Dublin Bus Network Review

markpb

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

indeed they were

http://www.etenders.gov.ie./search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=NOV180418

Funny how the tender advertises "Dual entrance/exit configuration" as a feature but not one that DB ever bothered to use themselves.

Tickityboo

I think you'll find it was the majority of the travelling Irish public could not grasp the concept of exiting out through the centre doors.
Not a problem for our non national travellers who would often wait at the centre doors to exit.

ArmaniJeanss

amtc wrote: »

Any one got any experience of the new 38/38A routes as a result of Dublin Bus’s Network Review?

I'm on late-ish starts this week, so I've got the 8.56am 38a Monday and Tuesday.
Its been on time both days, though both times the driver has called 'Last Stop' as we've arrived at Parnell Square.
So I've still no real idea yet of where exactly the new route goes after that!

Coming home Tuesday night I caught the 7.00 38a in O'Connell Street. I've rarely seen such a large crowd at that stop and the subsequent stops (it was jammers by the time it left the Rotunda). Quite a few people were vocal in their complaints to the driver about how they'd been left standing in the rain with no-one telling them whats going on. So I'm guessing that at least the previous bus, if not more, had failed to show.

ardmacha

I think you'll find it was the majority of the travelling Irish public could not grasp the concept of exiting out through the centre doors.

I think the majority of the travelling public could perfectly well grasp the concept of exiting through the centre doors if a majority of drivers actually opened them.

thomasj

Am I the only one who thinks that network directs plans for blanchardstown would have a better chance of success if they returned to the old terminus?

What is so magical about this Suffolk street? This narrow street is currently covered by:

- 46a
- 145
- 39a
- other blanchardstown routes
- soon to be Lucan routes
- 11s, 15s, 128s and 140s
- aircoach services

I'm sure there is others, but my point is surely that narrow street can't handle all these narrow routes? I couldn't believe the tailback of buses from Suffolk street to Dawson street, if a bus stops for ages at one of the Suffolk street stops, it causes chaos, there even seems to be trouble with buses overtaking each other, even the college green junction lights seem to be a hinderance!

I think this area could be a contributor to some of the delays to services !

Tickityboo

ardmacha wrote: »

I think the majority of the travelling public could perfectly well grasp the concept of exiting through the centre doors if a majority of drivers actually opened them.

The problem drivers have is once the centre doors are opened you're not gauranteed they will close again or that the bus will re-engage gear again.
Hence the hesitation of some drivers to use them.

CIE

ardmacha wrote: »

I think the majority of the travelling public could perfectly well grasp the concept of exiting through the centre doors if a majority of drivers actually opened them.

On some systems where they are used, I've seen passenger-operated versions that close behind the exiting passengers once an opening device (operated by the passengers) is released. Perhaps the air system is not set up right to allow such operation, on Dublin's buses?

Passengers should have been in charge of "Network Direct" instead of consultants. (Perhaps something like a permanent route 142 operation instead of those one or two departures? Route 42 to Coast Road permanently, and route 142 to Portmarnock.)

thomasj wrote: »

What is so magical about this Suffolk street?

Count your blessings. Before that (through the 70s into the very early 80s), the buses and all general traffic had to run onto St. Andrew's Street and Trinity Street (which, IIRC, were wider back then than they are now) to make a right turn onto Dame Street. Would you like to drive that far west only to loop back east?

KC61

I think the problem that is happening with the 38/38a in the evenings is down to sharing many more stops with the 37, 39/a and 70 before getting to O'Connell Street - previously it was only the terminus at Hawkins Street.

I'm guessing that more people going to Navan Road boarding between Baggot Street and Suffolk Street are getting the first bus that shows up and as a result the 38/38a are filling up by O'Connell Street.

Some form of rethink may be needed.....

Ginny

46a is a joke since the loss of the 10, they are not running anywhere near their time schedule and any coming into the top of Parnell Sq are at least 90% full, I managed to squeeze on the 2nd one this morning after 20 mins wait. The bus was then unbeliveable loaded, people were standing upstairs and we passed nearly every stop with a crowd of people left waiting.

