Bus driver shortages here to stay for at least the near future

[Goofyernmost]

It’s not been the case for years now.

Especially not for bus driving, that is not considered a glamour job, that is a skilled job like plumbing. No glory in driving. You are not in the show, you just bring people to the show and back. After the mandate for being entertaining while driving priority was dropped for very good safety reasons, it was just a job but far more pleasant the driving buses in inner cities. If one came from a northern municipal busing company and had been there for awhile, the pay difference was ginormous so unless they were looking for part time retirement work, it wasn't all that much of a draw.

When I started as a new bus driver in 2003 the union rate of pay was $16.00 per hour, after one year if you cut the mustard, it jumped to $21.00 per hour and then went up steadily with each Union contract agreement. When I left in 2010 drivers were making $28.00 per hour and all kinds of overtime was available. Some senior drivers that had the same basic rate of pay were pulling down $70K+ per year. Then they asked about Disney. I don't know what it is now but I do know that drivers that have been driving for years down here in the good old south were still at around $15.00 an hour. Not much incentive to sign on unless it was a retirement gig.

 

[Lilofan]

Well, if you are talking skills testing, no they do not test anymore then having a supervisor ride with you and determine if you are doing what the company wants you to do, public service wise. It isn't hard to find out if someone has no skills left. They do get tested but mostly for vision or other medical problems (if they are going to be driving interstate) I had to have a physical every year because I had High Blood Pressure until I had my license specifically stating intrastate only. I am going to renew my CDL this week and all I am going to do is an eye test and should be issued another license for six more years. I'll be 79 by the next one. That is the only testing I have had for the last 6 years. As far as driving skills are concerned, unless you have a lot of accidents or other driving no - no's there is no major testing. I've had my CDL for nearly 20 years now and only the original road test. Companies do usually insist on a regular physical, but if you aren't working at the time of renewal, no one cares.

Long haul truck drivers have a challenging job. I was using the bathroom facilities at a truck rest stop one summer about 10 years ago in the Carolinas and when I walked by a truck a driver came out of his cab to check on his engine compartment only dressed wearing an adult diaper .

 

[JoeCamel]

Long haul truck drivers have a challenging job. I was using the bathroom facilities at a truck rest stop one summer about 10 years ago in the Carolinas and when I walked by a truck a driver came out of his cab to check on his engine compartment only dressed wearing an adult diaper .

You see plastic bottles along the road filled with something, don't investigate further

 

[Goofyernmost]

You see plastic bottles along the road filled with something, don't investigate further

Probably just Mello-Yellow!

 

[Squishy]

 

[Horizons '83]

Yikes, that is pretty bad when you have go the 3rd party route. Terrible show and takes the magic away a bit but it's the times we are in now I suppose.

 

[ImperfectPixie]

Yikes, that is pretty bad when you have go the 3rd party route. Terrible show and takes the magic away a bit but it's the times we are in now I suppose.

It's far from the first time I've heard of 3rd parties helping out with buses at WDW.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

It's far from the first time I've heard of 3rd parties helping out with buses at WDW.

correct. Although it’s usually been for unique situations like New Years.

Of course coming out of a pandemic is a unique situation too.

 

[TransportationGuy]

Resort shuttles and DME have both previously been sacred ground with both being serviced exclusively by Disney Transport and Mears (respectively). That’s said all special events, corporate events, and third party needs have been Mears. This sort of heavy push into third party transportation is certainly unprecedented.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Resort shuttles and DME have both previously been sacred ground with both being serviced exclusively by Disney Transport and Mears (respectively). That’s said all special events, corporate events, and third party needs have been Mears. This sort of heavy push into third party transportation is certainly unprecedented.

I’ve been on non Disney / non mears 3rd party on resort lines before. Was very common during Christmas / NYE week running high demand routes like MK to Pop Century.

 

[TransportationGuy]

I’ve been on non Disney / non mears 3rd party on resort lines before. Was very common during Christmas / NYE week running high demand routes like MK to Pop Century.

