Last ever bus conductor...

cosmic

Does anybody know who I'm talking about?

He used to be on the 20b occasionally. I think once they brought in the automated fare machines they got rid of all conductors but this guy refused to give up his job. He was awesome, like the king of the 20b or something!

Anyway, I don't live on the 20b bus route any more and I cycle everywhere so wouldn't be getting buses anyway but I want to know if he's still on the go. Fair play to him if he is!

Wishbone Ash

Was the last conductor not on the 33 route (Skerries/Balbriggan)? I recall conductors on that service long after they ended elsewhere.

topper75

Not a Dub now myself, but I'd love to know this story. Sounds legendary.

Progress they call it.
Progress to where? They never tell us.:pac:

cosmic

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Was the last conductor not on the 33 route (Skerries/Balbriggan)? I recall conductors on that service long after they ended elsewhere.

Hmmm, maybe it's the same guy. I remember at the time of conductors being laid off/relocated him being interviewed on the radio and them saying that he was the last one. Maybe there was more than one! Maybe they had a little rebellion going on...!

I always wondered what happened to him when I moved away from home though.

Irish Halo

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Was the last conductor not on the 33 route (Skerries/Balbriggan)? I recall conductors on that service long after they ended elsewhere.

I think you're right as my mum knew one of the older 33 drivers and he refused to drive without a conductor (this is a few years ago now, maybe 1998 or so)

I stand corrected (maybe) as of 2005 there was still one on on the 20b:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=2379782&postcount=1

monkeyfudge

Oh. I get the 20B quite a lot and don't recall ever seeing a conductor in the past decade or so.

cosmic

OK looks like I'm about 4 years late with this thread, there was one in 2005 talking about the 20b guy (thanks for the link Irish Halo!) Still, I'd love to know what he's at now

Bogger77

cosmic wrote: »

OK looks like I'm about 4 years late with this thread, there was one in 2005 talking about the 20b guy (thanks for the link Irish Halo!) Still, I'd love to know what he's at now

retired, I'd guess

whiterob81

cosmic wrote: »

Does anybody know who I'm talking about?

He used to be on the 20b occasionally. I think once they brought in the automated fare machines they got rid of all conductors but this guy refused to give up his job. He was awesome, like the king of the 20b or something!

Anyway, I don't live on the 20b bus route any more and I cycle everywhere so wouldn't be getting buses anyway but I want to know if he's still on the go. Fair play to him if he is!

I know a lot of ye are thinkin what a ledge but I worked with a guy in social welfare for about a year who had the same sort of mentality and he was the most god almighty pain in the hole. If the guy was asked to do anything, he'd spend more time looking into union mandates and civil service by laws as to why he shouldn't have to do it. The guy was an absolute waste of space. F***ers like this are a burden to society

vektarman

whiterob81 wrote: »

I know a lot of ye are thinkin what a ledge but I worked with a guy in social welfare for about a year who had the same sort of mentality and he was the most god almighty pain in the hole. If the guy was asked to do anything, he'd spend more time looking into union mandates and civil service by laws as to why he shouldn't have to do it. The guy was an absolute waste of space. F***ers like this are a burden to society

You mean he didn't bow under the oppressive yoke of management, shock horror:eek:

JoeSchmoe

I remember this guy, but like yourself, don't use the 20b much these days neither, he was def on it in about 2005/2006 though

Ass

eh i see conductors all the time...

monkeyfudge

Ass wrote: »

eh i see conductors all the time...

Are you sure you're not thinking of ticket inspectors?

spurious

I haven't seen a conductor in ages, but the last one I did see was on the 20b.

Collie D

Used to get 20B regularly enough and never saw one. What exactly did he do?

Brow

I get the 20b frequently enough and I havent encountered a bus conductor in probably over five years.

irish_goat

Collie D wrote: »

Used to get 20B regularly enough and never saw one. What exactly did he do?

Mr Jinx

cosmic wrote: »

Does anybody know who I'm talking about?

He used to be on the 20b occasionally. I think once they brought in the automated fare machines they got rid of all conductors but this guy refused to give up his job. He was awesome, like the king of the 20b or something!

Anyway, I don't live on the 20b bus route any more and I cycle everywhere so wouldn't be getting buses anyway but I want to know if he's still on the go. Fair play to him if he is!

I used to get the 20b regularly back in 2000/2001 and i recall the guy your talking about. I just presumed at the time that the ticket machine was broken alot on the 20b and feeling sorry that he always got stuck with the job !

humberklog

Guy on the 20B was Barney. He was also the manager of Larkhill football team.

Irish Halo

Collie D wrote: »

Used to get 20B regularly enough and never saw one. What exactly did he do?

Sell bus tickets like most bus conductors :P
You don't see them much on public transport any more but one of the operators up in York had conductors when I was there in 2007 assume they still have them as the driver was separated from the passengers.
Drivers prefer them as it means an extra pair of hands and eyes, bus companies hate them as they double staff costs.

holidayhere

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Was the last conductor not on the 33 route (Skerries/Balbriggan)? I recall conductors on that service long after they ended elsewhere.

I think this is correct.
I used it frequently and a few people used to comment on this fact.
I never fully understood what they were talking about.

whiterob81

vektarman wrote: »

You mean he didn't bow under the oppressive yoke of management, shock horror:eek:

i wasn't his manager, he was mine. And he was an awful pain. They're the reason the public service has such an awful name. He used to sit around all day playing sudoku and then he'd get all scorpy when someone asked him to do anything.

KC61

Conductors were phased out in the 1990s. By the end of the decade there were three left, one each on the 20b, 15 and possibly the 22b. It then seemed to go down to one.

He was based on the 20b, but operated the 33 every 5th Sunday, with the last remaining TPO driver on that route. That went on from March 1997 when the last Skerries conductors retired to March 2002 when the driver retired. After that, the 33 was officially an OPO route so a conductor could not be used.

He also appeared from time to time on the 41/41c, alongside a TPO driver who only drove when the conductor was available.

He continued working for several years and has (I believe) since retired or has been redeployed within Dublin Bus.

Rusty Cogs 08

I once heard that due to the strength of the unions the move from conductors to driver only buses took 21 years to implement. Sounds crazy enough to be true.

boneless

Rusty Cogs 08 wrote: »

I once heard that due to the strength of the unions the move from conductors to driver only buses took 21 years to implement. Sounds crazy enough to be true.

Ah, the good old days ... ^^^

I remember the conductor in question. I think he was also on the 81 route until the demise of that route.

cosmic

Thanks!

Wishbone Ash

Rusty Cogs 08 wrote: »

I once heard that due to the strength of the unions the move from conductors to driver only buses took 21 years to implement. Sounds crazy enough to be true.

21 years wouldn't be that long in the grand scheme of things particularly in a large organisation like Dublin Bus. It was introduced in a phased basis and involved a lot of negotiations, redeployments, change of contracts, pilot schemes etc.

23 years ago, my employer began introducing the move from pay-cheque to pay-path. They are about 95% of the way now!

Viscount Aggro

When did they stop using conductors on the 14 bus route, or how do I find out?

I'm trying to prove a point with a legal person.

Thanks

neris

How come boards can't automatically lock threads after after a certain period of inactivity.

cml387

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120347959#Comment_120347959

I would suggest asking in the Bus enthusiasts thread in Motoring and Transport section. You have resurrected a 14 year old thread.

GLaDOS

Closing thread as it's 14 years old.

Viscount Aggro try asking on the commuting and transport forum