Back in the saddle

Started the new route today after a restful weekend. I'm doing an 11, interlined with a 15. A lot of drivers were against interlining when they first started it. Interlining is when you don't drive the same route all day. You stay in the same bus, but switch routes. That's different from a split shift, where you get relieved or pull the bus in, take an unpaid break, and then start out again on something else. Drivers were against interlining because it allows the company to save money by shortening our breaks. But the good thing about interlining is that it makes the day SEEM short. Driving one route all day is monotonous, and can seem to take forever. Switching from one route to another, especially from a long route to a short one (and vice versa), breaks up the monotony. I am working 8 hours and 45 minutes, exactly the same amout of time as I had on the route 2. But it seemed like a short day, And I was less tired than usual when I got off.
People ask me sometimes, 'how long do you get for lunch?' The answer, 15 minutes, often shocks them. 'How can they not give you a lunch break?' 'Isn't it required by law?' It is required, but with some exceptions. If you belong to a Union, as we do, you may bargain away yor lunch break. Why would we do that? Because a longer lunch break would be unpaid. So, if you can work from 6am to 3pm with an hour unpaid lunch, you get 8 hours of pay. If you can work 6am to 3pm with a 15 minute PAID lunch break, you get 9 hours of pay, and the last hour is at time-and-a half. An unpaid lunch break amounts to a split shift. There are enough of those available if you really want a long lunch. But most of us would rather do our work and go home.