A dublin bus inspector stole my phone!

bullrunner

Below is an email I sent to Dublin bus customer services regarding the behaviour of one of their nitelink inspectors:

To whom it may concern,

I am writing you an email to make a complaint about the individual pictured in the attachment (i havent attached to this post...but if enough people want this persons picture posted i will). On Saturday the 16th of december, my girlfriend and I purchased tickets for the XXN bus from Westmoreland St. As we approached the bus which was at the stop around 1.50 am, the bus closed its doors and pulled off. Your employee told us to wait for the next bus (as the one at the stop was pulling off). I asked him when the next bus was departing, in 2 mins or in 30 mins (as if it was in 30 minutes I was going to go to the shop). Your employee gruffly said "did you not hear me?" . I said that I hadnt heard him and again asked was the next bus departing in a couple of minutes or in 30 minutes. Your employee again shouted at me (more agitatedly this time) "Did you not hear me?". Again I replied that I hadn't and asked when the next XXN was leaving. At this point the next XXN pulled up. I tried to get onto the bus, only to be pushed back by your employee shouting at me "I'm not letting you on that bus". I asked him on what grounds was he refusing me, as I had already purchased a ticket, I was not being abusive/agressive to your employee, nor was I uncontrollably drunk. He said that under Dublin bus bye laws he was refusing me as I had been drinking. However, I feel that it the real reason was that your employee had taken a dislike to my repeatedly asking him when the next XXN was departing. As such I decided that I would make a complaint about his refusal to let me on the bus. I asked him his name, but he refused to give it. I was left with no option but to take his photo in order for him to be identified by Dublin Bus. When I attempted this he grabbed my phone from me and walked off with it (most likely to try to delete the photo I was trying to take of him. Eventually he returned my phone to my girlfriend. Again I asked him for his name, but again he refused. So I attempted to take his picture again. Once again your employee again grabbed my phone and walked off saying that I was breaking the law by taking his photo and that he was going to Pearse Street Garda station and walked off. At this juncture I went off to find a garda to report this person for illegally confiscating my property. While I was looking for a Garda your employee returned my phone to my girlfriend. When I returned with a Garda, the garda spent some time talking to your employee regarding this. Unfortunately before the Garda could finish talking to your employee he was called away to a more urgent issue, apologising to me for being called away before he could finish.

At this stage my girlfriend and I departed to get a taxi home (which ended up costing us 35 euros and an hour wait).

I find this kind of behaviour completely unacceptable from Dublin Bus staff. I gave your employee no reason to refuse me entry to the bus and then for your employee to grab my phone (twice) from me is unforgiveable (and then to give it to somebody else other than me is disgraceful).


I would expect a full and frank apology from this individual and Dublin Bus and for Dublin Bus to refund me the cost of my taxi (resulting from this individual refusing me entry to the XXN).


Has anybody else ever had a problem like this? Its obvious to me that the guy was just getting off on a power trip ...and then got the s**ts put up him when I took his picture to make a complaint.

Ham'nd'egger

bullrunner wrote:

Below is an email I sent to Dublin bus customer services regarding the behaviour of one of their nitelink inspectors:

To whom it may concern,

I am writing you an email to make a complaint about the individual pictured in the attachment (i havent attached to this post...but if enough people want this persons picture posted i will). On Saturday the 16th of december, my girlfriend and I purchased tickets for the XXN bus from Westmoreland St. As we approached the bus which was at the stop around 1.50 am, the bus closed its doors and pulled off. Your employee told us to wait for the next bus (as the one at the stop was pulling off). I asked him when the next bus was departing, in 2 mins or in 30 mins (as if it was in 30 minutes I was going to go to the shop). Your employee gruffly said "did you not hear me?" . I said that I hadnt heard him and again asked was the next bus departing in a couple of minutes or in 30 minutes. Your employee again shouted at me (more agitatedly this time) "Did you not hear me?". Again I replied that I hadn't and asked when the next XXN was leaving. At this point the next XXN pulled up. I tried to get onto the bus, only to be pushed back by your employee shouting at me "I'm not letting you on that bus". I asked him on what grounds was he refusing me, as I had already purchased a ticket, I was not being abusive/agressive to your employee, nor was I uncontrollably drunk. He said that under Dublin bus bye laws he was refusing me as I had been drinking. However, I feel that it the real reason was that your employee had taken a dislike to my repeatedly asking him when the next XXN was departing. As such I decided that I would make a complaint about his refusal to let me on the bus. I asked him his name, but he refused to give it. I was left with no option but to take his photo in order for him to be identified by Dublin Bus. When I attempted this he grabbed my phone from me and walked off with it (most likely to try to delete the photo I was trying to take of him. Eventually he returned my phone to my girlfriend. Again I asked him for his name, but again he refused. So I attempted to take his picture again. Once again your employee again grabbed my phone and walked off saying that I was breaking the law by taking his photo and that he was going to Pearse Street Garda station and walked off. At this juncture I went off to find a garda to report this person for illegally confiscating my property. While I was looking for a Garda your employee returned my phone to my girlfriend. When I returned with a Garda, the garda spent some time talking to your employee regarding this. Unfortunately before the Garda could finish talking to your employee he was called away to a more urgent issue, apologising to me for being called away before he could finish.

