Is it just me or do TFL run out of service buses on purpose during and after a train strike?

[Jobseeker19]

Yesterday and today it is very packed bus, out of service, out of service, very packed bus, out of service.

During strikes I see so many out of service buses, why?

Gosh as I'm typing another two out of service have gone by.

Is it to make the buses more packed therefore making the strike more effective?

Are they making them complete the route so it looks like they had all of these buses out and look at how the train strike is causing so many problems, or to still pay the drivers?

"Out of service" can simply mean "Returning to depot to get the next driver as I've just done an 12 hour shift covering for the trains being out"

I really think you are seeing stuff that is not there, to imagine some sort of conspiracy between two separate companies....

how many buses do you think they have available to replace trains?

Your frustration is making you read far too much into it. TFL and the rail companies are entirely different entities. "Out of service" basically means a bus is driving along a bus route but isn't one of the buses taking that for passengers. It could be post strike that buses are all over the place, but they are certainly not doing it just to annoy you!

Quite a few bus drivers and depot staff went on strike too.

Arriva buses had a vastly reduced service yesterday where I live outside of London

Round our way, on school days between 15:30-16:00, the buses fill up quickly with school kids.

When the buses are too full and can’t pick up new passengers, they display the “Not in service” message.

We often have to walk to the stop before the school to make sure we can get on the bus at these times.

It is not a strike thing, it’s a bus too busy thing.

Walk down to a couple of stops before your usual one, or if possible travel a different time of day, to see if that’s any better

I use buses daily/weekly. There are always out of service buses running to return to depot/pick up new driver etc. I've noticed the usual number this week on my journeys, it's not due to the train strike

Central London yesterday between midday and 4pm, they were fine when I was using them. Mostly empty on my journeys.

I wonder if there are a few more because they end up doing some last minute shuffling to relieve particularly bad areas of need? Add that to the frustration you feel trying to get anywhere on strike day and I can see why you'd feel like you do in the OP.

No the buses are empty not full. Just driving down the bus route 'not in service'.
And I get the bus every day almost at the same time.

Why wouldn't they say if they were striking though? I thought the point of it was to let people know

Are they making them complete the route so it looks like they had all of these buses out and look at how the train strike is causing so many problems, or to still pay the drivers?

Yeah; logically it's definitely either of those options