Dublin Bus route 128. New!

Heart

I never see any taxis using that rank, there should be more space given to buses here.

The roadway right outside the Laughter Lounge is the taxi rank, the bus stop there is marked out for 1 bus, not very much.

Perhaps the Swords Express people could contact the council about more space?

H

spurious

Victor wrote: »

The Swords Express stop is the Laughter Lounge. It is Garda approved.

Do you mean you had to walk along the footpath?

Swords Express thread.

No, we had to go out into the road so that the driver could see us past the Swords bus which was at the Dublin Bus stop. I didn't see a stop marked for the Swords bus. Do they just use the Dublin Bus one?

The 151 was behind the Swords bus and the 128 was behind that, about to pull out as it presumably looked to him like there were no waiting passengers.
We managed to get on in the end, with much waving of a walking stick, but it's a bit chaotic at that stop.

AlekSmart

I would have to contradict Spurious`s possibly spurious claim that the Laughter Lounge Bus Stop is "a bit chaotic".

This simply cannot be true
We know this because in the immediate aftermath of the Wellington Quay disaster the public were assured that a FULL Safety Audit of ALL Dublin Bus stops was being urgently carried out.
If as result of this audit any safety deficiencies were identified the offending Bus Stops would be removed or relocated.

I know this to be true as to my direct knowledge at least 2 were,the first at the Bangor Circle in Crumlin and the Second at the bottom of the Upper Kilmacud Road (outbound).

I would recommend that Spurious or indeed any person with an interest in verifying these matters should submit a request for sight of the Independent Risk Analysis which was carried out at the Eden Quay stop.....:)

Teller

Clare Bear wrote: »

I'm interested in this new 128 bus route. I live in the Coast apartments if anyone knows it on the Grange side, do you know where the nearest stop is to me? And how near to the Coast complex would it drop me back does anyone know? Thanks.

Would also like to know this, recently moved to the Coast apartments.

ThatBloke

dub_commuter wrote: »

If you have a problem with drivers changing in the City Centre, I suggest you contact Dublin Bus management - They have forced this procedure in with little to no care for it's customers.

As you may or may not know Harristown Driver's wanted to start and finish their shifts in the depot to avoid this happening, and went on strike about this. However they didn't really get a decent solution out of the labour court, although admittedly it was better than it was originally meant to be.

So shifts will now start and finish in the City Centre of the 128 meaning a driver has to change half way through, if a driver gets delayed or the bus you are on runs early your bus gets delayed. Myself and Spareman did warn you all this would happen, if only you had listened.

Please do not blame the drivers at Harristown - they are just as pissed off as me and you with this. It really isn't their fault.

Thanks for the answer, as I said I was away and only caught the basics of the dispute, it seems fairly illogical to have them start in the city centre.

Victor wrote: »

I used the 128 from Rathmines today - it was actually the first one I saw, I saw a few more in town though.

It avoided the turn on Marlborough Street / Abbey Street though.

Yeah, they seem to have cut that out

Clare Bear wrote: »

I'm interested in this new 128 bus route. I live in the Coast apartments if anyone knows it on the Grange side, do you know where the nearest stop is to me? And how near to the Coast complex would it drop me back does anyone know? Thanks.

It stops on Hole In The Wall Road (near Trinity Sports & Leisure) and also just before the roundabout on Grange Rd/Clare Hall Avenue. It'd probably be a bit of a walk for you, but it gets into/out of town so quickly it might be quicker than the other options

KC61

tywy wrote: »

Before now, there weren't buses sitting there all night. I just think it's dangerous because the buses are parked just where the road narrows at the park there. So if you go to overtake there isn't space to 2 cars. I must admit my experience with this is with those massive SUVs so they are taking up a lot of the road I suppose.

Au contraire tywy, before the 13b this was the terminus for the 12 which ran from Cabra to Palmerston Park every 10 minutes all day from the days of the trams finishing!! The trams started from this stop since 1873 at a high frequency also.

So it has now reverted to a high frequency terminus again.

_blank_

The 128 has stopped stopping at the bus stop opposite the tobacco shops outside Trinity, and now goes some distance down Nassau Street, past Dawson Street to stop.

