Dublin Bus Network Review

devnull

To be fair some of those AV's are in terrible condition when I used the bus regularly a few years ago. Some garages have looked after their 12 year old buses better than others.

AlekSmart

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

it's not human error. It's someone in dispatch deciding at some point to curtail the service without telling customers or updating the systems to reflect it. It's not something that only happens once, it's happens frequently enough.
No indication that the driver informed the passengers either until the bus just stopped.

One of the issues which continue to arise with the RTPI system focuses on this aspect to a degree.

I've been operating curtailed journeys,eg: a Full cross-city journey curtailed to City-Centre only,showing City-Centre on the Destination,BUT the original full journey information still being displayed on the RTPI,which many people now refer to in preference to checking the bus destination scroll.

It appears that situations continue to arise whereby Controllers input the curtailment details to the RTPI (via Dublin City Councils pathway) but the curtailment is significantly delayed before appearing on the street infrastructure.

The curtailment is appearing on the Dublin Bus AVL system but is not appearing on the DCC RTPI system.

This is infuriating for BOTH Staff and Pasenger alike !

I'm of the opinion that there may be more cooks involved in making the RTPI broth than are actually required with the unsurprising result of spoilage ?

dfx-

My experiences as a passenger onboard the 56 abomination on the Crumlin Rd would have me believe not one single passenger reads the destination display. Well done Karsini

The amount of €2.20s and €1.80s taken in on 56s to go to town when the front of the bus says "Dolphin's Barn 56" led regular drivers to give up and put a big sign (Dolphin's Barn only) on the window grill :pac:

LXFlyer

AlekSmart wrote: »

One of the issues which continue to arise with the RTPI system focuses on this aspect to a degree.

I've been operating curtailed journeys,eg: a Full cross-city journey curtailed to City-Centre only,showing City-Centre on the Destination,BUT the original full journey information still being displayed on the RTPI,which many people now refer to in preference to checking the bus destination scroll.

It appears that situations continue to arise whereby Controllers input the curtailment details to the RTPI (via Dublin City Councils pathway) but the curtailment is significantly delayed before appearing on the street infrastructure.

The curtailment is appearing on the Dublin Bus AVL system but is not appearing on the DCC RTPI system.

This is infuriating for BOTH Staff and Pasenger alike !

I'm of the opinion that there may be more cooks involved in making the RTPI broth than are actually required with the unsurprising result of spoilage ?

Where a bus journey is curtailed, it does appear on the app and online as such Alek.

For example a curtailed 25a will appear as:

25a Merrion Sq ends at Upper Ormond Quay Junction Capel St

The problem are the on-street displays which do not appear to be able to cope with the curtailed services.

Personally I rely totally on the app - it is the most reliable source of information I find.

The situation outlined above would worry me though - where a bus leaves the terminus displaying the full route and nothing is said to any passengers en route when it is subsequently curtailed? That should not happen, or if it does passengers should be given a full explanation.

Mr Simpson

Out of interest, does anybody know why it takes so long to update the on-street rtpi poles. Surely once its fed into the system it should be pretty quick. But then again the two parties involved are Dublin Bus and DCC :rolleyes:

LXFlyer

How do you mean update? Do you mean to get them started? Well they have to get Electric Ireland to connect them to the grid which can take time as their schedule might not coordinate with the people installing the signs.

Niles

The_Wrecker wrote: »

The ever crumbling 1800 inbound.
Different controllers do different things. (if willing to pay the OT)
The norm is becoming bring the locals to either Sandyford luas and Stillorgan F.O.C! Most decent lads carry them to Donnybrook garage.

You need to complain to Donnybrook on 7034449 every time, this route falls apart on rainy days never mind an event on in the O2 or Football.

Yeah in fairness on most occasions this has happened the driver has taken passengers part of the way so that they can at least change to other services.
I've noticed in the last few evenings the 18:00 has improved although the morning departures I use (8:30 or 9:00 outbound) still seem to be suffering time keeping wise.

Mr Simpson

lxflyer wrote: »

How do you mean update? Do you mean to get them started? Well they have to get Electric Ireland to connect them to the grid which can take time as their schedule might not coordinate with the people installing the signs.

Sorry should have been clearer. I mean once a decision is taken to run a service to city centre only rather than the full route. So why doesn't it update the on street displays when the Dublin Bus app has been updated.

patrickbrophy18

lxflyer wrote: »

How do you mean update? Do you mean to get them started? Well they have to get Electric Ireland to connect them to the grid which can take time as their schedule might not coordinate with the people installing the signs.

While it is a wee bit off topic, I would have thought that the data displayed on these RTPI signs was dynamically generated on-the-fly from a central database.

If so, any updates should take effect instantly. As an IT person, I know that most devices or applications that glean criteria from databases have fast refresh rates. This is crucial in keeping up to date with even the most minute changes in database criteria.

