Bus Eireann #405 route: changes needed?

LXFlyer

pure.conya wrote: »

405 bus route has been a disaster for months now! I am sick and tired of buses not showing up on time although I'm early, second bus comes 5 or 6 minutes late and then decides to become the third bus so countless times I've been left standing at a stop going into or coming from work for over an hour, so much for a service every 20 mins!

What about since the new timetable was implemented?

No real point in focussing on the old timetable anymore if the new one addresses those issues.

ben.schlomo

bobbyss wrote: »

I don't know much about that service going in that direction I'm afraid but was wondering does BE have stats on all of their services in the city because they must base some services on statistics. Are they available to the public?

http://www.buseireann.ie/inner.php?id=290#contact

LXFlyer

bobbyss wrote: »

I don't know much about that service going in that direction I'm afraid but was wondering does BE have stats on all of their services in the city because they must base some services on statistics. Are they available to the public?

That would be commercially sensitive information.

The NTA publish annual statistics - that's as much as you're going to get.

https://fe49d9ec8511d2dc0553-f8f415f79bf5d37d632aa2f721fb6d7c.ssl.cf3.rackcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Bus_Statistics_for_Ireland__State_Funded_Services__Statistical_Bulletin_No._1_20151.pdf

Mrs OBumble

pure.conya wrote: »

405 bus route has been a disaster for months now! I am sick and tired of buses not showing up on time although I'm early, second bus comes 5 or 6 minutes late and then decides to become the third bus so countless times I've been left standing at a stop going into or coming from work for over an hour, so much for a service every 20 mins!

Do you catch it every day? Where from?

Your experience is quite different to mine. I do catch it five days/week. Since the new timetable, I've only had one issue (6:45pm bus left 5 minutes early).

It likely will go back to disastrous again for a while next September: the underlying problem is that GMIT enrol a whole lot of people who have no likelihood of completing their courses, and drop out after Christmas. If these students were going to stay going to college all year, then BE could add more buses to cater for the demand. But it's not worth it for a couple of months.

LXFlyer

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Do you catch it every day? Where from?

Your experience is quite different to mine. I do catch it five days/week. Since the new timetable, I've only had one issue (6:45pm bus left 5 minutes early).

It likely will go back to disastrous again for a while next September: the underlying problem is that GMIT enrol a whole lot of people who have no likelihood of completing their courses, and drop out after Christmas. If these students were going to stay going to college all year, then BE could add more buses to cater for the demand. But it's not worth it for a couple of months.

Not necessarily - if the Peak Vehicle Requirement (PVR) has increased due to longer running times (which I believe may be the case with the new timetable) then it might not be such a disaster.

ben.schlomo

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Do you catch it every day? Where from?

Your experience is quite different to mine. I do catch it five days/week. Since the new timetable, I've only had one issue (6:45pm bus left 5 minutes early).

It likely will go back to disastrous again for a while next September: the underlying problem is that GMIT enrol a whole lot of people who have no likelihood of completing their courses, and drop out after Christmas. If these students were going to stay going to college all year, then BE could add more buses to cater for the demand. But it's not worth it for a couple of months.

Also use it five days a week and there's little to whinge about. Five minutes late on average at peak morning time on the journey to town, journey out is always grand.

Fitz*

pure.conya wrote: »

405 bus route has been a disaster for months now! I am sick and tired of buses not showing up on time although I'm early, second bus comes 5 or 6 minutes late and then decides to become the third bus so countless times I've been left standing at a stop going into or coming from work for over an hour, so much for a service every 20 mins!

lxflyer wrote: »

What about since the new timetable was implemented?

No real point in focussing on the old timetable anymore if the new one addresses those issues.

I use it twice daily 5 days a week.

I still find that buses show up late, but by sheer coincidence (:rolleyes:), when it does show up it is always 20 minutes late - the time of the next scheduled bus.

The morning route from Eyre Sq -> Ballybane seems to have improved alright but the evening route from Ballybane -> Eyre Sq is still bad.

jkforde

i used to use the 405 service from Fort Lorenzo to Ballybane terminus... morning service was flawless but evening service was very dodgy... bus regularly late by an hour (and no explanation for why or apology when driver is asked) then two arrive at the same time... reckon the drivers are having laugh and running rings around the managers.... i complained and they blamed traffic congestion which is no explanation for the repeat occurrence of the hour-late - 2-buses-in-a-row scenario... then again during my time on the bus i saw and heard no one else complain about the service so yet again we get the service we deserve

pure.conya

lxflyer wrote: »

What about since the new timetable was implemented?

No real point in focussing on the old timetable anymore if the new one addresses those issues.

first few days were a bit iffy but so far so good

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Do you catch it every day? Where from?

Your experience is quite different to mine. I do catch it five days/week. Since the new timetable, I've only had one issue (6:45pm bus left 5 minutes early).

