Another class employed in the omnibus trade are the timekeepers.
On some routes there are five of these men, on others four. The
timekeeper’s duty is to start the omnibus at the exact moment appointed
by the proprietors, and to report any delay or irregularity in the
arrival of the vehicle. His hours are the same as those of the drivers
and conductors, but as he is stationary his work is not so fatiguing.
His remuneration is generally 21_s._ a week, but on some stations more.
He must never leave the spot. A timekeeper on Kennington Common has
28_s._ a week. He is employed 16 hours daily, and has a box to shelter
him from the weather when it is foul. He has to keep time for forty
’busses. The men who may be seen in the great thoroughfares noting
every omnibus that passes, are not timekeepers; they are employed by
Government, so that no omnibus may run on the line without paying the
duty.