Driver Uniforms

[Pat1105]

Following on from the '2nd Hand Unrepainted buses' and 'What makes a good bus service' threads, I thought it would be a good idea to open up a discussion about uniforms. Some operators local to me don't provide drivers with a uniform, instead they just wear plain clothes, or worse still, their previous employers uniform. I have seen Diamond drivers wearing NX uniform before. I personally think that having a driver in uniform not only looks smarter, but gives a quality brand image to the customer. Whether this be a full set of shirts, trousers, ties etc or just a few branded polo shirts, I think it does make a difference in the overall presentation of the company.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Following on from the '2nd Hand Unrepainted buses' and 'What makes a good bus service' threads, I thought it would be a good idea to open up a discussion about uniforms. Some operators local to me don't provide drivers with a uniform, instead they just wear plain clothes, or worse still, their previous employers uniform. I have seen Diamond drivers wearing NX uniform before. I personally think that having a driver in uniform not only looks smarter, but gives a quality brand image to the customer. Whether this be a full set of shirts, trousers, ties etc or just a few branded polo shirts, I think it does make a difference in the overall presentation of the company.

Funny that - reminds me of travelling on a Diamond vehicle in December. Bus in Central livery, driver in Arriva uniform, notices inside detailing the excellent fares value and service changes around Tamworth..... I was in Willenhall. An eclectic mix

 

[Pat1105]

Funny that - reminds me of travelling on a Diamond vehicle in December. Bus in Central livery, driver in Arriva uniform, notices inside detailing the excellent fares value and service changes around Tamworth..... I was in Willenhall. An eclectic mix

Was that the 326 by any chance? An ex igo tender. I often see ex igo drivers at Diamond doing their old tendered work, still wearing an igo uniform. You'd have thought Diamond would have provided them with the appropriate uniform, as they've had almost a year to do it.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Was that the 326 by any chance? An ex igo tender. I often see ex igo drivers at Diamond doing their old tendered work, still wearing an igo uniform. You'd have thought Diamond would have provided them with the appropriate uniform, as they've had almost a year to do it.

It was the 326 - a spirited ride through to Bilston.

 

[tramboy]

A uniform makes all the difference, however whatever it is, how it is worn also makes more difference. There's nothing worse than seeing a uniform being worn but the wearer unfortunately looking like they've been dragged backwards through a hedge.

In Wales, to the quality standards surrounding the receipt of BSSG (Welsh BSOG equivalent) require staff of operators receiving BSSG to be in a uniform.

 

[Pat1105]

A uniform makes all the difference, however whatever it is, how it is worn also makes more difference. There's nothing worse than seeing a uniform being worn but the wearer unfortunately looking like they've been dragged backwards through a hedge.

In Wales, to the quality standards surrounding the receipt of BSSG (Welsh BSOG equivalent) require staff of operators receiving BSSG to be in a uniform.

Yes, some drivers do look ‘scruffy’. Some also wear non company clothing on top of their uniforms, such as hoodies.
We similarly have uniform regulations for services subsidised by TfWM, although there still remains some companies on these routes with no company uniform.

 

[RustySpoons]

There was a cowboy operator I witnessed in Blackburn going back about 15+ years now. I still to this day have no idea who they were, the bus was a knackered old Merc minibus, unbranded and with various destinations displayed on boards on the dashboard. It was the middle of summer on a red hot day and the driver looked like he'd just come straight out of Strangeways, massive tacky looking gold chain around his neck and no top on with a radio perched on the dashboard blaring out some god awful music.

Even if the company didn't have a uniform policy, it doesn't take much effort to look tidy and professional.

 

[py_megapixel]

Stagecoach drivers usually seem to be wearing company-branded hi-vis jackets.

There are factors other than uniform which have an effect. For example it always seems a little unprofessional to me if a driver is listening to the radio while driving, and I don't know if the major operators allow that because I've only ever seen it on smaller independent ones.

 

[D2007wsm]

Stagecoach drivers usually seem to be wearing company-branded hi-vis jackets.

There are factors other than uniform which have an effect. For example it always seems a little unprofessional to me if a driver is listening to the radio while driving, and I don't know if the major operators allow that because I've only ever seen it on smaller independent ones.

Listening to a radio is a nono at First.

First also issue high viz waistcoats to drivers and coats to those that need them complete with First logo, though these are generally on the front only. Also, First generally use yellow high viz items for drivers whereas Stagecoach use orange. In First, Orange is reserved for the Training School

 

[Pat1105]

There was a cowboy operator I witnessed in Blackburn going back about 15+ years now. I still to this day have no idea who they were, the bus was a knackered old Merc minibus, unbranded and with various destinations displayed on boards on the dashboard. It was the middle of summer on a red hot day and the driver looked like he'd just come straight out of Strangeways, massive tacky looking gold chain around his neck and no top on with a radio perched on the dashboard blaring out some god awful music.

Even if the company didn't have a uniform policy, it doesn't take much effort to look tidy and professional.