At this stage my girlfriend and I departed to get a taxi home (which ended up costing us 35 euros and an hour wait).

I find this kind of behaviour completely unacceptable from Dublin Bus staff. I gave your employee no reason to refuse me entry to the bus and then for your employee to grab my phone (twice) from me is unforgiveable (and then to give it to somebody else other than me is disgraceful).


I would expect a full and frank apology from this individual and Dublin Bus and for Dublin Bus to refund me the cost of my taxi (resulting from this individual refusing me entry to the XXN).


Has anybody else ever had a problem like this? Its obvious to me that the guy was just getting off on a power trip ...and then got the s**ts put up him when I took his picture to make a complaint.

Bull, if you want to try pursue this, an e mail won't be dealt with; especially if you are lodging a complaint. Send your complaint in via Registered Mail to Dublin Bus directly. That way you have proof of receipt of same. Also, may I suggest that you visit Pearse Street Garda Station and report it there, and let Dublin Bus know the name of the Garda you dealt with. That way, it looks like you mean business and if your phone was taken, then you may be able to show it as a theft (even if you got it returned to you). Please though, make sure your story is balanced and adds up. I am sure that these guys on the ground will meet 101 people like you that will complain about all sorts of stuff, some rightfully and some wrongfully, so make sure what happened was just that for your own sake. You will also need to be aware that Nitelink services are run by Dublin Bus as a private service and as such, they wouldn't have any public service remit on it so any obligation to carry you is out the window so the "I pay taxes etc etc" won't get you anywhere; in any case you can be refused access to a bus if you are "drunk".

May I ask you, what was the whole point in taking his picture? I would personally feel a little aggreived if a stranger took pictures of me and I don't see what it would acheive other than knowing what he looked like. Were you sticking the phone into his face doing it, following him around or being a little more incognito doing it? If the former, then I could understand his discomfort.

Either way, the best of luck in your complaint man, and keep us informed on how you get on.

bullrunner

Ham..I took his photo so that the individual in question can be identified by Dublin Bus (as he refused to give me his name). They will be able to tell who was working that night and can then narrow that list down to the person who is in the photo I took.

While I can understand that he may not appreciate having his photo taken, if he had given me his name /shown me his id then this would not have been necessary. Regardless, I dont think that he had any right to grab my phone because of this.

Sponge Bob

and find the garda who got your phone back for you off the thieving bastid

Our man in Havana

You are entitled to photograph him as he is in a public place.

MiniD

Good luck with your complaint. It does sound like you were treated terrible. I also find the excuse of you being drunk a weak one. The bulk of Nitelink advertising involves images or content of alcohol. Infact, without the pubs and clubs in the city, Nitelink would not be needed at all.

DerekP11

The fact that bullrunner had to take a photo of this person is testament to the need for all employees of public transport (working in the public domain) to wear name badges and identity numbers. I include management in this aswell.

On railways in Northern Ireland, staff wear an identity badge that includes name, staff number and photo. Taxi drivers nationwide have to wear them and its about time CIE and Veolia got their act together along with the private bus operators.

While the nitelink service is notorious for drunk people, if you choose to work in that environment then deal with it. I'd draw attention to the whole area of nightclub/pub security. The days of "f**k off bud, yer not gettin in" are coming to an end due to many high profile assault/manslaughter cases in that area.

vandermeyde

chances are any altercation will be caught on CCTV so it should be able to corroborate your story....for example, you would be able to see him refusing you entry onto the bus....the inspector will also be identifiable....

of course CCTV might tell a different story

Hagar

Hamndegger wrote:

You will also need to be aware that Nitelink services are run by Dublin Bus as a private service and as such, they wouldn't have any public service remit on it so any obligation to carry you is out the window

Would that mean any of the Bye laws, including the one the inspector enforced to refuse entry to the bus, don't apply? Did he act outside his authority in doing so?

