Bus eireann bus drivers.......

Gaillimh1990

does ne1 else agree that they r so grompy and moany... most of dem barely even say hello!!!!!!:mad::mad::mad::(:(:(

AircraftTechie

Can you at least try to type properly, text speak is very annoying.

AircraftTechie

In relation to your post i do agree with you.

cson

Public service workers sure.

In their defence, you try driving a bus around Galway with the state of the driving by some of the population.

Xiney

Crazy. Mr Xiney and I just had a most unpleasant experience with a driver on the no 9 this evening - I was debating whether to post about it and now I guess I will.

First, as the number 9 was coming up to the stop just before Dunnes towards Parkmore, we crossed the street to get on it. The bus driver asked us where we were going to and we told him Eyre Square, he (rather grumpily) told us to go across the road and wait there. That's fair enough we supposed, though it'd never been a problem on the number 3, which is the bus we usually take (and actually has pretty sound drivers for the most part). It wasn't very cold out and it wasn't raining though so we didn't mind at all.

Since we were waiting for him, we decided to get our fare in order before hand. We had a few coppers and we wanted to get rid of them, 20 cent worth. A 5 cent, five 2 cent, and five 1 cent coins. We counted it out a couple times just to be sure.

When the bus came around the driver made a point of counting it - no problem although most drivers just take the money (we usually use up our small change in this way since there's nobody waiting in line behind us to pay while we wait for a bus!) He accused us of being 4 cent short. We assured him we were sure we weren't, that we had counted twice. He told us, "Count it again, so"

We did, and sure enough, it was all there. He accused us of adding the four cent on while he wasn't looking! And then he then complained we were holding up the bus, but finally drove on.

(At this point I'd like to apologize to our fellow passengers who were held up while we were forced to count our money again - it only took less than a minute but it must have felt much longer)


He was just such a thick arse. I've never encountered anyone quite as deserving of the title flaming piece of cnut - and I've decided that a) I will be cycling even more now rather than give Bus Eireann any of my money and b) once I learn how to drive they can bloody well fcuk themselves for all I care.

We're told to take public transportation and to save the environment and all this jazz - but with people like this secondary school drop out who can't even count change properly and treat people like criminals over a mere four cent that was there in the first place... well. That's not much encouragement is it?



Ireland - the country that made me more misanthropic than high school ever could.

sgthighway

I don't get the bus much and never had any problems. If I experienced issues like the above on a regular basis I would write a letter of complaint to the Manager in Galway. It is a crap job driving around Galway but the money is very good. Good perks out of it too.

Xiney

I am going to write a letter - not that it will make any difference as I suspect recessionary times or no a bus driver's job is safe... but still. If I can be bothered to complain about it at all I might as well complain to the powers that be as well. Eventually something I complain about is going to get changed (I live in hope)

moonflower

Xiney wrote: »

I am going to write a letter - not that it will make any difference as I suspect recessionary times or no a bus driver's job is safe... but still. If I can be bothered to complain about it at all I might as well complain to the powers that be as well. Eventually something I complain about is going to get changed (I live in hope)

Don't be so sure that their jobs are safe, I read recently that Bus Eireann are getting rid of a load of buses.

I have more of a problem with the red bus drivers than the Bus Eireann ones tbh. I live in Shantalla and when I'm getting a red bus from Knocknacara I usually get out at the community centre. (I know it doesn't go that way anymore, I avoid them as much as I can now after some bad experiences on them) It happened to me twice with the same driver that he wouldn't stop there and wouldn't let me out until outside the pres primary school. It was lashing rain both times as well. Apparently it's not a 'designated stop' but I had never had a problem with that before. I have a lot of bad stories to tell about those buses though.

The only problem I have with the Bus Eireann drivers is that some of them stop outside Cotters, lock everyone in the bus and go into the bookies for a few minutes, followed by a ciggarette break.

donmeister

Well I suppose its like most things in life,you're bound to meet a few bollox's on the way. I frequently use the no.3 and no.9 (daily) and 95% of all the bus drivers are very sound and laid back,where theres this one a$$hole bus driver (no.9).

I remember basically having an argument with him on not having the right change,like jesus,get over it! :rolleyes:

GrayD

Working with the ;ublic you can understand why it can be hard to be Mr. Cheerful every minute of every day but then again, working with the public, I know its my job not to be a grumpy f*cker to everyone no matter how I feel so yeah, but its the same in other parts I've lived.

I just don't get the guy on the number 9 who drivers with his left leg up over the steering wheel.

