Go-Ahead Group Employee Reviews

Ok decent enough if you like bus driving, Management don't bother you too much but IBus here are useless and will stress you out. Trying to get days off is pointless.

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Challenging

Bus Driver (Current Employee) - Gateshead, Tyne and Wear - 8 September 2023

Really enjoy working at go ahead . It can be very demanding at times , with traffic and diversions. In general a very rewarding job . The main problem is you are on a reduced salary of £11 per hour for a year which is tough . A big turnover of drivers . You either take to it or not . There is a negative culture running through the company, instigated by the long term drivers .

Pros

Flexible shift pattern .

Cons

Late night, and weekend town runs .

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Insights into Go-Ahead Group

Based on 9 survey responses

What people like

Supportive environment
Clear sense of purpose

Areas for improvement

Ability to learn new things
Sense of belonging
Ability to meet personal goals

Just a bum on the seat

Bus Driver (Former Employee) - Croydon - 29 June 2023

Too many mates on the firm.If your face fits youll do the least work for the most hours paid.If it doesnt youll get all the rubbish.Some drivers have never ever done a weekend or late as their faces fit.The pay is worked out as such,the hourly rate takes into account earlies,lates and weekends.The manager and allocation favourites never do any of the lates and weekends and always earn the most!!! Not a great industry for people with families or good for your health.Sitting in same position for up to 9 hours a day.

Pros

Free travel

Cons

Long hours, weekend working almost every weekend.too many chiefs and not enough Indians as they say

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Fun place to work

PCV BUS DRIVER (Former Employee) - Beddington, Greater London - 6 June 2023

Fun place to work, very accommodating staff to your requests, great management, newer vehicles, great pay, and goo bus routes to drive, and fun friendly colleagues.

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Experience

PCV Bus Driver (Current Employee) - Southampton - 6 April 2023

Overall I like this job and I like the way management approach. Everyday is different in this kind of job and some days are easy and some days are hard but at the end of the day it's worth it

Pros

Free bus pass

Cons

Customers sometimes

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Just an average job

Bus Driver (Current Employee) - Sutton - 6 February 2023

Just an average job but company are more focussed on customers than employeesPoor management I found it very difficult to get time off for a funeral despite giving a months notice and following the company’s guidelines for asking for time off

Pros

Free travel

Cons

Long hours awful passengers ineffective management

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Best and well organised company in United Kingdom to work with.

Bus Driver (Former Employee) - Stockwell, Greater London - 29 November 2022

Best company to work with. Friendly staff and well organised management one of the incredible and excellent bus company and given full training everything the most important the driver should know.

Pros

Free training and travel pass.

Cons

Suitable hours

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Soul sucking job

PCV Bus Driver (Current Employee) - London - 18 July 2022

It's not just Go Ahead but all bus companies in general. You are a number and the general public are always in the right. Changing shift patterns tire the body out. By all means work here if you need to but work on your exit strategy from the get go or work on getting promoted at least.

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Terrible!

PCV Bus & Coach Driver (Former Employee) - High Wycombe - 1 July 2022

Worst job I’ve ever had. I left the whole industry after 1 year on the job. Terrible pay, hours & company to work for. Honestly, rather go & drive a van or dig graves, than get into bus driving for Go-Ahead.

Pros

Non

Cons

Every aspect of it.

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A very Apathetic environment with a huge turn over of staff

Driver (Current Employee) - Consett, Durham - 25 June 2022

Nobody seems interested in the slightest in staff morale or working conditions, you either lump it or leave, and many leave.Rotas are horrid and not familly friendly. If you want time off, it's not granted as they are so short of drivers they can't cover the work.

Pros

Minimal

Cons

Early and late shifts in the same week.

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Fun but sometimes very stressful

Bus Driver (Current Employee) - London - 24 May 2022

Job feels stressful at times. Drivers are never right in the eyes of management and are always blamed for any incident involving the public. With the work load I think drivers deserve better treatment.

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Takes a certain mindset to get through a shift

Bus Driver (Former Employee) - Swindon - 1 March 2022

Not a bad job if you are a mentally strong person.Passengers are ignorant and rude most of the time.Can be on a 4 hour and 30 minute stint which can get quite draining mentally and don't drink anything as you'll be busting for the toilet but have no time to go! Then have a 45 minute break and then do it all again.Pay is £1 less an hour than the other bus operator in Swindon. Some buses can be quite uncomfortable to drive for long periods and caused me terrible back pain.