Red Alert

CCTV is a difficult one. I'm not sure how long the tape/disk in the bus lasts for, and unless the OP is a bus spotter the chances of finding the actual bus are slim.

Veolia do wear name badges.

vandermeyde

CCTV is normally available for a week or so, if he goes to the guards, with a complaint, they will probably go looking for it....its easy enough to identify the bus given the route number and time the incident took place.

one of the cameras records the door stepwell where people enter the bus which will give a good view of the incident.

Victor

Red Alert wrote:

CCTV is a difficult one. I'm not sure how long the tape/disk in the bus lasts for, and unless the OP is a bus spotter the chances of finding the actual bus are slim.

Date + time + route should help.

bullrunner

MiniD wrote:

Good luck with your complaint. It does sound like you were treated terrible. I also find the excuse of you being drunk a weak one. The bulk of Nitelink advertising involves images or content of alcohol. Infact, without the pubs and clubs in the city, Nitelink would not be needed at all.

True and about 95% of passengers have been drinking before they get on them!

shltter

DerekP11 wrote:

The fact that bullrunner had to take a photo of this person is testament to the need for all employees of public transport (working in the public domain) to wear name badges and identity numbers. I include management in this aswell.
.

Sounds like a great idea until some scumbag turns up at your house and proceeds to remove the glass from the window frames because you took offence to him smoking hash/drinking racially abusing another passenger etc etc. That is why DB staff do not give out their names if you want to identify a driver the bus number is plenty as is your ticket in the case of an inspector all you needed was the date and the street DB could easily track down the inspector responsible. If this happened at the entrance to a bus then the camera on that bus should have recorded a lot of the incident.
The fact that the OP offered to post the persons photo here goes a long way to explaining why the inspector was not keen on having his photo taken in the first place.

2funki4wheelz

shltter wrote:

That is why DB staff do not give out their names

Well then maybe a number system (like taxi number/Garda number) would suffice which would cut down on DB having to do a search of records to identify staff (and re-assure complainants). No name badge/no requirement to give your name can also lead to a lack of accountability. I see your point but the abuse can come both ways.

shltter wrote:

The fact that the OP offered to post the persons photo here goes a long way to explaining why the inspector was not keen on having his photo taken in the first place.

(All based on the OP's account) It did seem to be a last resort which is very sad, at this point the inspector could have made amends when he saw the OP was serious about his complaint, he could have diffused the situation but he just exacerbated it by getting aggressive and grabbing phones. If he knew his name could be searched out as you describe why didn't he explain this? he seemed happy enough to quote bye-laws.

aliveandkicking

shltter wrote:

Sounds like a great idea until some scumbag turns up at your house and proceeds to remove the glass from the window frames because you took offence to him smoking hash/drinking racially abusing another passenger etc etc. That is why DB staff do not give out their names if you want to identify a driver the bus number is plenty as is your ticket in the case of an inspector all you needed was the date and the street DB could easily track down the inspector responsible. If this happened at the entrance to a bus then the camera on that bus should have recorded a lot of the incident.
The fact that the OP offered to post the persons photo here goes a long way to explaining why the inspector was not keen on having his photo taken in the first place.

How would said scumbag obtain your address just from a name badge?

Unless you have an unusually uncommon name most names are duplicated several times in the phone book.

Rudolph Claus

How do we know all this happened exactly as the OP describes. theres 2 sides to every story, and i doubt he refused you entry of the bus for the fun of it. Would you start an unneccessary argument with a lad with drink taken at 2am in dublin? No, so why would a bus inspector.

And anyone that sends a complaint like that via email is a retard.

Ps: If you stuck a fone in my face to take a picture, a confiscated fone would be the least of your worries.

shltter

aliveandkicking wrote:

How would said scumbag obtain your address just from a name badge?

Unless you have an unusually uncommon name most names are duplicated several times in the phone book.

There are less than 15 people with the same surname as me in the phonebook and none of them have the same first name.
Never underestimate a scumbags ability to try and get back at you.
I was once threatened with being shot for asking someone to fold up a buggy. On another occasion a guy I refused to carry because he was drinking from an open can of beer followed me to the terminus and when he couldn't kick his way through the security screen smashed 6 windows on the bus including the windscreen.
no way I am giving my name to that kind of scum.

