Bus Aras closing at 11pm

DebDynamite

Hi all

My mother was up doing some Christmas shopping with me in Dublin yesterday. We went to a show in the evening so got back to Bus Aras at 2250 to catch whichever bus might be departing next.

When we got there, we saw that her next bus was at 2330. We said fine, we’ll sort out our shopping, sit for a bit, she could a cigarette and I’d leave her just in time to make my last bus home.

Well we actually couldn’t believe it when the security guard started telling everyone if they weren’t getting on a 2300 bus, they’d have to vacate the station as they were closing up.

What an absolute disgrace!! Having people wait out in the cold lashing rain, especially people like my mother who are nearing retirement age who may not be exactly be the most streetwise of people

I understand this is to combat anti-social behaviour that happens in Bus Aras, but surely they could police this a bit better than just f**k everyone out in the street! There’s not even anywhere for people to sit, and it’s not like there’s anywhere else for people to wait at that time.

Although, I suppose Store Street Garda station is just over the road, if any of the junkies get out of hand :rolleyes:

Losty Dublin

DebDynamite wrote: »

Hi all

My mother was up doing some Christmas shopping with me in Dublin yesterday. We went to a show in the evening so got back to Bus Aras at 2250 to catch whichever bus might be departing next.

When we got there, we saw that her next bus was at 2330. We said fine, we’ll sort out our shopping, sit for a bit, she could a cigarette and I’d leave her just in time to make my last bus home.

Well we actually couldn’t believe it when the security guard started telling everyone if they weren’t getting on a 2300 bus, they’d have to vacate the station as they were closing up.

What an absolute disgrace!! Having people wait out in the cold lashing rain, especially people like my mother who are nearing retirement age who may not be exactly be the most streetwise of people

I understand this is to combat anti-social behaviour that happens in Bus Aras, but surely they could police this a bit better than just f**k everyone out in the street! There’s not even anywhere for people to sit, and it’s not like there’s anywhere else for people to wait at that time.

Although, I suppose Store Street Garda station is just over the road, if any of the junkies get out of hand :rolleyes:

Why is it a disgrace that a building closes up at 11PM? Oh yeah, it should stay open all the time just in case your Mum should ever use the bus again :rolleyes:

mickydoomsux

Well they probably don't have the staff to keep it open so it is unlikely to change.

DebDynamite

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Why is it a disgrace that a building closes up at 11PM? Oh yeah, it should stay open all the time just in case your Mum should ever use the bus again :rolleyes:

Ah, sure why open at all then. As I said it wouldn't have been so bad if they at least provided a few seats for people to sit on.

foggy_lad

You should be thankful for late night busses! up to recently the last bus to Carlow/Waterford left Busaras at 8pm and even now the last bus from Waterford to Dublin is 7pm

Losty Dublin

DebDynamite wrote: »

Ah, sure why open at all then. As I said it wouldn't have been so bad if they at least provided a few seats for people to sit on.

As the security guard said, the last bus requiring use of the station had left so the building is shut.

There are stone seats on the plaza outside Store Street garda Station FTR, the DCC povides them

mickydoomsux

foggy_lad wrote: »

You should be thankful for late night busses! up to recently the last bus to Carlow/Waterford left Busaras at 8pm and even now the last bus from Waterford to Dublin is 7pm

There's always JJ!

DebDynamite

Losty Dublin wrote: »

As the security guard said, the last bus requiring use of the station had left so the building is shut.

There are stone seats on the plaza outside Store Street garda Station FTR, the DCC povides them

How about passengers who require use of the station's facilities before embarking on a long bus journey? As I said there's no where else to go around there at that time.

Losty Dublin

DebDynamite wrote: »

How about passengers who require use of the station's facilities before embarking on a long bus journey? As I said there's no where else to go around there at that time.

There are 3 pubs literally outside the door of Busaras. Of course, had you have planned your journey beforehand you would have known this

mickydoomsux

If the closing time is advertised then I don't see what the issue is.