Those non-Mears buses were still subcontracted out of Mears and operated at the direction of Mears HQ. From time to time they do operate out of MK Mouse House and will do very short term resort shuttles, but this has already been underway for nearly three months and there as never been third party at even remotely close to this scale.

 

[Lilofan]

Yikes, that is pretty bad when you have go the 3rd party route. Terrible show and takes the magic away a bit but it's the times we are in now I suppose.

One would not notice too much that valet parking in resorts are third party also. One time when I was at AK Lodge a Ferrari and a Lamborghini were parked side by side in the far distant lot of self parking. Some owners don't trust valet parkers to drive their cars. One who doesn't know how to drive a single or dual clutch exotic vehicle can burn up the clutch with one poor drive.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Those non-Mears buses were still subcontracted out of Mears and operated at the direction of Mears HQ. From time to time they do operate out of MK Mouse House and will do very short term resort shuttles, but this has already been underway for nearly three months and there as never been third party at even remotely close to this scale.

Oh that makes sense. - also it would just be for an extremely crowded week like Christmas / NYE and even then mostly only at park close when the demand was extreme.

So yes... this is quite unusual I agree.

 

[Heppenheimer]

Especially not for bus driving, that is not considered a glamour job, that is a skilled job like plumbing. No glory in driving. You are not in the show, you just bring people to the show and back. After the mandate for being entertaining while driving priority was dropped for very good safety reasons, it was just a job but far more pleasant the driving buses in inner cities. If one came from a northern municipal busing company and had been there for awhile, the pay difference was ginormous so unless they were looking for part time retirement work, it wasn't all that much of a draw.

I just had a flashback to those double-decker buses that formerly drove around the World Showcase in Epcot. Those drivers were definitely paid to be entertaining. Can't imagine this would ever be considered a good idea again. Possibly distracted bus operator, driving on what is essentially a crowded sidewalk, with more than a few of the pedestrians playing "Drink Around the World".

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I just had a flashback to those double-decker buses that formerly drove around the World Showcase in Epcot. Those drivers were definitely paid to be entertaining. Can't imagine this would ever be considered a good idea again. Possibly distracted bus operator, driving on what is essentially a crowded sidewalk, with more than a few of the pedestrians playing "Drink Around the World".

The omnibus still operates on Main Street (Florida and California) and the drivers regularly give a speel.

Strangely enough you can drive and talk at the same time!

 

[larryz]

No, I am referring to anybody sitting home and not working. I said I was depressed because there are able-body people who are not in the work force because they do not want to work, or have a history preventing them. The training to become a bus driver is available. The job is attainable. But like you said: "people don’t want to be a bus driver for a living"

If I was unemployed in the FL market with limited options, I would take advantage of the opportunity. Not because I would want to, but because I am self reliant enough to know I would need to. I am sorry, not all jobs pay 100k, and not working is not productive.

When is a bus driver NOT a bus driver?

Spoiler

When she's a "Disney Guest Transportation and Experience Delivery Specialist"...

 

[larryz]

If you like driving, then why stop? Age is a number, as I tell my husband, LOL.
Really, if you enjoy driving and are still good at it, then it's okay to do it at any age, except maybe 100 LOL.
You can always quit if it's not what you want. My point is: don't let "age" stop you from doing what you love, and you get all the perks of working for Disney.

Reminds me of the old joke:

"When I die, I want to go like my grandfather, sleeping comfortably...

...and not like all those screaming passengers in the back of the bus he was driving!"

 

[Nubs70]

If I had a CDL, I could make much more money driving OTR or local than driving a WDW bus.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Yikes, that is pretty bad when you have go the 3rd party route. Terrible show and takes the magic away a bit but it's the times we are in now I suppose.

“Show” is an antiquated ideal of some dead guy. No need for those kinds of things anymore in today’s TWDC. Unless it’s “show me the money”.

 

[ToTBellHop]

correct. Although it’s usually been for unique situations like New Years.

Of course coming out of a pandemic is a unique situation too.

I had been on a charter at least once every vacation for years before the pandemic, especially after fireworks. Remember those?

The change now is non-Mears.

It‘s time to relax distancing on buses.