In a perfect world it would be fine where people would use the information just to identify who they want to complain against or perhaps even commend but in the real world it ain't that simple. We don't just carry nice decent people.

Our man in Havana

Why not have a shoulder number like the Gardai?

shltter

Nuttzy wrote:

How do we know all this happened exactly as the OP describes. theres 2 sides to every story, and i doubt he refused you entry of the bus for the fun of it. Would you start an unneccessary argument with a lad with drink taken at 2am in dublin? No, so why would a bus inspector.

I was thinking something the same myself
While it is entirely possible that the OP is telling the truth and he came in contact with the most ignorant man in Dublin Bus my own experience of the Nitelinks is that Inspectors do not usually behave like this for the main reason that they do not want someone hanging around the street that they have to work in for the next couple of hours.
Inspectors usually just want to get people loaded on and out of there.

The story that the OP tells just does not have the ring of the full truth about it.
IMO the OP is trying to hard to paint himself as reasonable and this ogre of an inspector for no apparent reason getting agitated and shouting and then banning someone from a bus.
While I'm sure it is based on the truth I wonder if the OP is being completely truthful about his own behaviour.

shltter

Bond-007 wrote:

Why not have a shoulder number like the Gardai?

For Inspectors maybe but there is no need for it in the case of drivers as the company has to keep a full record of who was driving what and when for legal (penalty points) reasons.
Also from your ticket the company can identify what bus and who was driving it.

Even if you did not have either of them the route number and a location and time is sufficent to track a driver down.

DerekP11

Shltter

Your comments in relation to name badges are rediculous in the extreme. Your example could be applied to a McDonalds employee who refused to give me salt. A Dunnes Stores employee who burped in front of me at the checkout. The paranoia displayed is nothing but a front for a further attempt to prevent proper customer service. Its the usual, "I don't want to be identified/arse covering bull****." You've just insulted every worker who wears a name badge in the area of public service.

Im talking about a concept that is becoming the norm across Europe and the world and all you can offer is a pitiful and exaggerated excuse. You truly are CIE through and through. Can't you even see the point Im making? Actually no you couldn't possibly see it. You'd have to check with your union first.

Well fair play to all the bank workers in Ireland, but be warned, if you refuse me credit, I might just check out the phone book in an attempt to track you down and dole out some retribution. According to this CIE employee, it might just happen.

shltter

2funki4wheelz wrote:

Well then maybe a number system (like taxi number/Garda number) would suffice which would cut down on DB having to do a search of records to identify staff (and re-assure complainants).

No dublin bus would still have to search records no matter what

For example if you made a complaint against driver 123456 the company would still have to verify that the driver that number belonged to was working that day on that route and would have been in the area at around that time.
No less searching of records if anything it would probably add to the searching as they would have to match a number to a driver then a bus a route and a location

shltter

DerekP11 wrote:

Shltter

Your comments in relation to name badges are rediculous in the extreme. Your example could be applied to a McDonalds employee who refused to give me salt. A Dunnes Stores employee who burped in front of me at the checkout. The paranoia displayed is nothing but a front for a further attempt to prevent proper customer service. Its the usual, "I don't want to be identified/arse covering bull****." You've just insulted every worker who wears a name badge in the area of public service.

Im talking about a concept that is becoming the norm across Europe and the world and all you can offer is a pitiful and exaggerated excuse. You truly are CIE through and through. Can't you even see the point Im making? Actually no you couldn't possibly see it. You'd have to check with your union first.

Well fair play to all the bank workers in Ireland, but be warned, if you refuse me credit, I might just check out the phone book in an attempt to track you down and dole out some retribution. According to this CIE employee, it might just happen.

As usual derek you are talking out of your backside

You have no idea of the kind of people who are out there I do I see them everyday.
Bus workers are frontline staff we do not have a security guard at the door keeping out the riff raff unlike Mcdonalds or the bank.

.
If you are seriously suggesting that the guy who followed me in a taxi to attack me would not come to my home if he knew where it was then you are living in cloud cuckoo land. I know what the guys record is the gardai told me all about him and trust me he is not the kind of guy you want knowing your name.

It makes me laugh your living in some ****ing fantasy land you have no idea what this town is like. When your bank worker is driving around on there own through these housing estates then your comparison might have some validity.

And I don't have to check with my union for anything unlike you I know what I'm talking about. I'm fully identifiable and I don't need a name badge to make me identifiable.

BTW the company attempted to bring in name badges before when they were introducing the Imps and it was rejected on security grounds by the Labour court I guess they were pitiful and exaggerating as well.

