South Yorkshire Bus Service Needs Improvement

[fools]

24 minutes ago, busdriver1 said:

My 40+ years in the bus industry

40 years don'tya know. 

 

So, back to the original point, is the bus service any better or more comfortable than 40 years ago. I say not (or very marginally). So what have you all been doing for those 40 years.

 

A 100 yard zig zag is neither here nor there, please understand the point

 

What thought goes into timing the last bus going out of town to be before the last train, (by a few minutes in many cases)

 

(Don't say usb sockets, and wifi, couldn't care less.)

 

Edited January 24, 2022 by fools

[Guest busdriver1]

5 minutes ago, fools said:

40 years don'tya know. 

 

So, back to the original point, is the bus service any better or more comfortable than 40 years ago. I say not (or very marginally). So what have you all been doing for those 40 years.

 

A 100 yard zig zag is neither here nor there, please understand the point

 

(Don't say usb sockets, and wifi, couldn't care less.)

 

The bus service today is provided under massively different conditions and can not realistically be compared. 

[fools]

Just now, busdriver1 said:

The bus service today is provided under massively different conditions and can not realistically be compared. 

Unfortunately, that is exactly what we are doing.

[Guest busdriver1]

1 minute ago, fools said:

Unfortunately, that is exactly what we are doing.

Some of us are. 

[fools]

I was asked what discomfort, and provided a list of what could be better. You'd think all those things would be taken care of automatically, but apparently not, a warm cabin/clean windows/clean floors/comfortable ride is too much to expect in 2022.

Edited January 24, 2022 by fools

[Resident]

3 minutes ago, fools said:

40 years don'tya know. 

 

So, back to the original point, is the bus service any better or more comfortable than 40 years ago. I say not. So what have you all been doing for those 40 years.

 

(Don't say usb sockets, and wifi, couldn't care less.)

 

• Passenger seating is a hell of a lot comfier than it was 30-40 years ago.  EXAMPLE from 40yrs ago
• Ride comfort on vehicles is much better due to advances and standardised use of air-suspension technology. 40 years ago they were still using leaf-springs. 
• Forced air 'climate control' systems to spread availble heat/air throughout the saloon instead of just a single hot metal pipe running down one side of it. 
• Introduction of low-floor access for disabled/wheelchair passengers, deployable ramps to aid on/off boarding of wheelchair users & any other passengers that require such.
• Power-steering (that actually works) & telematic monitoring systems to 'encourage' the driver to drive smoother.

 

So yeah, a lot more comfortable. 

[fools]

7 minutes ago, Resident said:

So yeah, a lot more comfortable. 

Dreamworld. Put a monitor on a back seat and go for a ride as the driver races to the next timing point for a play on their phone (is that illegal now..)

 

You think those seats are less comfortable than that thin hard leatherette you get nowadays?

 

Edited January 24, 2022 by fools

[Guest busdriver1]

6 minutes ago, Resident said:

• Passenger seating is a hell of a lot comfier than it was 30-40 years ago.  EXAMPLE from 40yrs ago
• Ride comfort on vehicles is much better due to advances and standardised use of air-suspension technology. 40 years ago they were still using leaf-springs. 
• Forced air 'climate control' systems to spread availble heat/air throughout the saloon instead of just a single hot metal pipe running down one side of it. 
• Introduction of low-floor access for disabled/wheelchair passengers, deployable ramps to aid on/off boarding of wheelchair users & any other passengers that require such.
• Power-steering (that actually works) & telematic monitoring systems to 'encourage' the driver to drive smoother.

 

So yeah, a lot more comfortable. 

It's fair to say there have been some trade offs. 

Low floor buses by design do not have the chassis space available for high standard suspension but we have evolved fairly well there. 

[Resident]

3 minutes ago, fools said:

I was asked what discomfort, and provided a list of what could be better. You'd think all those things would be taken care of automatically, but apparently not, a warm cabin/clean windows/clean floors/comfortable ride is too much to expect in 2022.

Cabing heating requires the vehicle's coolant to be at 90°c minimum to even make a dent in the cabin temp. There's approx 30 litres of it in the coolant system to warm up, often from minus temperatures. 

Right. I have an experiment for you. 

You'll need a shed with mains electric, a cold day, a small oil-filled radiator & 2 hours of your time. 

Now. Once you have a cold day. Place the radiator in the shed and turn it on then over the course of the next 2 hours, open the door of the shed for 2 mins every 5mins. 

At the end of the experiment, see how warm the shed is...

[RollingJ]

5 minutes ago, fools said:

I was asked what discomfort, and provided a list of what could be better. You'd think all those things would be taken care of automatically, but apparently not, a warm cabin/clean windows/clean floors/comfortable ride is too much to expect in 2022.

Current 'covid' advice is to have windows open to 'aid ventilation' - which is incompatible with keeping a bus warm. Winter road conditions - wet/salted roads make keeping windows clean difficult - unless you want to take a bus off the road every hour to run it through the bus wash. If you want clean floors, tell your fellow passengers not to drop their rubbish, and as @Residentsays in post #596, a modern bus is far comfier a ride than 40 years ago.