If they are closing ahead of time then that is a problem.

DebDynamite

Losty Dublin wrote: »

There are 3 pubs literally outside the door of Busaras. Of course, had you have planned your journey beforehand you would have known this

The one directly opposite the front door of Bus Aras looked like it was closed/closing and had a group of pissed young fellas who were breaking glasses (I don't think it was in an aggressive way, think they were just pissed and knocking them over, but it's not most pleasant waiting experience for an older person who wouldn't be used to town)

DebDynamite

mickydoomsux wrote: »

If the closing time is advertised then I don't see what the issue is.

If they are closing ahead of time then that is a problem.

I actually don't know where the times are advertised.

The only thing I found when I googled, was this thread on boards!

Look, we'll know the next time, I just think it's a pretty piss-poor service for Ireland's main bus station.

AngryLips

In fairness, airports and train stations don't close before the last service.

Losty Dublin

DebDynamite wrote: »

I actually don't know where the times are advertised.

The only thing I found when I googled, was this thread on boards!

Look, we'll know the next time, I just think it's a pretty piss-poor service for Ireland's main bus station.

Of course you rang them up and asked seeing as you wanted to know so badly :rolleyes:

Put this one down in the "I can't be bothered to find out for myself" file as it's just a non story TBH.

DebDynamite

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Of course you rang them up and asked seeing as you wanted to know so badly :rolleyes:

Put this one down in the "I can't be bothered to find out for myself" file as it's just a non story TBH.

What on earth are you on about? The last time we went for the 1130 bus, and any time before that it was open. Why would I think otherwise, it's always been open!

n97 mini

I cannot believe this attitude:

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Why is it a disgrace that a building closes up at 11PM?

Because paying customers might want to use it!

Here's an expression that yourself and CIE need to familiarise yourselves with:

CUSTOMER SERVICE

L1011

AngryLips wrote: »

In fairness, airports and train stations don't close before the last service.

Translink, who are a paragon of customer care compared to CIE, close the Europa Bus Centre before the last services.

The closing time reflects the last frequent services - the later buses are on a limited sub-set of routes.

If you read the timetables it states these buses are scheduled from the street, not Busaras.

markpb

Losty Dublin wrote: »

There are 3 pubs literally outside the door of Busaras. Of course, had you have planned your journey beforehand you would have known this

Seriously? Do you normally check out the opening time of bus stations and the location of nearby pubs before you make a bus journey? FFS.

What makes you think people would even consider that Busaras might close while buses are still departing? At least Translink show it on the timetable. Do you check the opening hours of the airport (and location of nearby pubs) before you go for an evening flight?

n97 mini

MYOB wrote: »

Translink, who are a paragon of customer care compared to CIE, close the Europa Bus Centre before the last services.

The closing time reflects the last frequent services - the later buses are on a limited sub-set of routes.

If you read the timetables it states these buses are scheduled from the street, not Busaras.

What time does it close, and what sort of services are still running afterwards do you know (are there provincial services, or are they just Dublin Airport services?)

L1011

n97 mini wrote: »

What time does it close, and what sort of services are still running afterwards do you know (are there provincial services, or are they just Dublin Airport services?)

Also closes at 11pm, services are to Dublin and the Belfast airports and possibly some others, their website isn't easy to find out that info from. Would be a fair few people on Glengall St. at any given time when the Europa is closed.

AlekSmart

MYOB wrote: »

Translink, who are a paragon of customer care compared to CIE, close the Europa Bus Centre before the last services.

The closing time reflects the last frequent services - the later buses are on a limited sub-set of routes.

If you read the timetables it states these buses are scheduled from the street, not Busaras.

Your quite correct MYOP,it's actually pretty common practice,which come to think of it I've experienced in Belfast,Derry,Birmingham and Nice.

Generally,Stations tend to close around the 2300 mark with usually the later Departures / Arrivals utilising the perimeter kerbside.

