I found myself talking a lot recently about the irregularity of the bus service I travel on. You can’t blame the bus, that’s only a machine but is it fair to vent our anger on the bus driver? Is it really his fault that we had to stand in the cold and that we’re late for work?

Instead of complaining, why not just for today, give the bus driver a break. Be nice to them. They have a tough job weaving in and out of all that traffic and think of all the blank faces they have to stare at day in and day out. Let’s honour them this very day because let’s be honest– driving today is no busman’s holiday.

I rang Donnybrook Garage to find out more about the work of our bus drivers and spoke to Billy Fleming, pictured right, a very witty, friendly no-nonsense bus driver.

How long have you been a bus driver?
Fourteen very enjoyable years.

What is your usual shift like?
No such thing as a usual shift. I could be out on the road as early as 6.15. On another shift I might not get home until after midnight (weekends and Bank Holidays inclusive). Shift work doesn’t appeal to everybody. I have to say, I like it. It means I get to see my family at different times of the day.

What did you have to do to become a bus driver?
At the time I applied to be a bus driver, one of the main requirements was the ability to count. In those more laid-back days, we adopted the ‘return change’ system. Aside from that, we had to undergo an aptitude test, driving instructions, driving test and a further six-week course before we could be sent out onto the road.

What in the name of St. Christopher possessed you to become a bus driver?
As a boy I used to take the bus from Glasnevin. I loved buses then and would often converse with the drivers and conductors. From that I became an apprentice bus mechanic. When a driving opportunity arose, I jumped at it. By then I had been used to shift work in my mechanical job, so it was a natural transition for me career-wise.

I bet you’re the only people who don’t say “Thank Crunchy, it’s Friday.” Am I right?
Yes. Friday evening traffic can be a nightmare but I do have to say bus drivers do have an advantage over car users. We have height. When I’m sitting in a heavy flow of traffic, and am able to see what’s causing the hold up in front, it’s less frustrating.

Given the extent of change in traffic in recent years, have you any ideas what could be done to help Operation Free-flow?
First and foremost, the Government need to get on the ‘ground’ more. It’s all very well having degrees and big intellectual ideas, but if they don’t work on a practical level, further chaos will ensue. (Seamus Brennan and his signpost debacle is a case in point). Recently, when the Port Tunnel was closed down due to technical problems, the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern passed me in his chauffer-driven car, safely escorted through the traffic chaos. I couldn’t help feeling for the ordinary people trying to get to their work.

Traffic wardens should be put back on the streets. What would really help is if we had an enforcement officer, who travelled on buses, and who was able to hop off and slap a parking ticket on any obstructing vehicle. That would seem the practical route to go and would certainly go a long way to easing traffic-flow problems.

Is there any rivalry between bus drivers and taxi drivers?
I feel for the taxi drivers. There are currently 14,000 taxis on the city roads. The competition is way too high. Those who thought it a good idea to dole out taxi plates willy-nilly, failed to allocate extra ‘rank’ space. Part of the city traffic blockage is due to taxi drivers not having enough pick up/ drop off space.

How do you find drivers in general?
Standards in driving are not very high. But it’s not all down to the drivers themselves. Because the transport administration changes routes and sign postings so frequently, drivers are becoming confused. This speed of change is too much for any driver trying to make their way across a fast-developing city.

How do you deal with aggressive passengers?
Thankfully, I’ve had very few incidents of aggressive behaviour or fare evasion on my bus driving shift. I believe there are ways to prevent potential conflict. For instance, one’s demeanour is important. Letting the passengers know who’s in charge before they board the bus goes some way to ensuring peace and harmony. This can be a simple exercise in psychology like sitting upright in the driver’s seat which means you’re exuding a certain element of confidence and control.

Now that Dublin has become a multi-racial city, do you find the language barrier frustrating?
On the contrary, I would go as far to say that foreign people make life easier for us. Because they come from larger cities, they are well used to travelling. They know where they want to go and always have their fare ready before they get on the bus. They could teach the Irish a few things about swift travelling.

What effect did the tragic accident on Wellington quay have on bus drivers?
The one thought that would have raced through all our minds was that could have been any of us at anytime. Dublin Bus has had very few incidents in the recent past so Wellington Quay was a huge blow to everybody involved. It is impossible to eliminate tragedy completely but there are ways of reducing it. For instance, there have been a few traffic incidents on O’Connell St since its refurbishment. The general consensus is that the newly-developed street is actually causing confusion for both drivers and pedestrians. There should be no confusion regarding traffic and pedestrian lanes.

If you were to ask anything of the public, what would it be?
All I ask is that the public remember that behind that pane of glass, is a person. We don’t eat or sleep on the bus, we do have a life and most of all we do have feelings. If the bus is late, it’s not our doing. Often times, that bus has been taken off the road because last night some hooligan decided to put a brick through its window. So next time, the bus isn’t on time, it may well be that it’s in the garage getting fixed. One other thing. Please have your fare ready when you get on the bus. We’ll get there much quicker.

What kind of things do people leave behind them on buses?
Well thankfully nobody’s ever left their baby on the bus. Nor have I ever come across a wig or a prosthetic leg lying on the back seat. Though, a few times at the end of a shift, I have found abandoned crutches on the bus, which would lead me to think that a miraculous session of healing took place while I was at the wheel. But nothing beats the reward felt when you hand back a relieved passenger their lost wallet or house keys.

What does a bus man do on his holiday?
Bus driving is much more than a job to me. It’s a way of life. When I’m off, I like to travel to London with my other driver pals and watch the ‘Route Master’ (the old mode of English transport where bus conductors were still in operation and the public could hop on and off the red buses). Only two of these routes still exist.

Thanks to Billy, Agnes, Donnybrook Garage and all the bus drivers the length and breadth of the country. Go n-éirigh and bóthar leat.