It likely will go back to disastrous again for a while next September: the underlying problem is that GMIT enrol a whole lot of people who have no likelihood of completing their courses, and drop out after Christmas. If these students were going to stay going to college all year, then BE could add more buses to cater for the demand. But it's not worth it for a couple of months.

from the west direction. It's gas how you're trying to say all is good (since the new timetable went live in the last month) yet I, my SO and friends had more than enough bad experiences and spoken to/overheard others highlighting their bad experiences at the busstops or on the bus when it eventually shows up to know these aren't isolated incidences. In many cases certain times advertised wouldn't show up for days on end!

ben.schlomo wrote: »

Also use it five days a week and there's little to whinge about. Five minutes late on average at peak morning time on the journey to town, journey out is always grand.

I'm delighted you've had such a positive experience every single time you've went for a bus

FitzShane wrote: »

I use it twice daily 5 days a week.

I still find that buses show up late, but by sheer coincidence (:rolleyes:), when it does show up it is always 20 minutes late - the time of the next scheduled bus.

The morning route from Eyre Sq -> Ballybane seems to have improved alright but the evening route from Ballybane -> Eyre Sq is still bad.

you're dead right about the whole "coincidental" 20 mins late issue! Another issue I've witnessed is a bus pulling up in Knocknacarra after the previous one not arriving and although there were 15+ waiting at the stop the driver lets everybody off the bus, closes the door and drives back into town empty! I actually couldn't believe my eyes anytime I've seen this happen. I mean in what universe does it make sense for this to happen?

Butterface

Still no connection from the west side to Parkmore?

Mrs OBumble

pure.conya wrote: »

Another issue I've witnessed is a bus pulling up in Knocknacarra after the previous one not arriving and although there were 15+ waiting at the stop the driver lets everybody off the bus, closes the door and drives back into town empty! I actually couldn't believe my eyes anytime I've seen this happen. I mean in what universe does it make sense for this to happen?

I've had the same thing happen at the Ballybane end. Unbelievably frustrating.

It only makes sense due to driver hours, and timetables at that point around 7pm when the frequency is changing from every 20 to 40 minutes: if the driver who is scheduled to drop passengers off but not pick up is close to reaching their hours-limit for the day, they might not be able to legally drive the route in to town again. It's not their fault that the driver on the bus beforehand had something happen, and Bus Eireann's dispatch / control system is weak and sometimes doesn't have spare buses and/or drivers to deal with breakdowns or driver-sickness etc.

A few times, if I was the only one waiting, they've picked me up, run out-of-service in to town, and dropped me at a bus stop somewhere near Eyre Square. It helps that they know my face and likely destination, and that I will be fast on and off with no messing getting tickets out etc. But if there are lots of people waiting, you can guarantee that some will be wanting intermediate stops or to ask questions or whatever else that will take time.

smurf492

Got this Bus today for the first time and must say it was a lot better than i thought it would. Bus was 10 min late at the dunnes side but got to ballybrit well handy, 40 min r so....

Fitz*

Seems like the 405 is back to its old tricks again.

At the HPE stop yesterday for the 5.25 bus. Very very cold, 2 buses arrive at 6.10. No reasoning behind it or anything. They then spend 5 minutes trying to arrange people for different stops, and pull off as normal as it nothing is wrong.

ben.schlomo

FitzShane wrote: »

Seems like the 405 is back to its old tricks again.

At the HPE stop yesterday for the 5.25 bus. Very very cold, 2 buses arrive at 6.10. No reasoning behind it or anything. They then spend 5 minutes trying to arrange people for different stops, and pull off as normal as it nothing is wrong.

Traffic is shocking due to the novena, the 620 was saying closer to 650 on the rtpi board at the Eyre Square stop last evening. Rule of thumb is don't use buses the novena evenings, especially the 405 which had to pass the cathedral twice per route. 403 and 409 both way out of kilter in terms of timetable too.

Storm 10

FitzShane wrote: »

Seems like the 405 is back to its old tricks again.

At the HPE stop yesterday for the 5.25 bus. Very very cold, 2 buses arrive at 6.10. No reasoning behind it or anything. They then spend 5 minutes trying to arrange people for different stops, and pull off as normal as it nothing is wrong.

Traffic yesterday was mental, there were large crowds waiting at all bus stops in Eyre Square but no bus to be seen ,around 5.30pm I passed three 405 busses between the Courthouse and UHG all at a standstill, there was also a 403 and a 412 bus so it was not the fault of any bus company yesterday's hold ups

what_traffic

When Salmon Weir Bridge is closed to private Motor Traffic it will alleviate a lot of the current delays for the #405.

what_traffic

See Page D41/D42

http://www.galwaycity.ie/uploads/downloads/news_items/Traffic-Transport/GTS/GTS%20Appendix%20D%20Public%20Transport%20Infrastructure%20Development.pdf

Mrs OBumble

what_traffic wrote: »

When Salmon Weir Bridge is closed to private Motor Traffic it will alleviate a lot of the current delays for the #405.

Implementation timeframe?

Plans for people from Renmore going to the Novena?

what_traffic

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Implementation timeframe?

Plans for people from Renmore going to the Novena?

Quincentenary Bridge