I suppose that’s another benefit of driver uniforms - you know that they aren’t just some random whose nicked a bus!

Stagecoach drivers usually seem to be wearing company-branded hi-vis jackets.

There are factors other than uniform which have an effect. For example it always seems a little unprofessional to me if a driver is listening to the radio while driving, and I don't know if the major operators allow that because I've only ever seen it on smaller independent ones.

Some of my local drivers wear earphones whilst driving, sometimes even talking on the phone!

 

[Eyersey468]

Following on from the '2nd Hand Unrepainted buses' and 'What makes a good bus service' threads, I thought it would be a good idea to open up a discussion about uniforms. Some operators local to me don't provide drivers with a uniform, instead they just wear plain clothes, or worse still, their previous employers uniform. I have seen Diamond drivers wearing NX uniform before. I personally think that having a driver in uniform not only looks smarter, but gives a quality brand image to the customer. Whether this be a full set of shirts, trousers, ties etc or just a few branded polo shirts, I think it does make a difference in the overall presentation of the company.

I agree about uniform making a difference, with regards to the driver in NX uniform I am an NX driver currently covering local bus due to Covid as are a few of us at the moment, its possible the only uniform the driver had was their NX one or they could have been drafted to cover a local service at the last minute.

 

[Pat1105]

I agree about uniform making a difference, with regards to the driver in NX uniform I am an NX driver currently covering local bus due to Covid as are a few of us at the moment, its possible the only uniform the driver had was their NX one or they could have been drafted to cover a local service at the last minute.

This wasn’t during Covid times that i’d seen a Diamond driver in NX uniform.

 

[GusB]

Just to nip this in the bud - any discussion of radios in the cab should go here: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/bus-driver-listening-to-music.197793/

Thanks

 

[GusB]

I'd agree that it doesn't take a lot of effort into looking presentable. In the absence of any official uniform, a company should at least insist on a shirt or polo shirt with a pair of smart trousers/skirt, preferably with a consistent colour combination.

From non-industry personal experience, it's not always easy to get uniforms from a company, particularly if the uniform budget has been met, or if the company is going through a period of change such as a re-branding or take-over. In my case I just wore a white shirt and dark grey or black trousers to begin with (quickly changed to dark blue shirt after being constantly mistaken for management!)

I remember when Stagecoach took over my local company it was a while before new corporate uniforms were issued, and when they were they weren't very popular in terms of fabric or the cut. There was no hat as part of the new uniform either, and those drivers who happened to be er.. follicly challenged either had to wear their old SBG-style hats or do without.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I agree about uniform making a difference, with regards to the driver in NX uniform I am an NX driver currently covering local bus due to Covid as are a few of us at the moment, its possible the only uniform the driver had was their NX one or they could have been drafted to cover a local service at the last minute.

I think the poster may have been referring to a former National Express West Midlands driver working for Diamond rather than a coach driver filling in on a bus service

 

[Pat1105]

I think the poster may have been referring to a former National Express West Midlands driver working for Diamond rather than a coach driver filling in on a bus service

Yes I was referring to this. Not only have I seen a Diamond driver in NX uniform, but also ex igo drivers still wearing their igo uniform.
My local company, Banga, have some of their drivers in uniform, and some who aren’t. Their uniform consists of branded polos, jumper and fleece jacket. However, they don’t issue drivers with trousers and i’ve had some drivers wearing jeans or tracksuit trousers. I think this rather spoils the look of the uniform and makes it look a little unprofessional. But, I suppose the uniform is better than not having one at all.

 

[Eyersey468]

This wasn’t during Covid times that i’d seen a Diamond driver in NX uniform.

Oh I'm sorry I misunderstood what you meant.

 

[Andy Pacer]

Yes I was referring to this. Not only have I seen a Diamond driver in NX uniform, but also ex igo drivers still wearing their igo uniform.
My local company, Banga, have some of their drivers in uniform, and some who aren’t. Their uniform consists of branded polos, jumper and fleece jacket. However, they don’t issue drivers with trousers and i’ve had some drivers wearing jeans or tracksuit trousers. I think this rather spoils the look of the uniform and makes it look a little unprofessional. But, I suppose the uniform is better than not having one at all.

I never realised their "uniform" was one!!

 

[Pat1105]

I never realised their "uniform" was one!!

Yes. I think for a small independent operator, they provide a rather more extensive uniform than others i.e the jumper and fleece jacket. For a smaller operator, I think that the branded polo’s look casual but smart and give a more friendly and easier appearance, rather than a corporate shirt and tie.

 

[Andy Pacer]

Yes. I think for a small independent operator, they provide a rather more extensive uniform than others i.e the jumper and fleece jacket. For a smaller operator, I think that the branded polo’s look casual but smart and give a more friendly and easier appearance, rather than a corporate shirt and tie.

I guess sometimes you just expect them not to have uniform so then dont notice when causal dress is in fact uniform, if that makes sense.