PS nice to see your anti union bias coming to the fore yet again
Your letting the mask slip Derek.

lostexpectation

shltter wrote:

BTW the company attempted to bring in name badges before when they were introducing the Imps and it was rejected on security grounds by the Labour court I guess they were pitiful and exaggerating as well.

but they wouldn't be opposed to a displayed number right?

parsi

DerekP11 wrote:

Shltter

Your comments in relation to name badges are rediculous in the extreme. Your example could be applied to a McDonalds employee who refused to give me salt. A Dunnes Stores employee who burped in front of me at the checkout. The paranoia displayed is nothing but a front for a further attempt to prevent proper customer service. Its the usual, "I don't want to be identified/arse covering bull****." You've just insulted every worker who wears a name badge in the area of public service.

Im talking about a concept that is becoming the norm across Europe and the world and all you can offer is a pitiful and exaggerated excuse. You truly are CIE through and through. Can't you even see the point Im making? Actually no you couldn't possibly see it. You'd have to check with your union first.

Well fair play to all the bank workers in Ireland, but be warned, if you refuse me credit, I might just check out the phone book in an attempt to track you down and dole out some retribution. According to this CIE employee, it might just happen.

Good man Derek. Stick to yer own wee world view. I used work in a dole office and was glad that I didn't wear a name badge when a guy accosted me as I left work and followed me through town roaring and screaming about me not approving his claim. Then again that didn't save the Inspector who was kneecapped by the General.

P11 seems to be becoming a movement that has an opinion on the minutest of issues and has no problem insulting people to make them. The Michael O'Learys of rail transport without the money or the action.

FWIW - in Berlin the BVG employees don't wear name badges, the SNCF employees I encountered during the summer weren't wearing badges so obviously these very large organisations should be targeted by Bahnsteig11

2funki4wheelz

shltter wrote:

No dublin bus would still have to search records no matter what
No less searching of records if anything it would probably add to the searching as they would have to match a number to a driver then a bus a route and a location

Well I'm sure the number=driver list would be pretty simple?

But you totally ignore my point that it reassures complainants when someone has a valid complaint and encourages accountability. Your attitude comes across that the majority of people who travel (and complain) are dangerous scum - maybe the same attitude held by that inspector hence the overreaction to the OP's actions. And this is quite possibly from experience but you still have to cater for the decent folk that do experience bad service.

I've worked in banks and security 'keeping out the riff raff' is a joke, anyone can walk into bank, a man in a pinstripe suit with a briefcase and a million in the bank could be a loon that takes my name at the counter and tracks me down.

Let's be honest, if someone wants to find you to do anything extreme they will.

shltter

lostexpectation wrote:

but they wouldn't be opposed to a displayed number right?

Personally I don't have a major problem with it I don't see the need for it as we are driving on preset routes at preset times in Buses with fleet numbers and number plates and issuing tickets that are traceable to the driver that issued them any one of them is enough to track down a driver.
I really don't see the need for further ID

shltter

2funki4wheelz wrote:

Well I'm sure the number=driver list would be pretty simple?

But you totally ignore my point that it reassures complainants when someone has a valid complaint and encourages accountability. Your attitude comes across that the majority of people who travel (and complain) are dangerous scum - maybe the same attitude held by that inspector hence the overreaction to the OP's actions. And this is quite possibly from experience but you still have to cater for the decent folk that do experience bad service.

I've worked in banks and security 'keeping out the riff raff' is a joke, anyone can walk into bank, a man in a pinstripe suit with a briefcase and a million in the bank could be a loon that takes my name at the counter and tracks me down.

Let's be honest, if someone wants to find you to do anything extreme they will.

No the majority of people are fine but that fact is of little consolation when you are being attacked by a ****ing nutcase.

You totally ignore my point that the Bus number identifies the driver and is much easier to get than a number on a badge.
You do not even have to ask the driver for any information it is up there in big numbers at the front door
and if you miss that the number plate on the front or back will do
and if you miss that the route number and the time will do
and if you miss that your ticket will do

Zambia

Ah lads the words storm in a tea cup come to mind. No- body was hurt here the Inspector did not exactly steal your phone he seems to just not want his picture taken. There are not mounds of inspectors out at night a simple note of street and time would have identified the inspector if need be. Sticking a camera at him would have just set him off. As it would set me off.

I dont agree that employees should be forced to wear badges Numbers would suffice in all cases.