Pros

Some nice buses

Cons

Unsociable hours, poor pay, passenger's

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Boring and repetitive

Bus Driver (Current Employee) - Orpington - 15 February 2022

Work life balance is fully tilted towards work. LIKE WITH ALL shift work the hours are shocking and there are times where you are expected to work 7 days in a row due to rest days changing every week.pay is good after a few years

Pros

Wages

Cons

Work life balance

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Boring long hours

Bus Driver/Operator (Former Employee) - Orpington, Greater London - 28 August 2021

Until doing this job I didn’t realise just how boring it was to drive around the same route day I’m and day out picking up the same miserable people. Just soul destroying. You will work very very long hours until 1-2 in the morning and have to be up at 3 in the morning to start early shifts. You will physically feel depressed and tired every second of the day. The company don’t care about your health or wellbeing as long as someone is driving the route so they can make profit. Bully management if a customer complains about a single thing even if you was in the right, forget it …. Your be in the wrong and disciplined. Don’t bother the general public are too high expectations for the dismal wages your be on don’t bother. All the old driver who have been there years are on really good money on east routes. They can make what new driver make in three - 4 hours work and they will let you know just how much money they’ve made while your working yourself into the grave for 400 quid a week doing 50 hours with no life. Look else where.

Pros

You see nice sunsets and sunrises that’s it

Cons

Very long hours, rude public

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Friendly environment

Bus Driver (Current Employee) - London, Greater London - 28 July 2021

Not every day is the same, dealing with difficult passengers in a professional manner. Dealing with heavy traffic by staying calm and enjoying the view of london.

Pros

Free travel in London

Cons

Long hours

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Good experience to have

London Bus Driver (Former Employee) - London - 9 April 2021

London buses will always be in demand.. Get ur self experienced got skill to have in life meet new goals and new people from all wLks of life.. Goid pension scheme and goid staff keep ur head down do the job go home.. Be nice to humans and you be fine

Pros

Free bus pass

Cons

Muti shift at first to test waters which is fine then choose what's good 4 u

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Not a great company to work for

Bus Operator (Former Employee) - Silvertown - 12 March 2021

Management is absolutely disgusting not fair at all always blaming you for anything that happens on the road even if its not your fault. They change your shift without notifying you and then blame you for not turning up at work at the right time.

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Not valued hard work . Promotion based on recommendation by senior management

Go-Ahead iBus Controller (Current Employee) - London - 23 August 2020

Disappointed when they give promotions. 13 years working for the company not valued hard work . I sacrificed my life for my training my own time to become a performance manager. People get promoted one turn up for work very often 30 to 49 minutes late almost every week. I felt discrimination against me. I sacrificed my time with my Mum . Senior management in my department gave the promotion to people came outside the company who work there less than 2 years . When I was genuinely sick last 4 years I took holiday. Even if I was 3 minutes late for work I always send a email. When I was stay behind last 4 years if 30 to 40 minutes I never claimed overtime. I work hard to learn and deliver best service. Because I stand up for the truth and right and wrong. My personal relationship being judge and didn’t give me promotion when I am ready for the job. 9 months my own time I sacrificed. Nothing being valued.

Pros

N/a

Cons

N/a

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Management little bit bad

Demand response driver (Former Employee) - Sutton, Greater London - 19 April 2020

Overall excellent but some managers are not good. SGA is helpful. My experience is good working with tham. No complain about company. Its excellent go ahead thay recruit part time as well. Helpful staff.

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Bid environment

Business Development Manager (Current Employee) - London, Greater London - 15 April 2020

Typical day would start around 9:00am and finish approximately at 06:00pm unless travelling to another country. You get to work independently and take responsibility of your own work. Whilst working in the company I learnt to plan ahead better and appreciate collaboration between different department. Work culture is competitive and all employees are on managerial level. The hardest part of the job is work life balance whilst a project is on. You work really hard and long days during the project and quieter times you spend on personal development, stakeholder and supplier engagement. Most enjoyable part of the job is supportive team environment.

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reading is part of everyday this i do

Bus Driver (Current Employee) - London - 9 March 2020

driving a bus is very important to drive safe as your carrying passengers and everyday is different as you have a lot to think about but i like to pay attention to whats going on around me and read books to pass times

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