Jump to content

Greyhounds Ongoing Bus Shortage


roeco

Recommended Posts

We needed a topic for this as to keep everyone up to date on the bus shortage issues! I can not see how Greyhound can run their operation without proper equipment?? If it gets much worse Greyhound is gonna have to start reducing service WITHOUT approval, as thats the ONLY way its gonna solve their issues OR maybe FIX the buses that NEED FIXING and get them back on the road!! Maybe they should Lease some coaches from someone until they have enough Repaired. Or First Bus should start running Greyhounds runs out of Calgary with First Bus coaches or transfer some to Edmonton and let them do some Edmonton runs. Something needs to be fixed before summer...!! Is their an end in sight??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 months later...
We needed a topic for this as to keep everyone up to date on the bus shortage issues! I can not see how Greyhound can run their operation without proper equipment?? If it gets much worse Greyhound is gonna have to start reducing service WITHOUT approval, as thats the ONLY way its gonna solve their issues OR maybe FIX the buses that NEED FIXING and get them back on the road!! Maybe they should Lease some coaches from someone until they have enough Repaired. Or First Bus should start running Greyhounds runs out of Calgary with First Bus coaches or transfer some to Edmonton and let them do some Edmonton runs. Something needs to be fixed before summer...!! Is their an end in sight??

It's not a Bus shortage. As far as I know the Toronto - Waterloo University route is always contracted out to Charter bus companies as Greyhound would not make much profit by using their own equipment and driver. The drivers make like $15.00/hour and $0.70/KM so based on that their are not making money.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's not a Bus shortage. As far as I know the Toronto - Waterloo University route is always contracted out to Charter bus companies as Greyhound would not make much profit by using their own equipment and driver. The drivers make like $15.00/hour and $0.70/KM so based on that their are not making money.

It may not be a bus shortage in Toronto. But out west there definitely was and sometimes still is. This causes several delays in departures.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's not a Bus shortage. As far as I know the Toronto - Waterloo University route is always contracted out to Charter bus companies as Greyhound would not make much profit by using their own equipment and driver. The drivers make like $15.00/hour and $0.70/KM so based on that their are not making money.

I believe that statement is incorect....

As I remember it, if an assigned Greyhoound run is covered by a rental company, the driver that is assigned to the run, is still paid for the mileage. and in the case of the rental trips I did on sunday,(with Dallas Coach) Because there was no bus for the Greyhound driver to drive, The driver came with me on the run, and was paid to "cushion and conduct" and also paid the mileage....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Last I checked we have 300 and some odd active buses across Canada.. Can't remember the exact number though..

Hey out of the series of 900's to 1009, how many of those coaches are still active? And I'm wondering if they will refurbish them also, as they are some of the best made buses Greyhound has as they are all made of real metal :P..unlike the current DL's. The ones I know that are still active are 980,981,983,989,1001,1002,1003,1006,1009. Are their any I have missed? I know 999 was sold earlier this year and is in Vancouver. And I think 1000,1007 are in Aggasiz.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As I remember it, if an assigned Greyhoound run is covered by a rental company, the driver that is assigned to the run, is still paid for the mileage. and in the case of the rental trips I did on sunday,(with Dallas Coach) Because there was no bus for the Greyhound driver to drive, The driver came with me on the run, and was paid to "cushion and conduct" and also paid the mileage....

You are partially correct. I can't speak exactly to how the Eastern drivers (Represented by Amalgamate Transit Union local 1415) are compensated for this. The western drivers (ATU 1374) are paid what is called a "Manning of Service." Meaning they get paid for the trip. We get paid mileage (Or hourly if on a Maverick run). There is no additional compensation if we conduct on the foreign line coach. Since we are being paid for the trip anyway, it is the option of the dispatcher weather to send the driver conducting or not.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe that statement is incorect....

As I remember it, if an assigned Greyhoound run is covered by a rental company, the driver that is assigned to the run, is still paid for the mileage. and in the case of the rental trips I did on sunday,(with Dallas Coach) Because there was no bus for the Greyhound driver to drive, The driver came with me on the run, and was paid to "cushion and conduct" and also paid the mileage....

Then I guess Greyhound saved on diesel fuel and depreciation! lol I have heard some drivers (with the company I used to work with) stated that a Greyhound Driver will come on board to help out with Customer Service related tasks on the bus as a Cushion up/down crew or at the terminals. Greyhound should look into getting more equipment.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Especially with the newest buses in the fleet already over 5 years old...

Nothing wrong with older Coaches. All MCI Coaches are built to last 3 Million Miles or 30 years, whichever comes first. I actually agree with Greyhound's bus refurbishment program. Those Coaches are built solid. I have repaired mostly Prevost H3-45 Coaches and as an Apprentice, I can tell you that as long they get TLC, buses can last 30 years of use. The engine can also be rebuilt every 1 million miles which gives the bus a long life of use. Based on the length of use suggested by MCI the engine just needs to be rebuilt 3 times before they get rid of them. It's also cheaper to rebuild an engine (approx. $20,000 - $25,000) versus a new engine around $50,000+. During these economic times, rebuilding is cost effective and efficient and as well Greyhound would be creating more jobs for unemployed Americans.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nothing wrong with older Coaches. All MCI Coaches are built to last 3 Million Miles or 30 years, whichever comes first. I actually agree with Greyhound's bus refurbishment program. Those Coaches are built solid. I have repaired mostly Prevost H3-45 Coaches and as an Apprentice, I can tell you that as long they get TLC, buses can last 30 years of use. The engine can also be rebuilt every 1 million miles which gives the bus a long life of use. Based on the length of use suggested by MCI the engine just needs to be rebuilt 3 times before they get rid of them. It's also cheaper to rebuild an engine (approx. $20,000 - $25,000) versus a new engine around $50,000+. During these economic times, rebuilding is cost effective and efficient and as well Greyhound would be creating more jobs for unemployed Americans.

