FirstBus.co.uk

I was trying to get to Suffolk Wildlife Park on a Saturday evening and checked traveline.info for the 99 bus from Waterloo Road, Lowestoft. It said the bus would be there at 1744, so I headed to the stop a few minutes early. The First Bus App on my phone, which isn’t the easiest to use, confirmed the same time. But, as the minutes ticked by, the bus never showed up. By 1754, it was clear it wasn’t coming, so I ended up paying £13 for a taxi. This isn't the first time I’ve experienced "phantom buses" on this app. The bus starts at the Bus Station, so they must've known it was cancelled before it was supposed to arrive. If the app had shown it was cancelled, I wouldn’t have wasted time waiting and could’ve taken a taxi earlier. Two things need fixing: 1. Make the app user-friendly like Google. 2. Stop showing buses as ‘due’ if they're not coming.

Took a ride on the new First Solent X4 & X5 electric buses recently. At first, they seemed super quiet, but one ride was full of odd clanking noises from the back. Seats have USB ports for charging, which is awesome, but mine didn't work. Only the right-side ports were lit up. The bus was almost empty, and weirdly, the destination board said we were heading to Hanover, which was totally wrong. Also, the automated voice announcing stops cut off mid-sentence, making it confusing. Drivers are mostly nice, some even chatty. The tech is cool but seems hit-or-miss. Maybe the drivers just need better training on how to use it all properly?

I swear these buses are driving me nuts. Sometimes they're so early you miss them, other times you wait forever and start thinking maybe that £15 taxi isn't such a bad idea. Seriously, can we get drivers who actually follow the timetable? And don't even get me started on the timetable itself. The paper version says one thing, but the machine tells you something completely different. It's just ridiculous. If the drivers want a pay raise, maybe they should try doing their job right first. Fix the timetable, get the drivers to stick to it, and maybe then we'll all be a bit happier.

I’ve honestly never dealt with such a frustrating bus service. Always late, and they cancel without letting anyone know. Their Twitter is basically useless—no responses at all. Prices keep going up, but service just gets worse. Drivers even take breaks to smoke or go to the toilet right behind the bus stop, which is super gross. I ride the bus twice a day, Monday to Friday, and it’s a rare day when I don’t have some sort of issue. I’ve seen public transport in less developed countries run better than this. It’s a total mess.

Having left my wallet on the AirPort 500 Express bus, with cash and credit cards inside, the honest bus driver handed it in late on Friday eve. I was informed on Monday morning that it was safe at the depot. This is great service and I cannot thank First bud and the driver enough for the good customer service and honesty shown. Really impressive.

Driver 520821 Mark clearly belongs in his role; meeting him, it's clear he's valuable to your team. His customer service is great, always approaching each client with a smile. He is a cheerful and friendly person. We came from Cardiff and rode with Mark in Saundersfoot, and we can't wait to see him again. Great job, Mark!

First bus driver found my wallet with cash and credit cards on the 500 Express. I got it back from the depot. Such good service from First bud and the driver! Great honesty and customer service. So good!