A big THANK YOU to Bus Drivers

JuliusCaesar

Especially as it occurred to me that they must have had awful difficulty getting in to their garages for the early shifts.

And they know that driving a double decker is a huge responsibility, but they also know that people need the buses.

So fair play to them!







It seems some people think I'm somehow getting at the taxi drivers - I'm not. I came specifically over to this forum to say thanks to bus drivers. I was on a bus yesterday and tbh I thought it was a bit hair-raising looking at the road. I'm genuinely thanking them. Nothing against any other drivers, I just happened to be on a bus.

Babooshka

Spot on...and they are in good form too, well, the ones I saw yesterday and today were...they are mindful of safety as well, hope the thanks makes a difference to their long and ardous work day (if they see it...THANKS)!

Cookie_Monster

Indeed, well done to all ground staff for keeping the buses on the road for as long as they could today.

Such a pity Mgt and DCC didn't learn anything from last time and be proactive rather than reactive, may have kept them out for longer.

Always number 1

Huge thanks to the driver of the 33 at 1:30 this afternoon - very pleasant guy and kept us informed of any potential delays/conditions.
At numerous points through Lusk and then Rush, the bus was being bombarded with snowballs by what could only be described as scumbags and he kept his concentration and got us all home safely!

garancafan

In recent years I have come to believe that the current cadre of Dublin bus drivers is amongst the finest on our roads - to the extent that I accord them priority whenever I have the opportunity. Their behaviour in the current adverse weather conditions is particularly noteworthy.

Gardoggle

mixed feelins about this. some of them are ignorant so&so's. think we all have stories of bad experiences. i know i do.
recent example, busload of ppl on the 25 being told to diesmbark on the quays ( along way from Lucan) while rte are telling everyone that dublin buses are maintaining a valiant struggle to get its customers home blah blah blah
no bus left the quays yesterday @2pm, i walked home.

dowlingm

Always number 1 wrote: »

Huge thanks to the driver of the 33 at 1:30 this afternoon - very pleasant guy and kept us informed of any potential delays/conditions.
At numerous points through Lusk and then Rush, the bus was being bombarded with snowballs by what could only be described as scumbags and he kept his concentration and got us all home safely!

alwaysnumber1 - hope you dropped a note to DB - sounds like the sort of fella who should get an particular pat on the back.

CreepingDeath

Gardoggle wrote: »

mixed feelins about this. some of them are ignorant so&so's. think we all have stories of bad experiences. i know i do.
recent example, busload of ppl on the 25 being told to diesmbark on the quays ( along way from Lucan) while rte are telling everyone that dublin buses are maintaining a valiant struggle to get its customers home blah blah blah
no bus left the quays yesterday @2pm, i walked home.

No need to walk home to Lucan.
You could've got a train from Heuston Station to Fonthill Rd or Adamstown.
Only cost €2.30 for me on Wednesday.

M.J.M.C

garancafan wrote: »

In recent years I have come to believe that the current cadre of Dublin bus drivers is amongst the finest on our roads - to the extent that I accord them priority whenever I have the opportunity. Their behaviour in the current adverse weather conditions is particularly noteworthy.

I for one could not agree more - In fact I've even mailed DB about it.
People are very quick to give out, but rarely say thanks.

It's a lot of pressure to drive a lot of people home safely on dangerous roads and I for one am very very grateful.

When services are cancelled I know myself and my friends are never angry at the drivers etc, safety first and its clearly obvious they are doing all they can.

Swords is only serviced by buses so we're very very thankful

Great work guys.

rgfuller

I've been impressed the last couple of days too - I was caught running between bus stops yesterday morning and the guy had the grace to stop and pick me up.

Watching them driving inbound and outbound on my route they are being careful but still make reasonable progress and it certainly gives you a sense of confidence that they will get you there safe and sound!

(Though - I did not travel Wednesday night, I think you have to expect the service to be pulled when it gets too dangerous on certain routes).

Miss Lockhart

Mostly, the bus drivers seem to be doing the best they can - however there are major problems with the communications coming from the company itself - particularly in relation to the lack of detail on the website regarding diversions. Also, the poor bus drivers are not even being told by the company as they don't even seem sure themselves what diversions their bus will take.

