So I’ve been a bus driver for the last 3½ years and have decided to make use of my class 2 licence which I have held for over 2½ years by applying for some class 2 jobs. I went for an interview for a multidrop driver which involves delivering and collecting pallets, to which I have been successful and offered a position, I start on monday.
To put it quite simply, I’ve had enough of dealing with horrible rude ungrateful passengers who constantly moan and complain for things most of which we have no responsibility or control over. Then you’ve got the people who grass you up for stuff that half the time isn’t even true! Oh and not forgetting the drunks, addicts and maniacs that threaten and in rare cases even physically assault the drivers which I unfortunately experienced last year! I mean of course not everyone is like that but it’s enough to warrant getting away from it all.
I hear multidrop isn’t exactly the most glamorous work but it’s a start and we’ve all got to start somewhere right? Driving the lorries down narrow lanes and tight residential areas (etc) doesn’t phase me one bit as I have driven buses of all different sizes in pretty much most situations, which generally speaking are much bigger than most rigid lorries.
Any ex bus drivers on here that have also made the same move, and if so was it the right decision?
Well… All bus drivers are ■■■■■■■ and that is scientifically proven. If you are NOT going to drive rigids like you drive buses than you should be alright and go for it. But if you think that I’m wrong than stick to your buses and leave us lorry drivers alone
I do buses mainly schools and private hires, not too bad a gig. Do agency work in the holidays ,have done some multi drop but prefer tippers. I would switch but no haulage work in my locality.
alamcculloch:
I do buses mainly schools and private hires, not too bad a gig. Do agency work in the holidays ,have done some multi drop but prefer tippers. I would switch but no haulage work in my locality.
That kind of work is not too bad but normal service buses is horrific and it’s mainly the general public that make it like that, combined with poor management to boot.
You have transported the worst cargo there is. Scum of the earth, filth, liars, moaners, drama queens, thieves, fraudsters, grubby paedophiles, coffin dodgers and commuters. Cargo that craps and ■■■■■■ itself all over the seats and just walks off with soiled trousers without even saying anything, leaving you with just the smell. All for a well below average paycheck and pathetic shift patterns. You’re pretty much at rock bottom, you would struggle to sink any lower doing lorry work.
I did 17.5 years on the buses and changed to HGV a couple of years ago. My only regret is I waited so long to do it. Compared to buses it’s a piece of ■■■■. Wouldn’t go back for double the money.
Have been a bus driver, not in London, but even in the leafy hills of Surrey, the customers are a-holes!!!
Done many years of van, class 2, and class 1. Done various types of HGV and PSV(PCV) and PSV is the worst.
You’ll learn a lot doing multi drop, mainly to stand your ground and not have the ■■■■ taken out of you. When you get a bit of time behind you, the better jobs will come. And despite what people say, it can be found in both class 1 & 2!
So I’m on my 2nd day going around with another driver dropping off and collecting pallets, and so far I gotta say it looks a lot better than on the buses. There seems a lot of paperwork and sorting out but I’m sure it will come with time and experience.
One thing though that we did have to do was wait over 2 hours parked up outside one of the customers warehouses for them to be ready to load the truck up. Is this something that happens regularly? I mean it’s nice to have a relax instead of the usual rushing around keeping to minute precise timtables, don’t get me wrong
DannyB93:
So I’m on my 2nd day going around with another driver dropping off and collecting pallets, and so far I gotta say it looks a lot better than on the buses. There seems a lot of paperwork and sorting out but I’m sure it will come with time and experience.
One thing though that we did have to do was wait over 2 hours parked up outside one of the customers warehouses for them to be ready to load the truck up. Is this something that happens regularly? I mean it’s nice to have a relax instead of the usual rushing around keeping to minute precise timtables, don’t get me wrong
Waiting is a part of the job sometimes.
Sounds like you’ll be doing pallet network type stuff so you’ll most likely get your own “area” of which you’ll have regular collections along with adhoc ones so you’ll get to know how they work, who you can bend and who wont move an inch.
I did several stints at bus work in my 50 year career conductor midland red coalville garage 1968/9 coach driver Bancroft and powers coalville and reliant Ibstock . and Wallace Arnold Leeds for one season I emigrated in the mid 1970 s to western Canada and ended up as a driver for Calgary transit for the last ten years of my working life. I agree with the opinion of the general public given here but it wasn’t always that bad in Calgary fare evasion was the main problem coupled with spineless management that did nt back us up . I was also a fuel tanker driver for many years which I enjoyed but the demand for the product was always up and down and so was my salary. On the buses we had a guaranteed 75 hour fortnightly guarantee and a decent hourly rate it was pensionable as well . Bus work really tired me out doing a small amount of hours I packed it in aged 68.
I made the exact same move as you a few months back… and I lasted 2 weeks. Absolutely couldn’t stand it. The job itself was okay, but the company I worked for were an absolute joke. Expected to move pallets around with a defective EPT that would only turn in one direction, wasn’t allowed in the back of the truck for the two days “training” I had with another driver because I “hadn’t done my health and safety induction yet” (maybe do that first then if it’s a requirement?), and a whole litany of other BS, that just made me go “Nah, the buses weren’t THIS bad”.
Hopefully it works out for you, me on the other hand, I’ve gone and done my C+E and will hopefully find a job with zero handball in the near future!
When I worked for wallace arnold in the summer of 1976 coach driving was a fantastic job for the" season " after that things got ugly a lot of the drivers had HGV licences and found work delivering home fuels in the west yorkshire area in the winter months . When we had drivers badges these meant free food at most motorway service areas even sometime with an empty coach . No tachographs so it meant we ran hard. I did a lot of national express routes and and many driving all night assignments. Over here in western canada greyhound pulled out last year leaving many redundant and no inter city bus services in many areas. This was a major shock as they had been in business in since the 1930 s .They still run in central and eastern canada and down in the states.A bit of up and down business in my experience. Photo bancroft and powers 1975 oxford bye pass on route to Bournemouth.