Got on at eyre square at weekend and he was lying with his legs up almost out the side window as if he was lying in a hammock taking money from people by casually leaving his left hand dangle out the hantch as people got on the bus.
I'm sure he's cool out but like seriously, I'd love to see how my boss took it if I decided to put my feet up and act too cool for school around all our clients/customers.

Not to mention it kinda makes it more likely we'll all crash and be killed but sure as long as we look cool doing it. :rolleyes:

Gaillimh1990

AircraftTechie wrote: »

Can you at least try to type properly, text speak is very annoying.

if you cant understand it why did you bother replying.... nobody asked you to!

Gaillimh1990

i woulod write a letter of complaint to bus eireann or ring them 091562000

Gaillimh1990

GrayD wrote: »

Working with the ;ublic you can understand why it can be hard to be Mr. Cheerful every minute of every day but then again, working with the public, I know its my job not to be a grumpy f*cker to everyone no matter how I feel so yeah, but its the same in other parts I've lived.

I just don't get the guy on the number 9 who drivers with his left leg up over the steering wheel.

Got on at eyre square at weekend and he was lying with his legs up almost out the side window as if he was lying in a hammock taking money from people by casually leaving his left hand dangle out the hantch as people got on the bus.
I'm sure he's cool out but like seriously, I'd love to see how my boss took it if I decided to put my feet up and act too cool for school around all our clients/customers.

Not to mention it kinda makes it more likely we'll all crash and be killed but sure as long as we look cool doing it. :rolleyes:

ive seen him aswell... he drives with one foot! sound out tho

biko

Gaillimh1990 wrote: »

if you cant understand it why did you bother replying.... nobody asked you to!

See, you can use all the keys on the keyboard

sgthighway

I think with Bus Eireann for non voluntary redundancies its a case of last in first out so some know they are safe about their job.

Malice

Gaillimh1990 wrote: »

if you cant understand it why did you bother replying.... nobody asked you to!

He replied because txt speek is frowned upon by most people on these Boards. As a new member you may have been unaware of that and so he asked you nicely to type properly.

muppetkiller

Well i'll add my 2 cents seeing as I've had one of those mornings...
I fell on my way to get the bus this morning on the black ice..hobbled my way to the No 9 at 9:27 only for the 9:30 bus to leave early !!!!!
grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Half the time they don't turn up at all or leave a min or two late..but now they're leaving early too ..And yes my watch has the correct time.
So I managed to get the Number 3 and walk the rest of the way (which left on time)

Having had my rant the bus can only leave early if I'm already on it lol.

CaptSolo

muppetkiller wrote: »

Well i'll add my 2 cents seeing as I've had one of those mornings...
I fell on my way to get the bus this morning on the black ice..hobbled my way to the No 9 at 9:27 only for the 9:30 bus to leave early !!!!!

I had a similar experience with a No 4 bus leaving Newcastle - it left 2-3 min early. In fact, it was still there when I saw it and started running. When I was already by the side of the bus (and visible in mirrors if anyone care to look), he closed the doors and left.

Luckily there was no black ice.

A colleague of mine also missed a bus which left early. When he asked the next bus driver about this, he got a reply that they do not have to follow the schedule (?!) and that "you should come 5 min early anyway".

wolf99

Nearly all of the bus eireann drivers cant actually drive for ****, stoping and starting so hard your neck is pulped and revving like mad, most treat the bus just like a boy racer car times 5. the best drivers are actually the few south american drivers, smooth drive, they know what express means (not just follow the non-express bus) and always get in on time.

s_carnage

It's also so annoying when the buses don't pull into the bay provided when they are letting passengers off. They will rather pull up in road and let every car behind them wait until they are finished there, thus creating a huge hold up behind them. A bit of common sense and courtesy goes a long way.

Sean9015

CaptSolo wrote: »

I had a similar experience with a No 4 bus leaving Newcastle - it left 2-3 min early. In fact, it was still there when I saw it and started running. When I was already by the side of the bus (and visible in mirrors if anyone care to look), he closed the doors and left.

When pulling away, the driver's attention would be on the off-side mirror, not the nearside one.

s_carnage wrote: »

It's also so annoying when the buses don't pull into the bay provided when they are letting passengers off. They will rather pull up in road and let every car behind them wait until they are finished there, thus creating a huge hold up behind them. A bit of common sense and courtesy goes a long way.

The reason for that is that car drivers consistantly refuse to let buses pull out of bays back in to the traffic - "Can't let the bus in front of me, I'm too important!" - thus causing delays to the service (and aggro for the driver).

