Ventura should have..

[Sidey44]

Well I got my letter from Ventura........no luck!
When asked about my driving record I handed the Vicroads form over with its terrible amount of loss of licence efforts...Oh well not ta worry
I was quizzed on why there were a few,my reply was they are all m/cycle related.....last in 2004 when roadbikes were sold.Yep Im a self confessed adrenaline junkie hence why the sidecars are now fullfilling that void
Anyways I still gave it a shot and am still smiling as I sort of expected my past to be an Achilles hell somewhat.

Mind you I will not give up.....well ok at least with Ventura but there is plenty more to give a call.

[Andrew]

Did Ventura give any indiciation of a time period after which past indiscretions will not haunt you?

I have 3 speeding offences, each 3 demerit points on my licence in the past on my record but it hasnt stopped me gaining employment with 2 heavy vehicle operators. Admitedly, I had no demerit points at the time of application to both places and when questioned by one, I was able to give an honest answer that I lived in a rural area where going faster meant getting to places faster! I don't follow that rule in the city. In the city, I can only go as fast as the car in front.

[Sidey44]

No they didnt,but as you havnt had a loss of licence offence you should be far better placed than what I was.
Back in 92 I was clocked at 197 in a 100 zone.....on my backwheel that one I paid dearly for,the rest are the usual 1 month for a total brainlapse which occurred way too frequently.
None the less live and learn...

[MiniNut]

Sorry to hear that mate. Considering I just went and got my bike Ls yesterday too. 197km/hr mono?? Hells bells. I'm flat out just staying upright at low speed he he he.. no monos in my future, that's for sure.

[vx255]

The funny thing.. is besides the new Bini... BMW started from the same pedigree as a Mini. All started with the 1924 Austin 7 LOL

Did they share the same wiring company? The Prince of Darkness.. Lucas. So I can claim to be able to properly drive a Leyland.. just don't need to specify it's not a Tiger

Ah Peter. Do you miss it?

ah Lucas electrics, the 3 positions on the light switch. off, flicker and dull.

regards Eddie.

[MiniNut]

HA HA HA... too true.

The inventor of the intermittent windscreen wiper. Didn't invent electricity, but invented the short circuit LOL

[Sidey44]

Sorry to hear that mate. Considering I just went and got my bike Ls yesterday too. 197km/hr mono?? Hells bells. I'm flat out just staying upright at low speed he he he.. no monos in my future, that's for sure.

All good,the things we do when were young,dumb and full of come......
Got another interview but doing steel fab again,not driving......may have to lay of the m/cycle for some time to let the licence regain full health

[Denning-6V71]

HA HA HA... too true.

The inventor of the intermittent windscreen wiper. Didn't invent electricity, but invented the short circuit LOL

He had intended it to be a constantly working windscreen wiper...

[MiniNut]

One would think though an offence committed around 7 years ago would be starting to drop off by now. Hell, after seven years as I understand it, someone who declared bankruptcy gets a clean slate.

Well, got the Police Check yesterday, so it's to VicRoads today to get the endorsement, drop the paperwork off to Fitzroy and I'm all set for an 8am start on Tuesday. Can't wait
What's the go with the induction? What happens once I start?

And just a final one on Lucas.. someone stuck their head into a Land Rover one day and asked the owner what all the switches were for. The owner replied, "No idea mate. None of them work" .. boom boom

[vx255]

Bring your own pen and coffee cup!

Rgds Eddie

[MiniNut]

Concise words of wisdom from Eddie.

Bus driving can be boiled down to those two elements. Bring your own pen and coffee cup. bwahahahahaha!!! Sorry.. couldn't resist. All I could think of reading your reply Eddie, was Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy. As long as you know where your towel is

[vx255]

I guess you were looking for more info.

for me it was. very loosely based.

day 1
paperwork and a drive to mornington.

day 2
paperwork and a drive to a circuit around oakleigh, then around windemere Dec in knoxfield, then a bit around doncaster.

day 3
late start, 4pm I think, take a bubble bus to mordialloc at night, and via boxhill terminus on the return. do Tim training iirc

day 4
fart around, paperwork, reverse buses, and leave early.

day 5
day at your depot, they may skip this if you're starting Tuesday.

that's what I remember anyway, may have changed.

regards Eddie.

