Ridiculously Expensive & Terrible to Use

“Ridiculously Expensive and Terrible to Use”

Written on: 18/05/2012 by HadleyMeg (1 review written)

Stagecoach buses in Hastings are by far the worst bus service I have ever had the displeasure to use. The cost of using this horrendous service just adds insult to injury. A recent 'update' of the buses involved replacing the entire fleet with buses that were half the size of the original ones, and then raising the ticket prices. I cannot understand how smaller buses, which were always packed with people to the point that the drivers would simply not stop to pick people up was a good idea?
The buses have now been replaced again with bigger versions but the ticket prices have been raised yet again. So the public has to pay for the stupid mistake the company made by using smaller buses.
A particular incident springs to mind when I think about the terrible service that Stagecoach provides. I was travelling from Hastings town centre to the Conquest Hospital to visit my mother on the 26A bus. On the journey an elderly lady with obvious mobility problems got onto the bus, she was helped on by a kind fellow passenger. The driver then proceeded to snatch her bus pass out of her hand and scan it for her as she was taking quite some time to place it on the ticket machine. He ignored her completely and did not offer assistance in any way. When the bus arrived at the hospital this lady rose to get off. I was standing behind her at the time and observed the driver huffing and puffing at her because she was taking her time in getting off the bus. Eventually, seeing that the driver was not going to offer any assistance, I helped the lady off the bus. Noting that the driver had stopped around 3 feet away from the kerb, which obviously, was making an already difficult task nearly impossible for this lady. I know this bus was also a so called "easy access" bus with a ramp installed. My question is this, why did the bus driver not offer any help, lower the ramp or even park closer to the kerb when he was certainly aware that there were handicapped passengers on his bus? Overall, a disgusting attitude displayed by another rude and selfish member of the Stagecoach in Hastings drivers.
I will not be venting my entire hatred of this service in this review as I could go on forever but I would advise people to NEVER use it, you are better off walking. So what if it takes longer? At least you won't have to pay ridiculous prices to sit on a cramped bus that was more than likely late to arrive and be treated like an inconvenience by the drivers. I believe being miserable and rude is a job requirement to work at Stagecoach as I have yet to be greeted with something as simple as a smile by a driver.