.

SERVICE:

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This week has been one of those weeks where come against one problem after another.

First off on Wednesday I found myself coming up against selfish parking round what seemed like every corner…

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The first one was a car parked right on the junction of a road I had to try and turn into….

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This is the second car that’s just out of view in teh first pic, Notice how close I am to it LOL. I managed to miss it by a few inches…

SERVICE:

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Then we have somebody who has parked alongside this bus stop, Which wouldn’t normally be a problem as the bus is only there a few seconds… But not this stop, This is the Starting point for the route, So is infact a Bus Stand as well, When I came round the corner to park up there I still had 4 minutes to go until it was time to leave, Cars beeping behind me, EVen thought I’m quite clearly inside my yellow box. In the end I had to drive on further down the road, around the corner to wait my time, Probably leaving some people behind. All because of selfish parking. 🙁

Then Yesterday, I was given one of our more “mature” vehicles to drive on one of our town services. Note the handily positioned wing mirror…

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The arm would only fix in that position so there was no chance of moving it, So it really wasn’t of much use..

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Same bus, But while driving it I became more and more aware of how many things are actually blocking my view to the outside world.. Surely all this “furniture” in the widscreen is a hazard?!

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Anyway that’s my whinging over for today, (expect more tomorrow ;))

One ‘nice’ thing this week Is i’ve been given £50 for an old phone that was just lying round the house doing nothing.

Just a bit more towards me camera fund! 🙂

Oh this was a bit of a shock, NO Breakdowns this week yet!


"I've lost the gears AGAIN"


Posted by admin

Apologies for not posting in a while.

I started back at Arriva a couple of weeks ago now and everything seems to be going okay. Had to go through all the training again which was a bit of a bore, and as I knew the trainer he picked on me for nearly every question.

After a few days in the classroom at Luton it was off to our depots. The first day there was a bit of piss taking by the drivers I knew there from the last time, But it only lasted a day. After that it felt like I hadn’t left the place, Which was nice but also scary at the same time. I jumped in a bus and went off to Oxford like I’d only been away from the job a few days!

So far this week I’ve managed to Breakdown three times in various buses.. I really did miss these extra “breaks” at Transdev 😉

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One Broken down Bus – Luckily next to a shop 😉

Also, In the past 5 days I’ve been “spotted” while I’m at work and had my photograph taken..

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On Saturday I got my new Co-op Bank debit card. Seemed to take them ages to open the account, well 13 days to be honest So I’m just being picky. Now we have the great task of moving all the Direct Debits about. Oh and since I’ve opened this account I’ve found out about a Credit Union for Transport Workers that offer a Current Account with a VISA Delta card and no credit check, Might apply. LOL…

…and I’m waiting on a cheque to clear that’s for my final wage at Transdev, Might buy myself a decent Digital SLR camera with it. 😀

Oh and I’m working on some marketing stuff for our depot, Will post more about it later.


The End


Posted by admin

27052007

Well it’s Finally over. Today was my last day at Transdev London Soverieign, Edgware. I feel strange, Like a great weight has been lifted, although I don’t know why. It’s far too late to start pondering on this so I’m off to bed.


Stage 1 & 2 done, 3 to go!


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Had my interview this morning… Well wasn’t excatly an interview was just a chat about how I’d been since I last worked there.

Driving assessment was fine, although I did argue with the assessor about Positioning on a Roundabout that we turned right at. 😉

Anyway, All passed and now it’s onto the medical tomorrow In Luton at 9am.

If I don’t pass this then that’s it, and I get to go with a stinking cold.. Lucky me!!


A change..


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People who have known me for a few years will either Scream, Shout, Shake their head or do all three when I say this…

 

…I’ve applied to go back to ARRIVA.


Points and Coal Tar


Posted by admin

27042007 007I’ve been collecting Tesco points like my life depended on it lately and have basically moved any service I can to Tesco. This includes the home phone line, Car Insurance, Payment Card, Car Breakdown and Savings Account (Which has nothing in at the moment).

The Idea being that I can save up clubcard vouchers for a Holiday or day out somewhere. Well I had a look at my points balance online this evening, Seems I have 7842 points! What that converts to in Vouchers I have no idea, But it looks like someone might be going on holiday soon! 🙂 Oh and if anyone needs some baby food and nappies do give me a shout, I got a load of extra Points vouchers from Tesco as I joined their baby club for em.. Managed to get myself an extra 1200 points, which are not included in the above balance, for a £9.00 spend (I’m obsessed).

01052007041I’ve spent most of today at the Hospital after being referred there because my Psoriasis has flared up quite badly. The nurse woman seems to think its also something else as well as Psoriasis so have had Skin scrapings done from various parts of my body to be sent away to “grow”. Should get the results in 6-8 weeks. In the mean time I have been given a Zinc & Coal Tar paste which I’m to have on my arms and legs for 22 hours a day (!), So I will be covered in Bandages, (I’ve been precribed 50 meteres of each of the 2 sizes i need, Thats a lot of bandage!), all day. This means I need to ask/beg work for a couple of extra shirts which are long sleeve as I don’t fancy twenty questions on the bus as to why I’m all bandaged up. Gotta go back in a fortnight to see how I’m doing.


"Move all the way down the Bus please"


Posted by admin

Not much has been going on really since my last post

I’m desperate for a day off. 29042007034I’ve been working some long hours lately and just feel shattered all the time.

Today was a special treat, as special treats go.. We got to pick our own buses instead of having one allocated. This might sound a bit sad to get so excited over, But when you have to drive these things in 5 hours blocks, Having a bus you like makes all the difference.

Saying that Today was still poo. The route is far too busy for the timing we are given, They knock off around 20 minutes from the running time compared to Mon-Sat. Plus the fact it’s been very very busy today, (and yesterday come to think of it, especially with Indian OAP’s. No idea why but their seems to have been THOUSANDS catching the bus all at once over the weekend), So i’ve been running late for my whole shift.

A contender for the highlight of the day is a conversation I had with a Pensioner this afternoon…

OAP Get’s on Bus in Harrow, Station Road and show’s me her Bus Pass.

Me: Sorry, That’s a Herts Bus Pass, You can’t use it on here.

OAP: YES I CAN!!

Me: No you can’t, Your Pass allows you to travel around Hertfordshire and on Complete journeys that begin or end in your county.

OAP: That’s right, That’s why I CAN use my pass on this Bus.

Me: No you can’t because you are in Harrow

OAP: But Harrow is in Hertfordshire!

Me: I think you’ll find it isn’t.

OAP: Well my friend told me that is was in Hertfordshire.

Me: Well I’m afraid your friend is wrong.

At this point her husband (I assume) plonks down £2 pounds and tells his wife “Sit down dear, He’s got you”.