Most bus drivers, and indeed bus companies (certainly in the UK) prefer kerbside stops, or even build-outs, rather than bays for this reason.

CaptSolo

Sean9015 wrote: »

When pulling away, the driver's attention would be on the off-side mirror, not the nearside one.

Make sense. What about the moment before that - shall they look in the mirror before closing the door? (At least when they depart earlier than scheduled?)

bat boy

muppetkiller wrote: »

Well i'll add my 2 cents seeing as I've had one of those mornings...
I fell on my way to get the bus this morning on the black ice..hobbled my way to the No 9 at 9:27 only for the 9:30 bus to leave early !!!!!
grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Half the time they don't turn up at all or leave a min or two late..but now they're leaving early too ..And yes my watch has the correct time.
So I managed to get the Number 3 and walk the rest of the way (which left on time)

Having had my rant the bus can only leave early if I'm already on it lol.

I've been readying the bus strategy study which the city council spent a considerable amount of money on this time 2 years ago, of which they have failed to follow even the most easily applied recommendations, and the official figures on buses leaving their terminus are:
39% departed the terminus on time;
29% departed the terminus late; and
32% departed the terminus early.

These are their figures, as crazy as the seem. So your not alone with having the bus leave early on you. On the matter of drivers attitudes, the study suggests that there is a good level of customer service, which is a load of rubbish as far as I'm concerned. I've encountered far more rude drivers than friendly drivers in the time I've been using the buses in Galway.

LadyMayBelle

CaptSolo wrote: »

Make sense. What about the moment before that - shall they look in the mirror before closing the door? (At least when they depart earlier than scheduled?)

It's that five seconds or so that he has closed the doors, and sees you there knocking on the door because he is leaving a fe minutes early, and you NEED to get this bus home, because if you don't you'll be stuck waiting another hour for the next one. Most likely in the rain. It's the way they see you knocking and pleading and still drive off!!

This has happened to me, but I was on the bus once and there was an old man getting off the curnb trying to wave at the bus for him to open the door, I 'dinged' the bell and a few passengers shouted up for the driver to 'hang on' which he could have as he hadn't pulled out onto the road (he also hadn't pulled up to the curb properly making it hellish for wheelchair users).

Tosser drove off leaving the poor ould chap in the rain, and with a lot of comments to him about it.

July

I've had nothing but good experiences with bus drivers, thankfully!

My secondary school bus driver was lovely. He used to stop outside everyone's house, instead of us having to walk to the crossroads and be collected collectively. If we weren't out any morning, he would actually wait until we'd come running out or until someone waved him on to tell him we weren't coming!

The Bus Éireann drivers that do the routes from town to town or city to city have always been really nice in my experience. I used to get the Galway-Sligo bus regularly and there was one guy in particular (guy with a beard)who I remember was always in great form- would have the chat with you on your way in, singing/whistling.

Another time I was using a return ticket for Galway to Limerick that I purchased online and either through my fault or the fault of the system I ended up with a ticket for the wrong route. On both legs of the journey, the drivers let me on the bus with no hassle, even refusing my offer to pay. One of the drivers actually encouraged me to get a refund for my unused online ticket as the number would show up on their system as having not been used because the machine on the bus couldn't process the number for the wrong route. I was just glad to have travelled on the special online fare, never mind to go off getting a refund!

The city services have been good for me too. I have encountered friendly, chatty drivers. One time, one guy even rang the station -on his own mobile- to tell them to hold the Dublin bus for a minute for me because he knew I was going to the airport. That was beyond his duties.

Don't get me wrong, I have been on buses where the drivers would be huffing and puffing at other road users but towards me personally, they have been noting but positive. Most of my bus journeys have been quite forgettable though!

To qualify this post, nobody belonging to me is a bus driver and I have no reason to post other than trying to balance out the argument a bit. Tar and brushes and all that jazz.. I would imagine that it could be a stressful job though and I'm sure they see all sorts of riff raff throughout the day.

Remember kids - always thank the driver when you're getting off for getting you there safely!

pirelli

Gaillimh1990 wrote: »

does ne1 else agree that they r so grompy and moany... most of dem barely even say hello!!!!!!:mad::mad::mad::(:(:(

How can we AGREE to have a incorrigible view of busdrivers based on the fact that they are disagreeable to us.

Maybe they just disagree with your agreement that they are moany and grompy.

Lets Agree that everyone should enjoy the bus journey including the driver.

