84X Overcrowding

RayM

I don't know if many people on here use the 84x, but the service seems to be getting increasingly worse (especially in the evenings). Most evenings, the bus is like a sardine-tin by the time it gets to Belfield. Today the 16:50 from town was especially bad. And just to make matters worse - the bus kept cutting out every few minutes (same thing happened last Thursday - probably the same dodgy bus).

I'm a huge fan of 'personal space', so being wedged against a total stranger for an hour is seriously uncomfortable. It's even more annoying when you get left behind. It's pretty obvious that there aren't enough buses allocated to the 84x - and that it doesn't have enough of the extra-long, 6-wheel buses. I've tweeted and emailed Dublin Bus about it loads of times, but keep getting fobbed off.

I was thinking - if any other people here are regulars on the 84x - maybe if enough people complain to Dublin Bus (politely, obviously ), something might be done...

Their email address is: customercomment@dublinbus.ie



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FirstIn

One issue is the use of the 84x by others not going to Bray and further. Of course they'll well entitled to do so.

I was trying to get on once, outside the Burlington Hotel and the driver asked for Bray and Greystones commuters only pointing out that the others had plenty of choice. That worked well and I got on.

If they stopped dropping off at Cornelscourt, Cabinteely etc it would help massively but I'm not sure if they can do that.

Eponymous

RayM wrote: »

I don't know if many people on here use the 84x, but the service seems to be getting increasingly worse (especially in the evenings). Most evenings, the bus is like a sardine-tin by the time it gets to Belfield. Today the 16:50 from town was especially bad. And just to make matters worse - the bus kept cutting out every few minutes (same thing happened last Thursday - probably the same dodgy bus).

I'm a huge fan of 'personal space', so being wedged against a total stranger for an hour is seriously uncomfortable. It's even more annoying when you get left behind. It's pretty obvious that there aren't enough buses allocated to the 84x - and that it doesn't have enough of the extra-long, 6-wheel buses. I've tweeted and emailed Dublin Bus about it loads of times, but keep getting fobbed off.

I was thinking - if any other people here are regulars on the 84x - maybe if enough people complain to Dublin Bus (politely, obviously ), something might be done...

Their email address is: customercomment@dublinbus.ie



.

Passengers with passes are fully entitled to use it and jump off at Stillorgan or wherever, but I find it extremely inconsiderate, particularly when many who alight at Foxrock church and Loughlinstown then wait at the so for a bus traveling behind which they could have taken at their point of departure.

I was on the 16:50 today and tweeted Dublin Bus after it had cut out for the fifth time at Stillorgan. Didn't think the bus would make it to Bray head, let alone over it!

Re The longer bus, there was discussion here before and apparently there are issues with those buses negotiating the roundabout at Killincarrig.

DB could make it that all stops after UCD outbound to Loughlinstown are only for pick ups, thus putting people of boarding if there's a risk the bus wouldn't stop at their stop. But there's probably some reason why they can't which makes sense to management.

Alan_P

Eponymous wrote: »

Re The longer bus, there was discussion here before and apparently there are issues with those buses negotiating the roundabout at Killincarrig.

But I've often seem them use the longer buses on the 84X. The 4:50 last Friday was a triple axle, if I recall correctly.

Holysock

Think Simon Harris discussed the overcrowding of the 84x with DublinBus.

"Following on from the concerns we expressed with regard to capacity issues on the 84X during the peak commuters periods, Dublin Bus has stated that it will introduce extra departures at 15.45 and 17.30 during the autumn and winter period on the 145 service from the terminus in Belfield Campus. Dublin Bus also aims to introduce three extra buses during the autumn and winter period on the 145 route from the city centre between 17.00 and 17.45 in order to alleviate demand on the 84X route."

Extra 145's doesnt stop the issue of anyone who gets off before and at Loughlinstown using the 84x to speed up their journey at the expense of passengers who's only way home is the 84x. This is obviously the problem as the bus is usually half empty or at least not full to capacity by the time it reaches the first stop not serviced by the 145.
I think the only solution is pick up only until the southern cross

swingking

I think the problem is due to the letter X in front of the 84. For Express

This means to people that it's a faster bus, doesn't stop at half the stops and will get them home faster. In reality it doesn't!

