First come First serve (First Group Buses)

Member Name: bilbob20

Product:	First Group Buses
Date:	13/11/08 (107 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A definite improvement on timetables, and reasonably priced travel

Disadvantages: A sometimes unpleasant experience, from both drivers and other passengers

As First Bus continue to monopolise the British public transport system, they continue to provide a service that is becoming one of the most reliable ways of commuting. The trains seem to go into meltdown every single winter, despite the fact that we know that British weather is generally horrendous. Taxi's are a luxurious expense that many of us can only afford ocassionally. Lastly, try driving your car into the main parts of the bigger cities, you'd be hard pressed to make a half hour journey in less than 75 minutes.

So what of the buses?

Well they come in various sizes. We've got the small coaches, designed for local town journey's. There are single decked buses which operator through most of the cities, and there are also double decked buses for the busier part of the cities. Thankfully, the company finally seems to have utilised the appropriate buses for the appropriate journey's. Many's the morning I waded through 50 obnoxious children on a single decked bus, and was swore at for having the audacity to expect them to remove their feet from the seat to let me sit down. That problem has been relieved somewhat by putting double deck buses on the main city drag in Glasgow.

The timetables?

Timetables are dotted on the bus stops throughout every bus's route. Unfortunately, in many area's, they are set on fire, drawn on, or ripped out. This is a nuisance for passenger's who are waiting on the bus. Thankfully, as First continue to expand and improve, they have created electronic timetables on some of the stops that link up to a censor that actually gives accurate times for buses. If a bus is delayed, it will flash up that it has been delayed. The key is now to get that throughout the country, and operate it in such a way that it wont be destroyed or damaged.

The cost?

Bus travel starts at a low price. For my daily ticket, it will cost me £3.20. This allows me travel throughout my region as many times as I need to. There is also a two journey ticket at £2.75 which only lets you travel twice and is nowhere near the same value. A weekly ticket, if you're not a student, is £13.50 and this gives you unlimited travel throughout your region for the week. Doing it cheaper would be to pop into all participating newsagents and buying a travel card which costs £10.50 per week or £36 per month for virtually the same amount of travel. This is the cheapest way of using First services.

Bus stops?

Unfortunately, the bus company hasn't found a solution for our teenage thugs who drink cheap cider and smash up bus shelters yet. Glass is obviously a no-no, despite looking good. The plastic shelters have been set on fire, graffiti'd, among other things. This means that quite often the bus shelters that exist are either not safe to stand in, or non existent. Now we've already mentioned the weather, so I dont have to tell you how cold it is standing in the winter in a smashed bus shelter with a bus delayed by 15 minutes.

Customer service?

This is the worst bit about First Group. They have a phone number that you can dial for customer service, but you never seem to be able to speak to anybody. It is ridiculous. They obviously only have one member of staff, and therefore rely on the apathy of disgruntled passengers who may well have genuine feedback to offer on the service of the group. There are still many improvements to be made.

The other thing is the drivers. In a time where customer service has become the biggest focus of nearly ever organisation on the planet, it is pretty shameful that the people representing this group are so dismal. It would be a sweeping statement to say that all bus driver's are sour faced and obnoxious, but a large make up of them refuse to actually treat customer's like human beings. We're paying for this service, and therefore are entitled not to be sworn at, shouted at, ran by or thrown of the bus for the simple mistake of paying 10 pence short. I have seem some horrifying examples of elderly people being shouted at, or well behaved teenagers being thrown off simply because of their age group by ignorant drivers. Only the other night, I witnessed a girl who could be no more than 14 years old, being refused entry to the bus at 10 oclock at night for being 5 pence short on her fare. The driver was prepared to leave a child in one of the worst area's in Glasgow for being 5 pence short. Luckily there are still people willing to go into their purses and pay shortfalls in those instances. That driver ought to watch the news more.

In defense of driver's, they do a risky job. They deal with all walks of society, some of which dont really have respect for anything or anybody. I've heard of driver's being attacked, and everybody should feel safe in their jobs. There are measure's being taken to protect bus drivers. In their own interests though, they shouldn't be so antagonistic. Its true they dont deserve to be spat on or punched, but if you see somebody who is clearly on drugs or alcohol and who is being agressive, the best thing to do is avoid.

The state of some of the buses is also a worry. People throw ripped news papers all over the floor, food and drink discarded any old place, cigarettes being smoked up the back, and graffiti all over the place. Its pretty poor considering how much of a makeover the buses have went through. People just dont have respect. Add to that people who have loud mobile phone conversations, play their music without earphones plugged in, and generally make a nuisance of themselves. In many area's, all of the above makes for an altogether unpleasant commute from home to work.

The First Group continue to expand, and now have their own train travel. Their is definite signs of improvement in terms of the buses put on the road, the timetable etc. Where they have to work is in making the drivers more responsible and more approachable for customers, whilst ensuring a safe pleasant environment for everybody involved.

Summary: An ever improving service that should continue to listen to its customers, we do pay afterall