The driver told me they were told not to use these stops, because they are too busy.

Also, I don't think the drivers have been told what to do about the stop oppoiste the Customs House. Some stop there, some don't.

ThatBloke

I got the bus home tonight and it had "Baldoyle Station" on it, that's a long way off opening isn't it?

Victor

ThatBloke wrote: »

I got the bus home tonight and it had "Baldoyle Station" on it, that's a long way off opening isn't it?

I'm told that some construction has proceeded.

MiniD

DesF wrote: »

The 128 has stopped stopping at the bus stop opposite the tobacco shops outside Trinity, and now goes some distance down Nassau Street, past Dawson Street to stop.

The driver told me they were told not to use these stops, because they are too busy.

Also, I don't think the drivers have been told what to do about the stop oppoiste the Customs House. Some stop there, some don't.

It would be good for this route to stop at the 15/74 bus stop at College Green. This would take some pressure off the 15/A/B and 74/A, for passengers only heading to Rathmines.

KC61

MiniD wrote: »

It would be good for this route to stop at the 15/74 bus stop at College Green. This would take some pressure off the 15/A/B and 74/A, for passengers only heading to Rathmines.

The 128 stops at the 14/14A and 83 stop in D'Olier Street along with the 142.

Given that the 128 and 142 share the same routing as the 14A, this is a more logical stop to serve.

TommyShannon

dub_commuter wrote: »

If you have a problem with drivers changing in the City Centre, I suggest you contact Dublin Bus management - They have forced this procedure in with little to no care for it's customers.

As you may or may not know Harristown Driver's wanted to start and finish their shifts in the depot to avoid this happening, and went on strike about this. However they didn't really get a decent solution out of the labour court, although admittedly it was better than it was originally meant to be.

So shifts will now start and finish in the City Centre of the 128 meaning a driver has to change half way through, if a driver gets delayed or the bus you are on runs early your bus gets delayed. Myself and Spareman did warn you all this would happen, if only you had listened.

Please do not blame the drivers at Harristown - they are just as pissed off as me and you with this. It really isn't their fault.

At last someone talking a bit of sense! This sort of crap goes on in Cork on the Bus Éireann city service the whole time, waits of 20mins in the City Centre for a new driver are not unusual!

Of course Dublin Bus Management are always right.... What happens if a driver calls in sick? Does it mean that the bus gets cancelled between Burgh Quay and Rathmines??

John R

Along with some additional early departures from Clongriffin DB have now published a full timetable for the 128 instead of the frequency estimate they had before.

http://www.dublinbus.ie/your_journey/viewer.asp?route=128

jrar

John R wrote: »

It's a very quiet road in my experience, can't imagine they cause much traffic delays there. Besides that had been a bus terminus for a long time before the 13b was cancelled.

.....and for many years before that as the terminus for the old 12 route from Palmerston Park to Cabra.

Victor

Its interesting that the same bus seems to do the first departure from both ends 0600 from Clongriffin and 0705 from Rathmines. A bus could run as say a 16 from Harristown to the city centre and become a 128 then.

http://www.dublinbus.ie/news_centre/latest_news.asp?action=view&news_id=728

Route 128 - Additional departures

Dublin Bus are pleased to advise customers of additional departures on route 128.

Additional services will operate from Clongriffin at 06:00, 06:15, 06:30, 06:45 Monday to Friday and at 06:30 & 16:45 on Saturdays.

Route 128 operates from the new development in Clongriffin via Clare Hall, Malahide Road, Fairview, City Centre, St. Stephen’s Green and Rathmines Road to Palmerston Park. Buses run every 10 minutes on weekdays and every 10-20 minutes on Saturday and Sunday.

The new timetable can be viewed here.

spurious

Today I got the 128 from town and it had 'Baldoyle Station' as its destination.

I finally received a reply to my complaint about the driver handover nonsense in the city centre.

I have logged the details of your complaint on our feedback database and
forwarded a copy of you mail to the Operations manager in Harristown as
he is responsible for this route.