OP have you tried throwing some angry face smileys at him? It seemed effective here.

bigeasyeah

I use Bus Eireann a lot,both the Galway City and National services.I find the city drivers not overly friendly as a rule but in their defence they deal with alot of idiots.For instance I dont think its a hard task to master queuing for a bus or having the right change handy.
As regards the National service drivers and its staff at Ceannt Station Ill say this:They should work on the basics of common manners.Ive seen many instances of customers being treated very badly.

jkmanc1974

I use the Claremorris to Galway bus service on a regular basis(on the Galway to Sligo route), the driver with the beard(as described earlier) is very cheerful......as for the local services I used to get the number 9 every day to work - an experience!

Brgds
Johnny

DouglasWinthrow

Gaillimh1990 wrote: »

does ne1 else agree that they r so grompy and moany... most of dem barely even say hello!!!!!!:mad::mad::mad::(:(:(

Ok , i feel i have to say something here,

Its not their job to be nice to you.

Its not their job to say hello to you.

It is in fact , not their responsibilty to do ANYTHING EXCEPT get you to your destination safely and in a reasonably timely manner.

Maybe someone was rude to you? Sadly , welcome to the human race , he doesnt have to be your friend just becuase hes driving you somewhere.

Now before everyone starts teh "YEAH , BUT SERVICE WITH A SMILE IM A CUSTOMER !!!11!!1 ONE"

Who cares , youre paying for a busride , not a smile.

And secondly , for all the "YEAH BUT WE KEEP THEM IN JOBS BY GETTING THE BUSSESS , THAT WHAYT THEY SHOULD BEEEE NICEE TO MEE"

No , you arent keeping them in jobs, bus eireann runs the ****test , most unprofitable routes , just to provide a service.

So to conclude

You cant expect a bus eireann drive to be nice to you.

So dont

Xiney

Actually, they are supposed to provide friendly customer service.

DouglasWinthrow

Xiney wrote: »

Actually, they are supposed to provide friendly customer service.

Yea , next time a bus driver doesnt give you a smile and a hug show him that charter.

Im sure it'll change his mind about how to treat you.

Or send bus eireann a letter , im sure that driver will be fired/ possibly sentenced to some lengthy prison time for not going exactly by their PR blurb

Xiney

Just saying, is all :P

DouglasWinthrow

im such an angry bollox:(

lavaghball

I was getting the bus home to Sligo a few years back - Bus Eireann for some crazy reason - and it stopped in Charlestown. 2 old women got on. one of them had her bus pass and the other had misplaced it.
it was obvious they were both over 80, not to mind 66, but the bollix of a driver wouldnt let the woman on without her pass. she started to plead with him and he started lecturing her. The poor woman started crying and was told to get off the bus, leaving her freind on the bus.
What a tool. I was sitting 2 rows back and started onto the driver. he was an awful bollix and gave me some speel about "Rules being rules", but i couldnt believe it.
I rang Bus Eireann and complained about the wanker but i never heard anything back. I suppose he is still at the same ****e.
Customer service my arse

suppafly

I was in dublin last friday and had to get the bus to a friends house, and the drive was mental. he was beeping everyone. like if they didn't move the instant the light changed to green he'd blow them out of it. I suppose it was the last bus, but still like. That was bad.

Gaillimh1990

yes, I agree that we cannot judge all of the bus eireann drivers... some of them are very nice and friendly! Thanks for posting a reply to my thread!

donmeister

To be honest,I'd much prefer a absolute bollix of a bus driver thats always on time,rather than the otherway round'! (The way it is at the moment imo)

TerrorFirmer

moonflower wrote: »

It happened to me twice with the same driver that he wouldn't stop there and wouldn't let me out until outside the pres primary school. It was lashing rain both times as well. Apparently it's not a 'designated stop' but I had never had a problem with that before. I have a lot of bad stories to tell about those buses though.

That's actually pretty understandable. Most of them would stop alright, but whilst I don't know the ins and outs of their insurance, I'd imagine if they were stopped somewhere they weren't supposed to officially be and caused an accident, however unlikely as it is, they could possibly be in a world of trouble.

The only buses I get regularly are the Oranmore Shuttle and the Athenry bus back to Oranmore in the evenings, the regular drivers are nice guys and very friendly - and those particular buses are always fairly punctual. Everyone encounters the odd dick but you'll get that in any shop or service you use in the world. Can't say I would have any major problems with bus eireann in general.

Well. Apart from their ****ing ridiculous prices.

