Lothian Buses named ‘Best Operator of the Year’ – are we all onboard?

Lothian buses recently took home the award for ‘Bus Operator of the Year’ in the National Transport Awards (yes, apparently that’s a thing).

But if you’ve ever had the ‘pleasure’ of riding a bus in Edinburgh, you know the struggle can be a real one.

Here are nine challenges only the most avid Edinburgh commuters will understand when it comes to using our beloved (but sometimes frustrating) Lothian Buses.

1. The midnight bus rush

You’re at a pres, the night is young, and there’s no plan to leave the flat anytime soon – until you realise the night buses start in 20 minutes. Cue the frantic dash to the bus stop, all to avoid forking out £3 for the night bus. It’s daylight (or should we say moonlight) robbery.

2. Damp buses

Where even is The Jewel?

Edinburgh weather plus unventilated buses is a recipe for discomfort. After a 5pm lecture, no one wants to sit on a bus that feels like Hive. Sorry Lothian, we know this is not your fault, but nonetheless, it is a soggy struggle. We’ll know next time to arm ourselves with an umbrella and cagoule, hopefully to avoid this pain.

3. 5pm at Surgeons’ Hall

Surgeons’ Hall bus stop is the new Piccadilly Circus, and anywhere around that vicinity around rush hour is hellish. The combination of food-shoppers, Pollock students (who don’t want to walk the five minutes), and school children makes this hotspot even more overwhelming than the lidl across the road.

4. Edinburgh roads

Lothian buses may be award-winning, but they are certainly not off-roaders: Edinburgh’s obsession with cobblestones certainly doesn’t help. Hold onto your skinny scarves, you’re in for a bumpy ride.

5. Number 30 buses

The Number 30 bus, aka the Pollock-to-campus express, is a battleground. This route is jam packed, and finding a seat is akin to the hunger games – why is it not a double decker? Good luck getting on this bus too, as the un-spatially aware will be blocking any kind of exit route

6. Roadworks

Road works ahead? I sure hope it does

The true villain of Edinburgh is the non-stop roadworks, and it would be hard to find one bus route which hasn’t been affected by our crumbling infrastructure. What’s the point, we’ll all have our degrees by the time North Bridge reopens.

7. Missing buses

The app says five minutes… three minutes… Due: then suddenly, it’s gone. Too often does the app say a bus is allegedly coming, only to be left high and dry.

8. Rude bus drivers

Shout out to all the friendly drivers out there, but every once in a while, there’s that one driver who makes your day just a little bit worse. The absolute worst is when they don’t stop for you. My arm was clearly stuck out?

9. Tapping the wrong card

We’ve all been there: Frantically rummaging through your pockets to find your YoungScot card, only to tap your university ID by mistake. It’s always when a queue is forming, which exponentially adds to the embarrassment of it.

Whilst these struggles are daily, the buses are, of course, invaluable to us as students. Not to mention the Young Scot cards; a blessing which I should be more grateful for. This award might actually be well-deserved, and Lothian Buses, we are forever grateful.

Featured image via Lothian Buses on Facebook.

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