I Loathe Dublin Bus

It's the only system I have ever seen that does timetables the way they do. It drives me mental.

OSI wrote: »

Other cities have flat rates? TfLs zone system would be a better option. But I don't see the problem with changing people based on how far they are going.

Yeah the likes of Ottawa have a flat fare of $3.05 for a 90min trip of any length. You just flash your ticket when you get on. When using their version of Leap (Presto) the display will give you the discounted rate of fare which I think is $2.75 and then show you how long you have left on your journey (1h30 at peak times/ 1h45 off-peak). So when you get onto your second bus it will show you the time remaining.

I've had quite a few infuriating experiences with them in the past...the driver sitting in traffic at the bus stop pretending not to hear me knocking of the door of his half empty bus still makes me angry, 6 or 7 years on...

But then there is the Overheard in Dublin story of the driver who opened the door of his packed bus at the Central Bank while shouting "Fly, my pretties, fly!" for which I forgive a lot.

I've been using Dublin bus twice a day for the last 3.5 years, but thankfully due to moving location, will now be getting the DART instead.

I don't have a huge problem with delays etc - traffic/weather etc has a bearing on this so what can you do?

I fundamentally disagree though with anyone that say the staff are acceptable - some are - i would hazard a guess at 20% -30% are actually good at their job, friendly helpful and courteous -

about 20% don't seem bothered one way or the other but about 50% IMO are stealing a living, and if it wasn't for a heavily unionized environment would/should be sacked in the morning

I'm very glad I will no long have to look at their miserable faces every day.

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

I get up to five bus journies a day and reckon DB provide a solid service. The improvement in every aspect of quality and reliability over the past 13 years is significant (obviously that is not solely down to DB as a company, but the NTA).

Regarding drivers, rude / unhelpful individuals are a small minority ime.

i agree. my experiences with dublin bus have been positive, some routes could do with better frequency but maybe that will happen some day. the drivers i've dealt with have been helpful and nothing but. i've no doubt people have bad experiences and there are some rude drivers who shouldn't be in the job (along with some rude self entitled customers) but life has such people unfortunately.

TeamJesus wrote: »

I get dublin bus 100+ times per month as I have to get two buses to work.

Today I got my first bus and the machine did that one long beep and it was fine. But on the second bus it ran out which was weird because it's capped but I obviously made some mistake.

Anyway I couldn't get the right amount of change. I asked if I could stay on the bus.

The driver shouted at me to GET OFF THE BUS.

All the keyboard warriors are going to say serves me right etc etc because they'd never ever make such a mistake.

I just want to have a rant that Dublin bus have absolutely no customer service. This driver talked to me like a dog and I'm fed up of them.

Their real time info is usually wrong.
Their buses are so full in the morning it's a safety hazard.
Sometime the buses don't come at all.

They're always making mistakes but talk to their customers like dogs when they make a mistake.

right. so let me get this straight. you didn't have the fair for the second part of the journey. yet you expect to be let on the bus. got you. you don't pay your fair, you don't get to travel. nothing to do with keyboard warriors but common sense. so yes, it serves you right, and no i would make sure i have some way of paying the correct fair when using public transport. make sure your card is topped up.

Ol' Donie wrote: »

I've had quite a few infuriating experiences with them in the past...the driver sitting in traffic at the bus stop pretending not to hear me knocking of the door of his half empty bus still makes me angry, 6 or 7 years on...

But then there is the Overheard in Dublin story of the driver who opened the door of his packed bus at the Central Bank while shouting "Fly, my pretties, fly!" for which I forgive a lot.

If a bus driver has closed the doors having let all the passengers on/off, and is focussing on the traffic then he is in driving mode and is not supposed to open the doors again until the next stop.


I wouldn't take it personally.

Ol' Donie wrote: »

Oh, come on. The bus was sitting still, the traffic was stopped at a red light up the road.

Fine. I won't take it personally. Just as i hope he wouldn't take it personally if i told him i thought he was a knob.

Part of the basic training is that once the doors are closed, they stay closed.


That's not being a "knob" - that is how they are trained to drive the bus. The driver was actually obeying the regulations.

Ol' Donie wrote: »

Does that apply if, say, someone wanted to get off the stationary bus at the bus stop? Would they be told to sit down until the next stop?

Anyway, not worth getting wound up about. Whatever the cause, Dublin Bus had a very dissatisfied customer that day.

Who now drives a Carolla, and if he has to, gets the Luas.

Once the driver has closed the doors, he/she is focussing on the road and as such is not supposed to reopen the doors until the next stop.


I know it sounds harsh, but those are the rules, as the driver should at that stage be focussing on the road and the traffic around them. As I said, I certainly wouldn't think it was any way personal - the driver was just doing his job by the book by the sounds of things.

Ol' Donie wrote: »

Thanks for that. Not obligation to be a decent bloke, either, I suppose.

But if i was at a bus stop, as i said above?

(See, still makes me angry.)

he's not allowed to let you on outside a stop. end of. its not about being a decent guy, its about him following the rules so he won't be sacked from his job.

paddyh117 wrote: »

I've been using Dublin bus twice a day for the last 3.5 years, but thankfully due to moving location, will now be getting the DART instead.

I don't have a huge problem with delays etc - traffic/weather etc has a bearing on this so what can you do?

I fundamentally disagree though with anyone that say the staff are acceptable - some are - i would hazard a guess at 20% -30% are actually good at their job, friendly helpful and courteous -

about 20% don't seem bothered one way or the other but about 50% IMO are stealing a living, and if it wasn't for a heavily unionized environment would/should be sacked in the morning

I'm very glad I will no long have to look at their miserable faces every day.

You say that now. One of the greatest things ever was moving office from Dún Laoghaire to Ballsbridge. I could still get the DART but the bus was so much better and quicker and more reliable.

I always find these threads very amusing.

The Luas driver never gets complaints because you can not ask them anything.

The Dart driver never gets complaints because you can not ask them anything.

Dublin Bus driver's are just filth as I do be called at times among another fine choice of words and also verbally abused, threats can be common but mostly not acted on and just have passengers be plain rude among other things.

I will agree op some may and are rude but to be honest there are a hell of a lot more rude passengers and pedestrians and other road users out there.

You came on to rant as you could not travel for free because YOU did not have funds on YOUR Leap card.
Leap has auto top up for a while now so really no excuse to have nothing on the card anymore.

I have found over the last couple of months that a hell of a lot seem to have forgotten to top up or from what they say just topped up in the shop or petrol station or the best I topped up on the internet last night then I ask so where did you allocate to tag on for your top up from the internet and mostly I get a blank stare or at times a fu*k you and a quick walk away.

From what I am coming across lately a lot of kids, students and adults who should know better are trying it on and maybe are getting away with it but I will aske you op if you enter a shop and pick up a can or bar or whatever and then notice at till your short €1 or €2 would you actually expect to be able to walk out leaving them short.


Whether you like the service or not you are using a service and should pay for said service.
As a driver yes I get travel on DB but if I have to get the LUAS or DART I have to pay like everybody else and I for one would not expect to be able to travel for free if I as my own fault did not have the funds to do so.

I do believe there could be more trainning throughout the network but also it would be nice to have management backup when problems arise.

If OP tried to go on a dart or irish rail train with no funds on the leap card you wouldn't be able to get on because the barriers notice no funds and stay closed

Would you hurl abuse at them for not opening ?

Same rule for all buddy. No fare, no journey

Really