Busáras has for as long as I can recall closed at 2300,which while not ideal is I suggest realistic,unless of course passengers are interested in paying a premium for some form of Lounge to accomodate them....a business opportunity perhaps ?

It's also worth pointing out to Deb Dynamite,that her mother would have had to go outside Busaras anyway in order to have her smoke.

With staffing levels as they are,it's not economically feasible to roster portering or security staff to keep the likes of Busaras open,ans as,Deb Dynamite points out there is the reality that once the commuter numbers dwindle,the people of the night start congregating and serenading.

n97 mini wrote: »

I cannot believe this attitude:

Because paying customers might want to use it!

Here's an expression that yourself and CIE need to familiarise yourselves with:

CUSTOMER SERVICE

I'm not sure it's just "CIE" that n97mini refers to,as I'm not sure any private enterprise will be more willing to keep a facility open once the main body of custom has departed.

Whether anybody likes it or not,if there was sufficient reasonable demand and a chance of a profit then BE would have the place open 24/7,but there's not....:(

Bit of a lower case issue really...?

Losty Dublin

DebDynamite wrote: »

What on earth are you on about? The last time we went for the 1130 bus, and any time before that it was open. Why would I think otherwise, it's always been open!

It's fairly obvious; you could easily just call them up and ask them yourself about their opening hours beforehand rather that guesswork or speculation and being stuck. The link you provided shows that they haven't been open as late as 23:30 for a long time now; perhaps it was a long time since you used Busaras that late and they moved it back but it's wise to check in future just in case.

LXFlyer

A simple note in the timetable that buses depart from Store Street would solve this problem.

I don't think it that unreasonable for people to assume the bus station is open if the timetable shows "Busaras" as the departure point.

A small change to indicate Store Street would make that far clearer.

n97 mini

AlekSmart wrote: »

Your quite correct MYOP,it's actually pretty common practice,which come to think of it I've experienced in Belfast,Derry,Birmingham and Nice.

It might happen elsewhere too, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's right. It's certainly poor customer service.

markpb

Losty Dublin wrote: »

It's fairly obvious; you could easily just call them up and ask them yourself about their opening hours beforehand rather that guesswork or speculation and being stuck.

Do you ring every company before you visit their premises? I know you get exasperated at some of the criticism of CIE on this board (and most of the time you're right) but do you really follow your own advice?

Edit: the last time I rang Busaras, they had stopped answering the phone (at 5pm on Friday) so even if you wanted to ask them what time they closed, you'd have to do it 6.5 hours before your bus left.

L1011

lxflyer wrote: »

A simple note in the timetable that buses depart from Store Street would solve this problem.

I don't think it that unreasonable for people to assume the bus station is open if the timetable shows "Busaras" as the departure point.

A small change to indicate Store Street would make that far clearer.

They HAD this, the old 2 timetable I have around here somewhere has it, but it appears to have gone missing on the current one.

They need to put that back on realistically.

lil5

Why would you have to ring ahead for wanting to find out the opening times of the main bus station? The info should be easily accessible on the website.
And if someone has pre-booked a ticket it should even display a note that this departure is outside the opening hours.

It's the same nonsense as keeping the phone number of the route-operating garage at hand to find out about your missing (Dublin)bus.

It's all to do with customer service (or lack thereof) in the CIE companies.

AlekSmart

n97 mini wrote: »

It might happen elsewhere too, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's right. It's certainly poor customer service.

I don't believe it is a general poor customer service issue.

Storm in a teacup IMO.

Losty Dublin

markpb wrote: »

Do you ring every company before you visit their premises? I know you get exasperated at some of the criticism of CIE on this board (and most of the time you're right) but do you really follow your own advice?

Edit: the last time I rang Busaras, they had stopped answering the phone (at 5pm on Friday) so even if you wanted to ask them what time they closed, you'd have to do it 6.5 hours before your bus left.

