Buses left unattended with the doors wide open?

[johntea]

In Castleford there always seem to be a couple of empty buses parked up next to the Aldi, not sure why but presumably they haven't got a spare spot at the very nearby bus station!

On Saturday I walked past and there were 2 Arriva buses parked up there with the doors wide open with no obvious sign of any staff around, I walked past again a couple of hours later and the doors were still wide open again with no staff around!

Is there some reasoning behind this as I certainly wouldn't put it past a certain part of the local area population to jump on and cause damage (graffiti for example) or worse...

 

[Bletchleyite]

Were they actually unattended, or was the driver having a kip at the back? I've seen that but only with the driver on board.

Unless of course the local scallies have discovered the open button. Most buses don't have a means of locking the door.

 

[philthetube]

Going back many years I occasionally used to drive a market day only service to Hitchin and park up there for around 4 hours, on arrival the doors would be left open, the old dears would go and get their heavy shopping, veg groceries etc and leave them on the bus (actually a coach), then have some social time unencumbered by their shopping.

There used to be quite a few others doing the same.

Would be very surprised if this is the case here though.

 

[Andyh82]

Were they actually unattended, or was the driver having a kip at the back? I've seen that but only with the driver on board.

Unless of course the local scallies have discovered the open button. Most buses don't have a means of locking the door.

Most likely they were unattended - there is bus driver facilities in Castleford so no reason for the driver to have a break on the vehicle. Arriva park buses on that street for long term layover (such as a bus spare between schools or more likely these days when they don’t have a driver for the middle of a board) as the bus station only has a handful of layover bays.

 

[WY Bus Spotter]

At least they don't dump buses on a random stand like they do in Wakefield. It causes a right kerfuffle for passengers.

 

[spuddie]

We used to run a late evening contract to take home factory workers using a Mercedes 709D, meant you could leave the depot around 6pm, take the bus home for a few hours before heading to the factory for 10pm. Which ever driver took it home always used to come back and find the doors open until one driver found the trick of taking off a seat cushion and putting it down the steps which then blocked the door. We could then exit/enter through the emergency door. The K reg ones were even better as you could lock the emergency door from the outside.

 

[Edsmith]

When covid was at its worse it was common for drivers to leave doors open on stands just to get some fresh air into the bus.

 

[dan5324]

Coaches are parked unattended all night in Bulleid Way coach station (Greenline) London. I'm surprised there have been no incidents, tbh. It’s an issue waiting to happen.

 

[Simon75]

Some operators eg Select Buses, leave doors open over night

 

[Unstoppable]

Coaches are parked unattended all night in Bulleid Way coach station (Greenline) London. I'm surprised there have been no incidents, tbh. It’s an issue waiting to happen.

The coaches in said location are locked up with the key in a safe location off the vehicle

 

[dan5324]

The coaches in said location are locked up with the key in a safe location off the vehicle

They are not locked. The doors can be opened and the keys are left in the ignition or the drivers glove box, which isn’t locked.

 

[Geordie driver]

I have never known a service bus that had the option to lock the doors or for that matter the ignition, anyone passing can hit the button and open the doors.

 

[Drive By Photo]

I have never known a service bus that had the option to lock the doors or for that matter the ignition, anyone passing can hit the button and open the doors.

I've always wondered, do buses generally have ignition keys or can they just be started on the button?

 

[Geordie driver]

I've always wondered, do buses generally have ignition keys or can they just be started on the button?

It's been a while since I drove a modern bus, but in 20 years the only buses I ever drove with ignition keys were the awful bread van Sherpa's, possible the least likely bus a thief would want. The keys were never taken out of the ignition.

We did have a spate of thefts, same guy taking a bus to get him home. Many buses have a starting routine that needs to be followed, but no key.

 

[APT618S]

I was recently on a 69-reg Enviro 200 MMC, when the driver took over the empty bus he informed us he had mislaid the starting key. After going away he eventually came back informing us he had left it in the previous bus he had driven and we left approx 15mins late !

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

We did have a spate of thefts, same guy taking a bus to get him home. Many buses have a starting routine that needs to be followed, but no key.

Was that the guy from Shiney Row?

 

[richw]

I was recently on a 69-reg Enviro 200 MMC, when the driver took over the empty bus he informed us he had mislaid the starting key. After going away he eventually came back informing us he had left it in the previous bus he had driven and we left approx 15mins late !

Enviro 200MMC don’t have ignition keys. Wonder what he was up to really?

 

[Unstoppable]

Enviro 200MMC don’t have ignition keys. Wonder what he was up to really?

Was it a Stagecoach vehicle? They won’t start unless you have your Greenroad Fob or start it manually from the engine bay

 

[APT618S]

Was it a Stagecoach vehicle? They won’t start unless you have your Greenroad Fob or start it manually from the engine bay

Yes, Stagecoach. So it must have been the fob he left behind. Thanks for the info.

 

[Geordie driver]

Was that the guy from Shiney Row?

Cowgate, just outside the city centre really, always took an Optare.

 

[Flying Snail]

I have never known a service bus that had the option to lock the doors or for that matter the ignition, anyone passing can hit the button and open the doors.

Our 2008+ B9TL Wright deckers had door locks. A simple budget (T-key) lock in a bracket on the door leafs with a bracket on the doorframe to lock the tab into. Could only be used from inside so access to the bus would be via the emergency door which had a proper key lock on the outside handle.

Never got issued a key for the emergency door and don't think any other driver did either, possibly the locks were requested for use from a different garage. All our coaches had ignition and different door keys, the B9 was one of the few keys I didn't get, Including various depot/break room keys I ended up with about 30 keys.

 

[Fenchurch SP]

I've been a passenger on a bus where the driver left the engine running while they went to use a public convenience.

 

[Geordie driver]

I've been a passenger on a bus where the driver left the engine running while they went to use a public convenience.

Often you are told not to switch the bus off as it will not start.