Bus transport - JustMary

snubbleste

You've got competition/your idea has been poached, the Council have finally had an idea.

A public awareness campaign marketing bus services in Galway city is expected to be rolled out in the coming months. A meeting of the city council heard last evening that its aim is to increase bus passengers by ten percent.
The new bus marketing strategy, being rolled out by the transportation unit, will involve new route maps and timetables as well as a new Galway travel website.

Das Kitty

Did that come from their website?

Xiney

I bet their version is going to suck, though!

JayMcD

You should contact them Mary, They'd prob just buy your site and info and stick their name on,
They'll save time and money, you'll earn some, and everyone has a proper bus timetable.

LadyMayBelle

Yeah go for it JustMary.

PopeBuckfastXVI

GL with it JM... hope you get a good reward for all your effort!

happyoutscan

Definitely. The council would just end up paying some shmuck a fortune to make what would turn out to be a useless study on the bus systems etc. Pop into them JustMary and put forward your own work, hopefully they won't be dismissive. Best of luck.

Bob_Harris

In all probability they will pay thousands to get a site built by a web design / development company.

The sad thing is most of these companies usually produce sites using years old methods and technologies, and charge massive amounts for it.

The city council will have a simple formula in their head, the more it costs to build the site the better it will be.

They could hire a freelancer like JustMary for a fraction of the price, but I doubt they will.

Mrs OBumble

I was delighted to see the article announcing this on Galway News this morning.

I'm really looking forward to the launch of the council's site: I understand (http://www.galwaycity.ie/TopNews/MainBody,5325,en.html) that it was originally planned for 2009 - better late than never, though, and I hope they've used the extra time to do an excellent job.

To be fair to the council: they had to get agreement from Bus Éireann, City Direct (and Burkes, Farrells, Healys, Corduffs, Brendan Boyle, Feda O'Donnail etc) - whereas a private individual can "just do it", provided I don't tell lies, of course. They also have to launch a "complete" product, whereas I started with about 10 maps that back then weren't even 100% accurate. Originally I thought that a public body couldn't tie themselves into a proprietary tool like Google maps, either, but it seems that some places overseas (eg Chicago) have decided this is ok.

Links to the official bus route maps will replace the existing links on GalwayTransport.info as soon as they're on-line.

I'm open to all sorts of possibilities about what the future holds for the rest of site: it's now up to 700 visitors/month (has grown fairly steadily since Nov 09), and I don't expect them to go away overnight. If the council site replaces all the features, I'll retire it. If not, I'll be looking to see how it can fit into the set of projects I'm working on.

And as you might guess, I've learned a thing or two about building, promoting and maintaining "starter" websites: I've got several other projects of my own on the go, and am close to signing my first agreement with a community group to do some work for them. Or, as a totally different alternative, if the council want to talk, they know where to find me. The site has been built so that it can go into different ownership one day.

gaillimhabu

What's your website JM?

pointofnoreturn

Having a website is cool, consolidates route information but is just re-publishing information that is already a mess and not integrated. lame effort for the city council, not everyone has this on a Iphone, Ipad or a decent internet device around to check schedules. Google around NaviGo, they use this in Europe and it's brilliant schedule information etc.. from multiple operators

Regardless of information about routes, services and time it's just too unpredictable in Galway to follow a schedule.
Bus Eirrean have some sort of GPS system already and you can see online latest departures/arrivals of all buses that are on the system. Excellent Idea but not practical for the everyday commuter or people that would like to commute often.
Real Time system

This is what people want! Real Passenger Information on the stop, they even announce delays and info like that

Xiney

absolutely - those boards announcing the next train aren't a german/land of actual efficiency phenom either - they even have them in Montreal... which is in Quebec... which probably has the most inefficient public servants in North America.

