Go-Ahead London Employee Reviews

I have been working for go-ahead London since 2016 and I never considered leaving the place. Friendly atmosphere and professionalism. The nature of the job is what it is. So if you like bus driving this is a good place to work for good people.

Pros

Flexibility when really needed, good money with overtime, friendly atmosphere, good job if you like driving and don't take too much notice of assh..es on the road.

Cons

Unsubscribe working hours, can be very stressful job depending on you personality and attitude

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Unprofessional management at depot

Driver (Former Employee) - Orpington, Greater London - 8 November 2023

Very unprofessional management at Orpington depot.Constructive dismissal and tribunals are rife!!Head office or CEO should take more interest in how many drivers are treated badly here. Management should hang their heads in shame.

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Insights into Go-Ahead London

Based on 69 survey responses

What people like

Fair pay for job
Feeling of personal appreciation
Clear sense of purpose

Areas for improvement

Support from manager
Ability to learn new things
Time and location flexibility

Bad and very bad company

Bus Driver (Former Employee) - England - 26 October 2023

What is the best part of working at the company?Nothing not helpful with the drivers less pay What is the most stressful part about working at the company?Staff Managers is soo unprofessional What is the work environment and culture like at the company?Stressful environment if you know the manger and keep making them happy then you are a good What is a typical day like for you at the company?Stress angry not help from managers if you need a day off etc

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Ask yourself if you REALLY want to be a bus driver first...

Bus driver (Current Employee) - Croydon, Greater London - 16 October 2023

- Usual day involves checking the bus and getting out of the garage to start your duty. Some garages feel like an army base and some others are very friendly.- Apart from the apprenticeship that was really good, nothing else to gain here. Maybe the resilience that you start building over the years... - Management is nowhere to be found and they only appear when you do something bad and call you in the office. You are just a NUMBER in these places...- Workplace culture is as bad as it sounds... If you want to be just a NUMBER then become a bus driver. - Hardest part... Dealing with passengers, manage your life and work schedule as you have to work different shifts, stress, anxiety, chronic illness development, long shifts, no break payment... AND of course... Be just a NUMBER...- Most enjoyable part? The apprenticeship... I believe the job is not for everyone. I would most likely do it with pleasure if I would have been on my 60's. Payment is not good for the work that you do and the stress that you get. Not to mention the abuse from the passengers and the management that only calls you when they have something bad to say. YOU ARE JUST A NUMBER!!!

Pros

Apprenticeship

Cons

Long hours, Underpayment, No respect, Abusive environment, Stress, Anxiety, Chronic illness development

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Nice company

Bus Driver (Current Employee) - London - 22 September 2023

Arrive at work take your duty card ferry will take you too location or you might start from depot. Mixed culture everyone nice long hours for me I enjoy meeting the public and different cultures and off course driving a large vehicle.

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Management & engineers don’t care

Bus Driver (Current Employee) - Goat road - 15 September 2023

Management and engineers don’t care have no respect for staff if you like to work long hours constantly exhausted and don’t like to spend time with family this is the job forYou

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You need a lots of struggles to get to your goals with this company

At present I work as a bus/coach driver (Former Employee) - Putney - 14 September 2023

What is the best part of working at the company?A lots of resources available but very poorly used for the drivers benefit !What is the most stressful part about working at the company?Controllers and seniors blame it all on drivers all the time ! Their strategy is to pay low wages for some drivers and use the balance to show high wages for other employees and favoured drivers ! If you are one of the long serving drivers you can enjoy good wages and also select the most convenient duties. You can also get away with very low performance and you still get all bonuses !I guess this system was put in place because originally the company was bought by a group of employees, when privatisation took place, these first owners put a good system to serve their own interests.What is the work environment and culture like at the company?Multicultural respect for all but a lots of discrepancies in rewards! What is a typical day like for you at the company?Depends what route you are doing and what bus you are going to get !

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Good place to work

Bus Driver (Current Employee) - London - 13 September 2023

What is the best part of working at the company?Money and the the people always willing to helpWhat is the most stressful part about working at the company?The passengers love to get on ur last nerve What is the work environment and culture like at the company?With any bus company it’s not easy so be ready to loose weekendsWhat is a typical day like for you at the company?Every day is very random so be ready

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Better bus company to work for

Bus Driver (Former Employee) - Orpington - 20 July 2023

Go ahead are one of the better company’s to work for in London, pay is above average and people there are good too. There are plenty of routes to choose from, and they have a good selection of buses to drive to and garages, depending on where you are.

