Third world shoddy bus service

RaverRo808 · 03-02-2009 10:20am #1

Every morning I take the 39x from Ongar to the City Centre to get to work,and to be honest Im sick to death of being forced to travel on this sub-standard,dirty,rusty,run-down shabby bus,Im not the type to complain,but this morning it being so cold and miserable it p*ssed me off having to sit on this poor excuse for a bus...........firstly,the bus is soaking wet,inside,when you sit upstairs there are leaks coming from every angle,the roof,the window ledges,and when you get on it early in the morning it is completely flooded,puddles everywhere and the seats are drenched.................................and in regards the seats,most upstairs are broken and not fastened to the hinges,so they slip from under you when you go to sit down,the bus is also dirty and extremely grimey,from my limited exerience of mechanics I can tell this 'bus' is also on its last legs,the sound from the motor doesnt sound healthy and like something that should'nt, be on the road......................and to have the luxary to ride this banger you have to pay 2.50,30 cent more then the normal bus service,which are high quality more well maintained vehicles...................................I recently got a bus to Dublin 18 and was shocked when I got on it,it was like something out of a Sci-Fi film,brand new and really modern and clean,are wealthy areas entitled to better bused then less well off areas?...................anyway Im going to be an old crank and send a complaint off the Dublin bus,I'll post the feedback I get back

Run_to_da_hills · 03-02-2009 10:32am

They can't be that bad, I grew up on noisy dirty smelly drafty busses that were missing the rear left hand corner :eek:

MiniD · 03-02-2009 12:42pm

I don't get your "wealthy areas" argument. The 39 has some of the newest buses in the fleet. The majority of buses on the 39 are the tri-axel buses which came into service in late 2007. There are also some 08/09 buses running on the 39 group of routes too.

Cookie_Monster · 03-02-2009 12:46pm

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

They can't be that bad, I grew up on noisy dirty smelly drafty busses that were missing the rear left hand corner :eek:

Progress eh?

RaverRo808 · 03-02-2009 12:49pm

MiniD wrote: »

I don't get your "wealthy areas" argument. The 39 has some of the newest buses in the fleet. The majority of buses on the 39 are the tri-axel buses which came into service in late 2007. There are also some 08/09 buses running on the 39 group of routes too.

Sounds like a limo compared to the yoke I have to get every morning

_Kaiser_ · 03-02-2009 1:41pm

From the sound of it tho, the OP was probably on one of the older RV-class buses (1997-1999 if I recall) or maybe an older RA class, and they would definitely be getting a bit worn at this stage. Easy to tell.. if it had a rear exit door and wasn't low-floor then it's an RV/RA

Funny enough the AV/AX class doesn't have the same problem with water welling up in the window ledges for some reason. Nothing like getting your arm/shoulder soaked when the bus lurches to a halt and the water rushes forward! That said, a lot of the earlier AV's (don't know if it's the same with the AX's) have a problem with very loud engine noise after a while.

antoinolachtnai · 03-02-2009 1:45pm

Can you get the reg plate and fleet number of the vehicle on your next trip?

dfx- · 03-02-2009 1:53pm

Definitely not an RA, unlikely to be an RV, especially on the 39X. I'd say most likely to have been at the very least an AX (06D) and none of them are rust buckets..even the ones that find their way onto the 77.

I'd say it's evens that the rust bucket was actually a shiny VT, what I consider the best in the fleet. Look familiar OP?

luckat · 03-02-2009 1:58pm

Don't hold back, Raver, say what you think :pac:

Seriously, this isn't going to improve until Dublin Bus have proper competition. If there were private companies out there competing, the DB crowd would have to pull their socks up and provide a proper service.

(Besides, it would give the best Dublin Bus drivers a chance to work for a different company, completely changing the power balance.)

RaverRo808 · 03-02-2009 3:05pm

dfx- wrote: »

Definitely not an RA, unlikely to be an RV, especially on the 39X. I'd say most likely to have been at the very least an AX (06D) and none of them are rust buckets..even the ones that find their way onto the 77.

