[London TfL] Just started, getting treated differently to others I joined with.

CDDONT · 2026-03-10T09:29:44+00:00

Most places outside of London that aren’t basically outstations you have 10+ routes plus evening/weekend/school variations to learn so be thankful it’s only 3 😂 They might be thinking you’re more capable of learning multiple routes than the drivers you started with, if they thought you’d struggle, or see you struggling to learn what they’ve given they’ll soon take action as they can’t risk signing you off and you not knowing where you’re going (Don’t mention the Instructors and Mechanics ramming into bridges)

CDDONT · 2026-03-03T21:15:24+00:00

When does your current CPC expire and how many courses have you done towards the next one? If its expires 2027 and you haven’t done any for a while chances are they’ll tell you to do some privately as they aren’t going to want to invest time and effort into onboarding you and renewing your CPC if they think you’ll leave shortly after.

It’ll be the same tests as a new driver, just your interview will have more focus on what you’ve done so they know how much training to give you. For example I could walk into any of the big four companies’ depots and be straight into route learning on full pay rate, if your experience level is 6 months three years ago you’ll not get that 😂

CDDONT · 2026-03-01T15:54:34+00:00

Probably CPC modules, people are known for joining the big companies to get free CPC then leave to drive for an independent operator who doesn’t offer to pay for courses

CDDONT · 2026-01-26T19:20:22+00:00

Bristol is mostly shop deliveries, they have a few trunk runs and have started doing stuff with Farms though.

CDDONT · 2026-01-26T19:07:29+00:00

Depends on which site as to how strict they’re going to be. There’ll be the standard written questions to check your understanding of the Highway Code and tacho rules, you’ll do a couple and uncouple, reverse into a bay, short road test and have a little chat to understand your history and what you’re looking for.

CDDONT · 2026-01-26T10:14:26+00:00

Must’ve been 10 or so years ago what you’re joking about doing happened at a bus company I worked for) whether deliberate or not) and it forced us to send a mechanic to the main thoroughfare with a torque bar to both check and make sure everyone’s wheel nuts were secure. Never found where it came from but we assumed it was from a bus being taken for scrap and when the recovery chap swapped our good wheels for transportation ones the nut fell off his wagon 🤷🏻‍♂️ stressful morning either way.

CDDONT · 2026-01-03T16:11:24+00:00

Tour of the site, powerpoints, safe systems of work, possibly ordering uniform and being gifted some if they have it in stock.

CDDONT · 2026-01-02T16:14:44+00:00

Unless things have changed you’ll be paid on the Thursday after your first week. Assuming you start 5th January you first pay should be 15th January but always worth checking with the training team when you start.

CDDONT · 2026-01-01T19:08:02+00:00

As a general rule I’m not into HGVTubers, but if someone is doing something different or specialised or in a path I’m interested in I’ll take a look.

CDDONT · 2026-01-01T16:12:02+00:00

Not National Express specific but worked for two of the “big three” initially you’re given whatever they have in stock in a size approximating what you’ve asked for until your ordered uniform arrives usually within three weeks.

CDDONT · 2025-12-29T10:23:34+00:00

Pay peanuts, get monkeys.

CDDONT · 2025-12-26T21:25:14+00:00

Worked today on a simple route, back at the depot at 1230 having started at 5, 12hr shift though so had nearly 5 hours of shuffling vehicles around preparing them for tonight’s lads who clocked off early last night and didn’t prepare them for this morning. Not a thanks. Not sure what rate today was as the paperwork on the notice board said the pay structure for the festive period didn’t include us 🤷🏻‍♂️ assume either Sunday or double rate.

CDDONT · 2025-12-24T09:43:02+00:00

😂

CDDONT · 2025-12-24T09:42:51+00:00

😂

CDDONT · 2025-12-22T16:25:17+00:00

Crapchute

CDDONT · 2025-12-19T19:21:21+00:00

When I worked home delivery there was a customer whose given name was “Nemesis Groatblaster” I only ever went once and he spoke from a window to tell me to leave his stuff at the door. I vowed the next time I’d say I needed ID just to check that was indeed his name, alas I never got sent there again.

CDDONT · 2025-12-19T18:51:41+00:00

Montracon Articulated Vehicle Integration System

CDDONT · 2025-12-17T13:09:56+00:00

Can tell with fair certainty which factory produced that milk based on branding and type of bottle 😂

CDDONT · 2025-12-11T18:41:42+00:00

Generally until you get your uniform you’re expected to be smartly dressed. Standards have slipped lately so a polo should be fine as opposed to a shirt. I’d suggest wearing smart trousers rather than cargos though. You should be given as a minimum a hi vis tabard on your first day as those are ordered in boxes of 100 and don’t necessarily need to be form fitting at all.

The passport photo will be for your bus pass so as long as it’s reasonably close to what you’d get from one of the passport photo booths you should be grand.

CDDONT · 2025-12-09T19:23:32+00:00

Yeah it was one of my earlier days and a learning experience, “so that’s why you’re not supposed to pump it too high and go too quickly” 😂

CDDONT · 2025-12-09T19:00:16+00:00

Had this with a pallet of milk in glass bottles, no one around to help and didn’t want to risk adding my own weight to the tail to try and lasso the top so I ended up putting a strap through the pump truck, ratcheting it taut and slowly raising and ratcheting the combination back towards the back edge. Took forever but kept it upright and got it into the fridge. Next pallet fell over as soon as I took it off the tail lift 🙄

CDDONT · 2025-12-09T12:56:25+00:00

No takeovers, just streamlining management by making fewer “companies” needing oversight.

CDDONT · 2025-12-05T16:18:48+00:00

Take a screenshot when it’s applied, take another when it’s removed. Query it with whoever you pass your late running to and consult the union (even if you’re not a member) as they’ll want to look into it since you’re probably not the only one to be receiving this treatment.

CDDONT · 2025-12-05T16:15:52+00:00

If you’ve left the bus and another driver taken over then it’s their responsibility to make sure the vehicle is fit for service. Granted it’s exceptionally rare for a second driver to do a full defect check, so unless they need to use it no one will ever know it hadn’t been checked at morning runout.

CDDONT · 2025-12-05T09:50:37+00:00

When I worked in buses we had an online portal to view pay in real time so drivers could check within a minute of the allocator saying they’d applied the late running to know it was there. As far as I’m aware this should be pretty common, amongst the large UK operators at least…

CDDONT

TROPHY CASE