(Although I used to complain about the roads there as a cyclist... obviously I'd seen nothing)

Mrs OBumble

gaillimhabu wrote: »

What's your website JM?

www.GalwayTransport.info

Mrs OBumble

pointofnoreturn wrote: »

Having a website is cool, consolidates route information but is just re-publishing information that is already a mess and not integrated. lame effort for the city council, not everyone has this on a Iphone, Ipad or a decent internet device around to check schedules. Google around NaviGo, they use this in Europe and it's brilliant schedule information etc.. from multiple operators

Regardless of information about routes, services and time it's just too unpredictable in Galway to follow a schedule.

Nice picture. I agree that real-time display at bus stops are the ideal. (Christchurch, NZ has them, even out at small stops in the suburbs. Seriously cool). But they're a long way from where we are now: even delivering static information would be a big improvement on the current state.

And in fairness, the council are between a rock and a hard place: in parts of Europe, to get a licence to operate a public transport service companies agree to provide information to a central database. There is no such requirement here, and without it no company is going to give the council data that will prove that their buses were late. Really it's up to central government to set up a regulatory framework that would let councils deliver, and so far they haven't.

We don't yet know that the bus-marketing strategy is only a website: my guess is that they will also do a printed timetable and route map (anything will improve the current Bus Éireann one), and possibly maps in the timetable signs in (key) bus-stops too. Licensing fees for the map data may be an issue though: have you noticed that newspapers in Ireland don't publish excerpts from Google-maps to illustrate their articles? Places overseas do, my guess is that the fees wanted here are too high.

I also disagree that Galway is too unpredictable to follow a schedule: the bus operators know traffic is heavy at certain times of the day, and that they need some extra buses in the system at those time to deliver the licensed service. It's not rocket science - all it takes is an on-board comms system in every bus, a dispatcher with the authority to order changes when they're needed ("Paddy, go out-of-service to Newcastle and run the 3:45pm service in to town. George will cover the Knocknacarra service that you were supposed to do a t 4pm."), and basic scheduling systems to support them. Instead, we have drivers allocated 30 minutes to get out to Parkmore, no matter what the traffic levels are, and an an inspector who walks around Eyre Square and has to ask drivers if they would mind doing <WHATEVER> instead of being able to tell them.

Wompa1

The sign would be great alright and for anyone building a website it would be easy to tie that in and have live info on the site. Link into the database and show real time what buses are going when they are going to reach their destination etc.

Steyr

pointofnoreturn wrote: »

This is what people want! Real Passenger Information on the stop, they even announce delays and info like that

Thats in Dublin at all LUAS Stops. Been there since the 1st day of the LUAS.

snubbleste

Cllr Crowe said the current information on buses in the public domain is “totally unsatisfactory” and that a recent survey on the current bus service in Galway gave feedback that was “largely negative”.
“As a result of this survey we will now have much clearer information on the web along with colour illustrated maps that will show exactly where the bus begins, goes to, stops etc,” he said.

http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/27108

Mrs OBumble

I'll schedule some time to check them out, and if the site is good to re-point some links.

(I spent a bit of time today thinking about what my criteria for "good" will be: eg if their maps don't link into any on-line system like Google-maps, Yahoo-maps, etc, then people won't be able to scroll off the page - that might be a backward step ...)

A bit disappointing that they've chosen a domain-name that's so limiting.

Buses will be the mainstay of public transport in Galway for a long time yet, but I thought the council had got their heads around the face that they need to be part of an integrated public transport system. And I would have thought that a website was the perfect place to reflect that sort of thinking.

And the whole city / county distinction isn't helping either (or maybe they'll just ignore it, the same way I have )

cranky bollix

JustMary wrote: »

www.GalwayTransport.info

first ive heard of this - excellent work mary

civis_liberalis

No sign of this website yet. Was meant to be launched last month.

http://www.galwaycitybus.ie/

I don't think anyone is particularly surprised though.

siltirocker

Signs on bus stops detailing the times and routes would be a ****in' start imo. I use the 2W and 5W everyday and if it weren't for the internet i wouldn't know when they're coming.