For example, right now it says that the 239 cannot serve Esker Lane or Esker Road. However nothing about Esker Road is mentioned for the 25 a or 25b, despite the fact both these buses take this route - though moreso the 25a.

There is also no suggestion as to what diversion the 239 will be taking to avoid Esker Lane and Esker Road.

This is just one local example I'm aware of but it seems there is a lack of detail about diversions across the board.

It's very frustrating!

dfx-

Certainly many thanks to drivers. Very rough conditions even still.

Hopefully the snowballing brats receive their karma and get run over by a bus soon. Their courage was much dampened tonight at Hilton Kilmainham when they spotted the unmarked Garda car catching them in the act. :cool:

noodler

Would like to pipe in here.

Mate of mine was waiting at a bus stop near Howth Junction for a bus that wasn't coming (he didn't know) yet the next out of service bus that came along, stopped, flashed him and then gave him a lift up the road closer to where he lives.

Very nice.

Losty Dublin

I'd seen a few buses pull over and pick up people well away from stops and I didn't see any bad vibes towards drivers at all the last few days.

Indeed, we should all be thankful for any professional driver who worked the last week and their support staff; be they in the cab of a bus or a train, behind the wheel of a taxi, cleaning snow and ice from tram/railway lines, ambulances, garda cars, civil defence and theother arms of the emergency services who dug down this week.

Also, lets be thankful for the truck and van drivers that kept milk, bread and perishable food in our shops.

Cookie_Monster

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Indeed, we should all be thankful for any professional driver who worked the last week and their support staff; be they in the cab of a bus or a train, behind the wheel of a taxi, cleaning snow and ice from tram/railway lines, ambulances, garda cars, civil defence and theother arms of the emergency services who dug down this week.

Also, lets be thankful for the truck and van drivers that kept milk, bread and perishable food in our shops.

the way you're harping on you'd think they were all driving through 15ft of ice in minus 50 conditions. It was only a bit of snow for gods sake.
There wasn't a day where driving was impossible, only slightly more difficult than normal. Through out the entire of last week and this I am yet to see a delivery driver have any issue, nor have I been in any shop that's had delivery issues due to the weather.

You just need to listen to the radio to here all the people ringing in complaining about trucks perceived driving to fast cos they are actually capable of driving in the conditions while the people tootling along at 30 are causing more of a disruption to them than the weather.

KC61

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

the way you're harping on you'd think they were all driving through 15ft of ice in minus 50 conditions. It was only a bit of snow for gods sake.
There wasn't a day where driving was impossible, only slightly more difficult than normal

For once in your postings here on boards can you accept that people (such as myself who has a long commute that requires at least two buses) are actually geniunely grateful to the staff that get us to and from work in these difficult conditions. It was far than slightly more difficult than normal.

It's very easy to sit and make these sort of posts when you have a very short commute such as yours (from what I've noticed before).

A little positivity goes a long way rather than the usual smart comments/off the cuff kneejerk reactions that you frequently read here.

Larianne

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

the way you're harping on you'd think they were all driving through 15ft of ice in minus 50 conditions. It was only a bit of snow for gods sake.
There wasn't a day where driving was impossible, only slightly more difficult than normal

Have to disagree with you there. City Centre on Wednesday was a disgrace. Very very dangerous, like an ice rink.

The driver of the bus I was on managed to make it as far in as Dorset Street and but couldn't go any further. He passed 6 abandoned buses from Drumcondra till Dorset Street. He tried to get us as far as he could. The bus skidded 2 or 3 times before this. I had to walk down Gardiner Street where buses were abandoned bus they couldn't get up the hill and cars had to be pushed up the hill. I said thank you for getting us this far to the driver.

The roads around Santry were still dodgy yesterday when I got the bus home in the morning.

I don't know where your route is Cookie Monster but there was definitely some dangerous routes out there around Dublin.

gurramok

Certainly was Larianne, my in car cam caught what it was like on Wednesday at Dorset st. I was able to drive ok as i'm experienced in driving a car over ice but a different kettle of fish managing a bus over the ice indeed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UviaCxR1ss

Also, thanks to the garages for clearing the footpaths outside so pedestrians have it that bit easier to move around.

noodler

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

the way you're harping on you'd think they were all driving through 15ft of ice in minus 50 conditions. It was only a bit of snow for gods sake.
There wasn't a day where driving was impossible, only slightly more difficult than normal. Through out the entire of last week and this I am yet to see a delivery driver have any issue, nor have I been in any shop that's had delivery issues due to the weather.

