HelB on an aggressive bus driver recruitment drive

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 10:35 am

Apparently having a D-card makes the difference.

**Sponsor:**

kay30 · Post by **kay30** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 12:39 pm

Speaking of aggressive recruiting, or just aggressive drivers, has anyone else noticed the maniacs that have been driving buses lately? I fully appreciate they are having a hard time finding people, but it's got to the point I feel actually unsafe with many of the drivers these days.

Seriously. Last week I was on a bus where the driver was speeding down a narrow residential street, sideswiped a car, and kept going. Eventually decided to stop to view the damage (on a speed bump, with the engine running). Then took off again. No note to the other driver whose car was seriously damaged. Not to mention the other driver who forgot to close the doors before taking off like a bat out of hell from the bus stop. Or the drivers that don't seem to know where to stop the bus (i.e. the bus stop and not the middle of some random block).

I hate to generalize (but that won't stop me) but it seems some of the non-native drivers take far more risks and are far more aggressive. Don't know if it's cultural or lack of proper training or what, but it seems that some drivers are driving here exactly like they did at home, even if the conditions are not the same. Not to say I haven't had bad Finnish bus drivers, but they are like 2:10 vs. 7:10.

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 4:48 pm

Its a "rallibussikuski"

Lots of new drivers and lots of new routes when they change the company running them - I've been a few times helping out a new driver to get back on route when he misses a turn

sharpstone · Post by **sharpstone** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 11:14 am

I hate to generalize (but that won't stop me) but it seems some of the non-native drivers take far more risks and are far more aggressive. Don't know if it's cultural or lack of proper training or what, but it seems that some drivers are driving here exactly like they did at home, even if the conditions are not the same. Not to say I haven't had bad Finnish bus drivers, but they are like 2:10 vs. 7:10.

As a foreigner myself, I can definitely say that its a foreign thing. Finnish drivers are generally more careful, naturally. Foreign drivers (especially arabs and somalis) drive like assholes!! (forgive my french)

Finnish people are generally quiet and tolerant, which is why the passengers usually do not complain when a foreigner--bus driver does not know his ass from his head, and does something totally stupid like drive past the bus-stop, or overspeed on dangerously-narrow lanes.

You try driving like this in any other country, and you'll have your ass in a legal-sling by nightfall!

bilfi · Post by **bilfi** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 2:05 pm

Who would want to be a bus driver in Helsinki and then only receive
€1,700 a month before tax ?

sharpstone · Post by **sharpstone** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 2:11 pm

Who would want to be a bus driver in Helsinki and then only receive
€1,700 a month before tax ?

Actually, bus drivers in the Helsinki area get more than that. Much more actually. Especially as there is now an acute shortage of drivers

sammy · Post by **sammy** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 2:14 pm

bilfi wrote:Who would want to be a bus driver in Helsinki and then only receive
€1,700 a month before tax ?

Someone who is trying to find a job, perhaps? Someone who likes a job like that?

1700€ per month isn't very much perhaps, but beats being on the dole any day.

raamv · Post by **raamv** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 2:20 pm

bilfi wrote:Who would want to be a bus driver in Helsinki and then only receive €1,700 a month before tax ?

someone who doesnt speak Finnish, have no education and are looking for a job.

sammy · Post by **sammy** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 2:30 pm

raamv wrote:
bilfi wrote:Who would want to be a bus driver in Helsinki and then only receive €1,700 a month before tax ?
someone who doesnt speak Finnish, have no education and are looking for a job.

But hey, isn't it also possible that someone enjoys the job & actually wants to do it? Even if he/she knows Finnish?

Mind you, I don't strictly speaking disagree with you, but still I don't see why a bus driver's job should not be as such considered a respectable job.

Just for the record

raamv · Post by **raamv** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 2:32 pm

sammy wrote:
raamv wrote:
bilfi wrote:Who would want to be a bus driver in Helsinki and then only receive €1,700 a month before tax ?
someone who doesnt speak Finnish, have no education and are looking for a job.
But hey, isn't it also possible that someone enjoys the job & actually wants to do it? Even if he/she knows Finnish?

Mind you, I don't strictly speaking disagree with you, but still I don't see why a bus driver's job should not be as such considered a respectable job.

Just for the record

I never meant any disrespect to anyone..or the job..
I was just answering to "Who would apply"..

sammy · Post by **sammy** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 2:45 pm

raamv wrote:I never meant any disrespect to anyone..or the job..

I know you didn't - and that's why I wrote "just for the record"

Sharpstone, you said a bus driver would earn 'much more' in Helsinki, do you know how much that would be?

Not that I'm considering a new career, i don't even have a driver's licence

sharpstone · Post by **sharpstone** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 2:52 pm

Sharpstone, you said a bus driver would earn 'much more' in Helsinki, do you know how much that would be?

Bus drivers in helsinki do not earn less than 2000€ BEFORE tax. This much I know.

It could be higher, depending on experience. It is a well-known fact that bus-driving is the one profession where ur pay increases as the years go by (nothing so big, but significant all the same)

at least, this is what my bus-driver friends tell me. Some of them have been driving buses in Finland for 10 years.

flyingyellowpig · Post by **flyingyellowpig** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 6:22 pm

I don't know how much they get in here but bus drivers in London gets around 464 £ (673 €)per week after taxes.Also they can choose the area where they want to drive.But anyaway there is a bus driver shortages too.My friend is bus drive in London.

bilfi · Post by **bilfi** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 2:18 pm

This subject was from Helsinki sanomat where it states the pay is
€1,700. I as well think that being a bus driver is a fine job, its the
pay that i object too. How can you live in the Helsinki area and only receive this little amount of money.
tax -€450 housing -€550 food -€280 Odds and ends -€280
total €1560 so your left with €140 for working 140 hours.
or is that €1 per hour

sammy · Post by **sammy** » Fri Nov 02, 2007 2:31 pm

bilfi wrote:How can you live in the Helsinki area and only receive this little amount of money.
tax -€450 housing -€550 food -€280 Odds and ends -€280
total €1560 so your left with €140 for working 140 hours.
or is that €1 per hour

Agreed, it's definitely not luxury but it's a decent way of surviving. Food, housing, odds and ends (whatever that includes, depends on the person I guess)... aren't they the basic things in what we call "life" anyway, what you absolutely NEED to have money for?

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