Standard Response

Complaining about anything these days just ends up with a standard response taken straight from the clipboard. Nothing personal in the response or anything relating back to the initial complaint.

I complained via TFL about a dangerous bus overtake which ended up with me being forced to slow down to avoid being clipped by the rear of the bus. The bus was managed by Arriva and as such it was forwarded to them by TFL.

It took Arriva just over 2 weeks to respond to my complaint and of course, a standard response was all that I got.

The manager of Croydon garage has identified the driver concerned with this incident and he will be interviewed at length.Ā  He will be reminded of the standards of service and performance which we expect from all of our employees and a copy of this report will remain with his file.Ā  Should any similar incident occur in the future, this information may be used again.

When I read these sorts of responses the first thing I think is rubbish. I don’t believe a word of it. Perhaps they really will do what they say, I have no way of telling. I hope they have a way of showing the driver the video I have of the incident. It highlights how reading the road ahead of you is important. Without reading the road then I wouldn’t have been able to predict the bus cutting across my path.


6 thoughts on “Standard Response

  1. FWIW Gaz I have also complained about a few buses and their dodgy behaviour and I know one of them got acted on as I found out over a conversation at our kids school šŸ™‚ One of the other parents is a bus driving instructor and whilst discussing my helmet camera usage he casually commented one of the drivers at his garage got pulled up something because of some footage that was caught on camera….after a quick “was it a no.XX running a late amber and then a zebra crossing” I found out it was the one I complained about šŸ˜€

  2. I’m not really sure what more you are expecting Gaz. These kind of communications are very carefully worded for legal reasons. The driver has had a note placed on his file (an official sanction under employment law) and if he is a repeat offender action will be taken.

    Seems like a good result to me. You wouldn’t want this chap to lose his job over it would you..?

    1. I’ve had far too many run in’s with the PCO to be trusting of a standard reply.

      I obviously don’t want anyone to lose their job, but if this is x amount of offences and is clearly a danger to other road users, then the driver should be punished in an acceptable manor. After all we should expect proffesional drivers to be squeaky clean. The odd mistake is bound to happen but repeat offences should not.

  3. Yes Gaz, it is a very standard reply. As an ex-London bus driver for over fifteen years, I can assure you that these sort of complaints are acted on (Or used to be) in the form of an disciplinary interview with the driver and the operations manager or even the general manager, who can suspend or dismiss the driver. And yes everything is kept on the drivers record / file, from lateness, collisions, complaints and other offences along with the “reward” given.

  4. I suspect that a much more effective way to address the driver’s behaviour, though sadly an utterly impractical one in reality, would be to engage him in a civilised discussion about where he went wrong. The privatisation and deregulation of bus services has led to drivers working under far inferior conditions of employment and much moreprecarious job security than previously. They must be under enormous pressure to maintain their schedules with minimal delays, whatever it takes. I wouldn’t be in the least surprised if complaints were used to cow drivers into submission – not a reason for not complaining, but be careful what you wish for!

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