Personnally these are guys working all night taking more drunk people home at one time than your average taxi driver will all night. Here you are expecting him to take you shoving a camera in his face with air of acceptance.

Calling a Garda was an even bigger waste of time , whats gonna happen you seriously want to see this guy charged with an offence?? I would bet you your 35 quid his more important call was a cup of tea back in the Station.

Its christmas leave let this one go and delete the picture from your phone. We all have these encounters on nights out?

shltter

parsi wrote:

Good man Derek. Stick to yer own wee world view. I used work in a dole office and was glad that I didn't wear a name badge when a guy accosted me as I left work and followed me through town roaring and screaming about me not approving his claim. Then again that didn't save the Inspector who was kneecapped by the General.

P11 seems to be becoming a movement that has an opinion on the minutest of issues and has no problem insulting people to make them. The Michael O'Learys of rail transport without the money or the action.

FWIW - in Berlin the BVG employees don't wear name badges, the SNCF employees I encountered during the summer weren't wearing badges so obviously these very large organisations should be targeted by Bahnsteig11

Have to agree it is easy for people like derek to belittle peoples genuine concerns.
Platform 11 are revealing themselves daily for what they really are.

2funki4wheelz

shltter wrote:

You totally ignore my point that the Bus number identifies the driver and is much easier to get than a number on a badge.
You do not even have to ask the driver for any information it is up there in big numbers at the front door
and if you miss that the number plate on the front or back will do
and if you miss that the route number and the time will do
and if you miss that your ticket will do

I'm absolutely not ignoring your point. Clearly Dublin Bus must have a system in place to know who is where and when - as you describe above, which would work most of the time.

But how many members of the general public know this? Is it not true that when you are making a complaint about anything/anyone - the best place to start is with a name? This is for the complainants benefit.

Sort this one out then:
If two No.X's are bumber to bumper (delayed/early whatever) and one leap frogs the other - what use is my complaint info below?

A #X, at 11.45am on O'Connell St outside the Savoy.
My ticket is an annual one or a monthly one - no help there.
I didn't get the licence plate number - the only other option below.
How I do identify that driver?? Hair colour? DB having to trawl through CCTV?

Yes, it's a very unlikely situation but possible. I'm just trying to say that it gives comfort to customers and adds accountability to the staff member. Across all service industries. I know drivers have to put up with all kinds of nonsense and it's not acceptable but that's Customer Service for you across the board.

Hagar

shltter wrote:

You totally ignore my point that the Bus number identifies the driver and is much easier to get than a number on a badge.
You do not even have to ask the driver for any information it is up there in big numbers at the front door
and if you miss that the number plate on the front or back will do
and if you miss that the route number and the time will do
and if you miss that your ticket will do

Is the big number, (the route number)over the front door always correct?
Is the bus is not running to schedule will it be even possible to identify the driver?
In the OP's case he doesn't have a ticket as he wasn't allowed on the bus.
The idea of checking a licence plate, then cross checking that with a depot, then a route allocation, then a duty roster, then a changed duty roster if there were absences due to illness or whatever is madness. Any one of these could be inaccurate thus making it impossible to identify the driver.

Would a badge number be so bad really? Why are you really so afraid of being pinned down? I mean the personal details would only be seen by the bus company in the case of a complaint or even a reported good deed? The current system of staff being anonymous must breed a "can't find me, can't touch me" mentality. Personal responsibility can only raise standards. Surely it would go along way to bettering the public image and increasing quality of service to the ordinary customer?

Ham'nd'egger

shltter wrote:

No the majority of people are fine but that fact is of little consolation when you are being attacked by a ****ing nutcase.

You totally ignore my point that the Bus number identifies the driver and is much easier to get than a number on a badge.
You do not even have to ask the driver for any information it is up there in big numbers at the front door
and if you miss that the number plate on the front or back will do
and if you miss that the route number and the time will do
and if you miss that your ticket will do

I am aware that it is getting a little OT, but there has been a good many cases in the last few years that have seen bank officials being kidnapped at home and being forced to open premises to criminals so one wonders how they know where these people live in the first instance, IRA in Belfast anyone? Name tags do open you to something like this.

And for what it's worth, in my other job (I have two jobs) which is in the entertainment business, I was almost assaulted outside a club 2 years ago by a chap who was that disgusted that I didn't play his song that he though it worthwhile to wait outside till I left and so I can well empathise with what Sh1tter refers to.