Mrs OBumble

civis_liberalis wrote: »

No sign of this website yet. Was meant to be launched last month.

http://www.galwaycitybus.ie/

I don't think anyone is particularly surprised though.

I don't have any official information.

But my guess is that:

• The website is ready to go, and is loaded with changed route and timetable information that BE were hoping to introduce in June.

• Before they implemented, someone copped that since the changes involved include 10-15% cuts in the services (as well as route changes), they need National Transportation Authority (NTA) approval.

• The NTA is busy approving proposed changed to Dublin Bus routes, and won't get around to Galway for a while

• The media article that sparked this thread was the result of an attempt to use political pressure from our now-Mayor to speed things up (he appears to have announced the site himself several week earlier too).

Personally I don't see how they can go ahead with the changes while there's still only the current Salmon Weir bridge. And I don't think they've really considered the security issues for bus-drivers waiting behind the Cathedral late a night, either. But I don't know if factors like this are taken account of by the NTA.

snubbleste

Still no sign of this website

JustMary Challenge:
I've a morning flight (0900) scheduled from Shannon next month. I want to use public transport to get to the public airport. Citylink have ceased their service and the last BusEireann arrives there at 2150.
What do I do?

Citylink have stopped their Shannon service? Have you check out GoBus?

snubbleste

Deleted User wrote: »

Citylink have stopped their Shannon service? Have you check out GoBus?

yes. yes.

Wompa1

snubbleste wrote: »

yes. yes.

How about a bus to Limerick and then a bus from Limerick to Shannon?

cem

Wompa1 wrote: »

How about a bus to Limerick and then a bus from Limerick to Shannon?

Or a bus to Ennis and a local service to Shannon?

Mrs OBumble

snubbleste wrote: »

JustMary Challenge:
I've a morning flight (0900) scheduled from Shannon next month. I want to use public transport to get to the public airport. Citylink have ceased their service and the last BusEireann arrives there at 2150.
What do I do?

Hmm, I don't like giving advice about trips I haven't done, but OTOH love a challenge:

0900 flight ... so thats an 0700 check in? And assuming you don't want to spend a night anywhere?

JJ Kavanagh have a 12:45am service from Dublin city to Shannon airport, arrives at 4:30am. A little earlier than you need, but sure'n you don't want to miss the flight. Of course it seems a bit arse-ways to travel across the country just to travel back, but ya get that sometimes Or maybe you could get to Limerick for it to pick you up at 3:55am

Or if it's a 0900 checkin, you could get the train to Sixmilebridge (ex Galway 6:40am, arrives 8:17am) and a local taxi ('cos there's no bus that meets the train of course).

Or advertise on boards.ie adverts.ie for other folks who are on the same flight, and share a hackney between you.

Good luck.

poolfan

http://www.citylink.ie/assets/timetables/Feb2010/Galway-Shannon1.pdf
A little early. But ya get there!

biko

snubbleste wrote: »

Citylink have ceased their service

Ya sure? They still have Shannon on their site
http://www.citylink.ie/routes.php

Ah, bottom of front page and on the news section
Cessation of Galway-Shannon-Galway service
Due to the downturn in the tourism sector and the decreased number of passengers using Shannon Airport.
Irish Citylink will cease operating services on the Galway-Shannon-Galway route from 12th September 2010.

You'd think their web team would have the foresight to be ready to update the website properly instead of leaving it searchable and on the routes and other pages? Apparently not.

It still even named on their map on the front page.

Mrs OBumble

Thanks folks .. I hadn't picked up that Citylink had withdrawn from the route totally (assumed the OP just mean the early morning service). My google-alerts hadn't picked it either, meaning they didn't exactly publicise the change and the media hadn't picked it up. (Bet they do after this thread though )

They stopped the Galway-Cork route for a while, and then re-started it with a reduced timetable and slightly different route. Wouldn't surprise me to see something similar happen here.