Furious at Stagecoach

[RantyDave]

Stagecoach Wellington are fucking idiots.

My daughter, who's five, catches the bus to school. We wait with her at the bus stop in the morning and watch her get on it. Stagecoach drive it to the school - two, maybe three kilometres and a similar number of corners. In the afternoon her mum meets her at school and they either drive back or get the bus back together.

Yesterday they failed on both occasions.

In the morning they dropped her off in the wrong place, leaving a five year old girl wandering around in the morning rush hour to get to school. She tells me it was OK because a car stopped to let her get across.

In the afternoon her mum met her at school (with my six month old son) and she was supposed to be having a friend over to play. Bus didn't show up. The whole entourage - two five year olds, a baby and a mum - had to trek home by foot. Good job the weather was nice, eh?

Fucking fucking idiots. I now have to find out what penalty clauses they have in their contract with the council and ensure they are enacted. Or, even worse, get the council to put some penalty clauses in. We need to make it so that someone very important gets very upset when this happens because at the moment they don't give a shit.

Arseholes. I have to sort this out before something really bad happens.

Dave

[Toaster]

Yep - it's all about cost cutting - hiring muppets to drive buses and they sometimes don't even know the routes. Training in many workplaces is a thing of the past. Profit is king.

[LardEmbargo]

cnuts.


Oh but if only we could encourage people to get out of their cars and onto public transport.

Maybe if there was a public transport service with some concept of service in.

I mean, other than "exist to extract maximum cash, from either captive customer base or people trying to do the right thing, for minimum possible outlay."

[bobsmith]

wonder why people don't use the public transport system in NZ.....

Besides the fact what you've just described is not rare, the bus drivers in general are unfriendly and the bus fares are extremely high. (well they're trying to change that in Auckland by raising fuel prices and parking charges)

Oh and what was that about people stranded on Island because of ferry not turning up and trains being delayed??? At least they're upgrading the train system by charging the whole auckland area greater fuel tax of course that's of no concern for people in North Shore who doesn't see a train anywhere nearby...

[HenryDorsetCase]

we were on holiday in Aucks and trying to get a bus from the zoo (pretty big tourist attraction, no?) back to town so we could get a bus to the airport.

Waited 45 minutes for a bus and that "helpful" fucking announcement board showed the bus we needed as coming soon, 9 5 3 minutes, DUE, .... delayed, and then that fucker didnt show up at all, and the next one was 25 minutes later: 45 minutes of my life I want back.

and the bus was a filthy dingy piece of shit. the driver was OK.... in fact most of the drivers we struck were OK.

my experience of public transport in auckland was almost entirely negative.

why does it cost $50 plus to get a taxi from auckland airport to the CBD, and $40 from our place to the Christchurch airport, and the fucking plane ticket is $89??? how the fuck does that work?

[The Pastor]

You let a 5 yr old catch the bus alone? Im almost 21 and the busess still scare me.

[peasea]

Try getting around Auckland on public transport.....it's a joke. In fact getting around Auckland is a joke regardless of the mode of transport.

I know some people at Stagecoach in Wellington and they're always shaking their heads in disbelief at what the big-wigs do.

I'm with you; if a bus is scheduled to arrive at whatever time there should be be a damned good reason for it not to and a backup vehicle to fill the gap.

Good luck.

[Delerium]

This is exactly why so many aucklanders are pissed off at the latest tax fuel hike. We are paying AGAIN for something we have already paid for and not received. So, the cost of our transport is rising, and there is no effective alternative. I wonder why we are getting frustrated?

But wait, itll be coming to a city near you too! dont think itll stop at auckland kids.. your dreaming.

[peasea]

we were on holiday in Aucks and trying to get a bus from the zoo (pretty big tourist attraction, no?) back to town so we could get a bus to the airport.

Waited 45 minutes for a bus and that "helpful" fucking announcement board showed the bus we needed as coming soon, 9 5 3 minutes, DUE, .... delayed, and then that fucker didnt show up at all, and the next one was 25 minutes later: 45 minutes of my life I want back.

and the bus was a filthy dingy piece of shit. the driver was OK.... in fact most of the drivers we struck were OK.

my experience of public transport in auckland was almost entirely negative.

why does it cost $50 plus to get a taxi from auckland airport to the CBD, and $40 from our place to the Christchurch airport, and the fucking plane ticket is $89??? how the fuck does that work?

