Are Shropshire’s train and bus drivers really so unfriendly?
Wednesday 16th March 2011, 7:05AM GMT.
Is your bus driver Mr Happy – or Mr Grumpy? Train and bus drivers have been named as the unfriendliest workers in the country in a poll.
The Onepoll survey showed public transport drivers were followed by pub landlords and tradesmen as the least friendly workers.But Geoff Atkinson, president of Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton Rail Users’ Association, today said that there had been great improvements in customer service on Shropshire trains and buses.
Mr Atkinson said: “I have found one or two bus drivers to be less than friendly, but the majority are very good.
“I’ve found them to be showing a much greater propensity to take care of the disabled in the last couple of years.
“If you get on with a stick they do wait until you’re sat down before pulling off and do give you time to get up once they’ve stopped.”
Mr Atkinson, who trained transport drivers for the Health and Safety Executive before retiring, added: “I’ve also noticed that with Arriva there has been a definite difference in recent years and maybe there has been better training.”
The Onepoll survey, commissioned by Guinness, showed that while 20 per cent of people were happy to hug their friends, a quarter of the men questioned said they would be too uncomfortable to embrace another man.
About 84 per cent of Britons said they feel everyone should be more friendly, but more than half would ignore a stranger in a pub, Guinness research found.
Traditional views of the North-South divide continue, as 43 per cent of respondents said northerners were more approachable.
Two-thirds said London and the South East were the least friendly areas.
Smiling at someone was considered to be the best way to be welcoming, according to more than half of the 2,000 people questioned.
The X Factor’s sharp-tongued Simon Cowell topped the list of unfriendliest celebrities, with model Naomi Campbell — famous for her diva-like behaviour— and businessman Lord Sugar completing the top three.
- What are your experiences in Shropshire? Tell all in the comment box below
By Danny Carden
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Ive said for years that bus drivers in shrewsbury are the most miserable, grumpy people i’ve come across. I will admit it’s not all of them but it is definately the majority of them. They struggle to smile as you get on never mind speak to you! There are a few though who are polite and friendly to be honest. I’m not tarring them all with the the same brush!
Redpool
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Since getting a car a few years ago I haven’t had to take the bus, but do still take the train occasionally. This story reminded me of an experience I had a train conductor.
I had a Young Person’s Railcard when I was 25 and I’d taken time off from my full time job to have a day out in Birmingham, when I showed the conductor my railcard he called me a lazy student and said I had nothing better to do with my day!
All of my worst bus experiences were on services in Liverpool when I lived there as a student, these included drivers going too fast round corners and throwing people off the seats, and not stopping to let passengers on if they were running late.
The only (rare) problem I had with Shropshire bus drivers was if I hadn’t taken a bus for a while and the fare had increased, then I’d get attitude back when I apologised for handing them the wrong money. Comments like “the signs have been up for weeks” and “everyone should know about it!”
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There is one Shrewsbury bus driver referred to by local kids as ‘Mr BasXXXX’ because he is so miserable and grumpy.
I have encountered him and, he is.
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I used the Harlescott Park & Ride on Saturday and as he started up, the Driver turned and said to all on board “Hello. Can I just warn you that there has been a spate of pick-pocketting in the town centre recently, so please look after your bags.” He also spent a good few minutes answering some questions by a local tourist about what to see in Shrewsbury. I was very impressed all round!
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Bus drivers in Shrewsbury seem to be so rude. Never met a friendly, helpful one yet.
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Arriva bus drivers on the town routes are the most grumpy, unfriendly drivers I have come across. Apart from thinking they are a cross between Lewis Hamilton and Ralph Schumacher !!! when negotiating the roundabouts.
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What really gets me about Shropshire is no one will ever complain about anything. I live in the county but now have a job in London during the week – southerners are not unfriendly they just won’t put up with incompetence rotten public services and bad service
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er Mike, are people not complaining at this moment on this blog?
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“What really gets me about Shropshire is no one will ever complain about anything.”
This comment has me in stitches.
You haven’t been here long have you!
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I have found the majority of Bus Drivers to be very friendly and helpful working from Both ARRIVA Oswestry and Shrewsbury depots, can’t say that for some staff in shops around both towns.
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with all due repsect its the majority of passengers that are grumpy and unfriendly. They moan that we are late, they moan at the fares, they moan at the buses they moan about the traffic none of which is our fault. No please no thank you when boarding or getting off they just look at you and look away as if your the biggest pile of dog mess theyve ever clapped eyes upon. Is it any wonder most drivers are ‘grumpy’. What happened to good manners? I do my best but its very hard to keep smiling, and the smile from me is now very much forced, whats the point when we all get moaned at. It works both ways you know…….
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We have a few drivers who are plesant in shrewsbury but the majority are rude and un helpfull there is one set of drivers not from arriva who just don’t like people the young drivers that is the older ones are plesant but they only run one bus ib to town i have to vote 576 drivers miserable and bad drivers.