The route may take some time to settle in as up to Sunday last it has been operated by primarily new Drivers. There is also an issue in the balance in running time. Perhaps too much time on the North Side of the City and not enough on the South Side.
The Route now has marked-in Drivers who will be working that Route all the time. This should give more consistency as most Drivers will be working that Route every day.
The Schedule has been since Sunday 16th December, which should make crew change-overs more reliable.
The Inspector was detailed to the change over location to assist crews
and customers.

Hmmm - I think that reads like it is the driver's fault in some way. It seems to be happening less however.

shltter

spurious wrote: »

Today I got the 128 from town and it had 'Baldoyle Station' as its destination.

I finally received a reply to my complaint about the driver handover nonsense in the city centre.

I have logged the details of your complaint on our feedback database and
forwarded a copy of you mail to the Operations manager in Harristown as
he is responsible for this route.

The route may take some time to settle in as up to Sunday last it has been operated by primarily new Drivers. There is also an issue in the balance in running time. Perhaps too much time on the North Side of the City and not enough on the South Side.
The Route now has marked-in Drivers who will be working that Route all the time. This should give more consistency as most Drivers will be working that Route every day.
The Schedule has been since Sunday 16th December, which should make crew change-overs more reliable.
The Inspector was detailed to the change over location to assist crews
and customers.

Hmmm - I think that reads like it is the driver's fault in some way. It seems to be happening less however.

No it says it is a timetable issue basically they have been giving too much time to one side of the city and not enough to the other.

This affects the handover as the side with not enough time ends up with the driver getting his break late if he does not have at least 45 minutes break time he takes his full break and comes back late

On the other side the time is too much so drivers are getting in early for the hand over and you end up sitting around waiting for the driver to turn up at the appointed time.

As the route was being operated by spare drivers they have no incentive to turn up early to relieve the breaking driver as they may not work that road again so they wont get it back when they are arriving early.
When it is marked in the drivers will be more likely to turn up early to let the driver go as they will get it back when it is there turn also there will be more feedback when the same people are operating it everyday.

spurious

According to the driver this morning, the 128 route no longer stops at the stop outside Connolly just beside the LUAS.
Cue much annoyance from group of 'mature' ladies who were whisked off to the next stop at George's quay.
Those wanting to link with the LUAS will in future have to get off at the stop beside what was the old suburban Connolly station.

markpb

The 128 officially stops at the first Bus Eireann bay at Connolly. I've noticed it also stops at the stop outside 110 Amiens St as well.

spurious

Yes, it's the Bus Eireann bay one that is being discontinued. The driver said it was because of Dublin Bus drivers being unable to pull in to the stop at certain times because of the Bus Eireann buses and taxis. It all caused quite a bit of consternation this morning.

AlekSmart

It`s actually all about Taxi Rank space or more correctly the failure of the Office of Taxi Regulation to accept that when one quadruples the number of Vehicles operating in any given system one must FIRST ensure that sufficient extra space is available for this increased number to operate within......D`ye get the gist of it...?? :eek:

SoupyNorman

spurious wrote: »

Yes, it's the Bus Eireann bay one that is being discontinued. The driver said it was because of Dublin Bus drivers being unable to pull in to the stop at certain times because of the Bus Eireann buses and taxis. It all caused quite a bit of consternation this morning.

This situation is so frustrating. I dont mind so much that the stop is being discontinued but the passengers are being told zip.

The first morning this happened the driver had a notice say that the bus was not stopping there for health and safety reasons. A little miffed but at least it was expected.
Speaking to my g/f later (who gets the bus a little later) said that her bus stopped there.

The next morning, a different driver, no sign whisks us all city centre bound. Zooms past Connelly to the annoyance of many passengers. I piped up at the driver who claimed he announced it over the PA..He didnt, very annoying indeed.

Now the stop has been moved into the Bus Eireann Bay but half the drivers dont know so now its a bit of a lottery.

Pythia

Does anyone know if this bus is any good for getting from Stephen's Green to Connolly any quicker than walking at morning rush hour?

Want to get to Connolly for about 8.50, so what time would I have to be at Stephen's Green?

Victor

I imagine about 0830 should get you there in time. Obviously leave extra time if it is critical

I think the stops are Earlforts Terrace and Dawson Street - you might be as well off walking to Pearse (or get a 44*/48A to Pearse) or getting a 15* to Eden Quay.