I agree, but I never mentioned there was anything wrong with older Coaches.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not at all. I drive buses from the 1970's in my current job! I prefer them over the newer buses! :(

Yeah, older buses don't have sophisticated computers which makes them simple to operate. On the other hand maintenance is a b*tch as you have to run a series of checklists to pinpoint the problem, but computers would cut the work in half.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, older buses don't have sophisticated computers which makes them simple to operate. On the other hand maintenance is a b*tch as you have to run a series of checklists to pinpoint the problem, but computers would cut the work in half.

After working on the same kind of bus over and over there's certain things you learn to just go and check.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After working on the same kind of bus over and over there's certain things you learn to just go and check.

After learning the 2 stroke DD engines (with out DDEC) I would prefer to stick the Series 60 and Cummins IS series engines. I like things easy and with computers, it's my personal preference!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, older buses don't have sophisticated computers which makes them simple to operate. On the other hand maintenance is a b*tch as you have to run a series of checklists to pinpoint the problem, but computers would cut the work in half.

Thats where experience comes in. A computer will point you to a bad injector quickly, but will show no indication of a bad cam lobe or follower, or a cracked piston skirt for that matter. I could go on and on....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

...and this is the real difference between a 'Technician' and a 'Mechanic'

Long live the computers! lol Most engines are now electronically controlled hence we get the Technician.

Thats where experience comes in. A computer will point you to a bad injector quickly, but will show no indication of a bad cam lobe or follower, or a cracked piston skirt for that matter. I could go on and on....

True! Then again a job like that gets outsourced. I just trouble shoot and it's fixed else where. It pisses me off because I am capable of repairing that injector, checking the piston, cam shaft and on and on we go. A fleet operator needs money to come in not going into my pocket by the hour hence they like the flat rate charged by the third party company like Wajax.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We needed a topic for this as to keep everyone up to date on the bus shortage issues! I can not see how Greyhound can run their operation without proper equipment?? If it gets much worse Greyhound is gonna have to start reducing service WITHOUT approval, as thats the ONLY way its gonna solve their issues OR maybe FIX the buses that NEED FIXING and get them back on the road!! Maybe they should Lease some coaches from someone until they have enough Repaired. Or First Bus should start running Greyhounds runs out of Calgary with First Bus coaches or transfer some to Edmonton and let them do some Edmonton runs. Something needs to be fixed before summer...!! Is their an end in sight??

As far as the "fixing the buses that need fixing" goes.. In my shop alone we've had 3 journeymen 'move on to future endeavours' and only have 10 journeymen and 6 apprentices to cover 6am til 3am 7 days a week. On my shift alone (except for Wednesday) we have 3 journeymen mechanics on shift with 2 apprentices in school. One is currently on leave due to medical reasons. Let's not forget holidays/vacations/sick days or whatever and we end up working with a skeleton crew. Usually we're outnumbered by cleaning staff. And 2 are needed at the pit to keep units moving. Overtime is not an option for most due to family commitments etc. We do what we can with what we have though. Pretty much it's frustrating all around.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As far as the "fixing the buses that need fixing" goes.. In my shop alone we've had 3 journeymen 'move on to future endeavours' and only have 10 journeymen and 6 apprentices to cover 6am til 3am 7 days a week. On my shift alone (except for Wednesday) we have 3 journeymen mechanics on shift with 2 apprentices in school. One is currently on leave due to medical reasons. Let's not forget holidays/vacations/sick days or whatever and we end up working with a skeleton crew. Usually we're outnumbered by cleaning staff. And 2 are needed at the pit to keep units moving. Overtime is not an option for most due to family commitments etc. We do what we can with what we have though. Pretty much it's frustrating all around.

I'm wondering if this will change much, I mean the bus issues...with the Cutting of runs and now with alot of Refurbs on the Express runs, should this not free up more buses for the Regular services.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As far as the "fixing the buses that need fixing" goes.. In my shop alone we've had 3 journeymen 'move on to future endeavours' and only have 10 journeymen and 6 apprentices to cover 6am til 3am 7 days a week. On my shift alone (except for Wednesday) we have 3 journeymen mechanics on shift with 2 apprentices in school. One is currently on leave due to medical reasons. Let's not forget holidays/vacations/sick days or whatever and we end up working with a skeleton crew. Usually we're outnumbered by cleaning staff. And 2 are needed at the pit to keep units moving. Overtime is not an option for most due to family commitments etc. We do what we can with what we have though. Pretty much it's frustrating all around.

Are they hiring more apprentices? I have tried Toronto but they say they have full house. If I was an apprentice in Alberta working for the Hound I would have enjoyed the OT!

Generally lousy repair success rate, the same old gripe as when they were Harper.

They're still trying to understand our ISBs.... Heh.

Harper/Wajax specializes in Detroit Diesel. As for Cummins, take em to City View or the actual Cummins facility. I know City View has the warranty contracts when it comes to TTC's Hybrids but then I heard they may be repowered with standard engine such as the ISL or ISC with a (you guess it) Allison Transmission.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...