Cookie_Monster

double decker bendy buses will solve the capacity problem :pac::pac::pac:

markpb

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

double decker bendy buses will solve the capacity problem :pac::pac::pac:

Straight to bi-articulated buses!

robbie_998

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

double decker bendy buses will solve the capacity problem :pac::pac::pac:

close enough

Dyr

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

double decker bendy buses will solve the capacity problem :pac::pac::pac:

Sweet baby jesus and all the little orphans..the bendy bus failed in dublin. consign it to history

markpb

Bambi wrote: »

Sweet baby jesus and all the little orphans..the bendy bus failed in dublin. consign it to history

Like so many other things, the bendy bus was condemned by a lack of will to make it work by DB and DCC. The 17A was a very straight route with a few very wide turns. It had multiple load/unload spots instead of the normal pack 'em on and bring them to An Lar. It would have been ideal for articulated route operation if DB wanted to operate both doors. I'm sure there are plenty of other routes where it could have been suitable. (The 746/747/748 all spring to mind - people don't want to go upstairs of their luggage is downstairs.)

Instead they were brought through the city centre and everyone was forced to use the front door. Bad AB operations do not make AB buses bad.

dirtynosebeps

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Its been on time both days, though both times the driver has called 'Last Stop' as we've arrived at Parnell Square.
So I've still no real idea yet of where exactly the new route goes after that!
.

armani the driver is only doing what they are instructed/told to do. they are not deliberatley taking the bus out of service on their own accord.

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Quite a few people were vocal in their complaints to the driver about how they'd been left standing in the rain with no-one telling them whats going on. So I'm guessing that at least the previous bus, if not more, had failed to show.

i understand people are really frustrated on buses being late or not showing up but it's absolutely nothing to do with the drivers and theres no point in taking their frustrations out on the drivers either ( armani i'm not you did this ,this is for the general public). whats happening here is /has happened on most routes affected city wide by these changes.
the best thing to do is if your annoyed for whatever reason is to ask the driver for the phone number of that garage from where that route operates from and ask to speak to one of the managers ( of course this can only be done during normal working hours).again i ask you the travelling public.
please do not take your frustrations out on the drivers. they are trying to work on a mess created by others.

markpb

dirtynosebeps wrote: »

armani the driver is only doing what they are instructed/told to do. they are not deliberatley taking the bus out of service on their own accord.

Rubbish. I fought with DB for years about drivers on the 15 routes taking the buses out of service at Fleet St instead of terminating them properly. In every case, the depot inspectors told me the drivers had no authorisation to do so.

I'm not saying all the drivers pull stunts like this but it definitely does happen. Thankfully GPS tracking should mean it's a thing of the past.

Cookie_Monster

markpb wrote: »

Rubbish. I fought with DB for years about drivers on the 15 routes taking the buses out of service at Fleet St instead of terminating them properly. In every case, the depot inspectors told me the drivers had no authorisation to do so.

I'm not saying all the drivers pull stunts like this but it definitely does happen. Thankfully GPS tracking should mean it's a thing of the past.

+1, not always the problem but sometimes are.

7b to Cherrywood for example, I've had repeated assurances from Depot managers that none go there, yet drivers direct at least one a day there.

7 also terminates on O'Connoll St and not Parnell Sq very frequently, despite timetable and destination blinds stating Parnell Sq

dirtynosebeps

markpb wrote: »

Rubbish. I fought with DB for years about drivers on the 15 routes taking the buses out of service at Fleet St instead of terminating them properly. In every case, the depot inspectors told me the drivers had no authorisation to do so.

I'm not saying all the drivers pull stunts like this but it definitely does happen. Thankfully GPS tracking should mean it's a thing of the past.

mark i'm not talking about the past. what i'm replying to is the changes that have occurred over the last few weeks since these phases have been introduced and especially since last sunday.

KC61

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

+1, not always the problem but sometimes are.

7b to Cherrywood for example, I've had repeated assurances from Depot managers that none go there, yet drivers direct at least one a day there.

7 also terminates on O'Connoll St and not Parnell Sq very frequently, despite timetable and destination blinds stating Parnell Sq

The 7 terminus is on O'Connell Street - Parnell Square is only a stand. There is no mention of Parnell Square in the timetable.

http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/Your-Journey1/Timetables/All-Timetables/7/

The 7b was a problem as the old timetable was wrong. The public timetable stated that all buses went to Shankill, while in fact one went to Shankill, one went to Louglinstown Park and one went to Cherrywood.

Since the timetable change in 2009 they all should be going to Shankill.