It's called extortion mate.
It turns out that it's cheaper for my other half to operate a jappa shopping basket to get from home (on the North Shore) into town and back five days a week, run errands go see friends than it is to buy one weeks worth of bus tickets. She has to get a bus to Takapuna, a second bus to the CBD (and the bus company's ticketing systems don't interact) and she gets dropped at the bottom of town, a two-k walk in all weathers and for many months in the dark.

Her wee jappa takes her to the door (practically), keeps her warm and dry and she doesn't get sneezed on by smelly little hackincoughinspittinspreaders.

There's no incentive whatsoever to use the useless Auckland public trasport 'system' (and I use that word loosely) so another car has joined the daily procession.

Nelson, here we come.

[limbimtimwim]

I caught a (StageCoach Wellington) bus to and from school for 7 years. Yeah, sometimes they mucked up. And several times I felt compelled to write letters to them, and every time they were agreed with me and fixed the issues.

Usually the issue was a shit bus driver.

A crap bus driver matters not much a busy route, say the Karori number 3. However on a school bus route if the bus fails to turn up it is a major inconvenience for lots of people.

When I was at secondary school and the buses mucked up, I'd co-opt a few others to write letters as well so that they couldn't ignore the message. Perhaps get the other parents involved as well in writing letters to the WRC and StageCoach.

[cynna]

why does it cost $50 plus to get a taxi from auckland airport to the CBD, and $40 from our place to the Christchurch airport, and the fucking plane ticket is $89??? how the fuck does that work?


in auckland discout taxis go from airport to town for $30. just ring them and say you want the $30 airport deal and they will come and get you. i used to pay $26 for a shuttle until i found this out

[cynna]

Stagecoach Wellington are fucking idiots.

My daughter, who's five, catches the bus to school. We wait with her at the bus stop in the morning and watch her get on it. Stagecoach drive it to the school - two, maybe three kilometres and a similar number of corners. In the afternoon her mum meets her at school and they either drive back or get the bus back together.


um she is 5 and u let her on the bus alone??????? and school is only 2-3 km away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[The Pastor]

um she is 5 and u let her on the bus alone??????? and school is only 2-3 km away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thats wat I said.

Some people eh? when I was in primary school, this kid lived next door and his mum still drove him to school. SHe didnt have a job, she dropped him off and then went back home. Like 10m max.

[RantyDave]

You let a 5 yr old catch the bus alone?
Yeah, well, I'm starting to think that too. On the plus side about 80% of the journey is down our one street - no turns, sidestreets or otherwise and we know a good proportion of the people along the road. All she has to do is sit on it and chat to the other kids (usually) until it stops at the school.

At the fucking school. Sheeat.

Dave

[The Pastor]

Yeah, well, I'm starting to think that too. On the plus side about 80% of the journey is down our one street - no turns, sidestreets or otherwise and we know a good proportion of the people along the road. All she has to do is sit on it and chat to the other kids (usually) until it stops at the school.

At the fucking school. Sheeat.

Dave

Why don't you walk ur fat ass daughter to school in the am?

[RantyDave]

school is only 2-3 km away!
So, we're supposed to let her walk? Drive her there? In theory there's a bus that goes from practically our doorstep to the school. Mind you, if she got hard she could ride a dirt bike round the coast and get to school without having to cross any roads at all :)

[Str8 Jacket]

Why don't you walk ur fat ass daughter to school in the am?

Wow dude, what a hero. Its so easy to speculate about others lives aint it? Why dont you just worry about yourself!

[RantyDave]

Why don't you walk ur fat ass daughter to school in the am?
Same rezon u didn't manage 2 lern inglish at skool.

Seriously - it's a long trek for a five year old to do twice in one day. I have work to attend to and while being a bit late due to punting her onto the bus is one thing, taking an entire hour (at least) to walk her to school and back is out of the question. We also have a six month old to contend with - writing one parent off almost permanently.