Hang up a sec till we clear up something. OP's issue is that the foyet/bar/waiting area/toilets wasn't open at such a late hour and her mum had to wait outside at a late hour. Buses can and do stop outside, just not inside the bays and terminals. If gaining entry is that important to somewhere she doesn't use all them time then yes, a cheak ahead is wise. In fairness to her she said it was open that late once but that may have been a while ago.

PS OP, I trust that she got home safe and well in the end

AlekSmart

lil5 wrote: »

Why would you have to ring ahead for wanting to find out the opening times of the main bus station? The info should be easily accessible on the website.
And if someone has pre-booked a ticket it should even display a note that this departure is outside the opening hours.

It's the same nonsense as keeping the phone number of the route-operating garage at hand to find out about your missing (Dublin)bus.

It's all to do with customer service (or lack thereof) in the CIE companies.

Ehhh,actually Lil5,your dead wrong dragging poor oul Dublin Bus into this meleé.

The "nonsense" of removing the Depot number from the Timetable is actually quite straightforward and non-conspiritorial and due to the Centralizing of the Conytrol System.

The Individual Dublin Bus garages are all now skeleton staffed with only Local Admin functions being procedd there.

ALL Bus Control is now centralized through the one Public Number (018734222) whose operators are directly linked to the actual area control modules.

If you ring the individual garage now,the respondent will have no knowledge of the situation on any of the routes and will then have to redirect the caller to the correct number (018734222).

It's actually a significant upgrade of the formerly haphazard contact arrangements,however I don't expect many to acknowledge this,except perhaps when they retrieve their lost (mislaid ) mobile phone,wallet,laptop,suitcase or whatever....:D

n97 mini

AlekSmart wrote: »

I don't believe it is a general poor customer service issue.

Storm in a teacup IMO.

How many of us here would be happy for our elderly mothers to be waiting on a Dublin street in the north inner city, late on a winters night for a bus? I certainly wouldn't.

AlekSmart

n97 mini wrote: »

How many of us here would be happy for our elderly mothers to be waiting on a Dublin street in the north inner city, late on a winters night for a bus? I certainly wouldn't.

Not really relevant IMO.

Personally I'd have studied the situation beforehand if I thought she'd have been in that situation.

However the lady was'nt under threat of kidnap or assault from what I can deduce.

Store Street and environs sure is'nt Fortune 500 territory,but neither is it Sierra Leone.

As I say,IF a case can be made to open Busaras into the wee small hours and it's financially viable to do so then Bus Eireann will have the locks off in a flash.....but there's not such a case,unless the suggestion is that there is a queue of vulnerable elderly willing to pay extra for the comfort of a departure lounge ?

n97 mini

AlekSmart wrote: »

Not really relevant IMO.

So you're ok with leaving elderly customers hang around north innner city late at night?

Remind me again how much subvention BE get from the tax-payer?

n97 mini

Galway Coach Station is open 24 hours a day according to this, and will provide round-the-clock services to passengers,including an information desk and security cover throughout the day and night.

mickydoomsux

What's your point?

In either of you previous two posts.

n97 mini

mickydoomsux wrote: »

What's your point?

In either of you previous two posts.

You claim to work for IE, and you seem confused about Customer Service issues. Makes sense.

mickydoomsux

n97 mini wrote: »

You claim to work for IE, and you seem confused about Customer Service issues. Makes sense.

Thanks for answering my question in exactly the way i predicted you would :rolleyes:

EDIT: Oh, and look who thanks the post, the other anti-CIE troll.

foggy_lad

MYOB wrote: »

Translink, who are a paragon of customer care compared to CIE, close the Europa Bus Centre before the last services.

The closing time reflects the last frequent services - the later buses are on a limited sub-set of routes.

If you read the timetables it states these buses are scheduled from the street, not Busaras.

Ah yes everyone else can stick a little note onto the timetables but CIE/BE are incompetantly unable to copy other successful operators.

n97 mini wrote: »

Galway Coach Station is open 24 hours a day according to this, and will provide round-the-clock services to passengers,including an information desk and security cover throughout the day and night.

