You couldn't make it up!
As I said in Friday's post a rather large rock was thrown up from a passing vehicle and hit my windscreen.
On returning to the depot, all of 10 minutes away a call was made to the window replacement guys who said they would be there within a couple of hours.
We took another bus out, just to keep us out on the road. However, this bus all though perfectly road legal, has a 2 second time delay on releasing the air brake (parking brake) which makes the timing of busy junctions interesting, and the gear box is like stirring a bucket of porridge! The gates are knackered and it's pot luck if you get 2nd or reverse!
So this bus was a definite no for taking on test.
The weekend comes and goes and we go to pull into where our training bus is, expecting to see a new windscreen in it. But, no, it hasn't been done!
Our instructor makes a few phone calls and rattles some heads, and the bottom line is, they haven't been able to source a windscreen!
As it is now Monday and my test is Tuesday things are not looking good.
Plan B: Remove the windscreen from replacement bus and put into training bus - simples. Thing is they do this and break the bloody windscreen on removal!
As a result - test cancelled!
Now, as you can imagine, I am not best pleased with this for a number of reasons. Firstly the size of the company is massive, and to not be able to sort a replacement bus out for us that is mechanically up to test standard is poor to say the least.
The second thing is, I am bonded for two years, what this means is that I pay nothing for my training but if I leave within a two year period I have to pay back £2000 on a sliding scale.
If I was paying for this training up front, I would certainly be wanting a percentage of my money back as cancelling a test with less than 24 hrs notice is not professional and certainly not what you would expect from a large organisation!
So another week will go by. On the plus side I get more training, but to get mentally ready for this the process has to start all over again. I have all ready spent this weekend having it going through my head constantly.
To make matters worse I have just looked at the company website, they state that they have close to nearly 4000 buses on it's fleet! With that many you would of thought they could of sorted something out don't you?!
Till later...............
So sorry to hear of your troubles. Yes, with 4,000 buses in their fleet, you'd have thought they would have a replacement stat.
ReplyDeleteThen again, maybe they needed 3,999 new windscreens for them. lol
In understand your frustrations. It sounds like the U.S. Army, where everything is done twice - correctly the 2nd time.
Too, events of this nature are often tests of our patience, but like you, sometimes patience is needed as well as somebody to get off their bums and do something, or at least have the courtesy to let you know of the problem.
Sounds like you've rejoined the army Jools - Fred Karno's army!
ReplyDeleteDon't forget 2 things
1. You will always compare the organisation you work for with The British Army (and more than likely be disappointed)
2. Civvies??
Did you get my e-mail by the way Re 21-22 Apr?