Dublin bus driver here, ask questions.

John Mason

Bazzer2 wrote: »

No, that's efficiency and is standard practice in bus companies all over the world.

well, they should change and get on with it. this sitting for 20 mins business is a load of arse.

i am getting a car, next month, feck this haning around for hours at bus stops in the cold and rain.

Sometimes it takes me 1.5 hours to get home but i can walk it in 2hrs (its only 5 miles)

Qualitymark

Dublin's buses used to be universally used, and people actually liked them, back in these days



Then, you could bring the dog upstairs on the bus, and it was usual for the kids and old people to bring their dog to the park or to the country on the top of the bus. Now it's "at the discretion of the bus driver" - which means the bus driver will always refuse. A whole horrible mechanistic change of heart.

RacoonQueen

Bazzer2 wrote: »

No, that's efficiency and is standard practice in bus companies all over the world.

How is it efficient if you're sitting there for 5 minutes plus waiting on the next driver to arrive?

BALLHOPPER

Re running after the bus always remember this.THE BUS RUNS FOR THOSE WHO WAIT IT DOESENT WAIT FOR THOSE WHO RUN. Why not be at the stop a few minutes before the bus is due, after all when travelling by air you have to be at the airport two hours before departure time, not running out the apron as the plane is backing out from the dock the pilot wont stop and open the door. The same applies to travelling by rail or by sea, why is travelling by bus so different. JUST BE THERE ON TIME

markpb

Qualitymark wrote: »

Dublin's buses used to be universally used, and people actually liked them, back in these days

Car ownership was much lower in those days which meant that the Dublin bus companies had a) less traffic to contend with and b) more money. I'm not saying that things weren't better but you're comparing apples and oranges.

BALLHOPPER wrote: »

Why not be at the stop a few minutes before the bus is due

Do Dublin Bus publish timetables for individual stops now? Ignoring that, what happens if you're transferring from one bus to another and the first bus runs late? What happens if you're in work and get held up for a minute or two. We don't all travel the bus for the fun, good time experience, some of us just use it to get from place to place.

Edit: I know you're an ex-BE driver but this thread is about Dublin Bus, not Bus Eireann. Of course people should be on time for IC buses.

Bazzer2

RacoonQueen wrote: »

How is it efficient if you're sitting there for 5 minutes plus waiting on the next driver to arrive?

Because the company is cutting down on wasted time and fuel by avoiding having a bus go empty to the garage, having another pull out and go empty again to a terminus. Plus it cuts down on cranks complaining about seeing yet another bus go by 'Out of service'.

starch4ser

Is your name Walter Mitty?

Nolimits

Thanks for taking the time to do this thread Bobby. As for people complaining about him not bothering to count the change, I'm not really surprised, imagine how long would be added to each route if he actually had to count all of the change.


My Dad was a bus driver, just retired a few years, was one of the old school though.


He once kicked an inspector the bus,a woman had paid her fare and forgot her ticket he just pulled it off and kept it, inspector got on, when she didn't have her ticket my Dad produced her ticket and said she'd paid and had forgotten it, inspector was having none of it so my Dad told him to get off "my" bus. He said nothing happened except the inspector apologised to him a few days later, though I doubt he would have told me if he got into trouble.

RacoonQueen

Bazzer2 wrote: »

Because the company is cutting down on wasted time and fuel by avoiding having a bus go empty to the garage, having another pull out and go empty again to a terminus. Plus it cuts down on cranks complaining about seeing yet another bus go by 'Out of service'.

What? How would a bus be going empty to a garage if they did the shift changeover at either end of the route instead of the middle of it? So leaving passangers who have paid their fare sitting on a bus for 5+ minutes for a shift changover is saving time and fuel? In what way? Have the shift changover at the terminus and the changing driver can either go on his merry way via his own means of transport or get dropped off by the driver who took over. Leaving passengers sitting on a bus half way through a route is not a good way to run a service. It's baffling that anyone could think otherwise.

markpb

RacoonQueen wrote: »

What? How would a bus be going empty to a garage if they did the shift changeover at either end of the route instead of the middle of it?