2funki4wheelz

Ham'nd'egger - there's no dispute that being in the public domain does put you at risk but as per my point and Hagar's - having no identifying details can lead to a culture of bad service where a staff member thinks they can get away with it.

It's unfortunate that society is like this but you have to protect customers as well as staff and trying to find a compromise like a number system maybe better than nothing.

As I posted already, if some nutter wants to find you they will. Name tag or not.

Our man in Havana

London transport drivers and conductors were a numbered badge. Seems to work ok for them.

shltter

2funki4wheelz wrote:

I'm absolutely not ignoring your point. Clearly Dublin Bus must have a system in place to know who is where and when - as you describe above, which would work most of the time.

But how many members of the general public know this? Is it not true that when you are making a complaint about anything/anyone - the best place to start is with a name? This is for the complainants benefit.

Sort this one out then:
If two No.X's are bumber to bumper (delayed/early whatever) and one leap frogs the other - what use is my complaint info below?

A #X, at 11.45am on O'Connell St outside the Savoy.
My ticket is an annual one or a monthly one - no help there.
I didn't get the licence plate number - the only other option below.
How I do identify that driver?? Hair colour? DB having to trawl through CCTV?

Yes, it's a very unlikely situation but possible. I'm just trying to say that it gives comfort to customers and adds accountability to the staff member. Across all service industries. I know drivers have to put up with all kinds of nonsense and it's not acceptable but that's Customer Service for you across the board.

You are talking bull
So a bus passes you by you don't get the reg number but by some miracle see the drivers name on a badge. Please you are talking nonsense.

2funki4wheelz

shltter wrote:

You are talking bull
So a bus passes you by you don't get the reg number but by some miracle see the drivers name on a badge. Please you are talking nonsense.

You could be turfed off - I did say unlikely situation and never said anything about being passed by - I'm talking about instances when staff are rude etc. There's no point getting into specific situations, see Hagar's post which says things better than mine - where's the reponse to those points?

It's the overall problem of a lack of accountabilty you keep dodging. Why should bank officials and McDonald's employees and Gardai and Taxi drivers all have to put up with the risk and DB drivers don't???

BuffyBot

London transport drivers and conductors were a numbered badge. Seems to work ok for them.

Very rarely I see drivers wearing them. As conducters are all but gone, apart from two "tourist" runs I can't comment. I don't remember noticing them before, so they possibly did.

In all cases the buses have fleet numbers as well as registration numbers which would allow them to be identified.

Hagar

shltter wrote:

You are talking bull
So a bus passes you by you don't get the reg number but by some miracle see the drivers name on a badge. Please you are talking nonsense.

In the OP's case he would have had an ID for the Inspector. Isn't that what this thread is all about? The inability to identify and make a complaint about an individual standing right in front of you not someone driving by at 30kph?

I'd say by the tone of your posts that if this thread was a bus you would already have stopped it and thrown a few of us off for having the audacity to question your godlike powers as a bus company employee.

Zambia

Hamndegger wrote:

I am aware that it is getting a little OT, but there has been a good many cases in the last few years that have seen bank officials being kidnapped at home and being forced to open premises to criminals so one wonders how they know where these people live in the first instance, IRA in Belfast anyone? Name tags do open you to something like this.
.

Nope if someone wants to kidnap you and your family to get into a bank they tend to follow you home after work . Not look up a name tag and sit outside every listed house with that name. Till you show up. Besides we dont have the IRA any more we turned them into the new private belfast car parking wardens , they now rob legally.

I worked in security and was constantly asked for my name when refusing people from shops or just getting in their way. I would be polite and give them my staff number which was a very valid way of identifing me. Names are for friends and polite people as***les get numbers.

shltter

Hagar wrote:

Is the big number, (the route number)over the front door always correct?

no but the reg number fleet number always is

Hagar wrote:

Is the bus is not running to schedule will it be even possible to identify the driver?

Of course it would

Hagar wrote:

In the OP's case he doesn't have a ticket as he wasn't allowed on the bus.

He did not have a problem with the driver either and if you were not on the bus it would be kind of difficult to get a drivers name badge

Hagar wrote:

The idea of checking a licence plate, then cross checking that with a depot, then a route allocation, then a duty roster, then a changed duty roster if there were absences due to illness or whatever is madness. Any one of these could be inaccurate thus making it impossible to identify the driver.

You dont have to do that the company has to do it anyway if you said driver x did AB and C the company would have to check all those things anyway.
Those things cannot be inaccurate because a driver has to sign on to the ticket machine with a personal pin number if you have the reg number then the company knows who was driving the bus.
BTW we live in a computer age you give the company a reg number and date and time and they will know who was driving it in about 5 seconds flat all those records have to be kept for legal reasons.

