Dublin bus driver here, ask questions.

thomasj

Martyn1989 wrote: »

Qualitymark wrote: »

The timekeeping on Dublin Bus routes is the main thing that leaves the service open to contempt - it makes it seem inefficient and unprofessional. And the filth of many buses.

I've heard tourists laughing with a tone of utter contempt at the business of giving no change - they regard this as a banana republic action, as do many Dubliners.

The good thing is the kindness and courtesy of most drivers towards passengers.

The funny thing here is some people are giving out because the bus drivers won't wait for gran to run for the bus and others give out because the bus is never on time. We can't have it both ways. I use Dublin Bus to get everywere (work, college, social etc.) and have no trouble now that I have the DB real time info app.

A bus driver told me that they come 3 together so they can get through their routes faster, I think they even have a name for it, 'piggy backing' or something, any truth in that bobby?

The filth of the buses is the publics fault, the drivers have to go up and pick up rubbish at the end of each route, they can't be expected do it in the middle of the route.

Bobby said they removed the change facilitie from DB because they were getting robbed for it. Its also less hassle for them. Its not that big a deal once they get over the initial shock. The tourists who laughed with contempt over something so small don't sound like very nice people ........ must have been german.

But its not just the change element. Ill give you an example. On a bus late during the week, a few Scottish guys got on the bus. They were going two stops down which given the length of road and distance between the stops seamed reasonable but for 1.65 each that seamed a bit like daylight robbery!

Okay in fairness it was no hassle to them and they took out the money and paid for it without any questions but i just think that like there should be a flat fare of €1 for if you were travelling lets say 5 stops or less just like the city centre. Okay we could argue the zonal system should be brought in like the Luas but in sure there would be elements of the zonal system that may look like its ripping people off. Sure look at the situation with regards to fares going beyond busaras going towards the point.

Also does anyone know if the leap card is being promoted in tourist offices abroad like the oyster card is?

mickgotsick

thomasj wrote: »

But its not just the change element. Ill give you an example. On a bus late during the week, a few Scottish guys got on the bus. They were going two stops down which given the length of road and distance between the stops seamed reasonable but for 1.65 each that seamed a bit like daylight robbery!

Okay in fairness it was no hassle to them and they took out the money and paid for it without any questions but i just think that like there should be a flat fare of €1 for if you were travelling lets say 5 stops or less just like the city centre. Okay we could argue the zonal system should be brought in like the Luas but in sure there would be elements of the zonal system that may look like its ripping people off. Sure look at the situation with regards to fares going beyond busaras going towards the point.

Also does anyone know if the leap card is being promoted in tourist offices abroad like the oyster card is?

There's a flat fare of £1.40 in Edinburgh, which is probably why they paid without any questions.

Martyn1989

thomasj wrote: »

But its not just the change element. Ill give you an example. On a bus late during the week, a few Scottish guys got on the bus. They were going two stops down which given the length of road and distance between the stops seamed reasonable but for 1.65 each that seamed a bit like daylight robbery!

Okay in fairness it was no hassle to them and they took out the money and paid for it without any questions but i just think that like there should be a flat fare of €1 for if you were travelling lets say 5 stops or less just like the city centre. Okay we could argue the zonal system should be brought in like the Luas but in sure there would be elements of the zonal system that may look like its ripping people off. Sure look at the situation with regards to fares going beyond busaras going towards the point.

Also does anyone know if the leap card is being promoted in tourist offices abroad like the oyster card is?

€1.65 is not even the fare anymore, they would have been charged €1.40 which I don't see as unreasonable. Cheaper then the Luas and the Dart and they weren't walking.

The city centre zone fare is only €0.60, that can hardly be seen as daylight robbery.

I don't get why people think flat rates are such a great idea, whats wrong with paying for what you use?

Joshycat

Martyn1989 wrote: »

€1.65 is not even the fare anymore, they would have been charged €1.40 which I don't see as unreasonable. Cheaper then the Luas and the Dart and they weren't walking.

The city centre zone fare is only €0.60, that can hardly be seen as daylight robbery.

I don't get why people think flat rates are such a great idea, whats wrong with paying for what you use?