CaptSolo

this Monday the driver of the 5E bus (departing at 22:35 from Ballybane) took the loop to Ballybane in the wrong direction by mistake.

the bus was supposed to go to Ballybane via Tuam road and return via Dublin road but he did the opposide. no different for people at Ballybane stop but imagine people in other stops. not sure they 'd guess that the bus going the other direction is the one they should take. and even if they did, too late to cross the road and get to the bus stop in time.

luckily the person telling this had gone one stop towards center and got on the bus where both ends of that loop meet.

do you know what was the the driver answered when asked if the route has changed? he smiled (ok, that's nice) and said "ops, my mistake". no idea if people were still waiting at those stops, but he did not go back the correct way to collect them.

moonflower

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

That's actually pretty understandable. Most of them would stop alright, but whilst I don't know the ins and outs of their insurance, I'd imagine if they were stopped somewhere they weren't supposed to officially be and caused an accident, however unlikely as it is, they could possibly be in a world of trouble.

But there are no bus stops for the red bus anywhere around there, in fact the only places I've seen them are knocknacara and town. Where he stopped wasn't a bus stop, and it was somewhere I've never seen that bus stop before.

Kenno90

My next door neighbour works for them , and he's one og the nicest people you'll ever meet (always gets me a free ticket lol):D

bigeasyeah

Xiney wrote: »

Just saying, is all :P

you re so cool

bigeasyeah

sorry that was mistake typed in the wrong box

luckat

lavaghball wrote: »

I was getting the bus home to Sligo a few years back - Bus Eireann for some crazy reason - and it stopped in Charlestown. 2 old women got on. one of them had her bus pass and the other had misplaced it.
it was obvious they were both over 80, not to mind 66, but the bollix of a driver wouldnt let the woman on without her pass. she started to plead with him and he started lecturing her. The poor woman started crying and was told to get off the bus, leaving her freind on the bus.
What a tool. I was sitting 2 rows back and started onto the driver. he was an awful bollix and gave me some speel about "Rules being rules", but i couldnt believe it.
I rang Bus Eireann and complained about the wanker but i never heard anything back. I suppose he is still at the same ****e.
Customer service my arse

And no one got up and paid her fare for her?

CaptSolo

Bus service is not good enough, chief!

Reader's letter to Galway Advertiser on same topics as discussed here.

Kenno90 wrote: »

My next door neighbour works for them , and he's one og the nicest people you'll ever meet (always gets me a free ticket lol):D

In my experience most bus driver's are very nice and friendly people. However, that does not help much if busses are late or do not came at all.

If a bus is late it would be good to at least know if and when to expect it.

biko

What I'd like to see but that means giving the buses GPS and a central system for calculating times/congestion/etc

CaptSolo

biko wrote: »

What I'd like to see but that means giving the buses GPS and a central system for calculating times/congestion/etc

That'd be great!
Would also help 'em to optimise bus services.

An added extra would be realtime online status display in their website. Something similar to this: http://fops-cf.stanford.edu/stanford_ivl/

They did not have problems adding 2-3 additional CCTV cameras per bus to see if youth are not writing on bus seats. Maybe they can also introduce GPSs?

ethernet

CaptSolo wrote: »

That'd be great!
Would also help 'em to optimise bus services.

An added extra would be realtime online status display in their website. Something similar to this: http://fops-cf.stanford.edu/stanford_ivl/

They did not have problems adding 2-3 additional CCTV cameras per bus to see if youth are not writing on bus seats. Maybe they can also introduce GPSs?

The CCTV is already on the newer fleet: camera at top and one mid way. Got to see the driver eating the head off some young one for "trying to break the seat" one morning as he saw his attempts in the monitor.

iseethelight

sgthighway wrote: »

I don't get the bus much and never had any problems. If I experienced issues like the above on a regular basis I would write a letter of complaint to the Manager in Galway. It is a crap job driving around Galway but the money is very good. Good perks out of it too.

yeah-great perks like being made redundant-just what i'd want from a job

no i don't work for them

mikemac

Used to get Bus Eireann from Galway to Limerick every Friday.
So there's be an express bus to Ennis and Limerick and another bus to serve everywhere like Gort.
Both buses would continue onto Cork, the 51 service I believe.

Of course all the tourists and foreigners would get confused by Cork and Gort and get roared at for getting on the wrong bus.
All the sly people would buy a ticket for Gort and try to stay on for Cork. Only they weren't so sly and the driver would remember them and not leave Gort unless they paid or got kicked off.

Oh I'm not saying the driver was right or wrong but every Friday evening there would be shouting on the bus! Sometimes entertaining, sometimes a pain