I'd say it's evens that the rust bucket was actually a shiny VT, what I consider the best in the fleet. Look familiar OP?

Nope looks nothing like that,thats what a regular 39a would look like,the 39x in the morning would be made around 97,its a piece of sh*te,sure the driver has to wind the lever to change its number and destination

dfx- · 03-02-2009 3:21pm

So it must be an early RV then. There must only be one or two RVs on the 37/38/39 buses all day and you get it..it's not necessarily indicative of DB service..

And I have no caution in criticising DB at all..

RaverRo808 · 03-02-2009 3:49pm

dfx- wrote: »

So it must be an early RV then. There must only be one or two RVs on the 37/38/39 buses all day and you get it..it's not necessarily indicative of DB service..

And I have no caution in criticising DB at all..

And so what,Dublin bus,a public transport service should not subject its customers to sub standard buses with leaky roofs and flooded floors,broken seats,especially those have to pay a little extra for the service,its like going to hospital and being poked with dirty needles

Polar101 · 03-02-2009 4:50pm

dfx- wrote: »

So it must be an early RV then. There must only be one or two RVs on the 37/38/39 buses all day and you get it..it's not necessarily indicative of DB service..

The 39x (not all of them, but certain services) is a '99 (RV?) bus almost every day, so what the OP describes is correct in that respect.

RaverRo808 · 03-02-2009 5:21pm

Does it really matter what year these buses were made or if they are RX's or RV's or AV's,the matter at hand is that Dublin bus,the public transport service is providing sub-standard,health hazard buse's that are not road worthy and possibly dangerous,and have the cheek to charge customers extra money to use them,like I was sitting on this and I counted at least six leaks from the ceiling falling on peoples heads,and nearly every window ledge was breeched and water was comming through,most the seats were damp,alot of them broken,the bus was dirty,dusty and grimey,and the din from the engine was unnerving,clearly not well maintained and road worthy

dfx- · 03-02-2009 5:29pm

Polar101 wrote: »

The 39x (not all of them, but certain services) is a '99 (RV?) bus almost every day, so what the OP describes is correct in that respect.

Yes, but not all RVs are in poor condition - indeed not many of them, especially the 99s. As a enthusiast nerd, I don't spot many RVs on that route collection. Whether it is everyday or not, there's what - a maximum of maybe 3-4 then every day on a high capacity route? There's 31 going to Tallaght.

OP, whether it's an AV, AX or whatever is critical to complaining about bus condition. There's as much as 12 years service in the difference.

antoinolachtnai · 03-02-2009 5:50pm

I understand there are new buses on the 90 since the beginning of the year. Does it not make sense to put new vehicles on a route like the 33X39X?

RaverRo808 · 03-02-2009 6:00pm

33x,39x,every bus should be of mint quality and road worthy,that goes without saying

Kintarō Hattori · 03-02-2009 6:15pm

I was on the 19a to the airport the other day and was very surprised at the conditions inside the bus. There was a mini river flowing up and down the top floor and the window ledges were soaking. Two english women behind me asked why the bus was so wet- I had no reasonable explanation to give them.

dfx- · 03-02-2009 6:18pm

Was it raining? Was any window open? Maybe someone had left the window open at some time in the day and rain got in and since then the window closed?

samsamson · 04-02-2009 9:13am

I've seen something similar on the 145.

It's from when they wash the floor upstairs and don't drain all the water out. It literally rushes up and back as the bus accelerates/slows down. Your shoes will get soaked right through if you don't hold them up. It's filthy water too, disgraceful.

KC61 · 04-02-2009 9:40am

antoinolachtnai wrote: »

I understand there are new buses on the 90 since the beginning of the year. Does it not make sense to put new vehicles on a route like the 33X39X?

Most of these Xpresso routes are operated by EURO duties, which means that the bus is out for some hours during the morning and again in the afternoon/early evening. The buses on the 90 are out for the entire day.

Does it make sense to have new buses on duties that are not out on the road all day?