They would not have been charged 1.40 they would have been charged 1.90

Martyn1989

Joshycat wrote: »

They would not have been charged 1.40 they would have been charged 1.90

For 2 stops? Even if they went 2 stages it would still be €1.40

alias no.9

Martyn1989 wrote: »

€1.65 is not even the fare anymore, they would have been charged €1.40 which I don't see as unreasonable. Cheaper then the Luas and the Dart and they weren't walking.

The city centre zone fare is only €0.60, that can hardly be seen as daylight robbery.

I don't get why people think flat rates are such a great idea, whats wrong with paying for what you use?

I have no problem paying for what I use, the problem is the quantity is measured in incomprehensible units known as stages which are not indicated at bus stops, appear to be entirely arbitrary and are certainly inconsistent both within and between routes.
The push for flat fares is for simplicity. Take the ongoing spat between Stheno and Bobby, how much of it would be nullified by a flat fare of €2 for adults and €1 or 50c for kids? Less time wasted at stops with customers trying to describe where they're going and the driver trying to work out the fare, easier for the driver to verify the correct fare, less fare evasion, less customer confusion, less administration of change refunds, etc...

pm1977x

alias no.9 wrote: »

I have no problem paying for what I use, the problem is the quantity is measured in incomprehensible units known as stages which are not indicated at bus stops, appear to be entirely arbitrary and are certainly inconsistent both within and between routes.
The push for flat fares is for simplicity. Take the ongoing spat between Stheno and Bobby, how much of it would be nullified by a flat fare of €2 for adults and €1 or 50c for kids? Less time wasted at stops with customers trying to describe where they're going and the driver trying to work out the fare, easier for the driver to verify the correct fare, less fare evasion, less customer confusion, less administration of change refunds, etc...

True, but then you have massive long routes such as the 40 that goes from beyond Liffey Valley through town to Finglas - 2 euro flat fare would probably make it lose too much money

Qualitymark

pm1977x wrote: »

True, but then you have massive long routes such as the 40 that goes from beyond Liffey Valley through town to Finglas - 2 euro flat fare would probably make it lose too much money

Scarcely, since it's an unusual route and most routes are shorter.

Most successful fares strategy ever was, I think, Bangalore, which ran a lottery on all tickets. It had been the epicentre of echt fare-dodgers; now it became unknown for fares to be dodged.

thomasj

Martyn1989 wrote: »

thomasj wrote: »

But its not just the change element. Ill give you an example. On a bus late during the week, a few Scottish guys got on the bus. They were going two stops down which given the length of road and distance between the stops seamed reasonable but for 1.65 each that seamed a bit like daylight robbery!

Okay in fairness it was no hassle to them and they took out the money and paid for it without any questions but i just think that like there should be a flat fare of €1 for if you were travelling lets say 5 stops or less just like the city centre. Okay we could argue the zonal system should be brought in like the Luas but in sure there would be elements of the zonal system that may look like its ripping people off. Sure look at the situation with regards to fares going beyond busaras going towards the point.

Also does anyone know if the leap card is being promoted in tourist offices abroad like the oyster card is?

€1.65 is not even the fare anymore, they would have been charged €1.40 which I don't see as unreasonable. Cheaper then the Luas and the Dart and they weren't walking.

The city centre zone fare is only €0.60, that can hardly be seen as daylight robbery.

I don't get why people think flat rates are such a great idea, whats wrong with paying for what you use?

Oh I agree the 0.60 is anything but daylight robbery but my point is why not extend this (maybe increase it to euro) to people taking short trips (ie less than 5-6 stops)

Qualitymark

Qualitymark wrote: »

+1 for that. Intelligent drivers, where cyclists are concerned.

Except that tonight, as I was cycling along a very wet Clanbrassil Street, keeping out from the side for fear of being doored by cars, and for fear of the slippery manhole covers strewn like landmines waiting to tip unwary cyclists too close to the kerb, an impatient bus driver parped his little horn at me. I moved out directly in front of him until I came to my right-hand turn - he probably thought it was out of badness, but it was for fear he'd rush past me and I'd slip on one of those manhole covers and go under his wheels.

He wasn't even on a route; the bus was out of service.

(Was going to say "he or she", but I haven't seen a woman driving a bus in several years. Where did the female drivers all go?)

the groutch

I'm not sure if a flat fare is the answer, but I'd definitely like to see the 1-3 stages and 4-7 stages amalgamated.
On the majority of routes 3 stages is easily walkable, and if it was nearly two quid people might think twice about wasting space on the buses, and adding to dwell times.