You haven't a breeze, do you?!

Larianne

gurramok wrote: »

Certainly was Larianne, my in car cam caught what it was like on Wednesday at Dorset st. I was able to drive ok as i'm experienced in driving a car over ice but a different kettle of fish managing a bus over the ice indeed.

Wow, I was on Dorset Street earlier on in the day, around 2pm. That looks a whole lot worse in the night. :eek:

Cookie_Monster

noodler wrote: »

You haven't a breeze, do you?!

:rolleyes:

AlekSmart

The way you're harping on you'd think they were all driving through 15ft of ice in minus 50 conditions. It was only a bit of snow for gods sake.
There wasn't a day where driving was impossible, only slightly more difficult than normal. Through out the entire of last week and this I am yet to see a delivery driver have any issue, nor have I been in any shop that's had delivery issues due to the weather.

I Think some posters may be a little harsh on Cookie.

He may be merely expressing a view based upon what he sees in his own parish.

However,if we take the experiences of both Public Transport Staff and Customers on a broader scale the situation becomes less cut n dried.

Public Transport in Dublin suffers greately from disjointed seperatist and totally illogical operation at the best of times.

That combination when carried forward into a weather emergency situation guarantees collapse.....without any question.

I would contradict Cookie`s assertion that all other Transport Operations outside of Public Transport are operating as normal.

The major dry goods distributors are merely coping whilst the liquid bulk area is being pushed to it`s limits.

There are very real issues surrounding Driver`s Hours and rostering in general,with the restrictions of the Working Time Act now being really felt in a highly negative manner.

I have assisted several Truckers who have run into difficulties in my home area and am aware of restrictions on Supermarket Deliveries also.

I would agree also that this current weather is not beyond our ken to deal with,or at least it would be IF we had any kind of can-do attitude.

What is totally absent is any sense that the State and its agencies are prepared to weigh-in behind it`s citizens as they attempt to keep the damn ship afloat.

It is now all too apparent that the Major Emergency Plan in terms of Weather is largely a Public Relations stunt with no real desire on Governments part to actually facilitate tangible assistance.

I am not seeking a gritter on every road or a helicopter to hover over every field,but the fact remains that the State has adopted a hands-off approach very similar to the "Light-Touch" regulation which allowed our Banking sector to implode.

This is not GOVERNMENT in any accepted sense of the word,it is abdication of very serious responsibilities for which the office holders recieve a substantial renumeration for bearing.

The events (or non-events) of the past 10 days will,I fervently hope,be thrown back at the present Governments face in the weeks and months ahead.

I equally fervently hope that it will mean the end of stupid PR sunts such as Noel Dempsey`s Press Conference assuring us all the situation was under control,when it was blindingly apparent it was not.

**Timbuk2**

Hi,

What time did the buses terminate last night, and does anyone have an estimate as to what time they'll finish tonight?

I'm planning to travel from City Centre to UCD sometime tonight, and I'm wondering what time I'll have to get a bus TO Dublin to be able to get a bus from CC->UCD. Routes 3, 39a, 46a, 145 - doesn't really make a difference to me which one. 39a and 46a are operating normally at the moment, according to the DB website.

Tarabuses

Let me also thank the driver of a number 11 bus on Thursday evening who brought a lot of us to Clonskeagh/Goatstown/Kilmacud after the Luas stopped operating. A few times I thought he wouldn't be able to pull away from stops but he persevered each time to applause from the passengers.

Cookie_Monster

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

Hi,

What time did the buses terminate last night, and does anyone have an estimate as to what time they'll finish tonight?

I'm planning to travel from City Centre to UCD sometime tonight, and I'm wondering what time I'll have to get a bus TO Dublin to be able to get a bus from CC->UCD. Routes 3, 39a, 46a, 145 - doesn't really make a difference to me which one. 39a and 46a are operating normally at the moment, according to the DB website.

last bus is 9pm tonite

n97 mini

I live up a steep hill. Dublin Bus have given up on it despite the fact that heavy articulated lorries are able to get up to supply the shops, pubs and other businesses.

