Bus Éireann Drivers

Whispered · 08-10-2007 1:41pm #1

Hi,

For everyone who commutes on a regular basis the driver of the bus can really make a difference to the journey. I regularly travel to Kilcullen for Dublin and the usual driver is fantastic, always says hello, always asks how you are, has a nice little comment for most of his regulars and is very polite. However I feel like i have to complain here about another driver, this incident happened months ago, and I complained to the bus company and got a less then satisfactory response. I just found this forum so I thought I'd share.

I had missed my bus from the bus station, because I was working late. So I got into town and asked at the desk which bus will drop me off at x,y or z (naming towns close to home where I could get picked up) I was directed to a bus, given a ticket took my seat, near the back of the bus because there were no others available.

I am not familiar with the town but when people started to stand to get off I realised thats where I was to get off too. So I stood up and tried to make my way up the bus but a man had left a sports bag and a ruck-sack in the aisle and fallen asleep so I had to try step over it I got to the driver just as he shut the door to pull out. When I asked to be let out, and I swaer I asked politely, he shouted that I shouldn't be on the f*£^ing bus if I dont know where I'm going. I was stunned, he then shouted I that I could wait until the next f"^*ing stop and get another bus back. The next stop happened to be a on a road with no houses, lights, shops etc I planned to stay on to the next town so at least I'd know where I was or could get a taxi. But the driver had other ideas, he stopped the bus and told me to get off (still shouting, I had sat back down at this stage). I got off the bus, rang my boyfriend to see if he could collect me, sat on my bag at the side of the road and cried for the 20 mins it took my boyfriend to find me.

Please believe me when I say I'm a completly normal 23 year old girl, I was coming back from work so was in a shirt and trousers, I had never met the driver before for him to react to me like that, I was perfectly polite at all times, even while he was shouting and cursing at me. It was the most embarassing thing ever to happen to me to be cursed at like that in front of a bus full of people.

I emailed the bus company telling them about the incident and recieved a reply which basicially said something like "we are sorry for any inconvenience caused, we will look into the matter, regards............."

While I know it is took late now to do anything about it I was wondering if I am right to feel that the response given to me is terrible and the least I could of expected was a phone call?

Thanks for your views

Zoney · 08-10-2007 4:44pm

I've occasionally seen a bus driver loose the rag without good cause in the manner you describe. The bus drivers do have to deal with a lot of genuine eejits, trouble-makers and morons - fair enough that does to some extent come with the job, but I have seen plenty of situations too that the bus driver genuinely shouldn't have to deal with. Their job, at least here in Limerick, is made worse by the disgruntled passengers, or angry mobs that won't fit on the bus, who've been waiting an age due to traffic and poor management of limited buses by the head office - neither of which are the bus drivers fault.

Maybe the driver you encountered had an exceedingly bad week?

Of course, you should absolutely have gotten something more from Bus Eireann in response as an apology or compensation. It's not acceptable behaviour even if it is possible to understand how it might occur.

billy the squid · 08-10-2007 8:20pm

re limerick bus drivers

these are the same gob****es who will bring the citys public transport system to a halt because their roster is typed rather than hand written.

Inter city bus drivers, which I think the op is referring to should have more manners and be more patient as they would be dealing with a higher ratio of tourists who are unfamiliar with the places the bus might be going.

Personally I would be hopping mad if i received that type of treatment from a bus driver.

to be honest, the most you can hope for is the standard bus eireann apology which the driver in question will be asked to sign without even reading it.

Whispered · 08-10-2007 10:04pm

Hiya,

I do agree, they can have some right awkward passangers on the buses, and I do understand people can have bad days, or weeks even. A very good friend of mine drives for a Bus company and I know they can be under stress. It was for this reason I didn't follow up on it, but the more I think of it the more annoyed I get (the smart thing to do would be to not think of it then?!?!) You pay nearly ten euro for that sort of treatment. Ridic!!! Has anyone else had any terrible incidents with bus drivers?

SickCert · 08-10-2007 10:10pm

billy the squid wrote:

RE Limerick bus drivers

These are the same gob****es who will bring the cities public transport system to a halt because their roster is typed rather than hand written.

Must be getting mods from the €2 shop again.

Anyway the topic.

Youve been abused and dumped on the side of the road you should have gone further, media, legal action?
Was it a Genuine Bus E driver or a standby company?
I know they work crazy hours. I go in at 5am (Donnybrook) while a driver with Bus e' (who lives in my cul de sac) goes in at the same time to Broadstone. Im home several hours and bringing the brat to Table tennis while this guy is just getting home, i know hes a cool driver. But ive heard of a few losing the head on these 12/13hr days.

to be honest, the most you can hope for is the standard bus eireann apology which the driver in question will be asked to sign without even reading it.

This is a piece by a novelist - Drivers never sign any such material.

When incidents happen like this again (not if), fleet number - Bus e' is normally two letters followed by numbers, note the time and contact the Garda. You have been placed in a dangerous position.
Even if you dont hear much back or receive a happy answer, the driver would get the life scared out of him when he see a uniform!

John R · 09-10-2007 1:43am

helena.ryan wrote:

Hiya,

I do agree, they can have some right awkward passangers on the buses, and I do understand people can have bad days, or weeks even. A very good friend of mine drives for a Bus company and I know they can be under stress. It was for this reason I didn't follow up on it, but the more I think of it the more annoyed I get (the smart thing to do would be to not think of it then?!?!) You pay nearly ten euro for that sort of treatment. Ridic!!! Has anyone else had any terrible incidents with bus drivers?

Yes bus drivers have bad days but to go that far with an innocent passenger is inexcusable.

You have already had the opinion of one bus driver and as another I'll add to that, drivers who treat normal people* like that should not be in the job at all. they need to be reported so as they can be weeded out.

One complaint in itself is not normally going to get a driver in much trouble as they are likely to deny it but if they get a string of them a competent manager will quickly have enough evidence to take the driver to task.

For future reference for yourself and everyone else reading, any complaints and in particular serious ones like this should be sent by post, possibly registered post and not e-mail. Properly written snail mail tends to get a much better response than e-mail and that applies to most businesses.

*Normal as in anyone that is not acting like a scumbag abusing the driver, other passengers or the bus. I personally never shouted abuse at people, even those that deserved it but I wouldn't condemn the drivers that do let off steam by roaring at the scum.

MizzLolly · 17-11-2007 10:09pm

I've unfortunately met some ignorant, even, hostile drivers too! One time in particular, a young foreign guy asked the driver were we in Kilkenny (we were only in Kilcullen) the driver looked back at him (whilst driving!!!!) and shouted at him for about five mins telling him it wasn't Kilkenny and to go sit down because he was nowhere near the City yet. A few stops later the young man asked how close we were to Kilkenny, the driver slowed the bus down this time (Thank God!) and started to blatatly shout at the poor fella telling him he was still in Kildare and to go sit down and not bother him. He cursed at him and humiliated him so much that other passengers on the bus looked around to eachother nodding and whispering among themselves about how ridiculously he behaved! Fair enough the guy probably annoyed the driver by asking twice but that is NO excuse to belittle somebody that way.
I could tell you all soooo many horror stories concerning Bus Eireann drivers because I'm a regular passenger, there definately needs to be some sort of training day where these people are shown how to speak to and treat customers in a civilised manner!

P.S I realise they are not ALL like that. There are two drivers who always recognise me and chat to me. Very nice gentlemen!

Bus Éireann Drivers

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