Hmm as I haven't wrote on this for ages you won't be aware of all the latest developments. I can't go into details but I can say we have two drivers (and two of my closest mates I might add) off on sick notes; one for six weeks at least and the other for eight weeks. This means we've been struggling to find drivers to cover our existing workload.
Today two drivers phoned in sick which meant the situation wwnt from critical to full blown meltdown. As our drivers only really do what we class as "their" regular runs (an issue I have pointed out as being stupid for some time now) when it comes to putting a different driver on a job it results in pandemonium. Times this by swapping five drivers around and I'm not kidding, it was total chaos.
I got called into work at 8.15 when I don't even start till nine, purely to deal with the sheer volume of client complaints of "my bus hasn't turned up" etc. Trying to tell them we have skeleton driver coverage as it is without two more taking the day off sick didn't help their cause. as far as they are concerned its our problem, not theres, which I totally agree with.
Of course we managed to get things on an even keel by re-jigging the work about or so we office dwellers thought. Come 9.15 we are STILL getting calls of "my bus isn't here" when these people should have been dropped off by 8.45 at the latest. A few calls to the various drivers shed some light on the problem. It transpired they'd been given the totally wrong schedules yesterday - our leader E's fault - so they were calling for clients that didn't want transport but completely missing out those that did.
More re-jigging by which time our other regular after 9am daily contracts are due to start and we have buses sitting in the garage but no drivers. Cue this batch of clients ringing in from 9.15 onwards complaining. Honestly you wouldn't believe the damage a knock-on effect could have. It was a shambles.
To top that off, a bus limped in this morning at 8.45 having been out overnight with a group on a self drive, its back window completely smashed in. It was parked up not far from my house which is a respectable part of town quite frankly so it came as a shock to say the least. Not only is it off the road but its one of our main workhorses. We are literally fucked without it, poor thing. It happens to be my favourite bus of the fleet as its got more gadgets, leg room, heated seats, working air con, top notch suspension, a luggage boot & a CD player while the others don't!
Anyway all of the work scheduled for that bus has also had to be re-jigged and we don't know for how long because apparently the only place to get the glass this special bus requires is Spain. We've had to get new front & rear bumpers imported for it before and it took three months for them to be custom made. It's great having a special bus - until you need the replacement parts! You know what the Spanish are like. No urgency whatsoever. I offered to go fetch the glass myself on an expenses paid trip; but E said no. Pft.
And finally, onto the pic. Well that's my baby Lucarno. If you think I'm in love with Denman then I'm doubly in love with Luc. The reason for his pic is to make me happy after a hard day and to say he has four options open for his seasonal return to the track. I also hope he runs at York August meeting when I'll be there with my other baby - hey hon xx - so I can see him for the second time in all his muscular, mahogany bay glory *swoons over Luc's sexyness*
Ciao for now
TJ
Ooh I feel like Carrie Bradshaw in Sex & The City. I love that show. Im wrapped they have reunited to make a movie. However don't get carried away because much like the heroine I have no discipline for writing about my title subject! Ok ok all I can say is well, does it?? Coz I'm fucked if I know.