Dave

[The Pastor]

leave an hour or two before you have to be at work. Just chain her up to the school so she cant get away give a key to a teacher who will unlock her when she arrives.


Or you could drive/ride her to school.

[cynna]

my five year old takes her scooter and i run along beside her. im not sure how many km away the school is but it doesnt take long now that she can zoom along. but i work nights so dont have to worry about heading off to work at the same time

all the times ive been on a bus there have been a hell of a lot of weirdos on there that i wouldnt want my 5 year old alone with. but being school time i suppose it would be a lot safer with the other school kids on the bus with her

[RantyDave]

my five year old takes her scooter and i run along beside her.
This can work and she's come home this way a few times in the summer. Mostly it's having the baby around that's the problem. The school has a big stack of scooters outside so this is obviously a popular solution.

all the times ive been on a bus there have been a hell of a lot of weirdos on there that i wouldnt want my 5 year old alone with.
We're the third stop on the run so when she gets on the bus the only other people on it are generally people we recognise, if anyone. Likewise the only people that get on between home and school are generally people we know. It's been the same driver for ages and ages too and during my chat to Stagecoach's general manager this arvo I did point out that our usual driver does a _great_ job.

Either which way I'm feeling more assured that it won't happen again. As the saying goes "shit rolls down hill".

Dave

[The Pastor]

dude, babys don't explode if you leave them alone for like 10 min when u drive your samoan to school.

[Squiggles]

dude, babys don't explode if you leave them alone for like 10 min when u drive your samoan to school.

no they drown, fall down stairs, strangle themselves in blankets and so forth, dont be funny with the man's kids.

[RantyDave]

Well bugger me, something actually happened.

I've managed to get the national operations manager on the phone. Or, rather, he called me to get some more details. It's not the kind of thing they want happening either and he's busy finding out just what happened so they can ensure it doesn't happen again.

Lummie - the power of a polite word in the right ear :)

Dave

[RantyDave]

no they drown, fall down stairs, strangle themselves in blankets and so forth, dont be funny with the man's kids.
What he said. They can also be safely asleep while the house catches fire - not an uncommon occurence at all. A kid fell face first into a bucket of water and drowned ... last week, I think. They're also alarmingly good at playing games in the tyre tracks of cars that are about to be reversed out of a driveway.

But I have patience with the orange scarfed one. He clearly doesn't have kids and the infamous "lend me a rear tyre for my WOF" thread indicates an only passing understanding of responsibility that can only possibly improve. Right. Right?

Dave

[The Pastor]

thats why you tie them down tight. Or put them in the prison boxs they sleep in.

My mother left me at home for years at a time, I was fine.

[Ronin]

thats why you tie them down tight. Or put them in the prison boxs they sleep in.

My mother left me at home for years at a time, I was fine.

Thats your opinion, which is obviously suspect to start with.

Stop trolling and get a life.

[The Pastor]

HEY LOOK WHO IT IS IS RONNIN AKA;
<img src="http://www.bluelinecomics.com/pictures/It's%20Capt%20Obvious%20600.jpg">

[Ronin]

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight

[Skyryder]

Why don't you walk ur fat ass daughter to school in the am?

I'm with you on this one RM. Just fucking typical of this country it'a always someone elses fault. All I can say Ranty Dave is get a bus licence and do the job yourself or better still get your daughter to school your self. Don't go and blame other people.

Skyryder

[Squiggles]

Its good to hear they're doing something about what happened though


Thats your opinion, which is obviously suspect to start with.

[The Pastor]

ranty dave, does your school do a walking bus? exersise and safty. Ring up and ask.

[RantyDave]

ranty dave, does your school do a walking bus? exersise and safty.
No, they don't. But agreed that this would be a great way to go. I still think it's a bit of a trek for a five year old but a 'scooter' walking bus might be doable real soon now.

Dave

[The Pastor]

No, they don't. But agreed that this would be a great way to go. I still think it's a bit of a trek for a five year old but a 'scooter' walking bus might be doable real soon now.

Dave

sorry dude, you sound like a freeking sap.

I used to walk 20 miles to school IN THE SNOW. Now back in those days we didnt have enough money for shoes let alone a jumper. We made do with old rubbish sacks we found - washed them out and hanged them up to try.

