Dear Sir/Madam,

Today, I had to make a journey to an important meeting in Elgin, as I had put my car into the garage for a mechanical check, I had little or no choice but to board one of your Stagecoach Buses. The journey through to Elgin was a stress-free event and, much as I enjoy driving, it was nice to let someone else drive for a change. The meeting was a success, but you don't want to know all about my working life, do you? I had to make the return journey to Inverness, to pick up my car from the garage and continue home. I was looking forward to the return journey, as the driver on the outward trip to Elgin was very considerate, an asset to the company, unfortunately I didn't get his name.

I got to Elgin Bus Station at approximately 1400hours. I knew my bus wasn't due for a while, so I sat and waited in the mid-afternoon sun along with my fellow passengers who would be making the journey with me. The bus arrived at 1410hours and I climbed aboard and took my seat, surprisingly, it wasn't a coach, but an actual bus. Not the most comfortable seats and a distinct rattle from the engine. The Service number 315 Aberdeen to Inverness was ready to depart.

We were driving along, quite happily when we stopped opposite Brodie Country Fayre, to pick up several elderly females. As they boarded, I noticed that they had difficulty with walking. They took their seats at the front of the bus and we continued on our journey.

On this route, which is the main coastal route from Inverness to Aberdeen, you pass through the village of Nairn. I have never spent any time in Nairn, but it certainly looks very nice from when I have passed through it. On exiting the main road, on the Inverness side of Nairn, presumably this was a bus route. The driver turned the corner very sharply with no consideration to his several elderly, infirm passengers seated at the front of the vehicle, or in fact any of the other fare-paying passengers on board. This reckless manoeuvre as he flew around the corner, too fast, in turn caused one of the elderly females, who was seated, to be ejected from her seat face first onto the floor of the bus. Whilst I and another passenger assisted this female from her position on the floor, back to her seat. The driver just stared vacantly into the rear view mirror at the drama that was unfolding inches behind him. The reason why we; myself and the other passenger, decided to help was not only because we could not just leave a pensioner lying on the floor of the bus, but also mainly due to the fact we all realised the driver was not going to assist in any way.

Further into the journey, we went through a small village on the outskirts of Inverness. The driver stopped to pick up another passenger, this person, also female, walked with a Zimmer frame. As she struggled onto the bus, the driver remained in his cab and did not show any signs of wanting to assist his passenger onto the vehicle. He even had the sheer audacity to check his watch, twice, as she struggled on board.

I do not know the driver's name, as he was not wearing a name badge. However, I can say he was in his mid twenties, with spiked auburn hair.

If this is the standard of driver you can proudly associate with your company, then it is obviously a matter of urgent priority to recruit new drivers, possibly ones who are trained in the field of PCV or PSV. Perhaps this driver should, possibly, stay with a smaller bus for the time being or should be given a crash course, no pun intended, in manners and passenger courtesy. Also, upon checking your records of who this driver is, check his tachograph for his average speed limit and also on that same disc will be the license plate of the bus with the suspicious rattle.

I trust you will be proficient in finding the driver responsible and using such disciplinary guidelines set by your company, if they exist, to rectify this matter.

On a lighter note, I managed to get home safely that evening. By car.

Regards

Cogsy @ ST

Customer Complaint - Service 315

I refer to your complaint of 21 July 2004, whereby the standard of driving and customer care skills of our employee on Service 315 was not to the high standard of service required by our customers and this company.

Firstly, may I take this opportunity to apologise on behalf of Stagecoach Inverness for the distress caused.

Sorry for the delay in responding, which was due to my holiday commitments and the driver concerned being off sick.

Thank you, for taking the time and trouble to contact us and for drawing this to my attention. I can assure you I have interviewed and dealt with the member of staff concerned. I have also reminded him of the high standard required by this company, and his future performance will of course be closely monitored. I have also referred the driver to our training school.

I hope this incident will not deter you from using our services in the future.

I trust you will find this acceptable and that our future service will give no further cause for complaint.

Yours Sincerely

Gus Beveridge
Operations Manager
Stagecoach Inverness & Moray