Ahead of my rant, I must declare a lifelong love for buses.
As a bairn in Culter, I adored sitting upstairs at the front of the Bluebirds into Aberdeen, vowing to be a conductress one day, in that neat, waisted uniform with a fascinating machine issuing cardboard tickets.
Later, the 23 stopped right ootside oor flat at the top of Watson Street, seemed every five minutes. Like a perfect taxi service. Even took you home from the Beach Ballroom at midnight on Saturdays.
Later came the birth of First, when inspired corporation bus boss Moir Lockhead bought out our green giants with his management and staff team, and eventually exploded worldwide.
After bus-pass age, I was delighted to sell my car and wallow in free transport. Sadly, however, things on the buses are nae fit they eesed tae be.
All too often my “every 20-minute” service is 10 or 15 minutes late – or nae there ava; recently much worse because of the driver shortage. Last year, my street was also plagued with the utterly infuriating vanishing act, which hit again on Monday.
To the stop in plenty time for dental appointment, one wifie also waiting. Bussie passed in opposite direction, but nae sign of oors. Then she muttered: “I think there might be a diversion – again.” Oh, for fffflame’s sake, no!
Did a robot reply?
Last year, our street was cleared of buses for several weeks at a time because of building works closing a road roon the corner. Annoying enough – but not half as teeth-grinding as the fact that the First folk never ONCE put a sign on our stops to inform us there’d be no bussie anywhere near there. Just left us to wait… and wait.
Not a dicky-bird about the missing signs, nor the diversion, which lasts until October 7. As if no one had even read my email
Same on Monday. Not until I on to the website did I know our stops were out of use – for more than a month, bussies on the other side of the street, travelling west, still going.
Indeed wouldn’t it have been nice if the driver who’d passed us forlornly waiting had stopped and told us about the diversion? Too much like caring for customers?
Knowing I’d no time to hobble to the top of the road to suss oot the relocated stop and wait Lord knows how long, I got a taxi to the dentist. Later, I phoned to complain, during First’s suggested less busy hours. Waiting time? Thirty minutes. Aaaargh.
I emailed. Got a huge, rambling reply that evening, headed: “Your reliability complaint”. Wrong for a start. Loadsa waffle about labour shortages, using the latest data and technology. To fix a sign on a couple of stops?
Then, with zilch reference to my complaint: “We recognise we haven’t replied to your enquiry as quick (sic) as we would have liked…” Offering a £5 voucher, then screeds on how to access it.
Not a dicky-bird about the missing signs, nor the diversion, which lasts until October 7. As if no one had even read my email. And a robot had replied.
Moreen Simpson is a former assistant editor of the Evening Express and The Press & Journal, and started her journalism career in 1970
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