Drivers would need to be ferried between the depot and the end of the route at the start and end of their shifts. They also need somewhere to go to the bathroom and eat which isn't always possible at route terminii.

It's not a great system but the alternatives are equally poor.

RacoonQueen

markpb wrote: »

Drivers would need to be ferried between the depot and the end of the route at the start and end of their shifts. They also need somewhere to go to the bathroom and eat which isn't always possible at route terminii.

It's not a great system but the alternatives are equally poor.

If a bus terminates in town the finishing driver usually toddles off while someone else drives the bus. As I said, if it terminates in Tallaght he can be dropped back to town(as part of his shift). If they do a shift changeover in Parnell square sure where does the finished driver go? There is no depot there.

Jawgap

markpb wrote: »

Drivers would need to be ferried between the depot and the end of the route at the start and end of their shifts. They also need somewhere to go to the bathroom and eat which isn't always possible at route terminii.

It's not a great system but the alternatives are equally poor.

you do know this only makes sense to DB drivers?

If I'm working off site my boss doesn't arrange for me to be ferried to the job, nor does he arrange for me to be ferried back when I'm finished or when I need the loo or have something to eat - plus I'm only paid when I work and for the work I do - I don't get paid to commute........and for the record I work in the public service.

Dravokivich

I don't get why you guys are challenging him on this. Or a couple of other people here who are just posters.

If you have any genuine concerns or complaints regarding the operations of Dublin Bus, go complain to Dublin Bus about'em.

Losty Dublin

Qualitymark wrote: »

They're essentially civil servants; they have no incentive to serve their customers well.

My mother told me that when she was a girl, in the 1930s, there were several competing bus companies working all the routes in Dublin. Drivers and conductors got bonuses for smart timekeeping on the routes and for the number of customers they picked up and got fares from. She said the service was phenomenal then.

There is a chapter in Michael Corcorans history of Dublin Trams; Through Streets Broad and Narrow devoted to the mess that was the city's unregulated bus network in the 1920's and early 1930's.

The_Wrecker

Stevek101 wrote: »

Any idea of the type or expected delivery of these buses?

The 'link' is what type arrived yesterday.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oI4n2Q8eCAI/T2JJzBEftRI/AAAAAAAAB7s/S89yPK_u7eA/s1600/wright+demonstrator+on+palatine+road+12-3-11.jpg

rx8

Oh my god that looks awful.

If you put your hands up to each side of your face, and pull your skin backwards, so as your eyes are slanted, then you would look like it.

Why can't they keep a couple of WV's ??

Qualitymark

The_Wrecker wrote: »

The 'link' is what type arrived yesterday.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oI4n2Q8eCAI/T2JJzBEftRI/AAAAAAAAB7s/S89yPK_u7eA/s1600/wright+demonstrator+on+palatine+road+12-3-11.jpg

Looks fine to me. Small, nippy, comfortable. Any drivers used it and can comment on its driveability and driver comfort? Any word from around the world on its durability?

stop

Qualitymark wrote: »

Looks fine to me. Small, nippy, comfortable. Any drivers used it and can comment on its driveability and driver comfort? Any word from around the world on its durability?

For the 44B I'd be interested in how it handles engine overheating!

the groutch

The_Wrecker wrote: »

The 'link' is what type arrived yesterday.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oI4n2Q8eCAI/T2JJzBEftRI/AAAAAAAAB7s/S89yPK_u7eA/s1600/wright+demonstrator+on+palatine+road+12-3-11.jpg

just for the 44b route, or other routes too?
they could do with these for the 63 imo.

Qualitymark

the groutch wrote: »

just for the 44b route, or other routes too?
they could do with these for the 63 imo.

And the 83. And the 49.

AlekSmart

GRMA wrote: »

Why do some of your drivers let smelly fcukers like the small grey haired guy with the funny walk onto busses? (you probably know of that guy, been known to take a sh!t on the bus)

Oh don,t I know this Gentleman well Indeed :eek: !!!

