I wish People would just STOP

I agree that these type of jobs are " face-on " and this is where the danger lies and to think that people were and still are ignoring the situation that we find ourselves in. It's both selfish and arrogant that some members of the public don't even consider that transport workers still have a duty to perform.

Also because these workers are still classed as frontline no consideration has been given for their protection the same as NHS workers yet still deal with the same amount of people under normal conditions. Some things just aren't fair and neither are they equal. Too many have died because of lack of thought and consideration.

Such a worry for you both.
I thought buses took contactless card payments now? I've also known them only accept correct cash payments, no change given.
Is your husband a member of a union that could advise or lobby for safer working practices?
Other than that I can only suggest he takes his own gloves and hand sanitiser.
It's not nice to feel he's taken for granted and not appreciated.

My husband is still working at age 68. He works part time in the Co-op. They have no protection either. There are no barriers between staff and customers, and in their store not enough room for a queuing system. They have someone on the door limiting the amount of people entering.
He went for his shift at 3pm and is now back home. The manager has a suspected case of covid 19 in another member of staff, she asked him some questions about his general health, and sent him home. He has to self isolate for 7 days.
He has a headache, but there is probably another explanation for that, as he has high blood pressure and suffers from stress. He does not have a cough or any other symptoms so I'm not unduly worried.

London buses have a Perspex screen round the driver and no cash payments just touch in your card. . They are also not using the front door so no one needs to pass the driver. They are making some efforts.

I was astonished to see a young woman at the supermarket not only pay for her huge trolley load of goods in cash but also use about a dozen of their carrier bags for which she would have had to pay extra.
I was given to believe that youngsters were concerned about the planet and also technologically savvy enough use cards.
I hope your husbands are all right Minimoon and Rocketstop.

I agree with you. Where I live you can't pay cash on a bus - you have to use contactless.

They are not forgotten rocketstop. Nor are the postmen binmen delivery drivers and all essential workers ( my daughter attends court hearings) and those working in places like Amazon that are still delivering orders. Many of us remember and are grateful for them every day.
I hope your husband is ok. And yours minimoon. It is so stressful having to work at the minute.
I too wish everyone would be careful and think. We are in danger of people getting careless as time passes.

I'm very sorry to hear that you are under this kind of stress.

The Mayor of London has just announced that all buses in London are now free, for this very reason. Passengers are to use the middle door and not go past the driver. A very sensible precaution and one that hopefully other districts will adopt. As the majority of bus passengers using the route out of our village are pensioners using bus passes, and other passengers are able to use their contactless cards, I wonder who these 90% of cash paying people are. They need to be reminded about the dangers of close contact and of the general grubbiness of cash in general.

I cant convert to contactless. My bank is prioritising debt emergencies and I cant get it sorted by phone or online. So would HAVE to pay cash if I got the bus

Its a shame the banks havent just sent all non contactless card holders replacement cards automatically

Our buses which do a 60 mile round trip a number of times a day are running completely empty for weeks and weeks now they go right past my house and never have a soul in them I cannot imagine how soul destroying is must be to sit driving a bus that does nothing

I was just about to post what Gill said- that TFL buses are now free.
Many of us will have bus passes anyway which obviates the need for any contact with the drivers- who have my sympathy and thanks too!

Another idea is to close off the front seats in buses as some protection for the poor drivers.
Not my idea - I read it in a magazine.

I clap for all workers who come in contact with the public. NHS and care workers are in a more vulnerable position as they’re dealing with poorly people, but with the virus it can be anyone who’s likely to pass it on. So I clap for essential workers. Hopefully one of the good things to come out of all this will be that essential workers are more valued and paid accordingly. Perhaps by paying financiers, etc. a little less!

but over 15 transport workers including eleven bus drivers have now died from the virus. They are not thanked, not 'Clapped for'

I have to say, I have seen the tragic transport workers deaths reported and also I think most people clap for all keyworkers

I think that it's common sense that bus drivers should be offered protection just as London has arranged. Why doesn't he talk to his union?

rocketstop and minimoon, both your husbands, and many many more like them, are included in my Thursday evening clapping. They are doing such important jobs, and are key workers, just like so many thousands of others, absolutely vital to keep this country from total collapse.