Victor

MidlandsM wrote: »

you typed that before in this thread, is that the only old chestnut you have or are you a tad SLOWWWWWWWWWW??

..back to work you minion!

No need to be insulting

Moderator

Martyn1989

the groutch wrote: »

I'm not sure if a flat fare is the answer, but I'd definitely like to see the 1-3 stages and 4-7 stages amalgamated.
On the majority of routes 3 stages is easily walkable, and if it was nearly two quid people might think twice about wasting space on the buses, and adding to dwell times.

But the buses are never packed apart from peak times, surely they want as many people as they can on the bus. Theres alot more buses running with 20 or less people on them then 20 or more (from what I can see). Are you suggesting they get rid of the €1.40 and have €1.90 as the minimum fare?

I wonder how often the bus drivers cash boxes are short, I'm presuming their always short but rarely by alot? Of course it adds up etc.

dfx-

Martyn1989 wrote: »

But the buses are never packed apart from peak times, surely they want as many people as they can on the bus. Theres alot more buses running with 20 or less people on them then 20 or more (from what I can see). Are you suggesting they get rid of the €1.40 and have €1.90 as the minimum fare?

4s, 7s, 13s, 40s, 15s, 27s, 77A, 40D, 39/A, 38/A, 37, 25s, 69, 130, 46As and 145s if there's more than a 4 minute gap, plenty of buses are packed. The last 13 leaving the city is regularly packed.

Martyn1989

dfx- wrote: »

4s, 7s, 13s, 40s, 15s, 27s, 77A, 40D, 39/A, 38/A, 37, 25s, 69, 130, 46As and 145s if there's more than a 4 minute gap, plenty of buses are packed. The last 13 leaving the city is regularly packed.

Ive gotten the 38s, 39s and 130 regularily and only found them packed at peak times, get a bus around 10am or 3 in the afternoon and their rarely more then half full.

Dravokivich

the groutch wrote: »

I'm not sure if a flat fare is the answer, but I'd definitely like to see the 1-3 stages and 4-7 stages amalgamated.
On the majority of routes 3 stages is easily walkable, and if it was nearly two quid people might think twice about wasting space on the buses, and adding to dwell times.

Sure it's walkable for me, but that walk will be a nuisance when I've got my shopping after going out for the messages. It'd be annoying having to spend an extra 50cents for the same journey because of how you see some people hoping on and off.

Skyflyer1234

Scortho wrote: »

Im not trying to be a nuisance.
Apparently Celbridge has a population of 19,537 compared to Leixlips population of 15,452.....if Wikipedia is to be believed!:rolleyes:

My point was basically that every morning at that stop before joining the N4 any 66x will have a lot of empty seats, while on most days the 67x will be full before the bridge in Celbridge and drives by people at the stops all along the Dublin Road. Even the drivers moan about it at this stage as they know people now have to wait for a half an hour for the next bus!

What I've resorted to doing is hopping on a normal 67 and hopping off before the N4 and onto a 66x.
Drivers of the 67 always give me a puzzled look!

Dunno if it contributes but there is also an awful lot peolpe travelling to Leixlip to work in HP and Intel

Dravokivich

Skyflyer1234 wrote: »

Dunno if it contributes but there is also an awful lot peolpe travelling to Leixlip to work in HP and Intel

The X's go into town in the mornings and out of town in the evenings. Doesn't really meet with that.

They've also got a route that splits off the normal 66 route for HP anyway.

foggy_lad

Dravokivich wrote: »

The X's go into town in the mornings and out of town in the evenings. Doesn't really meet with that.

They've also got a route that splits off the normal 66 route for HP anyway.

There are more 66x's because they serve three different areas, one from Straffan Rd, one from Captains hill in Leixlip and one from Easton Rd.

Dravokivich

foggy_lad wrote: »

There are more 66x's because they serve three different areas, one from Straffan Rd, one from Captains hill in Leixlip and one from Easton Rd.

And they follow rush hour traffic. People going to HP/Intel would be going against rush hour traffic.