ArmaniJeanss

dirtynosebeps wrote: »

armani the driver is only doing what they are instructed/told to do. they are not deliberatley taking the bus out of service on their own accord.

i understand people are really frustrated on buses being late or not showing up but it's absolutely nothing to do with the drivers and theres no point in taking their frustrations out on the drivers either ( armani i'm not you did this ,this is for the general public). whats happening here is /has happened on most routes affected city wide by these changes.
the best thing to do is if your annoyed for whatever reason is to ask the driver for the phone number of that garage from where that route operates from and ask to speak to one of the managers ( of course this can only be done during normal working hours).again i ask you the travelling public.
please do not take your frustrations out on the drivers. they are trying to work on a mess created by others.

Definitely, I didn't complain myself, I've a commuter ticket so could just hop on another bus at Parnell Sq anyway.
Same thing happened this morning to the 8.56 38a, stopped at Parnell Sq though the driver played a stormer in that he told everyone to hop on the bus in front and flash their tickets.

I actually think DB may have stumbled on a solution unwittingly anyway, imo all buses on the 38/38a route should start/end at Parnell Sq.

Cookie_Monster

KC61 wrote: »

The 7 terminus is on O'Connell Street - Parnell Square is only a stand. There is no mention of Parnell Square in the timetable.

ok so the timetable is wrong then. Outbound the first stop is Parnell Sq.

many of the blinds state Parnell Sq as destination so something is wrong, drivers putting up wrong displays, depots programming incorrect destinations, take your pick

Ginny

Actually just noticed the lovely new timetables on the flyover at UCD towards town, they've listed the times for the 41x to arrive at UCD rather then depart, really helpful :rolleyes:

SickCert

Tickityboo wrote: »

I think you'll find it was the majority of the travelling Irish public could not grasp the concept of exiting out through the centre doors.
Not a problem for our non national travellers who would often wait at the centre doors to exit.

Too true while our own fill the area with Buggies (Folded of course), Suitcases and Argos flatpacked furniture.:cool:

Heart

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

ok so the timetable is wrong then. Outbound the first stop is Parnell Sq.

many of the blinds state Parnell Sq as destination so something is wrong, drivers putting up wrong displays, depots programming incorrect destinations, take your pick

First stop outbound (Towards Loughlinstown/Cherrywood) is O'Connell St. (Stop OJ), Location Number 4725.

Regarding blinds (or scrolls), the electronic scrolls have options for both O'Connell St. & Parnell Square, but the ticket machine automatically chooses O'Connell St. by default.

H

SickCert

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

ok so the timetable is wrong then. Outbound the first stop is Parnell Sq.

many of the blinds state Parnell Sq as destination so something is wrong, drivers putting up wrong displays, depots programming incorrect destinations, take your pick

The only inbound problem these days is the 5 displayed instead of 7, some think they carry less.:rolleyes:

SickCert

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

+1, not always the problem but sometimes are.

7b to Cherrywood for example, I've had repeated assurances from Depot managers that none go there, yet drivers direct at least one a day there.

7 also terminates on O'Connoll St and not Parnell Sq very frequently, despite timetable and destination blinds stating Parnell Sq

On the old bill its was the 1x duty that did the Cherrywood trip, im not upto date on the newer bill.

Pigwidgeon

In bray on the Vevay road, going towards Greystones, they have the timetable for the 184 up, but it doesn't tell you when it leaves Bray Dart Station, but when it leaves Greystones dart station. So you've to try and guess how long it would take to get to Greystones to figure out what time it'll be in Bray. I know staged timetables seemed like a great idea, but make sure they correspond with whre they are, and it might work better.

Cookie_Monster

Heart wrote: »

First stop outbound (Towards Loughlinstown/Cherrywood) is O'Connell St. (Stop OJ), Location Number 4725.

well clearly I'm a bit out of date then. But the last time I got it the 7 stopped outbound at the last or second last stop on Parnell Sq before Rutland place

KC61

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

well clearly I'm a bit out of date then. But the last time I got it the 7 stopped outbound at the last or second last stop on Parnell Sq before Rutland place

You are - that was a LONG time ago!!!

Capt'n Midnight

Tickityboo wrote: »

I think you'll find it was the majority of the travelling Irish public could not grasp the concept of exiting out through the centre doors.
Not a problem for our non national travellers who would often wait at the centre doors to exit.

On foreign buses they have entry / exit signs up clearly on the doors on both the inside and outside

at a guess the problems with closing are due to lack of use ?