I was actually amazed that anybody is still using cash during the current crisis, until I read notanan's comment that she simply can't convert to contactless at the moment. This is utterly crazy, and is only serving to put more lives at risk.

can the bus driver discuss with his employer, for measures to better protect the drivers. i have heard lawyers on radio say that no one can be made to go to work at this time if they fear for their health, and they cannot be sacked, but they will not be paid. so of course, most cannot afford to absent themselves.
for both the driver and shop assistant, i would urge getting their own gloves, and some kind of face covering, whether a mask or scarf over mouth and nose.
really a man of 68, with high blood pressure, coming into contact random others, i would think is taking a risk. does he have to work, at the moment. i would urge him not to.

Thank you for all your lovely posts.
The union are onto things, but I guess like with NHS there is a lack of equipment.
I think I was more raging against people who think nothing of putting others at risk by going out on these nonsense errands. I get it, I know some people have to have something to do , so feel they need to go buying stuff to alleviate the boredom, but they don't even seem to be thinking about the situation, just think we are all 'On holiday'
As for the buses themselves, where we are, there is only one door at the front, so people have to be near to the cab, however the firm have now put a polythene screen up on part of that.
Yes, the company and drivers know that some people HAVE to pay by cash, that's accepted but yesterday nearly everyone wanted to pay like that with not much effort or thought going into paying contactless, phone, or pass. The travel is free for all pensioners now, so that alleviates them having to stand by the cab to blip their pass.
Thank you all for saying you think of transport workers and others as we all clap on Thursdays. It made me feel much better that lots of people do think about them and value them.

I am awaiting two boxes of disposable gloves and gel to arrive !!

Keep safe everyone and thanks.

We have a bus driver in our family and is a bit of a worry as he has young children.

The first few seat are closed off.
And only family should sit next each other.

The drivers have been instructed to ask passengers to use contactless, but have been told to take cash if offered (even if it is not full amount) if the passenger is unable to do contactless

Most of the bus drivers have been furloughed due to health issues.
So it is up to a handful of bus drivers, to drive sometimes empty buses,
However in the last couple of weeks some routes have had quite a few passengers using the buses.

He is doing twelve hour shifts with a 2 hour break in the middle, during which time he has to sit in his car.
The arriva bus garage has obviously had to close the canteen.

He has been given one tiny bottle of hand gel.

Last week a passenger tried to give him a five pound note that he had taken out his wallet and put in his mouth!

Most of the office staff are also furloughed as are the union officials!

So no, there is no one to discuss any problems or grievance with.

i am surprised any buses still take cash, it must cost a lot to count up and bank each day, with balance sheets etc to complete. there should be easy ways to buy tickets in advance or pay by some other method. this has been the norm in europe for 50 years, they used to have ticket machines at the bus stops.
esp now, the cost of dealing with cash, so labour intensive, it's a pity the bus companies don't make the buses free for the present time. they have done this in london where cash has not been used for many years, so people have to pay, usually by card or pre-paid season ticket.
and i am surprised that not all buses had a security screen, esp with taking cash; what about robbery. this is what comes of privatisation and lack of union representation; unity is strength, versus divide and rule. the worker paid the least, doing the hardest work, has to take the most risk. so unfair. keep safe.

re the man with the split shifts, could you urge him to walk about during his break.
sedentary work is inherently unhealthy, added to that the stresses of driving, dealing with passengers, and now virus, he needs to counteract all that by keeping as fit as possible, esp for heart health, circulation, joints etc. good luck.

Just seen this thread. I too am clapping not just for the NHS and care workers, but for all sorts of other workers who are keeping us going in so many ways, including bus and train drivers, posties, shop workers and the emergency services. Best wishes to all who are having to cope with the stupid and the thoughtless!

It never crossed my mind that public transport workers weren't very special people working in these difficult times. Likewise posties, taxi drivers, delivery folk, those drivers bringing goods to the shops - we couldn't function without them.