Maybe it was me, but I loved the challenge of keeping the difficult bus lines on schedule. I’d hear the horror stories from riders and other drivers and …well was kinda turned on I guess. The prospect of “taming the beast” excited me, still does 10 years later.
Now
As my career developed I begin to understand, it's actually not all about speed. It’s more about the strategy. A method to the madness so to speak.
Does speed play a part? Potentially but that's only if your speeds slow. Then it will most defiantly play a part. But contrary to popular belief you dont have to drive 100mph (even though a governor won't allow you) to keep a bus on time.
Here are 3 ways I keep my bus on time
Get a diagnosis
“Know before you go”
Half the battle for me was understanding the task at hand. Before I could strategize anything, I’d have to know what I was dealing with, and that would change from day to day. It was extremely important to understand what the circumstances were at this present time because they would help me create a successful plan to get this bus from point A to point B on time, and there are so many factors!
This bus may be faster than the one I had yesterday, a bus in front of me maybe missing which could cause heavier loads, this bus may have slow doors. It all plays a part in the overall performance I can give as an operator. Weather, potential traffic, nightlife events, and the schedule itself all play a part in determining just how I am going to drive this bus, this trip, this time of day in this specific moment.
Fun Fact! Bus drivers adjust on the fly better than any working group on the planet. @ me, if you disagree.
Know my route
“Know who I’m dealing with”
Once I understand my circumstances for this particular trip, was to understand my route. Certain routes drive different than others even if the alignments and or ridership are similar.