This is why everyone in town gets it from Pearse street and kildare street who only want to go to Stillorgan. I regularly get this bus from Kildare street and the bus stops are always packed when the 46A bus stop is only 10 feet away and empty.

Blingy

I get this bus home most days from Leeson st. The Leeson st stop is always full however if a 46a or 145 pulls up a couple of mins before an 84x then most people will get on them rather than wait for the 84x.
Many times I have seen people get off at donnybrook. And Stillorgan always has a good number of people gettin off. It would be great if there was a dedicated bus for people of southern cross, Greystones, kilcoole, Newcastle instead of people with many options along the n11 using the only option we have to get home on a bus.

Annasopra

Heres an idea.

Make a google form so that people can record all of their incidents.

That way you can get people constantly adding complaints to it which you can then bring to Dublin Bus.

RayM

I got a response from Dublin Bus yesterday - they're looking into it and will 'revert' (at least they didn't say 'touch base') to me in due course.

The reference number is Ref******/D/Brook - so I presume that means they've at least forwarded it to Donnybrook Garage. Although I'm sure their drivers make the very same complaints regularly, so I hold out little hope...

Cookie_Monster

Blingy wrote: »

I get this bus home most days from Leeson st. The Leeson st stop is always full however if a 46a or 145 pulls up a couple of mins before an 84x then most people will get on them rather than wait for the 84x.
Many times I have seen people get off at donnybrook. And Stillorgan always has a good number of people gettin off. It would be great if there was a dedicated bus for people of southern cross, Greystones, kilcoole, Newcastle instead of people with many options along the n11 using the only option we have to get home on a bus.

This, services like the 84x and 7b and any other long routes need to be pickup only until after a certain point. there are dozens of 145 and 46a's cover the route every hour, it's easily done.

homer911

Is there no such thing as a non-transferable minimum fare?

RayM

Got a response from Dublin Bus.

I refer to your email suggesting more 84x to be added to the service.

Dublin Bus always welcomes feedback from the public and we have logged this suggestion in our Customer Comment Database which is reviewed on a regular basis. Where the suggestions are in line with our strategy and where resources are available, we seek to implement ideas we consider appropriate.

Firstly, I didn't necessarily suggest that more 84x buses should be added to the service - although that would be one very obvious solution. I said that customers are currently being either squashed onto inadequately-sized buses, or left behind on the street. Bigger tri-axle buses at peak times would help. I even suggested that, if they don't have enough buses (because they've been flogging their fleet off for the last few years, without adequately replacing them), an alternative solution would be to ensure that all 84X passengers are at least going as far as the Southern Cross.

I've noticed, in the mornings, the 84x rarely picks up passengers beyond Loughlinstown (whether it's full or not). It's a shame they couldn't apply a similar rule in the evenings. All the driver has to do is ask all passengers where they're going, and if it's not North Wicklow, they can avail of a 145/46A instead.

I can't really blame the unfortunate person whose job is to answer complaints. I've started emailing local councillors and TDs instead. At least they occasionally have access to Dublin Bus management - and they have some influence... I seem to remember one Simon Harris being particularly vocal in ensuring that the 84 would continue to serve UCD a few years ago, thus ruining its chances of becoming a half-hourly service between Newcastle and Cherrywood.

Eponymous

RayM wrote: »

Got a response from Dublin Bus.




Firstly, I didn't necessarily suggest that more 84x buses should be added to the service - although that would be one very obvious solution. I said that customers are currently being either squashed onto inadequately-sized buses, or left behind on the street. Bigger tri-axle buses at peak times would help. I even suggested that, if they don't have enough buses (because they've been flogging their fleet off for the last few years, without adequately replacing them), an alternative solution would be to ensure that all 84X passengers are at least going as far as the Southern Cross.

I've noticed, in the mornings, the 84x rarely picks up passengers beyond Loughlinstown (whether it's full or not). It's a shame they couldn't apply a similar rule in the evenings. All the driver has to do is ask all passengers where they're going, and if it's not North Wicklow, they can avail of a 145/46A instead.

I can't really blame the unfortunate person whose job is to answer complaints. I've started emailing local councillors and TDs instead. At least they occasionally have access to Dublin Bus management - and they have some influence... I seem to remember one Simon Harris being particularly vocal in ensuring that the 84 would continue to serve UCD a few years ago, thus ruining its chances of becoming a half-hourly service between Newcastle and Cherrywood.