If not, is this lack of efficiency further evidence of bureaucracy between state-owned organizations?:eek:

patrickbrophy18

patrickbrophy18 wrote: »

While it is a wee bit off topic, I would have thought that the data displayed on these RTPI signs was dynamically generated on-the-fly from a central database.

If so, any updates should take effect instantly. As an IT person, I know that most devices or applications that glean criteria from databases have fast refresh rates. This is crucial in keeping up to date with even the most minute changes in database criteria.

If not, is this lack of efficiency further evidence of bureaucracy between state-owned organizations?:eek:

Don't get me wrong. Most of the time, the RTPI signs are reliable.:D

thomasj

patrickbrophy18 wrote: »

patrickbrophy18 wrote: »

While it is a wee bit off topic, I would have thought that the data displayed on these RTPI signs was dynamically generated on-the-fly from a central database.

If so, any updates should take effect instantly. As an IT person, I know that most devices or applications that glean criteria from databases have fast refresh rates. This is crucial in keeping up to date with even the most minute changes in database criteria.

If not, is this lack of efficiency further evidence of bureaucracy between state-owned organizations?:eek:

Don't get me wrong. Most of the time, the RTPI signs are reliable.:D

I just arrived at my bus stop in clonsilla and checked the official DB app rtpi to find that the next bus due is the "239 to ballyknockan via tallaght village". Where the hell is ballyknockan?

thomasj

thomasj wrote: »

patrickbrophy18 wrote: »

patrickbrophy18 wrote: »

While it is a wee bit off topic, I would have thought that the data displayed on these RTPI signs was dynamically generated on-the-fly from a central database.

If so, any updates should take effect instantly. As an IT person, I know that most devices or applications that glean criteria from databases have fast refresh rates. This is crucial in keeping up to date with even the most minute changes in database criteria.

If not, is this lack of efficiency further evidence of bureaucracy between state-owned organizations?:eek:

Don't get me wrong. Most of the time, the RTPI signs are reliable.:D

I just arrived at my bus stop in clonsilla and checked the official DB app rtpi to find that the next bus due is the "239 to ballyknockan via tallaght village". Where the hell is ballyknockan?

Actually the whole database seems to be screwed up tonight. If you search for stop 794on Suffolk street you get a good laugh!

145 Marlborough street via seabury

39a ballyfermot via clondalkin

46a airport via seabury

70 abbey St via rush

14 city centre via drumcondra

38 ballycullen rd via city centre

15 grange castle via city centre

140 abbey St via Dublin airport

11 cherrywood via blackrock

dublinman1990

thomasj wrote: »

I just arrived at my bus stop in clonsilla and checked the official DB app rtpi to find that the next bus due is the "239 to ballyknockan via tallaght village". Where the hell is ballyknockan?

I presume that Ballyknockan is in Wicklow?

The 65 bus goes there or it can either go to Blessington/Ballymore from Hawkins Street.

http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/Your-Journey1/Timetables/All-Timetables/65/

Has that error happened before or is it for the first time?

The_Wrecker

When it does the controller has to phone Germany!:eek:

dfx-

dublinman1990 wrote: »

Has that error happened before or is it for the first time?

Is it a late night thing perhaps?

Times I've texted for inbound 68s/69s from 2300-2330, they give the likes of:

69 Clonsilla via Hawkins St

68 Dundrum via Clondalkin

:pac:

dublinman1990

The Irish Road Passenger Transport Forum have reported that the DB vehicle design committee have made a proposal for allocation of the 80 new buses coming into the company being due next month.

It is been noted that there will NO new buses for Phibsboro/Broadstone Garage due to a majority of the Dublin Buses there currently have the youngest fleet age profile.

It is proposed that there will be 20 buses each for both Donnybrook and Harristown Garages.The remaining 40 buses (10 each) will be evenly split to the remaining depots in Summerhill, Ringsend, Conyngham Road & Clontarf.

It is probably no surprise at all that there will be no new buses being allocated to Phibsboro/Broadstone.

The separate figures for the Phibsboro/Broadstone for buses registered from 03 to 09 are outlined below

03 reg = 19
04 reg = 15
05 reg = 17
06 reg = 48
07 reg = 35
08 reg = 11

This brings a total of 145 buses. If you count in the older AV's (from 00 to 02 reg) bring in an extra 21 buses.

Therefore, the overall total is 166 buses at Phibsboro/Broadstone.

Through a calculation I had done earlier, the 145 buses represents a figure of 87% of buses that are 9 years or less at that same garage.

I know it is only just a proposal, but feedback of any description is welcome.

dfx-

I think what will be most interesting for me will be what happens at Ringsend given how many RVs and 00 AVs without LED they have. What happens to their EVs too, will they move onto the 15s or Tallaght? Probably will be given more AXs. Hopefully not more of C/Rd's 05 reg that they already have.

I wonder will these buses go to the 46A in Donnybrook and if they do, will the 05 reg VTs move away for the first time in their hard career.