Just think about that when you have you late with sugar and 3 diferant styles of cream. Not everyone had it as sweet as you did, alot of men died for your freedom and this is your attiute?

Nz and being a kiwi used to be about getting the shit done. Not complaining all the time.

[Skyryder]

sorry dude, you sound like a freeking sap.

I used to walk 20 miles to school IN THE SNOW. Now back in those days we didnt have enough money for shoes let alone a jumper. We made do with old rubbish sacks we found - washed them out and hanged them up to try.


Fuck and you think you were hard done by. We were so poor that my brother and I had only one pair of shoes and one pair of gloves between us.

We'd take turns. When he had the shoes I had the gloves and walked twenty miles on my hands.
And don't talk to me about cow pats. I fell in a fresh one and nearly drowned. :dodge:

Skyryder

[The Pastor]

Fuck and you think you were hard done by. We were so poor that my brother and I had only one pair of shoes and one pair of gloves between us.

We'd take turns. When he had the shoes I had the gloves and walked twenty miles on my hands.
And don't talk to me about cow pats. I fell in a fresh one and nearly drowned. :dodge:

Skyryder

Mate! Mittens! You lived in luxuray! We never had mittens! We used to use news paper and wrap up like a christmas present (we didnt know what a chirstmas present looked like but some rich guy with mittens told us this) that was of cource untill mondays when we could sell out used newspapers for 1 cent per kg of newspaper at the recycleing plant 20km away.
One day I found a bike abandend down a gully on the side of the road, it had no seat and the tires were shot so i stuffed the tires really good with straw, wasnt the best but it worked. I had to sell it to timmay for 20 cents as we needed the money to buy our cabbage for the next months "soup" which really wasnt a soup more like water and a bit of moldy cabbage on top. Oh those were the days!

[Steam]

You were lucky. We lived for three months in a paper bag in a septic tank. We used to have to get up at six in the morning, clean the paper bag, eat a crust of stale bread, go to work down t' mill, fourteen hours a day, week-in week-out, for sixpence a week, and when we got home our Dad would thrash us to sleep wi' his belt.

[Dafe]

Lucky for you RantyDave, The south pacific manager of stage coach lives right here in Wellington. He has an apartment on Oriental Parade.
He hates getting interrupted at home..........
If you want a physical address, PM me.

[Steam]

The south pacific manager of stage coach lives right here in Wellington.

He must have been the guy who my boss (also a public transport operator) was taking to the other week. He was sad that passenger numbers were down and was pondering why gloomily. My boss (and the rest of Wellington) knew exactly why, but my boss was tactful enough not to say "cos you don't have enough drivers, and your rostering system is bunk, and your drivers disrupted more than a week of buses because you wouldn't listen to their demands."

Heh, it was funny to listen to, I was right there.

[The Pastor]

busses kill people.

700 people a year die from deisil emissions.

[Korea]

You were lucky. We lived for three months in a paper bag in a septic tank. We used to have to get up at six in the morning, clean the paper bag, eat a crust of stale bread, go to work down t' mill, fourteen hours a day, week-in week-out, for sixpence a week, and when we got home our Dad would thrash us to sleep wi' his belt.

Luxury!
We used to have to get out of the lake at six o'clock in the morning, clean the lake, eat a handful of 'of gravel, work a twenty hour day at the mill for tuppence a month, come home, and Dad would thrash us to sleep with a broken bottle... if we were lucky!

[ajturbo]

Same rezon u didn't manage 2 lern inglish at skool.

Seriously - it's a long trek for a five year old to do twice in one day. I have work to attend to and while being a bit late due to punting her onto the bus is one thing, taking an entire hour (at least) to walk her to school and back is out of the question. We also have a six month old to contend with - writing one parent off almost permanently.

Dave
2-3ks.. 5year... it is your call, but to me it would have been an adventure! to walk there and back...
but SHE is 5, (i would make her walk it from her 6th burpday.. as a treat!lol)
BUT the issue is with the bus Co...

the other day i was talking with a teacher, who had orgainised a trip with a couple of classes (5-7year olds).. some of the parents took some of the kids off somewhere else..... grrrr.. bus had to wait 10min.... donimo effect started!