Been off work for a few months on paternity leave, so haven’t been using or thinking about buses much. But going back to work last week it was obvious that all is far from well with First. Still lots of missing buses and buses turning short (2s and 3s only going to Scotstoun, a 7 going to Victoria Rd, a 267 to Blantyre). While I was off work, I was out running quite a bit and kept seeing the training buses out and about, so are First still losing drivers quicker than they can train them?
The economy is still running very hot - more vacancies than candidates – and even if things slow down over the summer (because we’re all skint!), it could be into next year before there’s a serious pool of labour looking for work as drivers.
Can the current frequencies cope with the number of passengers? I was on some seriously busy buses last week and the town seems busier than it was a few months ago. Having so many of the most important services at 15 minute frequencies is unavoidable if there are no drivers, but it’s not sustainable – people will find another way to travel.
Maybe First need to be brutal and ditch the quieter bits of the network – I’m thinking Duntocher, Shotts, some of the Hamilton locals, the 4/4A beyond Clarkston, the 38E. Use the drivers saved to up frequencies of the main network. They would get pelters from the press and MSPs etc, but it would only affect a tiny number of passengers.