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Not a regular bus user thank god but used the park and ride a few times all rather pointless I thought, and on one occasion I parked my car and popped in to the co/op at bicton returned went to the bus and angry bully boy bus driver bellows “you have to park here or you pay full fare” “I have parked here” say I ” no you haven’t I saw you coming from the co/op” ” yes you did I just went in there ” was my reply . “Right take me to your car” “well it is that one over there” was my reply ” take me to it and open it says mr angry as he struggles to get from behind his seat, “No” said I “that is my car you are just being silly” “open it” he was rather persistent. Well after a little stand off which I thought was all getting rather silly I said Mr Bus driver you clearly are suffering from very low self esteem due to the low level job you are engaged in you need a daily power trip , your poorly trained in customer service, and have an inability to converse with your customers in a polite manner may I suggest your employers bring in an outside agency to help you address this problem . I would also suggest some type of keep fit regime be implemented by your employer as many of you seem to be obese. On a final note I did say that the managers should ask the drivers when in the c/op to behave in an adult manner as they irritated the staff in there on a regular basis. On a final not may I suggest the driver I was talked at by also get himself a decent haircut and streaks were a little dated and very 80′s and were not good for a guy in his 40′s. No it is not grumpy it is pure bad manners and they should be sacked .
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the driver was doing exactly as has been instructed by the council. if you walk on to the park which the driver saw you do then you pay full fare. hows he to know youve just parked your car there and popped to the shop???
and its also very big of you to make personal comments about the drivers hair etc. if its the driver i think your referring to he’s actually a body builder!!!! so not unfit as you claim!!! get your fact right
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Oh dear dear “A Driver” have I touched a nerve I will reiterate what I have said in case you failed to understand it
The problem is
“your poorly trained in customer service, and have an inability to converse with your customers in a polite manner may I suggest your employers bring in an outside agency to help you address this problem ”
If this was actually implemented then I would not have a complaint would I?, Drivers need to be able to talk to not at customers .
With regards to the body building comment good for him although I personally would ask for my money back, and would actually inform you we have very few fit body builders a little chat with a fitness trainer at the gym will enlighten you on this little subject.
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well well well Mr Finch. You do like to write a good fairystory dont you. After discovering who the driver was who ‘verbally abused you’ they say something very different. In fact you didnt park your car at all did you, you just walked onto the Park and Ride site and became very upset to be told to pay the walk on fee. As i said above, the Park and Ride service is Council run and its called PARK and Ride for a reason the driver was doing exactly as the council have asked…comprende?? I find it hard to believe the driver concerned then near enough frogmarched you as you claim to your car. No complaint has been received at the garage so it appears it was all in your little mind Mr Finch. No Mr Finch your just yet another person jumping on the bandwagon to ‘bash the bus driver’
Oh and before you start making personal comments as to a persons size (just because their big doesnt mean their incapable of driving and whats it got to do with you anyway), the style of their hair (are you jealous because youre bald, and whats it go to do with you anyway) and their mannerism inside the Co Op (no complaints received and whats it got to do with you anyway) you should take a look at yourself first. Afterall you must have a very big rear end as you do like to talk out of it an awful lot
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Surely walking to the park and ride is more ecofriendly than driving your car around the corner unessessarily
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Bring back Chukie and the friendly Midland Red
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Who would have known if the driver had looked the other way, or just asked to see the car keys. Common sense was lacking in this driver.Would he have done the same to anybody he knew???????
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Because the driver would not have been doing his job properly and the keys could have been any old ones….
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Criticising someone for the way they do their job is one thing, making spiteful comments about someones physical appearance is just bad manners. Grow up!
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I agree however obesity costs the nhs millions it has to be addressed no good looking the other way as billy bunters bleeds us dry.
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In my experience Birmingham buses are much worse that Shropshire ones as I have encountered some friendly drivers here. I do have one question for any drivers reading though. Why is it that if you are waiting at a bus stop and a passenger comes running you always move off before they can get on? It has happened too many times to be a coincidence and I don’t believe that timetables are timed to the second.
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because once the lasst passenger has sat down the driver will be looking in his offside mirror to check for traffic before pulling away….next question
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Andrew Finch falling out with someone…….. whatever next !!
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I’ve found bus drivers between Shrewsbury, Bridgnorth, Wolverhampton to be generally good, and often friendly. Being a combined bus driver and conductor (which is what they are) must be hard, especially if you’ve got disruption going on in the many back seats.
I find it VERY hard when anyone’s being disruptive in my car — imagine what it’s like on a bus!
A good rule of thumb is: treat bus drivers with respect (friendliness if at all possible), and you’re allowed to expect the same in return.
If the driver greets your attitude with grumpiness, then you’ve won! Award yourself ten points.
Maybe one day these points will add up to a free journey somewhere…
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What really annoys me is seeing a bus arrive, at the right time, with passengers on board – with a ‘Sorry not in service’ sign up and refusing to let anyone on. No other bus (it’s the 44 in Madeley) comes by until the next one is due (or later), so it’s not some kind of extra bus outside the timetable.
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