Easter Services!

Canberra Cellars at Belconnen are open 10am to 11pm everyday over Easter, including Good Friday. Being located next to the Belco bus depot, you may even bump into a bussie at the end of their shift and shock/horror discover that they are a pretty good bunch of folk. Speaking of folk, any festival news? PS… Canberra Cellars at Braddon and Gold Creek are open 10am to 11pm every day except Good Friday.

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd said :

It’s a dumb ass holiday anyways. I for one will be working and trying to catch up on invoicing and quotes while I lose money because my staff, none of who are religious, are down the coast fishing because the government enforces a death and zombie birthday of a imaginary man from a fairy tale.

You forgot “Bah! Humbug!”

zippyzippy said :

‘Malingering thugs’. Geez. That’s a bit…. defame-y.

Not really,sums them up rather nicely.

It’s a dumb ass holiday anyways. I for one will be working and trying to catch up on invoicing and quotes while I lose money because my staff, none of who are religious, are down the coast fishing because the government enforces a death and zombie birthday of a imaginary man from a fairy tale.

‘Malingering thugs’. Geez. That’s a bit…. defame-y.

Let me rephrase this:

Holditz said :

Having said that I’m not happy that Saturday is listed as a public holiday- I was planning to go into the city and perhaps catch a movie, meet up with friends, so now getting home will have to be a taxi ride.

Alderney said :

ceejbee said :

poetix said :

DrKoresh said :

Holditz said :

I remember when there was no buses on Good Friday and Christmas Day.

Having said that I’m not happy that Saturday is listed as a public holiday- I am going to Curtin for Easter Vigil, because it’s on at 6pm (instead of 7:30pm), so getting home will have to be a taxi ride now.

Or you could just skip it, I’m sure Jesus won’t mind, probably got more important things to worry about.

Jesus is not going to throw a tanty if people don’t go, but it’s a thing many people want to do. Why should they have to skip it if they can’t afford a taxi or can’t arrange a lift?

Because, life. If I want to do something and can’t arrange/afford to do it, I have to miss out.

Awww. Are you telling me that I can’t live like one of the idle rich just because I have to work to support myself?

Life truely isn’t fair. I want to be born again, but to really really rich parents next time.

If you are born again then you will be compelled to go to church and the cycle repeats ’cause there’s no effing busses…

astrojax said :

i read the title and thought i’d find out where to go pray and sing hymns…

If you’re really truly serious, Aunty Poetix can make some suggestions.

i read the title and thought i’d find out where to go pray and sing hymns…

ceejbee said :

poetix said :

DrKoresh said :

Holditz said :

I remember when there was no buses on Good Friday and Christmas Day.

Having said that I’m not happy that Saturday is listed as a public holiday- I am going to Curtin for Easter Vigil, because it’s on at 6pm (instead of 7:30pm), so getting home will have to be a taxi ride now.

Or you could just skip it, I’m sure Jesus won’t mind, probably got more important things to worry about.

Jesus is not going to throw a tanty if people don’t go, but it’s a thing many people want to do. Why should they have to skip it if they can’t afford a taxi or can’t arrange a lift?

Because, life. If I want to do something and can’t arrange/afford to do it, I have to miss out.

Awww. Are you telling me that I can’t live like one of the idle rich just because I have to work to support myself?

Life truely isn’t fair. I want to be born again, but to really really rich parents next time.

poetix said :

DrKoresh said :

Holditz said :

I remember when there was no buses on Good Friday and Christmas Day.

Having said that I’m not happy that Saturday is listed as a public holiday- I am going to Curtin for Easter Vigil, because it’s on at 6pm (instead of 7:30pm), so getting home will have to be a taxi ride now.

Or you could just skip it, I’m sure Jesus won’t mind, probably got more important things to worry about.

Jesus is not going to throw a tanty if people don’t go, but it’s a thing many people want to do. Why should they have to skip it if they can’t afford a taxi or can’t arrange a lift?

Because, life. If I want to do something and can’t arrange/afford to do it, I have to miss out.

DrKoresh said :

Holditz said :

I remember when there was no buses on Good Friday and Christmas Day.