[MiniNut]

Glad you took it in good humour Eddie, just as it was intended

Thanks for that. Just what I was after. Cheers

The bloke I spoke to at Knox said there were the two shifts, AM and PM plus then relief driving. He explained the AM shifts were the popular ones and were given out by seniority. Then he said most then wanted to be relief drivers. And finally, PM shifts which he said I could be allocated one pretty much straight away. I'm thinking just do my time on the PM shift until I get given an AM one.
What hours etc can I expect on a PM shift? I got to see an AM roster, but not a PM one.

[vx255]

I'll send you a PM when I get home and fill you in as best I can, but in a nutshell, am pays more as you do more hours, pm has a couple of vacancies, relief is ok if you have a limited social life, and relief is basically the waiting list for am shift.

Rgds Eddie

[MiniNut]

That'd be great Eddie. I assumed either doing PM or relief would be doing the time.. and doing PM would be looked at a bit more favourably as I've played ball, taking the not so popular shift. I'm ready to do it, if it helps me down the track

[vx255]

That'd be great Eddie. I assumed either doing PM or relief would be doing the time.. and doing PM would be looked at a bit more favourably as I've played ball, taking the not so popular shift. I'm ready to do it, if it helps me down the track

Not really when you think about it, on relief you're doing AM and PM shifts as required anyway, you are there filling in for annual leaves, shortages etc, so taking a PM shift to "wait it out" is not doing them any favours as you are no longer flexible.

I like the PM shift, but family life means days are better suited to me.

[vx255]

I should add, these are just my observations and my opinions are no way endorsed by my employer.

[scott]

How are you going Mininut? How is you first days at Ventura going?, driven any nice buses?

[MiniNut]

Hi hi..

Having a blast. For those who are curious about the way it works.

The trainers are brilliant. Great attitudes.

Tuesday, we did a trip to Mornington and back. And then we did some driving through round-a-bouts etc. Just to prove we could.
Wednesday.. we did written tests and then out for driving. Simple drives out to Knox and then we went on the tightest streets, filled with more round-a-bouts, and tight corners. And then after lunch we were taken to another course, narrow roads and lots of chicanes (sp?) to negotiate.
For a truck driver, it's been hard and we're all doing ok, laughing at each other's stuff ups.
Mine today was going around a very tight round-a-bout.. and being so relieved that I made it without mounting the gutter that the very next corner, I .. yes.. you guessed it.. put a wheel on the gutter on a simple corner LOL.

We've had bins hit, a side mirror hit and a few gutter hits. Out of 5 trainees, only one has had previous bus driving experience.. so I think we're doing a good job.

At the end of the day though, I can't wait to get in amongst it.

[busdriver12]

For someone who has driven trucks, probably the thing you need to get your head around is the steerers being behind you rather than underneath you. Once you use the techniques to negotiate hazards (SVC) unique to buses, it all comes with a bit of experience.

Enjoy!

[MiniNut]

Alrighty. First week down. 8am start at Knox, Monday morning.

Just out of curiousity.. can anyone tell me the route numbers that Knox looks after?

Cheers
Craig

[vx255]

732 734 735 736 737 738 740 745 753 754 755 757 758 plus about 30 school runs. Probably others but too busy scoffing dinner to think.

Rgds Eddie

[MiniNut]

Thanks Eddie. I can start doing a bit of studying

Enjoy dinner and see you soonish

[vx255]

oh and the 742, don't know how I forgot that one, I'm doing it now.

[Mercedes]

Eddy your slipping mate. Perhaps its all those extra shifts you have been covering for us... :p