 

[Pat1105]

I guess sometimes you just expect them not to have uniform so then dont notice when causal dress is in fact uniform, if that makes sense.

Yes, many drivers do wear the black polo’s with logo on them whereas there are some who just wear casual clothes. I’ve had one driver who was wearing a tracksuit!

 

[Andy Pacer]

Yes, many drivers do wear the black polo’s with logo on them whereas there are some who just wear casual clothes. I’ve had one driver who was wearing a tracksuit!

I have to confess I've not ridden a Banga Travel bus for some time, the novelty kind of wore off when they stopped running Mercedes Minibuses, but I shall keep an eye out in future.

 

[Pat1105]

I have to confess I've not ridden a Banga Travel bus for some time, the novelty kind of wore off when they stopped running Mercedes Minibuses, but I shall keep an eye out in future.

They’ve changed their name (sort of) from Banga Travel to Banga Buses. You’ll certainly notice a difference since the mercs were in service. They now operate solos and E200s.

 

[Geordie driver]

The old NBC uniforms were fab, light and heavy weight trousers, blazer, 2 dust jackets with loads of pockets, gannex rain coat and a peaked cap, as many shirts as you could carry. Wish I had kept it but then I have too much stuff already.

There are some drivers you could spend a fortune on their uniform and they would still look like a bag of hammers ten minutes after putting it on.

 

[richardjones21]

Funny that - reminds me of travelling on a Diamond vehicle in December. Bus in Central livery, driver in Arriva uniform, notices inside detailing the excellent fares value and service changes around Tamworth..... I was in Willenhall. An eclectic mix

To be fair @TheGrandWazoo the livery of the Diamond Bus bus you mention is a company acquired by the company, the driver is in the uniform of an operation bought by the company & Tamworth is an out station of Tividale so many buses around The Black Country contain information for Tamworth I cannot see anything wrong here personally.

 

[cnjb8]

To be fair @TheGrandWazoo the livery of the Diamond Bus bus you mention is a company acquired by the company, the driver is in the uniform of an operation bought by the company & Tamworth is an out station of Tividale so many buses around The Black Country contain information for Tamworth I cannot see anything wrong here personally.

Can't see anything wrong? That's awful presentation.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

To be fair @TheGrandWazoo the livery of the Diamond Bus bus you mention is a company acquired by the company, the driver is in the uniform of an operation bought by the company & Tamworth is an out station of Tividale so many buses around The Black Country contain information for Tamworth I cannot see anything wrong here personally.

I think we all know the operational reasons why. However, they are adverts that are targeted to people in Tamworth. Promotional advertising aimed at particular customer base (i.e. people in Tamworth) and then it not being visible to your target audience is really a failure in marketing terms.

 

[Pat1105]

To be fair @TheGrandWazoo the livery of the Diamond Bus bus you mention is a company acquired by the company, the driver is in the uniform of an operation bought by the company & Tamworth is an out station of Tividale so many buses around The Black Country contain information for Tamworth I cannot see anything wrong here personally.

It doesn’t matter whether Diamond acquired the company or not. Frankly, that is irrelevant. They are operating that service under the Diamond brand, and not that of Arriva or anyone else for that matter. They operate the service under Diamond’s licence. Diamond acquired only the Wednesfield operation from Arriva, but Arriva still operates around the UK. Therefore, the driver should be wearing the correct company uniform and is in breach of AQPS regulations set out by TfWM.

 

[Titfield]

Ties are always an issue. The company I used to work for provided clip on ties as the around the neck version could prove a problem if a customer grabbed it. The problem with clip ons is that they dont fit tightly and look a bit sloppy.
In the end we had black trousers(s), branded polo shirt(s), branded fleece, and branded coat. The theory being that depending on the weather you could wear the fleece or the coat over the polo shirt. It seemed to strike the right balance between having a recogniable uniform but not having to provde the full wardrobe! As many have commented it never ceased to amaze me how a some drivers could look smart at all times and some looked as if they had been dragged through a hedge backwards.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Ties are always an issue. The company I used to work for provided clip on ties as the around the neck version could prove a problem if a customer grabbed it. The problem with clip ons is that they dont fit tightly and look a bit sloppy.
In the end we had black trousers(s), branded polo shirt(s), branded fleece, and branded coat. The theory being that depending on the weather you could wear the fleece or the coat over the polo shirt. It seemed to strike the right balance between having a recogniable uniform but not having to provde the full wardrobe! As many have commented it never ceased to amaze me how a some drivers could look smart at all times and some looked as if they had been dragged through a hedge backwards.

Clip on ties were standard issue for NBC drivers!

Personally, and it is subjective, I'm less keen on ties as some drivers have them looking like rags hanging round their neck. It doesn't cost a fortune for half decent workwear with some smart polo shirts, uniform trousers, and a decent coat plus a high viz. Having a decently presented driver in the correct uniform really is something that provides confidence to passengers. A driver should look like a professional who can be trusted. Put the other way, if they've not bothered to concern themselves to look professional, it may convey the impression that they have cut other corners?