I can't help but get the impression that public/state services crumbled very quickly: DB, both schools closed, the public library, whilst everything else stayed open for business as usual, including a hotel and moderately-sized supermarket. The notable exception was the army, fair play to them.

Glowing

I'm not thanking the driver of the number 11 this morning who didn't turn the heating on, and left us all sitting in below zero temperatures for an hour (ok, perhaps not the driver's fault, but I'm definately not thanking CIE)

The condensation and water droplets on the inside of the windows were frozen

schemingbohemia

Glowing wrote: »

I'm not thanking the driver of the number 11 this morning who didn't turn the heating on, and left us all sitting in below zero temperatures for an hour (ok, perhaps not the driver's fault, but I'm definately not thanking CIE)

The condensation and water droplets on the inside of the windows were frozen

Did you alert him to the fact?

paddyland

Glowing wrote: »

I'm not thanking the driver of the number 11 this morning who didn't turn the heating on, and left us all sitting in below zero temperatures for an hour (ok, perhaps not the driver's fault, but I'm definately not thanking CIE)

The condensation and water droplets on the inside of the windows were frozen

Yes, if he was any good he'd have gone into the shop and bought coffee for everyone. Again, typical selfish narrow minded response, it automatically must be the driver's fault. Did you say thanks to the driver for getting up at bloody half five in the morning when you were still tucked into your warm leaba, for shovelling his car out and nearly breaking his neck in the process, for creeping along in the pitch darkness, his own car freezing him to death, for pulling out a frozen solid bus half an hour early, to give him time to scrape the windscreen clear, splutter the engine to a start, and sit there in the depot yard in the freezing fog revving the engine to build up as much heat and air pressure as he could muster, before heading out on treacherous roads to get you to work?

Oh no, but my tootsies are freezing, and I'm going to be Very Angry, because I'm sick of this weather, and I hate buses, and I'll take it out on the bus driver because I don't know any bus drivers, and anyone who does that kind of job is not worthy of my good grace.

Really, do you not think the bus driver was frozen solid too? Or was it some kind of sub human driving the bus? Write a letter to the company if it makes you feel better, but really, in this kind of weather, you should be thankful for any small mercies that come your way. No, I'm not a Dublin Bus driver.

-Chris-

Jesus man, take a deep breath!!

Glowing

paddyland wrote: »

Yes, if he was any good he'd have gone into the shop and bought coffee for everyone. Again, typical selfish narrow minded response, it automatically must be the driver's fault. Did you say thanks to the driver for getting up at bloody half five in the morning when you were still tucked into your warm leaba, for shovelling his car out and nearly breaking his neck in the process, for creeping along in the pitch darkness, his own car freezing him to death, for pulling out a frozen solid bus half an hour early, to give him time to scrape the windscreen clear, splutter the engine to a start, and sit there in the depot yard in the freezing fog revving the engine to build up as much heat and air pressure as he could muster, before heading out on treacherous roads to get you to work?

Oh no, but my tootsies are freezing, and I'm going to be Very Angry, because I'm sick of this weather, and I hate buses, and I'll take it out on the bus driver because I don't know any bus drivers, and anyone who does that kind of job is not worthy of my good grace.

Really, do you not think the bus driver was frozen solid too? Or was it some kind of sub human driving the bus? Write a letter to the company if it makes you feel better, but really, in this kind of weather, you should be thankful for any small mercies that come your way. No, I'm not a Dublin Bus driver.

You needn't put words into my mouth, thanks all the same.

I *did* say that I *didn't* blame the driver btw!!!

liger

Glowing wrote: »

I'm not thanking the driver of the number 11 this morning who didn't turn the heating on, and left us all sitting in below zero temperatures for an hour (ok, perhaps not the driver's fault, but I'm definately not thanking CIE)

The condensation and water droplets on the inside of the windows were frozen

Andrew42

As a fellow road user I don't always see eye to eye with Dublin Bus drivers but they've earned a huge wedge of respect (from me anyway) for their professionalism over the past ten days, particularly on the Tallaght routes.
Kudos to them!

n97 mini

paddyland wrote: »

Did you say thanks to the driver for getting up at bloody half five in the morning

Bus drivers aren't unique in having to get up early for work.

spareman

Andrew42 wrote: »

As a fellow road user I don't always see eye to eye with Dublin Bus drivers but they've earned a huge wedge of respect (from me anyway) for their professionalism over the past ten days, particularly on the Tallaght routes.
Kudos to them!