RacoonQueen

Just in case you come back. Why don't they put more buses on at busy times when the schools go back? Buses are held up because they're stopping more often, then they're jammed or too full and drive past and then people are late for work.

Why do drivers swap around on O'Connell street/outside the Rotunda at 8:50 in the morning then the driver taking over can be late and/or they then stand there yapping. Just before 9am, causing people to be late for work, once I was on a 26 which terminates(or did) at merrion square and the driver stopped at Trinity and sat there for 5 minutes+ waiting for a changeover. WTF? Just wait till you get around the corner.

Why aren't routes that are known to be problematic with smoking/drugs/anti-social behaviour policed better? Why not have guards on standby or even on the buses?

All of the above is really about the number 40 bus. Thank God I'm back on the bike this week. What a joke of a service.

Is it true there is a driver sitting in one depot in Dublin every day who won't drive a bus without a conductor and another person sitting in a canteen in another depot who didn't want to move from being a conductor to another position and have both been turning up for work every day and yet not actually working ever since conductors were done away with about 20 years ago?

Qualitymark

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Just in case you come back. Why don't they put more buses on at busy times when the schools go back? Buses are held up because they're stopping more often, then they're jammed or too full and drive past and then people are late for work.

More to the point, why don't we have school buses in Dublin. That would end the traffic problems - when schools are off the roads magically clear.

(And while I'm at it, why don't they build a multi-storey carpark beside Pearse Street garda station, which would end the triple and quadruple parking on the city's most congested street? Nothing to do with buses, but it really pisses me off.)

Why aren't routes that are known to be problematic with smoking/drugs/anti-social behaviour policed better? Why not have guards on standby or even on the buses?

Absolutely. Why aren't there plainclothes 'air marshals' who can hoik yoiks off the buses and let them walk home and smoke and screech and swear and spit and throw their food as they go, without making life unpleasant for other passengers?

Dravokivich

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Is it true there is a driver sitting in one depot in Dublin every day who won't drive a bus without a conductor and another person sitting in a canteen in another depot who didn't want to move from being a conductor to another position and have both been turning up for work every day and yet not actually working ever since conductors were done away with about 20 years ago?

Where did you hear that? Sounds too crazy to be true.

RacoonQueen

Dravokivich wrote: »

Where did you hear that? Sounds too crazy to be true.

It came from another driver. Just wondering if someone else will back up the story.

Would it really surprise you if it was true?

markpb

Qualitymark wrote: »

More to the point, why don't we have school buses in Dublin.

We do. I'm not sure how they're run but several used to pass me on the Malahide road every morning when I was living in that part of town.

Qualitymark

markpb wrote: »

We do. I'm not sure how they're run but several used to pass me on the Malahide road every morning when I was living in that part of town.

None in my part of town. Instead, queues of little cars and 4x4s letting children off or loading them in at school in/out times.

The_Wrecker

Qualitymark wrote: »

More to the point, why don't we have school buses in Dublin. That would end the traffic problems - when schools are off the roads magically clear.

We did in the 90's, but they were given to private operators under the School-link branding. Over night our deckers were replaced with second hand coaches from the UK. Capacity dropped from 90 to 53. The Shanganagh cliffs service was one of the last to go (serving Rockford school). This was given to a Bray operator and overnight it became a ex airport single decker which started running late, hence the kids now get the 7B and block city bound workers.

The_Wrecker

RacoonQueen wrote: »

It came from another driver. Just wondering if someone else will back up the story.

Would it really surprise you if it was true?

Known as TPO employees. Refuse to work unless Two Person Operated. Not many left these days ~ tens years ago this would have been a huge scandal. Some have aquired other depots jobs as of the present and are now pulling their weight.

Haruki

Great tread, thanks.
What's the highest mileage you have seen or heard of on a bus ?
And how often are drivers given a medical check-up ?

Qualitymark

The_Wrecker wrote: »

We did in the 90's, but they were given to private operators under the School-link branding. Over night our deckers were replaced with second hand coaches from the UK. Capacity dropped from 90 to 53. The Shanganagh cliffs service was one of the last to go (serving Rockford school). This was given to a Bray operator and overnight it became a ex airport single decker which started running late, hence the kids now get the 7B and block city bound workers.

Nice business opportunity for some entrepreneur - do a deal with a bunch of schools - the old Imps would be perfect as school buses.