Anyone else on "Lost" bus last Friday?

[Kimber1963]

Just wondering if any other dissers were on the "lost" bus from MK to POP after MNSSHP last Friday, 9/22? We had a new driver and she took us to Boardwalk, had to back up to get turned around, then she took us to All-Stars, and then finally to POP. It was a nightmare. The bus was jammed pack and it took over an hour to reach POP. Everyone was pretty good-natured about it, but it was frustrating.

 

[sixcats]

I think they need to give new drivers more training. In August we were on a ME bus from MCO. When he pulled up at FW outpost, he announced Wilderness Lodge. Luckily no one fell for it at close to midnight. I gave him directions to the Lodge.

 

[deltachi8]

I think they need to give new drivers more training. In August we were on a ME bus from MCO. When he pulled up at FW outpost, he announced Wilderness Lodge. Luckily no one fell for it at close to midnight. I gave him directions to the Lodge.

Remebre though, ME is operated by Mears.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Just wondering if any other dissers were on the "lost" bus from MK to POP after MNSSHP last Friday, 9/22? We had a new driver and she took us to Boardwalk, had to back up to get turned around, then she took us to All-Stars, and then finally to POP. It was a nightmare. The bus was jammed pack and it took over an hour to reach POP. Everyone was pretty good-natured about it, but it was frustrating.

I can understand how frustrating it must have been. But thankfully, folks were good natured. Property can be very confusing at night, and drivers can get flustered when they make a wrong turn -- especially if people start to notice. Things spiral downhill after that.

 

[PrincessJasmine08]

One time I was on a bus that got lost going to Downtown Disney. It ended up taking us 45 minutes to get there from Port Orleans Riverside and we got a full tour of the non-Disney hotels in the area. Why don't the drivers just call dispatch?

 

[ztbz]

Unfortunately the Training dept has been cut back in the last few years, I believe that a new driver coming into the Bus Department will only receive about 3 weeks of training which includes learning how to drive a bus for the first time which takes about 1 week plus DOT training. That leaves about 2 weeks to learn the Walt Disney World property both On-stage and Backstage bus routes. There are by my guess over 100 routes to learn in 5 work hubs or areas. For instance there are routes for Magic on Demand in the Morning then there are routes in the afternoon and routes for Nighttime for the closing of the parks and Downtown Disney routes.

It didn’t use to not be this way, but Disney wanted to cut corners using the MOD and Flex dispatching system. In the old days about 5-7 years ago, we had bus routes which would stay on the same route all day long, there would be 3 to 4 buses for each route, it made it easy for new drivers to learn the WDW property after doing the same route over and over again you would learn the routes pretty quickly, but now with the current Dispatching system we usually don’t do the same route twice in a row any more so its no wonder why some drivers get lost and many guest may even know the Disney property better than some of the bus drivers do.


Finally I’ll share a story that I heard in the Bus Dept a while back. A new bus driver had gotten lost and ended up OFF Disney property and pulled into a local restaurant where another bus driver who was off duty was just leaving with his wife after having dinner at the restaurant. The off duty bus driver went over to ask the driver if he/she needed help, the lost driver said yes as he/she was frustrated and could not figure out how to get to the resort that the bus load of guest where going too. So the Off duty driver ended up driving the bus back to Disney and got the guest to their resort, the lost driver decided to quit that night and after having rode back in the car with the wife of the off-duty driver who was following the bus.


Also even though I been at Disney for few dozen years I sometimes I’ll forget the route that I am suppose to be running and may go into a resort that I did earler in the day, but usually I go Opp’s and quickly and safely as possible make the needed correction to get to the right resort, this is also cause by the MOD or Flex system as sometimes you don’t know what direction you are going when you get a Dispatch.

 

[Luvamouse]

My cousin's family drove to WDW on September 30 and her DBIL and his family flew in. They got on a ME bus for the Beach and Yacht Club at 9- 10:30 p.m. give or take. Driver takes them to CBR and insists they get off. As some tried to get off, DBIL informed them this was not BC. After a several minute discussion, driver goes in and comes out with directions to the BC. Drives into BC, fails to negotiate big poles (not sure exactly what poles) and hits several with side of bus. Kids crying, all freaked out. Can't speak for all on bus, but they never heard a single word from Disney on this. I for one wouldn't be happy.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

I could be mistaken, but I believe that would actually be a Mears issue, and not a Disney one... However, as long as there were no injuries reported, then I really don't see why Mears would contact them.

 

[manning]

Makes a good argument for adding GPS to the NEXTEL phones.

 

[TheWog]

Sounds like better signage could be put up as well.

 

[Luvamouse]

I could be mistaken, but I believe that would actually be a Mears issue, and not a Disney one... However, as long as there were no injuries reported, then I really don't see why Mears would contact them.

My opinion there (and that of at least several people actually on the bus) was that it was Disney's ME. I totally understand when you say it is Mears, but do most people arriving on the Disney ME know that? I would say that an actual accident after all the delays caused by the driver's lack of knowledge (and I hadn't previously mentioned a serious language barrier also) would at least call for some kind of apology. That's just my thought. If I had been on that bus, I'd have been all over Disney because that is who (in my eyes) provides the transportation. They sub it out to Mears, but it is under Disney's name. Not trying to start an arguement, just caught the 'Lost' bus thing and since I hadn't found a single mention of this on the DIS, thought I'd mention it. Now the GPS (I use it when I travel on my Verizon phone) is worth a million bucks to me!

 

[ztbz]

Makes a good argument for adding GPS to the NEXTEL phones.

Disney Nextel radios have GPS in them now; also the new system (if Disney ever can get it to work) will have GPS and two Cameras on/inside the Bus.

For those that staying at the All Star Resorts you may have notice the New Cameras that are in the Bus Load Zones. I believe there also Cameras installed at Pop Century resort and they are monitor by bus transportation management as well as Disney security.

As far as when the whole system will be going up, the latest estimate is Jan or Feb 2007. All of the Gillig Buses and many of the Nova buses have the Driver’s Monitor installed (This is the little square control box next to the driver). The system will change the signs on the bus, play a New audio spiel (much like what the Monorails do), Count guest as the get on or off the bus, and assign the driver a route to run etc.The problem Disney has been having is there are a lot of technical bugs in the system that have to be work out.

Also Disney is still short on Bus Driver Cast Members (about 175 drivers short) as the Transportation industry have become competitive for employers such as Mears, Lynx and Public Schools all need Bus Drivers, the problem is Disney is paying below what the other before mention companies or counties are paying right now.

 

[Costumesaremylife]

I was on a bus last may, that was supposed to go from the Magic Kingdom to Pop. Well it did get there, but it took over an hour and we went on the highway. We were not on Disney Property and we actually passed the Dolly Parton horseshoe stampede place. I was a little nervous when I saw the highway, the driver never said a word. I didn't say anything, I can't find my way out of boston half the time so I figured it was a newbie driver

 

[PrincessJasmine08]

I have been on 2 lost buses, the one I mentioned in my previous post from Port Orleans to DTD and then Magical Express from Old Key West to the airport. What I don't understand, and what I am hearing from others' stories as well is why the drivers don't explain what is going on. If they said to the passengers in a calm rational tone that they needed to contact dispatch to make sure they were going to right way and ensured them that they would get them to _______ as quickly as possible I bet people would feel a lot better. I know I for one would. Driving around Orlando on a bus that you know is lost while the driver sits in silence is upsetting. Having the driver explain what was going on would be far superior in my opinion.