Jobstown during the week............

AlekSmart

I'm not thanking the driver of the number 11 this morning who didn't turn the heating on, and left us all sitting in below zero temperatures for an hour (ok, perhaps not the driver's fault, but I'm definately not thanking CIE)

The condensation and water droplets on the inside of the windows were frozen

Sheesh...where does one start....

OK...Turn the heating on......If only twere that easy....

If one good thing comes from this it might just involve those responsible for the design and specification of Bus Heating systems to be locked into a (Freezing) room together until they agree on the specification for a Heating and Ventilation system that is Fit-For-Purpose.

Before Glowing or n97 Mini get too up-cose and personal about it the operation of the Bus Heating systems are a pretty inexact science with an overly complex and far too innefficient system in place.

There is also,to my mind a fundemental problem with the basic operating temperature of the Volvo Engines as used in the later AV and AX types vehicles...but bluntly..These engines are not reaching optimum operating temperature.

Many,if not most of the vehicles I drive daily struggle to reach 70-75C on the gauge,which just ain`t hot enough to fully operate the electric control valves for saloon heating.

This means that the floor heaters (Under the High Seat on the Off Side Rear) either will not blow at all or worse still,will blow COLD air .

The problem is compounded up the front where the demisters (A safety Critical component) also struggle to warm up,which is a rather basic problem with ALL rear-engined vehicles....VW Beetles,Hillman Imp`s Tatra 611`s etc...all had less than outstanding demisting.

Remember that in the current bus fleet the engine which is generating the heat is some 30-36 feet behind the area which needs that heat to clear the windscreen and warm the cab area.

However do also bear in mind that some drivers are losing patience with being allocated vehicles which have had many reports of deficient heating submitted over many months and even years,wiithout the situation being addressed.

Just as with the Noisy Windscreen Wiper situation it`s not something which Passengers may even notice,but if you were to sit beside somebody drawing their nails across a blackboard for 4 hours you might just experience discomfort.

Next time you stand beside a Busdriver on a wet day,listen to the wipers.....all due to basic poor design which ensures that the (sealed for life :rolleyes: ) wiper driving linkage is never lubricated...which leads to arthritis of the joints in a BIG way....

While this is a huge issue for the driver...it really does`nt impact upon my Chief Engineer or any District Manager or Chief Inspector....My desire is to make an MP3 recording of a set of noisy wipers,conceal it under the Chief Engineers desk and count-down the seconds until he hi-tails it out of the office and away home.....

I can only recommend that passengers who have to suffer an icy bus need to note the fleet number and e-mail or write a stinker of a letter seeking a refund and/or compensation for discomfort....Pro-Active and sustained action may just wake the sleeping St Bernard up !!! :eek:

Cookie_Monster

I was in the city centre for a change early yesterday and noticed a rather inconvenient problem. All the Harristown based buses had their front displays completly frosted over making it impossible to see the display.

Alek - as far as operating temp is concerned is that just the case of the cooling fans set to come on at too low a temp, or an actual engine design flaw?

foggy_lad

Years ago there was a saying "a bad workman always blames his tools". So it is the busses that are not working instead of drivers forgetting to turn on the passenger salon heaters? are the drivers cabs heated seperately?

Most people will understand how cold busses can get as they are basically just a shell and unlike coaches only have single glazing. could portable heaters not be put onto busses for maybe ten minutes before thay leave the garage in the mornings so thare is at least some heat for the poor unfortunates that have to be up and about at that early hour?

Iranrod Eireann are able to leave locomotives running all night long so would it be possible to maybe start the busses a bit earlier to let them heat up? There are after all people in the garages all night who could do this.

AlekSmart

As far as operating temp is concerned is that just the case of the cooling fans set to come on at too low a temp, or an actual engine design flaw?

Good question Cookie.