Having said that I’m not happy that Saturday is listed as a public holiday- I am going to Curtin for Easter Vigil, because it’s on at 6pm (instead of 7:30pm), so getting home will have to be a taxi ride now.

Or you could just skip it, I’m sure Jesus won’t mind, probably got more important things to worry about.

Jesus is not going to throw a tanty if people don’t go, but it’s a thing many people want to do. Why should they have to skip it if they can’t afford a taxi or can’t arrange a lift?

DrKoresh said :

Or you could just skip it, I’m sure Jesus won’t mind, probably got more important things to worry about.

Haven’t been here for a few days but I guess Harmony Day is over?

Mr Evil said :

Oh goodie, a thread about Easter services that has turned into a bus driver bashing thread for a change…..

etc.

And then there was this cyclist who insisted on riding in bus lanes. The

To the people defending the s***ty weekend timetable, fair enough, it doesn’t make much sense to have full frequency buses running when they’re mostly empty. But one of the biggest problems with the public holiday timetable is that buses stop running altogether at 7pm, stupidly early. Can we split the difference and keep the same measly ‘one bus per hour’ but have the service running until a reasonable hour?

I don’t quite know how ACTION manages to be so crappy in so many areas, it’s like they compiled a list of what everyone wants out of their public transport system and said “Right, now let’s not do any of this stuff”.

Holditz said :

I remember when there was no buses on Good Friday and Christmas Day.

Having said that I’m not happy that Saturday is listed as a public holiday- I am going to Curtin for Easter Vigil, because it’s on at 6pm (instead of 7:30pm), so getting home will have to be a taxi ride now.

Or you could just skip it, I’m sure Jesus won’t mind, probably got more important things to worry about.

I remember when there was no buses on Good Friday and Christmas Day.

Having said that I’m not happy that Saturday is listed as a public holiday- I am going to Curtin for Easter Vigil, because it’s on at 6pm (instead of 7:30pm), so getting home will have to be a taxi ride now.

I saw the “malingering thugs” in the summary on the right, and let loose most of my mouthful of beer! That is priceless. Now to read the entire thread.

I wonder whether the people whinging about bus drivers wanting public holidays too are the ones that tell them to “shut up and take what you’re given” when EBA negotiations begin and they expect to be paid for it?

And how’s the hypocrisy? Most bus-related articles on this site are criticising them for constantly being empty. I drive Gungahlin Drive and Parkes Way every day – it’s clear from this that not many people in this town are catching buses!

And yet we expect a full roster for the 5 people that want to catch them to celebrate the public holiday that drivers apparently aren’t entitled to?

Whingers everywhere…

Oh ffs get real. Yes, some people still have to get to work over Easter, and of those people who still have to get to work, some of them would have no option but a bus, and the timetable this weekend will probably be inconvenient for them.

What’s the alternative though? Run normal timetables, and watch empty buses trundling around our streets? Because this is Canberra, and half the frickin’ town won’t be here! Honestly, the public service will be shut down (and effectively shut down on Thursday and next Tuesday), and even the buses that do run will be practically empty.

This service runs at a loss as it is, propped up by the government that we fund – so the solution is to waste even more money by running more empty buses to appease the minority who still need the service over the Easter long weekend?

If you need to work over Easter, there are still plenty of options. Walk. Bike. Drive. Get a lift. Get a taxi. Get the bus that best fits your start time, even if it means you’ll be early.

How the hell did we get to a stage where not wasting money by running regular services for next to no patrons is somehow the drivers fault?

Alderney said :

It’s not about, ‘are they not entitled to spend time with their families too’. Bloody hell, get over yourselves.

+ 1 million
How will all the nurses get to work on Sunday timetable for 4 days while the bus drivers are spending time with their families? Imagine if all the obstetricians, cardiac surgeons, firefighters, police etc etc etc decided that they were entitled to spend time with their families for 4 days. There should be MORE buses on Sunday and public holidays so the children in this town can get around (possibly to their weekend jobs). I love the future planning for Canberra being discussed on the other thread but without decent public transport it won’t get the use it deserves.

Oh goodie, a thread about Easter services that has turned into a bus driver bashing thread for a change…..

