A life on the buses

Well this is the first post that I don't suppose will be read but I have spent a long time working in the public transport industry and thought that I might as well get some of the things down while I still remember them and before I am to old to bother.

It all started back in 1969. I had left the safety of my first firm, British Rail where I had spent the last five years as an apprentice fitter and of course as 21 year old's do thought I knew it all. I joined a couple of firms as a fitter and proved to them and myself that I had been spoiled on BR and did not know enough about the world of commercial transport.

That got me the sack and to get a quick job I thought that would get a job on Cardiff Bus for a few months. (Believe me that VERY few join because they want a full time job). My father was an Inspector on there and had been there since 1949 and there was no problem getting in as a conductor. That was how we all started back then.

As a bus conductor you very soon lose any shyness and learn to communicate and have fun with Joe public. You bloody well have to as hundreds of people are on and off your bus a day and it soon knocks any shyness out of you. If not you just could not do that job.

What was a problem back then was getting up! Bus drivers and conductors start at stupid times of the day, as early as 04.00 in the morning. That has not changed all these years later and these days I start many days at 3.45 as a supervisor. They also work different shifts finishing at past midnight and these shift pattern changes caused a lot of problems for me back then.

I was bought up before the bosses more than once for my late arrival and in the end that caused major problems but more of that in other blog posts. This will do for the first post and if you ever read it let me know.