I was in correspondence with Andrew Doyle a while back about it, when I'd heard rumblings of the service being cut. In fairness to him, he did write to the chairman/CEO and sent me on a copy of the reply stating that while they review services routinely, there were no plans to cut this route.

jayobray

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

This, services like the 84x and 7b and any other long routes need to be pickup only until after a certain point. there are dozens of 145 and 46a's cover the route every hour, it's easily done.

I know what you're saying, but it is not easily done with people with pre-paid tickets. If the bus is stopping to pick people up, which it is at most of the stops on the way out to Cabinteely, the driver can't refuse to let these people off at those stops. The only way the driver can refuse to let people off is if he/she is not stopping to pick up passesngers. I've noticed on a few occasions where the driver has asked, a number of these selfish fools either ignore the driver or say Greystones, and there is not much the driver can do in such situations.

Blingy

Seemed to be an inspector on the 5.10pm from town this evening(think he actually got on at donnybrook when we had to change bus) Telling people that's were standing to move down the back etc.

Cookie_Monster

jayobray wrote: »

I know what you're saying, but it is not easily done with people with pre-paid tickets. If the bus is stopping to pick people up, which it is at most of the stops on the way out to Cabinteely, the driver can't refuse to let these people off at those stops. The only way the driver can refuse to let people off is if he/she is not stopping to pick up passesngers. I've noticed on a few occasions where the driver has asked, a number of these selfish fools either ignore the driver or say Greystones, and there is not much the driver can do in such situations.

Again it's easily solved with Leap Card usage, anytime someone swipes off the bus early simply ping them with a penalty fare. Will never happen though.
As Leap usage replaces all other cards the above issue would disappear.

Annasopra

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Again it's easily solved with Leap Card usage, anytime someone swipes off the bus early simply ping them with a penalty fare. Will never happen though.
As Leap usage replaces all other cards the above issue would disappear.

Yes but leap doesnt do swipe on swipe off

RayM

Additional buses for busy Wicklow Route!

No, not the 84x, silly! Fair play to Bus Eireann though, for acknowledging the needs of their customers.

Cookie_Monster

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

Yes but leap doesnt do swipe on swipe off

really? god how useless is it, still!
ok, disregard that whole idea so.

jayobray

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

really? god how useless is it, still!
ok, disregard that whole idea so.

Plus annual/monthly tickets are preloaded, so you don't pay per journey on them, so it would be more difficult putting some kind of penalty fare onto these.

RayM

If they can't/won't allocate an extra bus or two, it would be relatively easy for drivers to ask all passengers where they're going, as they get on the bus:

"Sorry, where are you going to?"
"Stillorgan"
"I'm Sorry, but you'll have to get a 46a or 145 instead. Don't worry - there's one due in less than a minute"


It might cause slight delays, but that's still better than leaving people behind. Also, I know some drivers aren't great at communicating, and would feel uncomfortable about having to turn people away (others would love it), but it's a cost-effective way of solving the problem.

ellejay

I tried to get on the 84x in stillorgan for four days in a row, but it passed it me by.
I thought that maybe it didn't stop there, but from this thread, I can see it was because it was full.

Would I be better off getting a bus to loughlinstown and trying to get on there?

Blingy

ellejay wrote: »

I tried to get on the 84x in stillorgan for four days in a row, but it passed it me by.
I thought that maybe it didn't stop there, but from this thread, I can see it was because it was full.

Would I be better off getting a bus to loughlinstown and trying to get on there?

Yes I think you would. A lot of people get off at cornelscourt and the stop at the bridge across from the industrial estate in loughlinstown (dell).

The Real B-man

Im Finding the past two weeks that its more of a Problem getting to work taking the 7.30 from Kilcoole it took 2hrs to the City Centre on Tuesday! and it ends up that the 7.30 7.40 & 7.50 usually catch eachother up.

Annasopra

Again if someone started a google document keeping a log of all the complaints it would be a good idea

FirstIn

Probably one for another thread, traffic congestion at Blacklion, 8am time, is adding @10 minutes to the journey in the morning.

swingking

Is it just me or does anyone else find the bus drivers , particular on the 84X driving in an almost unsafe manner.

they are flying around roundabouts and slamming on when it comes to stopping at bus stops. Once when I was on the 84x the driver went straight through a red light

Zoe zebra

Do you mean Mr Happy who drives the 84x that departs Dublin at 630 pm? ;-)

Honestly!