At a guess, Clontarf must have the oldest fleet with the low AVs?

ax586

Is there any pictures of theses buses

A2000

40 up to its usual disgraceful standard this evening. Was at stop on oconnell st at 19.50. Next bus at 20.45. In a taxi. Again.

ax586

A2000 wrote: »

40 up to its usual disgraceful standard this evening. Was at stop on oconnell st at 19.50. Next bus at 20.45. In a taxi. Again.

It was the same with the 13

noelfirl

There was a message scrolling across the screen at UCD and Suffolk street this evening (about an hour ago) that predictions may be faulty due to a system upgrade, sure enough the Suffolk st. screen didn't have a clue. It may well have affected the data for Apps as well.

A2000

noelfirl wrote: »

There was a message scrolling across the screen at UCD and Suffolk street this evening (about an hour ago) that predictions may be faulty due to a system upgrade, sure enough the Suffolk st. screen didn't have a clue. It may well have affected the data for Apps as well.[/Quot

pity they couldnt have put that in the news section of the db app.

end of the road

time to bring back the 78a, the 40 is a shambles. cross city routes sound like a good idea but for dublin their not working are they? or maybe they do for some i suppose.

CIE

end of the road wrote: »

time to bring back the 78a, the 40 is a shambles. cross city routes sound like a good idea but for dublin their not working are they? or maybe they do for some i suppose.

Making routes longer increases their unreliability. (I think I mentioned this somewhere earlier in this thread? Well, it's true.)

Any delay reports on other lengthened cross-city routes, e.g. 15 (Clongriffin-Ballycullen), 27 (Clare Hall-Tallaght), 39A (Ongar-Belfield) or 46A's new Northside operation (Phoenix Park-Dun Laoghaire)? The 44 is looking really confusing, since they have variants that operate as Route 16 or 16C on the north side...not well thought out at all.

As for a restoration of the 78A, if it actually were to happen, it should be the 78 and operating via Thomas Street/James Street as in the past (since that remains the more popular routing), and if possible avoid Neilstown, Balgaddy and Rowlagh. What they did to the 26 is abominable; that route should be extended to Neilstown. There should also be a permanent and relatively-frequent bus route operating to/from Clondalkin via the 51D's route (excepting Bawnogue).

phasers

it should be the 78 and operating via Thomas Street/James Street as in the past (since that remains the more popular routing), and if possible avoid Neilstown, Balgaddy and Rowlagh.

If anything it should be the opposite of that. Thomas St and James' St have several buses serving them, and Neilstown, Balgaddy and Rowlagh have one.

starviewadams

If anything the proposed 78 should go down the quays,past Heuston and up Con Colbert Road into Ballyfermot Village and then up the Coldcut Road into Rowlagh,Neilstown and Ronanstown.

Won't happen though!

AlekSmart

starviewadams wrote: »

If anything the proposed 78 should go down the quays,past Heuston and up Con Colbert Road into Ballyfermot Village and then up the Coldcut Road into Rowlagh,Neilstown and Ronanstown.

Won't happen though!

It's worth noting here the NTA's call for public input into the formulation of its procurement policy gpoing forward.

http://www.nationaltransport.ie/public-consultations/current/

I would strongly recommend ALL those with an interest in Dublin's Public Bus services to submit their views on the questionaire provided.

I would equally strongly recommend that the opportunity offered to get specific on Bus Service Scheduling issues is grasped to its fullest.

Whilst Network Direct and it's continuing changes is a Dublin Bus project,the oversight and monitoring role of the NTA is a very real aspect to the plan.

The submissions do also need to take cogniscance of the need to ensure that the NTA stays focused on its remit and avoids potentially damaging stuff such as this....

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/just-four-people-on-board-new-train-route-costing-250000-a-year-to-run-3140007.html

A veritable freight-train full of somewhat embarrasing questions about the "Independence",or otherwise,of the supposedly fresh,new a-political approach of the NTA...?:)

There is a pressing need to keep this sort of crack out of the NTA's Public Bus Service attitude....;)

BenShermin

Usual absolutely disgraceful service on the 13/40 corridor this evening at around 1900hrs.

Westbound on the Emmet Road there was a convoy of three 40s and two 13s all travelling within about one minute of each other.

Are Dublin Bus ever going to acknowledge that this cross city corridor simply isn't working??

Bazzer2

BenShermin wrote: »

Are Dublin Bus ever going to acknowledge that this cross city corridor simply isn't working??

No, because then they'd have to do something about it.

BenShermin

BenShermin wrote: »

Usual absolutely disgraceful service on the 13/40 corridor this evening at around 1900hrs.

Westbound on the Emmet Road there was a convoy of three 40s and two 13s all travelling within about one minute of each other.

Are Dublin Bus ever going to acknowledge that this cross city corridor simply isn't working??

What causes services to bunch like this? Do they actually leave at the same time or what?