The relentless rhythm of London’s buses hides a chilling secret: a widespread fatigue epidemic gripping its drivers. It’s a crisis unfolding behind the wheel, fueled by grueling schedules and mounting pressure, and drivers are sounding the alarm before a tragedy occurs.
Derek Hewitt, 65, knows this danger intimately. After decades of service, two accidents – born from sheer exhaustion – shattered his life, leaving him with PTSD and depression. He recalls a system where seven-day work weeks are the norm for new hires, a relentless cycle that quickly spirals into ten-hour shifts, day after day.
“Sometimes, you don’t even have two days off,” Derek confessed, describing a blur of work where weekends vanish into the next shift. “You just go from zombieland to zombieland.” His experience isn’t isolated. A recent survey of 2,000 drivers revealed nearly half had a near miss due to fatigue in the past year, with over a third battling sleepiness multiple times a week.
The consequences are devastating. Last July, Derek’s fatigue caused him to brake suddenly near a zebra crossing, injuring three passengers – one seriously. The weight of responsibility was crushing. “The fact that I was responsible for three passengers getting hurt was extremely traumatic,” he said, his voice heavy with regret. “My colleagues were saying it happens to everybody, but the fact it happens to everybody is disturbing.”
Derek’s nightmare didn’t end there. He vividly remembers a moment when a pedestrian stepped directly into his path. His reaction time, dulled by exhaustion, was agonizingly slow. “I almost killed someone,” he whispered, visibly shaken. That near-miss was the breaking point. He knew he could no longer risk the lives of others, or his own.
Other drivers share similar stories of a system prioritizing profit over well-being. Joseval, a driver in his 50s, described a route where comfort breaks were eliminated, forcing him to endure long shifts without even the basic need to use the restroom addressed. He fell asleep at the wheel, causing a pile-up – thankfully, no one was seriously injured, but the incident left him diagnosed with sleep deprivation and exhaustion.
A 30-year-old female driver, who wished to remain anonymous, spoke of chest pressure, heart palpitations, and burnout after being forced to work brutal seven-day weeks. She even experienced microsleeps while driving, waking to find traffic had surged forward. Forced to choose between her health and her livelihood, she fought for reduced hours, a battle that came at a financial cost.
While some buses are equipped with fatigue detection systems – cameras monitoring eye movement and vibrating seats – these measures add another layer of pressure, constantly reminding drivers of the potential for error. The underlying problem, they say, remains unaddressed.
Unite the union is now demanding urgent action, launching the “Fight Fatigue Now” campaign. They are calling for a minimum 12-hour break between shifts and an end to disciplinary action against drivers who report fatigue. They argue that Transport for London and bus operators are failing to treat this crisis with the seriousness it deserves.
Transport for London insists driver safety and welfare are paramount, stating they are working with operators to improve conditions and investigate all reported concerns. However, for drivers like Derek and Joseval, the promises ring hollow against the backdrop of relentless schedules and a system that seems to value efficiency over human lives.
The question remains: how long before a preventable tragedy forces a reckoning with the hidden cost of keeping London moving?