I`m sure you have heard many a bus with the cooling fan"Locked-In" causing it to sound like a BAC 1-11 on full thrust.

However in the current situation the vehicles i`m polling do NOT have this problem.

I`m of the opinion that Volvo,noting well the past experiences of the CIE group with "Overheating" problems have specified a Thermostat setting below the optimum for the later vehicles.

It`s notable that many of the earlier versions of the AV will get up to 90C in very short order indeed and maintain that temperature.

It`s a far bigger issue than a Dublin Bus specific one,but it requires some significant engineering input nonetheless ?

The_Wrecker

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

I was in the city centre for a change early yesterday and noticed a rather inconvenient problem. All the Harristown based buses had their front displays completly frosted over making it impossible to see the display.

Alek - as far as operating temp is concerned is that just the case of the cooling fans set to come on at too low a temp, or an actual engine design flaw?

I had AX64~ this morning and after 3hrs of driving the temp was still in the high 60's and only mild air coming from the demisters. Not enough heat to power the customers heater.

spareman

The_Wrecker wrote: »

I had AX64~ this morning and after 3hrs of driving the temp was still in the high 60's and only mild air coming from the demisters. Not enough heat to power the customers heater.

I find the old RVs best for heat, Some of the newer buses are not even fitted with cab heater. Its funny when people give out to us about it like we don't know the bus is freezing, we are only on it 8 hours a a day.
I for one have a pain in my tooth telling management about cold buses, and if I refused to work a cold bus I be sacked in no time, and if we all took a stand their would be public uproar over us striking over cold buses. It another no win.

AlekSmart

Although my head hurts I will attempt to address this latest missive from the Foggiest of Lads....

Years ago there was a saying "a bad workman always blames his tools". So it is the busses that are not working instead of drivers forgetting to turn on the passenger salon heaters? are the drivers cabs heated seperately?

The Demisting,Cab Heating (Where fitted) and Saloon Heating systems ALL utilize the same coolant as is circulated by the Engine.

So,no matter how much Foggy_Lad would dearly love to sell some more "Dreadful Busdrivers conspire against their Passengers" nonsense,the facts don`t support his deeply researched thesis.
The saloon heaters on the RV type vehicle are quite agricultural in design although powerful when operating correctly.

The Alexander ALX400`s feature a quite complex thermostatically controlled saloon heating system with an accessible unit which can be adjusted.

The later ALX400 AX type have had that thermostat converted into a secure non-adjustable type (As in Daddy knows best) which is totally out of the drivers control.

The ONLY control available to the driver is the distribution fan speed and even that is curently being modified to remove the ability of a driver to select hot or cool blower settings.

Iranrod Eireann are able to leave locomotives running all night long so would it be possible to maybe start the busses a bit earlier to let them heat up? There are after all people in the garages all night who could do this.

Railway motive power stock is somewhat different and again,though it may distress Foggy_Lad greatly,the practice of constantly idling large capacity Railway Motive Power units is as part of Diesel Rail is worldwide...even in India !!!! ( :eek: )

The early startup and idle of our Bus fleet is now made impossible by a strong and current Standing Instruction which makes it a serious Disciplinary Offence for a Driver to leave the Cab without first stopping the engine.

This Standing Instruction is largely typical of the "Do Something

---

What ?

---

ANYTHING !! " attituide to problems which prevails in many parts of Irish Society these days.

Any half reasonable person would accept that an idling vehicle with Neutral Selected,Handbrake on and perhaps even Broms Safety Brake engaged is as safe as could be reasonably expected...however in the rarefied safety atmosphere of a centrally heated office with a leather executive chair to cushion one`s head...it`s not.

It`s also worth pointing out that there are now far fewer "People in the Garages" to acceed to Foggy_Lads request and those that are there have a few other assorted bits of knick knacks to attend to such as Fuelling,Cleaning,Washing and checking coolant levels and lights...all stuff which our man Foggy_Lad has referred to in previous communications from the interior.

So unfortunately Foggy_Lad it`s back to the "Wrap up Well" theory so beloved of the Eastern Europeans !!! :eek:

parsi

foggy_lad wrote: »

Iranrod Eireann are able to leave locomotives running all night long so would it be possible to maybe start the busses a bit earlier to let them heat up? There are after all people in the garages all night who could do this.