However, it is not excusable for buses to be out with broken seats/handrails etc., nor for it be leaking water from the roof as the OP describes, and if that is the case he should take a note of the bus registration and fleet number (this is usually to the left of the front door near the bumper), and contact the District Manager at Phibsboro Depot who are responsible for the 39X. He is Gareth Quinn, and the number is 01-7033462.

The bus would be one of the RV Class (the last of the non-low floor variety) and would not be more than 11 years old. It should of course be in roadworthy condition, as most are. The water on the floor is more likely than not to be as a result of someone leaving a window upstairs ajar overnight and either rain or water from the wash coming in.

antoinolachtnai · 04-02-2009 9:49am

Other Expresso services (including services that do not have a corresponding return) have new vehicles on them. The 90 might well run all day, but it carries very few people! The service lost 1.5 million in 2006.

KC61 · 04-02-2009 9:56am

antoinolachtnai wrote: »

Other Expresso services (including services that do not have a corresponding return) have new vehicles on them. The 90 might well run all day, but it carries very few people! The service lost 1.5 million in 2006.

The particular bus used will depend on the individual depot and what the fleet consists of. The 90 operates out of Conyngham Road, where most of the older buses are on the 78A which is one of the routes more prone to "problems".

The 39X operates out of Phibsboro, but this could be a EURO duty out of Harristown. Either way with the contraction in the fleet that is imminent, the issue should become a moot point with a limited number of non-low floor buses remaining.

Where is that specific figure coming from regarding the 90?

The 90 is actually the fastest way into the city centre from Heuston - it beats the tram every time.

Certainly in the mornings when all the trains are arriving at Heuston the buses are far from empty.

RaverRo808 · 04-02-2009 10:00am

Got a 39x this moring,seemed a newer model then yesterdays,still a banger,99'10555 was the reg,upstairs completely flooded,like a mini swimming pool,water coming through the ledges,send an email to Dublin bus,still no reply

antoinolachtnai · 04-02-2009 10:04am

That's the figure DB gave the Department of Transport. I agree it's the fastest, and I accept it is busy some times of day.

Polar101 · 04-02-2009 10:16am

dfx- wrote: »

Was it raining? Was any window open? Maybe someone had left the window open at some time in the day and rain got in and since then the window closed?

Whenever it has been raining overnight, the "old" buses on the 39x route have streams of water on both sides (on the floor, near the walls) on the upper deck - basically if you don't sit on the "aisle" side of the seat, you'll get your feet wet.

It could actually just be one bus that's leaking (only 5 morning services on the 39x anyway, and they are not all RV buses), but it's not very nice if you happen to take it every morning.

KC61 · 04-02-2009 11:04am

RaverRo808 wrote: »

Got a 39x this moring,seemed a newer model then yesterdays,still a banger,99'10555 was the reg,upstairs completely flooded,like a mini swimming pool,water coming through the ledges,send an email to Dublin bus,still no reply

That is RV555 which is a Harristown bus, which is working a EURO duty on the 39X.

I actually have to correct my earlier post. Upon further enquiries, the real problem is actually condensation. And I'm not joking. This is a problem that this particular bus model suffers from. And unfortunately there is nothing that can be done about it. They are not actually leaking, but once there is any significant crowd on the bus on a wet day, condensation does appear, and then gathers into a mini-flood. My own Summerhill based RV on the 16 this morning suffered the same problem.

The newer AV/AX models do not suffer from this anywhere near as much.

That being said, it could be possible that a window was left open overnight which would not help. If there are broken seats etc. then indeed something should be done to rectify the problem.

Again, I would suggest that you contact the District Manager in Phibsboro (Gareth Quinn) who is responsible for the 39X at 01-7033462.

saleofgoods_boo · 04-02-2009 1:16pm

KC61 wrote: »

That is RV555 which is a Harristown bus, which is working a EURO duty on the 39X.

I actually have to correct my earlier post. Upon further enquiries, the real problem is actually condensation. And I'm not joking. .

Was reading through this, and thought the same. The (relatively) nice 130 route used get similar issues...not quite as crazy as this sounds, but puddles on the ground.

Third world shoddy bus service

Comments