Zoe zebra wrote: »

Do you mean Mr Happy who drives the 84x that departs Dublin at 630 pm? ;-)

It says a lot about Dublin Bus management's total disregard for customer service that someone as ignorant as "Mr Happy" is allowed to treat passengers as if they are an inconvenience to his day. "Utter ignorance" is the best I can describe his manner.

As far as I know, when the 6:30 84X gets back into the depot, that's him finished for the day and that explains the speed and attempts to pick up as few passengers as possible from Greystones DART station. The bus doesn't even pull into the bus stop, instead he chooses to block the traffic and force passengers to step up to the bus. This bus is supposed to leave Greystones at 19:40. It frequently arrives and leaves at 19:25, stranding DART passengers. Dublin Bus then say it's not for them to meet up with trains and they are in fact "competitors"!! Subsidised by us of course.

I wonder if Simon Harris, Varadkar or the current minister for transport, Pascal Donohoe actually used public transport, would they demand some change, rather than use their roles purely for self-promotion through photo ops at upgrades etc.? Our public transport is as embarrassing as our politicians, both still operating the way they did in the seventies :mad:

Alan_P

Honestly! wrote: »

As far as I know, when the 6:30 84X gets back into the depot, that's him finished for the day and that explains the speed and attempts to pick up as few passengers as possible from Greystones DART station. The bus doesn't even pull into the bus stop, instead he chooses to block the traffic and force passengers to step up to the bus. This bus is supposed to leave Greystones at 19:40. It frequently arrives and leaves at 19:25, stranding DART passengers. Dublin Bus then say it's not for them to meet up with trains and they are in fact "competitors"!! Subsidised by us of course.

My understanding is that southbound 84Xs, when finished, generally work their way back into the city as 145s. In any event, the 84X is not intended as a Dart feeder route, and certainly is in direct competition with the Dart. The timetabled times for the 84X I've always treated as simply rough guidelines.If they actually sat and waited for the timetabled times at the various stops, I suspect there would likely be far more complaints about wasting people's time on what's supposed to be a high speed, premium, express route.

The fact that Dublin Bus is subsidised is hardly relevant :- they're also required to provide completely free travel to large swaths of people. The 84X, I presume, is intended to be, and likely is, a completely commercial, revenue generating route.

On the previous point about safety, yes 84X drivers do tend to drive as quickly as possible, I've always assumed that's the whole point of X routes. As to whether it's safe, I've used the 84x, on and off, for most of the route's existence, I've been involved in precisely one accident, where some idiot pulled into the buslane about 2 feet in front of the bus, just north of White's Cross. I'm also unaware of any ongoing pattern of accidents or incidents involving the 84X.

Cerco

Alan_P wrote: »

My understanding is that southbound 84Xs, when finished, generally work their way back into the city as 145s. In any event, the 84X is not intended as a Dart feeder route, and certainly is in direct competition with the Dart. The timetabled times for the 84X I've always treated as simply rough guidelines.If they actually sat and waited for the timetabled times at the various stops, I suspect there would likely be far more complaints about wasting people's time on what's supposed to be a high speed, premium, express route.

The fact that Dublin Bus is subsidised is hardly relevant :- they're also required to provide completely free travel to large swaths of people. The 84X, I presume, is intended to be, and likely is, a completely commercial, revenue generating route.

On the previous point about safety, yes 84X drivers do tend to drive as quickly as possible, I've always assumed that's the whole point of X routes. As to whether it's safe, I've used the 84x, on and off, for most of the route's existence, I've been involved in precisely one accident, where some idiot pulled into the buslane about 2 feet in front of the bus, just north of White's Cross. I'm also unaware of any ongoing pattern of accidents or incidents involving the 84X.

How is it supposed to be a high speed premium express route if it does not conform to the published timetables?
Drivers should comply with timetables and road safety. It seems they comply with neither. Should passengers be put in fear while travelling on public transport . On another issue you raise, they do not provide free travel to people. The qualifying people are subsidised by the State.