I live in Germany. The busses on the public bus line, which drove me to school back then, were so full, you couldn't move a centimeter. There were around double the persons allowed by law in the bus. So seeing this bus is considered "full" made me laugh quite a bit.
I saw this in a movie about a bus that had to SPEED around a city, keeping its SPEED over fifty, and if its SPEED dropped, it would explode! I think it was called, 'The Bus That Couldn't Slow Down.'"
What the 18 needs is an express version of the route similar to the superloop that can pick up and drop passengers directly to significant locations along the route allowing space to be made on the 18 for those who get on at less significant locations. A great example of this is the 140 and SL9. The express route could also be extended to Harrow if required.
Here in queensland the bus drivers can press a button which changes the destination screen to "Sorry, bus full". Interesting to see London hasn't done this
I think it was brushed over just how busy this bus route is. It's the busiest in London! And it runs very frequently, so small delays really add up. The easiest way to fix the current problem is to put in more dedicated bus lanes, or even build a tram!
as a bus driver sometimes some customers are stubborn to move down or upstairs therefore once that yellow line is crossed I ain’t stopping/ opening front door for safety reasons.
I used to live on this route. It’s pretty much a straight line from Euston to Sudbury with a curve at Harlesden. I found living in Europe that Bendy Buses worked better. But Johnson scrapped them all in London, where on some routes they could have been left in place.
Where I live, buses will always stop for you no matter what (unless driver doesn't see you or you are not waiting for that bus route), if the bus is full, you may stand. The only reason a bus that is supposed to stop wouldn't stop is if there's two of the same buses right next to each other, the first one may skip you to let the second one pick up the passengers, it's called leapfrogging but it is rare.
I lived in Kensal Green pre-covid, this brings back some memories. It used to be like this every morning. Glad someone's bringing attention to this issue for the residents there
I lived in London for 15 years and far too many people in London will stand downstairs like sardines on buses rather than looking for a seat upstairs, even where there are plenty empty. I don't see what the attraction is in standing downstairs.
In addition to this problem, the 18 is also notorious for bunching - when multiple buses come at once, and then some change their final destination mid-way and not going to the final stop! I have had to get off the bus for a few times for that reason, but by the time I got off the other 18 buses that are bunching together are already gone!!
If you have standing passengers , up to the legal maximum downstairs. And you then stop because you have room for several more passengers upstairs. When the new passengers board, but don’t want to go upstairs then you can’t move until this been sorted out.
Have the Passengers/MPs ever TRIED to get Passengers to use the seats or indeed go upstairs ? Believe me you ask them to use the Seats and they totally blank you . Concerning the seats upstairs -The Driver has a screen to see upstairs but the bigger issue is getting them to ACTUALLY go upstairs and use them. Concerning Bendy-Buses certain passengers used to crowd around the doors-usually theses were non fare payers in case an Inspector got on to check their tickets/oysters and Passengers with kids in pushchairs used to use them as ''a ram'' to push onto the buses.
Blaming the drivers for not stopping yet the idiots that use them just stay downstairs and stand when there are seats upstairs. Yes, the driver can initiate a pre-recorded "seats upstairs" announcement, but it's like the "let customers off the train first" one... the fact people still need to be told shows how badly society is going through devolution
