The boss of Xplore Dundee says passengers have been “overwhelmingly positive” after the first day of strike action – despite claims stand-in bus drivers were “resorting to Google Maps” to get them round the city.
Services are running to a reduced timetable as workers take up to 12 weeks of industrial action.
Xplore has drafted in drivers from other parts of parent company McGill’s to plug the gap.
Most buses are running every 30 to 60 minutes until around 7pm.
But after the first day of the strike on Monday, several passengers took to social media to claim that services had taken the wrong routes or ran late, because the temporary staff did not know the way.
There were even claims some had to rely on members of the public for directions.
One passenger wrote: “Never mind the three wrong turns the driver took when we got on outside Smugglers (bar) and got off behind Markies.
“The driver was taking directions off of the passengers.”
Another said: “Driver of the bus this morning got lost in the centre of the city and had to resort to Google Maps.”
Claims of bus ‘no-shows’
Xplore said nearly 15,000 passenger journeys were fulfilled throughout the day – but some claimed their buses did not turn up at all.
One woman wrote: “Two of mine were no-shows and I had to walk.”
The bus firm says the temporary drivers were given “extensive route familiarisation” training ahead of Monday.
Ralph Roberts, CEO of McGill’s Group, said: “Our appreciation goes to customers who have been overwhelmingly positive in their response despite the temporary timetable we have had to run.
“On most routes, we have seen passenger numbers up to 60% of our usual level despite the reduced timetable – and we forecast that this utilisation by passengers will increase on any future strike dates.
“In preparation for the strikes, the company undertook extensive route familiarisation work with drivers and we have also deployed additional colleagues in the city centre and on vehicles to help with any customer and team queries, and this has been working very well from the feedback we have received.”
Drivers involved in the strike have been standing on picket lines in the city centre and at the Xplore depot on East Dock Street.
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