I recall a friend of mine who was bus driving back in the 1990s saying to me that some of his co-workers didn’t do very much to give ACTION a good reputation, by their distinct lack of customer relations finess – and because of this, they would be much better off driving large trucks back and forth along the Hume Hwy for a living.

Mind you, for all the bad ACTION drivers I’ve met – there has to be at least 30 times that number of bad ACTION patrons – like the mouthy ones who expect a free ride because they’ve spent all their pay/welfare money on booze or whatever else; the ones who stand at a bus stop for ten minutes – then when they board they start fumbling around in their wallet, handbag, pockets or purse to find change or their bus MyWay card, which then holds everyone up; the ones who loudly have a discussion on their mobile about whatever crap they wish to share with the world; etc, etc.

– The malingering thugs known as Bus drivers will be working a leisurely Sunday schedule for all four days of Easter so bad luck if you don’t have a car and wanted to see family.

Wait, wait, wait…. That’s assuming the buses don’t break down first – we are talking about ACTION here people!

DrKoresh said :

My favourite are the drivers who take offence at having to count out change, and act like accepting a $5 note is an onerous favour. I’ve ceased looking sheepish and apologetic whenever I need to use a 5 or a 10 on the bus, it doesn’t seem to mitigate the rage it causes the drivers.

I think that as a government service they have to accept whatever legal tender is provided, but if someone knows better I’d greatly appreciate any clarification.

I know that in Sydney they have made some buses pre-paid only and at certain bus stops during the peak periods every bus caught from those stops are pre-paid only too.

I think the people who perform certain employment roles just have to accept that they have to work outside the 9 – 5, Monday – Friday ‘norm’.

You can’t, for example, decide to drive buses and then whinge that you need to get to work before everyone and leave later than everyone, or because you work split-shifts. If you worked 9 – 5 how are the 9 – 5 workers going to get to work?

Same with nurses, doctors, retail staff, hospitality workers etc.

He’s a tip, if your place of work is open outside of ‘normal office hours’, you’ll most likely be asked to work ‘outside normal office hours’.

If you don’t like the hours you work you are always welcome to go and get a job somewhere the hours are more to your pleasing.

It’s not about, ‘are they not entitled to spend time with their families too’. Bloody hell, get over yourselves. Sometimes you just have to accept that you work ‘outside the norm’. Many I know who do work ‘outside the norm’ do it just for that reason, or because they like what they do so much that they are prepared to put up with the occasional downside like weekend or public holiday work.

Imagine a chef refusing to work nights or weekends. He wouldn’t last long in the game.

My favourite are the drivers who take offence at having to count out change, and act like accepting a $5 note is an onerous favour. I’ve ceased looking sheepish and apologetic whenever I need to use a 5 or a 10 on the bus, it doesn’t seem to mitigate the rage it causes the drivers.

I think that as a government service they have to accept whatever legal tender is provided, but if someone knows better I’d greatly appreciate any clarification.

RadioVK said :

MrMagoo said :

And that’s of course if they can find drivers who want to work. Afterall working on the weekend is apparently up to the drivers. There’s no roster as such, the goodwil (excuse me) of the drivers wanting to work weekends then determines if there are buses. Surely as these people of the employ of the Government, then they are subject to some sort of rostering on the weekends as well. Its small wonder the bus service is what it is when the drivers have so much say in weekend services.

Bus drivers can behave like a bunch of spoiled children sometimes.

I knew of one particular bus driver who refused to drive any bus save one in particular that he considered to be “his” bus. I was working at the depot at the time when “his” bus was taken off the road for essential maintenance. When he found out that he had been assigned another bus, he outright refused to drive it, and when he was told that there was no possibility of him getting “his” bus for the shift, he packed up his kit and went home. The result was that the service was cancelled and, no doubt passengers were left sitting at bus stops. To my knowledge he never faced any diciplinary consequences for basically refusing to do his job.

Then there was the fact that at one stage several of the terminus amenities blocks had to be left permanently locked, as they were being constantly vandalised. By the drivers.

Then there was the TV that was bodily pulled off the wall in Belconnen depot. Or the driver that used to cut the buttons off the front of the 2 way radio in the bus so he didn’t have to answer messages.

