highland/rapsons buses

[champagnebaby]

I usually get the 6:50 bus at Meiklejohns and it's in the same condition as the 7:50 just not as packed. I sometimes get the one at 7:50 and by the time it gets to Meiklejohns there's hardly any seats and the most annoying thing is all the students with bus passes rush past flashing their pass at the driver while the people paying have to queue to pay their fare, by the time i've paid my fare there's hardly any seats left.

I get the bus home at 4:30 and it's always cold, most of them sound as if they're going to conk out. Quite often there are people standing on this run too or if they've put on a separate bus for the college people and there's hardly anyone on the one that's come through the street they make you get of one bus and on to another at Halkirk - making your journey take even longer.

And it's true what was said about Dounreay getting the decent coaches - i've never seen one of the ancient buses coming in the road from Dounreay, dunno how many buses go to Dounreay but i'd imagine it's be about 15.

[©Amethyst]

Well... the busses ARE falling appart... literally.

I remember back in the days when I was on the school bus on my way to Castletown. We reached the square in Thurso and already a fight was in full swing. I think someone knocked a window (an upstairs window at that) and it fell out... putting other motorists and passers-by in danger.

It wasn't really the bus company's fault, but the busses are too shoddy to ferry kids to and from school.

(I'm a-wondering if William remembers that incident )

[johndy]

Well that is the problem you still get the kids, fighting, damaging the buses, which are then required for other services, so they then become damaged. Its winter what do you expect other than the floor to be wet, it the same in shops, supermarkets etc, The heating !! You get into a car after a night of frost it takes ages for it to heat, so a bus is the same but the door is always opening so any heat you do get built up you just lose, some people are never happy.

[JAWS]

It's nice to see that some things never change!

[SPECKLED HEN]

Waste of time speaking to Department of Transport all these buses are roadworthy, they are all maintained to a high standard. All of these dounreay coaches have good heating and do not breakdown regularly and do not stink. No problems with the 3pm Wick, Castletown, Thurso run it gets you home and its warm what more do you want, no problem with kids they are only on it for 15mins. The 06.50 wick to thurso bus is not in the same condition as the 07.50 - ie the 06.50 is normally a warm Citylink coach or a 04 minibus the 07.50 is a Double decker thats no comparision.

[girnigoe]

I also would like to add that some of the drivers need to slow down!!

I have had a few journeys where Im almost like the pope when I come off those buses.

[2little2late]

Speckled Hen must work for Rapson's.

[dougleith]

Don't expect any change in your bus conditions for some time. Rapsons are in debt by an absolute fortune and are trying to pay their way out of it bit by bit every year, so that means keeping costs to an absolute minimum.

[gravedigga]

Well that is the problem you still get the kids, fighting, damaging the buses, which are then required for other services, so they then become damaged. Its winter what do you expect other than the floor to be wet, it the same in shops, supermarkets etc, The heating !! You get into a car after a night of frost it takes ages for it to heat, so a bus is the same but the door is always opening so any heat you do get built up you just lose, some people are never happy.

Well Johndy if your last name's Munro the only reason you're sticking up for the buses is cos you work for them!!!

SPECKLED HEN - Are you trying to say i'm lying about these buses?? Have you not read the other postings on this thread??

they are all maintained to a high standard

High standard, LOL You obviously don't use the buses

Ohh and the 06:50 is NOT a warm citylink coach it's usually one of the minibuses as the citllink ones are kept for the Dounreay runs at around the same time!

[JAWS]

Anybody got any suggestions? Other than no buses at all that is!

[Lucy]

Fortunately i am not a regular user of the buses as i live & work in Wick. what about taking a small camera or even a camcorder on the bus with you some days and send the pictures and tapes to the Traffic commissioner. Surely they can't ignore evidence like that. the small (use once) cameras are handy to keep in your pocket or handbag. I will also write a letter in protest as even if i don't use them regularly we should all stick together for the benefit of everyone.

[2little2late]

Don't expect any change in your bus conditions for some time. Rapsons are in debt by an absolute fortune and are trying to pay their way out of it bit by bit every year, so that means keeping costs to an absolute minimum.

This is no excuse for them to have shoddy buses though is it?

[SPECKLED HEN]

Singapore by the way speckled hen does not work for Rapsons. And how would dougleith know if rapsons was in debt what a joke they have 2 brand new coaches sitting in Inverness. If all you people aren'a happy way eh buses why use them everyday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[gravedigga]

Some of us have no choice, well i could always walk i s'ppose. . . . .

But that's beside the point, they're supplying a service therefore it should at least meet at certain standard.

[dougleith]

err, the reason I know about the debt is because....it was in the papers the other week. And you can always take a look at the annual accounts.

[JAWS]

Does anybody else read Company Accounts for a little light reading? Mind you, I suppose it would be a good cure for insomnia if nothing else!

[Rheghead]

My Mrs has just come back from Wick on the bus, she is frozen. She has the advantage that age wouldn't affect her, but what if an infirm person in herplace was not so lucky?