I seem to recall you decrying that particualr practice as imcompetence, environmentally unfriendly and somehow suiting IE staff...

Whatever about longer trips it does seem wasteful to be heating a bus that will be opening its doors every few hundred yards...

dfx-

One of these days, AlekSmart will be found huddled in a dark corner of a room rocking back and forth murmuring "Foggy_Lad" over and over again:pac:

Andrew42

Or even just starting them an hour early in the morning might raise a few issues with local residents? (i'm thinking Clontarf depot, Summerhill etc)
My car burns .7ltr of diesel per hour at idle, what would a bus burn? multiply that by a couple of hundred buses (a thousand buses?) and Dublin Bus' fuel bill would inevitably rise and either fares go up or the state subsidy goes up? Lets not even think about the eco side of it either.

schemingbohemia

dfx- wrote: »

One of these days, AlekSmart will be found huddled in a dark corner of a room rocking back and forth murmuring "Foggy_Lad" over and over again:pac:

He might not be the only one!

Miss Lockhart

AlekSmart wrote: »

Just as with the Noisy Windscreen Wiper situation it`s not something which Passengers may even notice,but if you were to sit beside somebody drawing their nails across a blackboard for 4 hours you might just experience discomfort.

Next time you stand beside a Busdriver on a wet day,listen to the wipers.....all due to basic poor design which ensures that the (sealed for life :rolleyes: ) wiper driving linkage is never lubricated...which leads to arthritis of the joints in a BIG way....

I have on many occasions been driven mad by the unbearable screechy noise of the wipers. It is, as you say, as dreadful as nails on a blackboard - I'm cringing just thinking about it now.

I usually have to turn up my headphones to drown it out, so drivers who have to listen to it all day have my utmost sympathy.

soden12

Andrew42 wrote: »

Or even just starting them an hour early in the morning might raise a few issues with local residents? (i'm thinking Clontarf depot, Summerhill etc)
My car burns .7ltr of diesel per hour at idle, what would a bus burn? multiply that by a couple of hundred buses (a thousand buses?) and Dublin Bus' fuel bill would inevitably rise and either fares go up or the state subsidy goes up? Lets not even think about the eco side of it either.

I can imagine the letters from Mr Foggy giving out about noisy buses , probably hired from a contractor , with engines idling purely to keep the driver warm and with a sprinkling of defective lights,

paddyland

Andrew42 wrote: »

Or even just starting them an hour early in the morning might raise a few issues with local residents? (i'm thinking Clontarf depot, Summerhill etc)
My car burns .7ltr of diesel per hour at idle, what would a bus burn? multiply that by a couple of hundred buses (a thousand buses?) and Dublin Bus' fuel bill would inevitably rise and either fares go up or the state subsidy goes up? Lets not even think about the eco side of it either.

When someone actually suggests that two hundred buses in Donnybrook Garage all have their engines left running all night, using two hundred tanks of fuel, in order that they might be a degree warmer the next morning (and a degree is all it would be), you do have to wonder if there is an argument for genetic selection! A small number of contributors here really turn up some tulips, on an all too frequent basis. It's a pity, because it really dumbs down what might otherwise be a constructive and educational debate.

Losty Dublin

soden12 wrote: »

I can imagine the letters from Mr Foggy giving out about noisy buses , probably hired from a contractor , with engines idling purely to keep the driver warm and with a sprinkling of defective lights,

Sure wouldn't all the heat go out of the leaky windows as it whizzes past him in Prosperous tonight, Carlow tomorrow, Castledermot, Dundalk....

The_Wrecker

paddyland wrote: »

When someone actually suggests that two hundred buses in Donnybrook Garage all have their engines left running all night, using two hundred tanks of fuel, in order that they might be a degree warmer the next morning (and a degree is all it would be), you do have to wonder if there is an argument for genetic selection! A small number of contributors here really turn up some tulips, on an all too frequent basis. It's a pity, because it really dumbs down what might otherwise be a constructive and educational debate.

Sure 25mins on the road and most Volvos would be at the highest temperature they would achieve anyway.

But leaving them on all night would save me stretching to reach the secret button!:rolleyes: