Public transport cutbacks on the way

Sean9015

KC61 wrote: »

I'm not sure that you are correct. Contracts have already been signed for this and the project is therefore going ahead. I would be very surprised if this were put on hold.

While the extra 100 buses that Dublin Bus were looking for have been put on hold pending completion of the efficiency review, and there are now suggestions of another 100 buses being pulled off the roads, I really cannot see why this project would not go ahead.

The Automatic Vehicle Location and Control (AVLC) element of this project is an absolutely essential tool for Dublin Bus to improve delivery of its service and to accurately control the fleet. The current system of calling drivers over the radio to ascertain their location is certainly not conducive to effectively controlling a fleet of 1200 buses.

Agreed. Spoke to the manufacturer at the Euro Bus & Coach show in Birmingham a couple of weeks ago. Equipment is in production and route surveying and data collection will commence shortly (a lot of base information is needed to set the system up).

KC61

patrickbrophy18 wrote: »

What is this? 141?

Prior to Department of Transport (DoT) approval being granted for funding of the 100 additional buses delivered in 2006, specific proposals were required from Dublin Bus showing how they would utilise these buses.

These included the new routes 4/A, 128, 151 and additional buses on the 145, 54A and 29A that have actually been delivered on.

However, they also included service improvements for the Blanchardstown, Swords and Lucan QBCs that have not been delivered because the licensing section of DoT has refused permission because they "might" conflict with private operators operating on part of the route.

These refusals include the 141, which would have been a normal bus service operating from Swords to Rathmines via the Old Swords Road, Drumcondra and the City Centre (and not via the Airport), every 15 minutes or so (thus benefitting the entire corridor) because this would conflict with (apparently) Swords Express service to/from Swords, a service that only serves Swords Village, and which itself took forever to get Departmental approval.

They also include extending the 37 from Carpenterstown to the Blanchardstown Centre as it might conflict with the hourly UrBus service operating from Ashtown via Castleknock to Blanchardstown (direct and not via Laurel Lodge and Carpenterstown) and onwards to the Airport and Swords.

And finally, no service improvements were granted on the Lucan QBC to any destination, due to the Circle Line service, even though that service did not serve either Leixlip or Maynooth.

The buses destined for the 141 are now in service on the 140 to/from Finglas.

Ste.phen

KC61 wrote: »

The buses destined for the 141 are now in service on the 140 to/from Finglas.

Living along the 140 route, I for one welcome our inept DOT overlords

antoinolachtnai

A certain amount has been allocated. That will cover part of an AVL system. There is no money for a radio upgrade, at least not from the Department as I understand it. There is no allocation for RTPI.

KC61

antoinolachtnai wrote: »

A certain amount has been allocated. That will cover part of an AVL system. There is no money for a radio upgrade, at least not from the Department as I understand it. There is no allocation for RTPI.

The AVLC portion is the absolute essential part of the system, in order to start giving proper accurate information to both controllers and managers as to how the bus system is working in practice. RTPI (Real Time Passenger Information) while desireable, is a nice extra.

The radio system has been upgraded already several years ago to TAIT.

Ste.phen

Didn't they roll out a new packet radio system fairly recently?

KC61

Ste.phen wrote: »

Didn't they roll out a new packet radio system fairly recently?

The radio system was fully upgraded five years ago.

http://www.dublinbus.ie/projects/trunked_mobile_radio_system.asp

The AVLC is the missing link in the control mechanism as without it the only way that a controller can currently find out where a particular bus is at any point in time is by calling the driver over the radio.

A side benefit is that it should eliminate unauthorised early departures of buses as a controller will be able to see this straight away on his screen.

AlekSmart

Yet more confirmation of our status as a Lewis Carrollian State comes today from Dublin City Council.

It`s spokesperson,answering questions on the 7.5% Increase in On-Street Car Parking charges,delivered the following lines in a straight face:

"The Canal cordon count increased in 2006 from 60,000 in 2005 and further increased in 2007 to 63,000.
This is an undesireable trend and in order to reduce the cordon-count figures it is proposed that,ALONG WITH ONGOING IMPROVEMENTS IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT,an increase in on-street parking tarriffs will achieve this result (A reduction in cordon crossing general traffic)

Reading todays DCC statement and also last weeks update on Metro North Construction requirements would indicate that the current Minister for Transport is operating a parallell statelet from some secret underground bunker in the Mullagh.

We all know the country is banjaxed,thats plain for all to see,BUT most folks would see the preservation and ongoing improvement in affordable,accessible and available Public Transport as being essentially sensible.

We Need another report I fear !!!

thebman

Does anyone actually believe these lies?

bk

KC61 wrote: »

The AVLC portion is the absolute essential part of the system, in order to start giving proper accurate information to both controllers and managers as to how the bus system is working in practice. RTPI (Real Time Passenger Information) while desireable, is a nice extra.

Really RTPI should be doable very cheaply once an AVLC system is in place.

There is no major need for expensive bus side panels, simply put the AVLC data up on the Dublin Bus web site and leave people access it from their 3G enabled mobile phones.

If DB are really short on cash, then just put the raw live data from the AVLC system up on the DB website in XML format and leave the many innovative developers around here create cool apps with the data.

I'm already planning out in my head how to write a native app for the iPhone which could use the iPhones GPS and Google maps to give you a great indication of how long you have to wait for the bus, if DB made this info freely available.

Of course it will never happen, they'll whine that they haven't gotten x million to build some rubbish bloated RTPI system that they will then turn around and charge people to access.

thebman

Dublin Bus already have a system in place that could handle distributing the real time information.

They have a text number to find the times of the next 3 buses from the timetable. All they have to do is change the data to read the expected time of arrival based on where the bus actually is instead of just reading the timetable.