Arriva Bus Service Review

Overall Rating

None

-Drivers rude and Bad Tempered
-Route Maps/Timetables confusing and poor
-Sporadic Timings
-Always late

Right...I live in an area serviced by 2 arriva buses. The 23 and the 1/11. I dont use the 23 due to the frequency of stops but rest assured it is never on time but the Number 1/11 is poor beyond words.

The service timetable is probably the most confusing table I have ever attempted to read, it makes close to zero sense with two service running Different directions to different stops it is nye on impossibly to make head nor tail of.

The two stops for the two routes are on opposite sides of a large green. However the stop on one side does not even have a timetable on it! The other one has an electronic timetable which tells you the buses in the next hour not the one your waiting for.

From either of the two stops I have never had the bus be on time being up to half an hour late on a service "up-to" one every 15 minutes. The worst thing is this has made me repeatedly late for work and College...It is appaling!

The most recent issue however and probably the most concerning is the way the drivers treat you and behave. On one occasion a driver waited with a load of people at the station for 20 minutes talking to his friend who was stood there smoking INSIDE the bus! I thought that was illegal in fact I know its illegal. Also, recently I had no change whatsoever and no where to get it from and had 30 minutes to get to work, plenty of time on the bus but i'd be late if i walked or had to catch a later one, I had to pay with a 10 pound not which may be inconvinient but not unreasonable. The bus driver proceded to look at me like a piece of dirt and tell me that he didnt have change for it and said in a very blunt and rude manner that I would " 'ave to catch next one". I told him I couldnt do that and asked if it would be possible to pay when iI get off or have him give me my change after a few more stops...he promptly dismissed all my ideas and made me exit through a crowd of people none of whom came to my rescue with change for a 10...I was late for work by 45 minutes due to the next one being late and having to go and find change. This is not fair to paying customers and I have now boy cotted Arriva and will walk from now on even if i have to get up far earlier.