He is to be found usually along the Ballymun/Santry-City Centre corridor and his walking style appears dictated by the weight of whatever is in his trousers.

Now before you call out the Busdriver on this issue,bear in mind that the individual in question has long history of being refused travel by Busdrivers who spot him before he boards.

He is however most adept at slipping unnoticed past the crowd and suddenly popping up with his fare (YES...He pays a cash-fare !!)

If I see him at the Stop,I will make sure I place the bus in such a position which allows me to embark most of the other passengers first.

However,it's also worth remembering that the gent may have washed and changed his garb since the last time and thus may not be a problem at all on that specific journey.

I am also aware of Drivers who have been reported,by passengers sitting upstairs, for refusing the fellow admission.
The pasenger concerned,as is very common,had only a partial view of the incident and,again,as is usual,already had a preconcieved notion of the Busdrivers attitude.

(I should clarify that the issue with this particular Gentleman is a most rancid and nauseous stench of fecal matter and much else,which cannot be appreciated through the Internet)

All the complainant saw was an elderly gentleman being refused travel,and reacting appropriately,however the Lady concerned never bothered to investigate or approach the Driver OR the other passengers downstairs to seek any explanation.

Luckily,when the CCTV footage was played it clearly showed the other passengers downwind of this gent,blanching and making faces which required no translation as to what the problem was...:o

Busdriving requires a wealth of associated skills and adaptations to carry the task out with any success,but by far the most necessary is patience,lots of it......:)

The cycle/bus issue is also one of the areas of contention which,like the poor,appears destined to be with us always.

I can only go on my own experience,which has taught me that a Public Service vehicle up to 12mtrs Long,2.55 Mtrs wide and weighing up to 18 tonnes,which,by definition has to do all of it's business with the kerbside,will always conflict with a Cyclist whom the authorities feel is safe enough being placed between the two.

The needs of the Cyclist and the Bus Passenger,IMO,are diametrically opposed and cannot be safely combined under our long standing Road Traffic methodology.

It is my belief that on public (Not road) safety grounds alone there should never be an incidence of a Cyclist being directed through a "Live" Bus Stop.

Part of basic Cycle Path/Lane and BusStop design should be a primary requirement to seperate the two for a substantial distance on the approach and departure from the Stop.

It would be a worthwhile practice,I feel,if Bus Companies were to hold open-days where interested groups,such as cyclists,could be sat into the cab of a vehicle such as a Tri-Axle VT and allowed to get a perception of the Busdrivers view.

It is also worth pointing out that Bus Atha Cliath staff have been amongst the most enthusiastic participants in the Cycle to Work assisted-purchase scheme,with most Garages now having to find extra parking space for bicycles.

As a footnote on the other gripe of Duty Handovers,having witnessed the handovers on the Cannes city bus network,( http://www.busazur.com/) where the (Veolia) drivers concerned shook-hands,had a little chat and a smoke before bidding each other adieu,whilst their passengers muttered,rolled their eyes and shrugged their shoulders massively.....the only difference being the mid autumn temperatures of 21 Deg C and the sunshine to go with it......Grrrr.

ordinary_girl

This isn't so much to do with driving buses, it's more in relation to hygiene and cleanliness on buses. I get a minimum of 4 buses a day, so there's a chance I'm just unlucky and that statistically I'm more likely to encounter this stuff:

How often do buses get cleaned? What's the procedure for when someone has vomited on a bus, several times I've gotten on the bus when there's been the unmistakable smell of vomit and people have mentioned it to the driver and nothing gets done. Are you told to just continue your route and keep collecting passengers anyway when this happens? It's disgusting, but obviously not the driver's fault.

The_Wrecker

stop wrote: »

For the 44B I'd be interested in how it handles engine overheating!

Keep in mind these machines are marching across Cumbria, Yorkshire and the Welsh mountain villages. I think they can manage the hill at the Blue lamp.