I’m sure most of the bus drivers are really nice blokes, but there is (or at least used to be) a small group of senior drivers who saw ACTION as owing them something. Basically, it was the drivers who were the ones running ACTION.

Or the driver who insisted on driving in cycle lanes…oh wait, that’s my bus driver everyday right now.

I bet all the doctors, nurses, firies, cops, etc wish they could go to “Sunday timetable” for the whole weekend.

Just to clarify, these incidents are from quite a few years ago. The culture at ACTION may have changed substantially since. Maybe…

MrMagoo said :

And that’s of course if they can find drivers who want to work. Afterall working on the weekend is apparently up to the drivers. There’s no roster as such, the goodwil (excuse me) of the drivers wanting to work weekends then determines if there are buses. Surely as these people of the employ of the Government, then they are subject to some sort of rostering on the weekends as well. Its small wonder the bus service is what it is when the drivers have so much say in weekend services.

Bus drivers can behave like a bunch of spoiled children sometimes.

I knew of one particular bus driver who refused to drive any bus save one in particular that he considered to be “his” bus. I was working at the depot at the time when “his” bus was taken off the road for essential maintenance. When he found out that he had been assigned another bus, he outright refused to drive it, and when he was told that there was no possibility of him getting “his” bus for the shift, he packed up his kit and went home. The result was that the service was cancelled and, no doubt passengers were left sitting at bus stops. To my knowledge he never faced any diciplinary consequences for basically refusing to do his job.

Then there was the fact that at one stage several of the terminus amenities blocks had to be left permanently locked, as they were being constantly vandalised. By the drivers.

Then there was the TV that was bodily pulled off the wall in Belconnen depot. Or the driver that used to cut the buttons off the front of the 2 way radio in the bus so he didn’t have to answer messages.

I’m sure most of the bus drivers are really nice blokes, but there is (or at least used to be) a small group of senior drivers who saw ACTION as owing them something. Basically, it was the drivers who were the ones running ACTION.

Bus….

Bust drivers need Easter too you know!

I think it is perfectly relevant to question the fact that public transport has not changed with the times and still continues to operate on a Sunday timetable. More people than ever work on public holidays (obviously excepting those where businesses are not allowed to open – from memory Easter Sunday and part of Anzac Day?).

Surely the Sunday timetable is dated and needs to reflect maybe a slightly modified service that helps people still get to work at an appropriate time.

As for malingering thugs…maybe a bit harsh. But still gave me a giggle.

So bus drivers are now not able to spend time with family and friends on these days?? My brother is a bus driver with a young Family, he works weekends for overtime, driving over 80 hours some weeks.

We are having family lunch Saturday (as our 92 year old Grandmother will be here) and he will not be there as he will be driving a bus with whiny people who complain that he is 2 mins late/early.

Hope you all enjoy your family this Easter (i’ll also point out that my husband is in Defence and works weekends/holidays/Christmas/Easter and I a nurse who is on call in these periods)

Ben_Dover said :

– The malingering thugs known as Bus drivers will be working a leisurely Sunday schedule for all four days of Easter so bad luck if you don’t have a car and wanted to see family.

Would you like some cheese with that whine?

+1

– The malingering thugs known as Bus drivers will be working a leisurely Sunday schedule for all four days of Easter so bad luck if you don’t have a car and wanted to see family.

Would you like some cheese with that whine?

Let me get this straight, Friday, Saturday and Monday are all public holidays, so ACTION operates to their public holiday timetable on Friday, Saturday and Monday and this is proof that bus drivers are “malingering thugs”. Can’t see the connection myself.

(To avoid the inevitable question, Easter Saturday IS a public holiday. http://www.cmd.act.gov.au/communication/holidays )

And that’s of course if they can find drivers who want to work. Afterall working on the weekend is apparently up to the drivers. There’s no roster as such, the goodwil (excuse me) of the drivers wanting to work weekends then determines if there are buses. Surely as these people of the employ of the Government, then they are subject to some sort of rostering on the weekends as well. Its small wonder the bus service is what it is when the drivers have so much say in weekend services.