Pros

Ferry vans

Cons

Very long shifts and sometimes very short shifts

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Good money zero life

Driver (Current Employee) - London, Greater London - 22 June 2023

Good money but unsociable hours. Not particularly valued as a driver. Favouritism involved with regards shifts. Vehicles are sub atandard mostly, old and overused.

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Jobs at Go-Ahead London

PCV Bus Driver: Northumberland Park

Northumberland Park

30+ days ago

PCV Bus Driver: Orpington

Royal Tunbridge Wells

30+ days ago

PCV Bus Driver: Merton

Merton

30+ days ago

PCV Bus Driver: Stockwell

Stockwell

30+ days ago

Na

Driver (Former Employee) - Greater London - 13 June 2023

Go-ahead is very good company runs the most of london red buses i work with then 8 years and i will go back to work in the future becouse i love to work with them

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Solid and supportive team!

Bus Driver (Current Employee) - Croydon - 11 May 2023

Location; CroydonI'm fortunate enough to have a very solid and hard working team behind me. For example, my operations manager and many of the other managers work a driving shift or more each week on top of their office work. This gives them a real life perspective of the issues surrounding being a Bus Driver. The people I work with, the actual drivers, are the favourite aspect of the job and I get to speak with them each day. This has resulted in many long term friendships and we often meet on days off for social evenings. If someone has a hard day and needs to unload their issues, there's always a supportive ear. If you need time off for family time or holiday, they will always do whatever they can to accommodate. The real proof of this is how long many of the drivers have worked here and its no stretch to find people that have been there for 20 years or more. Overall, this is a prime job with the opportunity to work with a really great group of people.

Pros

Great people to work with, supportive management, weekly pay, flexible hours, solid work that is simple to perform.

Cons

Some early mornings can be a bit of a grind, some controllers can make the day more stressful

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Good pay however long hours

PCV Bus Driver (Former Employee) - Morden - 3 May 2023

Good pay, probably best company to pay in the industry. Keep your nose clean and you are left alone. I enjoyed it however long hours, not paid full pay from spreads and not as friendly as other bus companies. However one of the best I’ve worked for.

Pros

Pay, accommodating to home life where applicable

Cons

Long hours, unsociable shifts & rude passengers

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Fun supportive work place

Transport Controller (Former Employee) - United Kingdom - 16 April 2023

Every shift is different, meeting different passengers all the time.Love having friendly supportive colleagues and management which makes the job even moreenjoyable than most

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avoid

Driver (Former Employee) - Morden, Greater London - 3 April 2023

Driving the bus is hard. Buses are rubbish. Never have heat or air con. Something always not working. Always felt tired even on days offCompany run poorly

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Stressful

Bus Driver (Former Employee) - Orpington - 4 March 2023

Driving the bus is hard. Buses are rubbish. Never have heat or air con. Something always not working. Management don’t care about you. It’s all about money and targets. Shifts are long and switch from early middle and late week by week. Messes with your body clock.

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Best job ever

Bus Driver (Former Employee) - London - 19 January 2023

Unrealistic work hours they also like to call you on your day off. Other than that the best job I've worked, my garage had lovely drivers, chef and admins.

Pros

Payday every friday, lovely colleagues

Cons

They tell you when to take your holiday, swapping shifts a pain, overworked

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Go ahead putney

Bus Driver (Former Employee) - Putney Bridge Station - 2 January 2023

Just of the bridge great management as long as you do your job well. Has good buses. Good routes.

Pros

Free travel

Cons

Long hours

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It was very good working under the company.

Bus Driver (Former Employee) - Camberwell Green - 18 December 2022

There is a lot of information for new recruitment and someone will show you around. Also explained what the company is all about and There is fun when you're having a barktime games to play.

Pros

On free lunch

Cons

Some duties are very good and Some is very long.

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short term

Bus Driver (Former Employee) - stockwell, Greater London - 1 November 2022

good in the short term. no worklife balance so not a longterm job. 3 hour breaks and some long duties mean work then sleep only for 7 to eight days in a row.

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Satisfactory

PCV Driver (Former Employee) - Northumberland Park - 4 October 2022

Worked here for 1 year, after 4 months was on a middle line rota, but each month I was working 3 Saturdays and 2 Sundays, which killed any social/family time. First a direct request I asked for, was told “email everything and we will look and let you know”, nothing ever done nor did I receive a response. Another time, after calling in to notify of an overground train signal line failure - cancelling of a train to work, I stressed to say I can “take over the bus on time providing I’m allowed to travel directly to take over point and not the depo, I was told “make sure it don’t happen again”, well obviously I have no control over signal line failures on the London Overground and I’ve stated I can take over on time, so is that not noble enough? Money was good, but as mentioned, no time for family

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