The_Wrecker

the groutch wrote: »

just for the 44b route, or other routes too?
they could do with these for the 63 imo.

The order will be for three machines only.

stop

stop wrote: »

For the 44B I'd be interested in how it handles engine overheating!

The_Wrecker wrote: »

Keep in mind these machines are marching across Cumbria, Yorkshire and the Welsh mountain villages. I think they can manage the hill at the Blue lamp.

WV9, 10 and 11 were all written off after fire damage near Johnnie Fox's! :eek:

The_Wrecker

Karsini wrote: »

WV9, 10 and 11 were all written off after fire damage near Johnnie Fox's! :eek:

True but the builders make them suitable for these routes. If they are on routes laden with ramps the day before, 59 for example. Vibration and a general battering, pipes do come loose.

liger

ordinary_girl wrote: »

I get a minimum of 4 buses a day, so there's a chance I'm just unlucky and that statistically I'm more likely to encounter this stuff:

How often do buses get cleaned? What's the procedure for when someone has vomited on a bus, .

Well you have to remember, A bus will leave its Depot at about 5.30am and most stay out all day and might not get back to depot till 1am. So if the bus tends to get grubby from early afternoon. Then they are all swept out every night, probably given a quick mop.

If a driver is informed that someone has gotten sick on the bus it depends on the situation, Maybe then can close off the affected bit and carry on with open windows. if its a hazard like at the door then the driver probably wont ask for a change of bus. The problem is, If you want a change of bus you could wait an hour till someone can do that and then a bus is off the road.

So whats the bigger inconveince? left standing on the road waiting or putting up with a bad smell?

The_Wrecker

liger wrote: »

Well you have to remember, A bus will leave its Depot at about 5.30am and most stay out all day and might not get back to depot till 1am. So if the bus tends to get grubby from early afternoon. Then they are all swept out every night, probably given a quick mop.

If a driver is informed that someone has gotten sick on the bus it depends on the situation, Maybe then can close off the affected bit and carry on with open windows. if its a hazard like at the door then the driver probably wont ask for a change of bus. The problem is, If you want a change of bus you could wait an hour till someone can do that and then a bus is off the road.

So whats the bigger inconveince? left standing on the road waiting or putting up with a bad smell?

Any form of human waste and the bus is off the road straight away. No more blocking off stairs, its gone and the contract cleaners move in.

Losty Dublin

Karsini wrote: »

WV9, 10 and 11 were all written off after fire damage near Johnnie Fox's! :eek:

A DB mechanic told me one night that the WV's were intended by Volvo to be a 4 wheel drive bus for routes in wintry areas. The adaptions on the two wheel drive models (Which was over 90% of what was sold) made the model prone to issues with excess heat around the wheel arch areas due to it's air venting and the engine position.

Qualitymark

liger wrote: »

The problem is, If you want a change of bus you could wait an hour till someone can do that and then a bus is off the road.

Why?

Is this another example of the typical short-termism of Ireland, that there are not spare buses available?

Every housewife knows to have spare sets of clothes for the family in case of accidents, extra food in the cupboard in case of visitors, etc. Why aren't there spare buses ready to roll immediately?

(From my own observation, I think one of the big problems of Dublin Bus is the fact that it's run from several different garages rather than centrally - this lack of spares is typical, but it also causes problems, for instance, in covering one area that has buses from several different garages transiting; in theory the area should be well covered, but in practice each garage thinks the other garages' buses are covering a hole in the schedule.)

In relation to cyclists and buses, by the way, I'm a cyclist, a passenger and a driver, and don't see any difficulty with mutual courtesy and care for safety on the road. On the turn from St Stephen's Green to Leeson Street yesterday, for instance, I was on my bike waiting for the lights to change when a bus came up behind me wanting to turn left. He gave a tiny 'bip' on the horn and I hopped off and pulled up the bike against the pavement so he could safely turn. (Then the lights changed to a pedestrian green and I walked the bike across, remounted and rode off.)