The following is an extract from an article I found about the first driverless bus service
taking paying passengers across the Forth Road Bridge.
The vehicles have two members of staff – a safety driver who can take control of the vehicle
and a “captain” to sell tickets and provide customer service.
A fleet of five Alexander Dennis Enviro200AV buses will cover a 14-mile route, in mixed
traffic, at up to 50mph across the bridge.
While buses generally have just one driver, the captain is on board to demonstrate what a
full-size autonomous bus may feel like in the future when the buses can operate
with one member of staff who can leave the cab as the computer drives.
The bus company has said, “I would say to anyone who is a bit cautious about using the vehicle not to be, there is a full safety case that has been worked through, and the vehicle has been certified as safe for public use.” The buses have completed one million testing miles so far.
Now forgive me for pointing out what appears to be the bleeding obvious but, in trials the bus needs a safety driver and a captain although in the future the safety driver will be able to leave the driving seat and come round and collect fares. I have to admit I am trying hard to see the merit of the driver not being at the controls of the bus as it still requires him to come round and collect the fares, so I’m wondering why he couldn’t sit at the controls and take the fares as they do in a conventional bus, this would also have the added safety feature of having someone at the controls should the bus attempt to plunge from the bridge into the icy waters below.
I must say this has reminded me of the old joke…….
I want to die in my sleep, like my dear old dad.
Not like the passengers on his bus, all crying and screaming in fear of their lives!
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About The Diary of a Country Bumpkin
I am a retired actor, although to be honest I only retired because I wasn't getting any work due to losing my agent when I became a full time carer to my mother who had dementia. and the option of becoming an unemployed actor/waiter at my age was ludicrous, especially as my waiting skills are non-existent.
Having said I’m retired, I don’t think there really is such a thing as a retired actor for I am still available for work, I just don’t have an agent or any connections with regards to obtaining any worthwhile work.
I have over the years done student films when there is nothing else available, always low paid (if at all) the only incentive was always the promised copy of the finished film for your show reel which nine times out of ten always failed to materialise.
I spent many years looking after my aged mother and shortly after her death I was lucky enough to run into an ex-girlfriend of many years ago and our romance blossomed once again, resulting in us getting married in 2013.
My move to the countryside inspired me to write The Diary of a Country Bumpkin which tells of my continuing dilemmas in dealing with the rigors of the countryside from the unexpectedly large number of pollens, fungal moulds and hay products waiting to attack the unsuspecting townie.
I enjoy writing, see my play Dulce Et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori on The Wireless Theatre Company, The Plays Wot I Wrote and The Battle of Barking Creek both available on Amazon.co.uk and am very fond of classic cars so my ideal occupation would be acting in a film I had written set in the 1930s/40s, we live in hopes.
I am delighted to say that since venturing to the countryside where space is not quite the premium it is in town, I have due to the availability of two double garages acquired more classic cars to form a small collection the pride of which are a 1947 Bentley Mk VI and a 2000 Bentley Arnage.
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The Diary of a Country Bumpkin 
I’ll give that one a miss!
Me too.
Right? What is the point of paying a potential driver who isn’t actually going to be driving? No thanks!
Good point but I would hazard a guess it’s a sneaky way of getting round to having no-one on the bus except the computer and anyone brave or silly enough to get on.