Hagar wrote:

Would a badge number be so bad really? Why are you really so afraid of being pinned down? I mean the personal details would only be seen by the bus company in the case of a complaint or even a reported good deed? The current system of staff being anonymous must breed a "can't find me, can't touch me" mentality. Personal responsibility can only raise standards. Surely it would go along way to bettering the public image and increasing quality of service to the ordinary customer?

As i have said the driver is not anonymous he is readily identifiable to the company from any number of means there is no need for any further ID.
Give me an example when you could not ascertain the fleet number, reg number, route number , that it would be easier to get a name or number from a badge.

lostexpectation

shltter wrote:

Personally I don't have a major problem with it I don't see the need for it as we are driving on preset routes at preset times in Buses with fleet numbers and number plates and issuing tickets that are traceable to the driver that issued them any one of them is enough to track down a driver.
I really don't see the need for further ID

becuase this guy wasn't on a bus he was on the street, and he coud deny being there, and the infomation could "get lost" before it gets to you.

shltter

Hagar wrote:

In the OP's case he would have had an ID for the Inspector. Isn't that what this thread is all about? The inability to identify and make a complaint about an individual standing right in front of you not someone driving by at 30kph?

That is inspectors that case is different they don't drive buses
Derek suggested all transport workers should wear name badges this is unnecessary as drivers are already easily identifiable. In the case of Inspectors a badge number would seem like a fairly reasonable solution.

Hagar wrote:

I'd say by the tone of your posts that if this thread was a bus you would already have stopped it and thrown a few of us off for having the audacity to question your godlike powers as a bus company employee.

Nah there would be no need to throw you off
I would not have let you on in the first place:D

shltter

lostexpectation wrote:

becuase this guy wasn't on a bus he was on the street, and he coud deny being there, and the infomation could "get lost" before it gets to you.

He was not a driver he was an inspector Derek suggested that all transport workers should wear name badges this is unnecessary as drivers are already identifiable from the bus they are driving.

This was on the Nitelink specific inspectors are allocated specific streets to supervise so this Inspector was allocated Westmoreland St if he claimed to be not there then the company would be interested to know where he was.

Hagar

shltter wrote:

Nah there would be no need to throw you off
I would not have let you on in the first place:D

That's the spirit .

shltter

Zambia232 wrote:

I worked in security and was constantly asked for my name when refusing people from shops or just getting in their way. I would be polite and give them my staff number which was a very valid way of identifing me. Names are for friends and polite people as***les get numbers.

Exactly the Fleet number is just as valid a way of identifying a driver

lostexpectation

shltter wrote:

Exactly the Fleet number is just as valid a way of identifying a driver

if you knew who this guy was would you pass the OP's complaint and the name to the further ups, doesn't sound like you would.

Zambia

Have to agree with shlter ... No matter what your opinion of Dublin bus i am sure they know what drivers have what buses(regs) and are on what routes at what times , like wise they know what Inspectors are monitoring what stops at what times. Its a basic roster requirement of any business.

From some of the comments on this post you would swear the DB staff are released like winged monkeys in the wizard of Oz to fly around the City streets stealing phones and abusing people.

Fact of the matter is you should have just got on the bus and left your shopping till the morning.

2funki4wheelz

shltter wrote:

Exactly the Fleet number is just as valid a way of identifying a driver

But it doesn't provide the level of reassurance) for the ordinary customer.

I'm guessing the majority of people don't know about this system of checking A,B & C to identify a driver (how would they?), and if I had to make a complaint and didn't have a specific name - or number - I wouldn't feel too confident about the complaint going anywhere.
(Not that people in Ireland seem to bother to make formal complaints that often anyway OR recognitions of good service! :rolleyes:)

We're going round in circles here so simply put - Should Customer Service procedures not make things easier for customers?
And if things were fine as is, this thread wouldn't exist because the OP would have been able to complain properly.

Hobart

shltter wrote:

That is inspectors that case is different they don't drive buses
Derek suggested all transport workers should wear name badges this is unnecessary as drivers are already easily identifiable. In the case of Inspectors a badge number would seem like a fairly reasonable solution.
....

So you concede then that it's resonable to suggest that inspectors wear badge's with numbers on them?

If it is easy for the company to identify the driver from route, time, etc....would you have an issue with all employees, incl. drivers, being required to wear badges?