Arriva buses (Arriva)

Member Name: redrabbit

Product:	Arriva
Date:	03/09/08 (170 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: On a good day thy get you from a-b

Disadvantages: Unreliable in the mornings and evenings, bus drivers rude and obnoxious, prices are extortionate.

Arriva buses...

I have so many gripes with this company. I moved to derby around 6 years ago, and since the price for the buses has rocketed. I remember when i had to pay just £1 for a return to town. Since then, the prices have gradually gone up by around 10p each time...Now i have to pay 90p each way, as they have decided to 'stop' return tickets all together! The company seems to constantly bump up the prices, because they know they can get away with it. I contacted them on this and they seemed to think that it was 'because of rising fuel costs'. Okay, fair enough, it sounds somewhat plausible. So how exactly do they explain the fact that every time i went to get the bus, the prices would fluctuate so much, within the space of a few days...One day i'd be charged £1.35 return, the next day i'd be charged £1.55 return from exactly the same destination!

Not only are the prices an annoying factor of the rip off bus company, but the unreliability of their bus service is despicable. I set off to work yesterday morning, leaving half an hour early in case the bus didnt arrive. And lone behold, it didnt, meaning i had to walk for an hour at half 5 in the morning. If it was a one off, i wouldnt mind, but the fact that i go to the trouble of calling up and checking what time the bus is setting off, only to find it doesnt turn up anyway...is rather annoying. At least they're consistent in letting people down i guess!

The last moan is to do with the rude, obnoxious drivers. I am very much a local and have to travel by bus most days. I see the same bus drivers day in day out. And i must say, some of them are very nice and friendly. But there does seem to be a high percentage of bus drivers with a massive chip on their shoulder! Surely customer service should be top of their priorities? After all, we are the ones that pay their wages. I was on the bus only the other day when i was happily sat on the almost empty, stationary bus. When a none thuggish, may i add, teenager came along, all of a sudden the engine started and the doors shut. Despite the person tapping on the door, the bus driver just drove off!

Thats just plain rude...

Summary: Customer service is terrible.