And it looks a damn sight more comfortable than Busarse ever could be.

mickydoomsux

foggy_lad wrote: »

Ah yes everyone else can stick a little note onto the timetables but CIE/BE are incompetantly unable to copy other successful operators.

Yet they still leave people on the street just like BE, which is the point of this thread. It's common practice.

foggy_lad

mickydoomsux wrote: »

Yet they still leave people on the street just like BE, which is the point of this thread. It's common practice.

It is common practice for companies to inform their customers of things which are material to the service they are offering! like "after 11pm we will be closed but you can still get your bus from outside the building or down/across the street" obviously too complex for the brains within Bus Eireann.

Reminds me of an announcement I heard yesterday in Busaras, the bus to Athboy was very late boarding because it was nowhere to be seen and the announcer declared that it was usually delayed because it is parked at Wilsons terrace and the traffic is usually very bad on route to Busaras, my thoughts were if this is always happening why could someone within the company not grow a brain and tell the driver to depart for busaras earlier or find somewhere more convenient to park the bus. its not rocket science!!

n97 mini

mickydoomsux wrote: »

Thanks for answering my question in exactly the way i predicted you would :rolleyes:

Wow... you can tell the future. You should be able to make money with a talent like that!

efb

n97 mini wrote: »

How many of us here would be happy for our elderly mothers to be waiting on a Dublin street in the north inner city, late on a winters night for a bus? I certainly wouldn't.

Collect her yourself, would she be safe on a late night bus? Would busaras be safe past 11pm?

I wouldn't leave my elderly mother waiting for public transport in the north inner city, late on a winters night

DebDynamite

efb wrote: »

Collect her yourself, would she be safe on a late night bus? Would busaras be safe past 11pm?

I wouldn't leave my elderly mother waiting for public transport in the north inner city, late on a winters night

I'd feel safer having her wait in Bus Aras for 10/15 mins (after I left her to catch my last bus home) with a security guard on duty, than I would having her wait out in the street.

Never mind safety, is it too much to ask for paying customers to sit in a sheltered waiting area with with toilet facilities before someone gets on a bus in Ireland's main bus depot.

Maybe the DAA should look at having people wait out on the runway for their flights.

efb

DebDynamite wrote: »

I'd feel safer having her wait in Bus Aras for 10/15 mins (after I left her to catch my last bus home) with a security guard on duty, than I would having her wait out in the street.

Never mind safety, is it too much to ask for paying customers to sit in a sheltered waiting area with with toilet facilities before someone gets on a bus in Ireland's main bus depot.

Maybe the DAA should look at having people wait out on the runway for their flights.

Where were you going to? Would you not pay for a taxi- rather than the sate pay for increased security?

DebDynamite

efb wrote: »

Where were you going to? Would you not pay for a taxi- rather than the sate pay for increased security?

None of your business where I was going.

L1011

n97 mini wrote: »

Galway Coach Station is open 24 hours a day according to this, and will provide round-the-clock services to passengers,including an information desk and security cover throughout the day and night.

Compared to the absolutely nothing the same operators who use that provide at the Dublin end of their routes, unless they go to the airport, in which case they rely on the DAA to do so.

edit: Come to think of it, the bulk of buses serving Busaras after closing time start elsewhere anyway, so it is in effect just another stop, not the terminus/station.

overshoot

efb wrote: »

Collect her yourself, would she be safe on a late night bus? Would busaras be safe past 11pm?

I wouldn't leave my elderly mother waiting for public transport in the north inner city, late on a winters night

have you thought, does everyone have a car, why are they using the bus in the first place if collection is an option? also a quick collection is a bit difficult if you live on the otherside of the country, this is bus eaireann not dublin bus. and anyway in the OP's case she was with the elderly person in question.
its a simple question here of customer service and common sense, neither of which bus eireann have. a little * on the post 11pm services with a departs from store street outside busáras would be a good hint that the building is closed. Some of the routes last 4hrs without bathroom breaks, what if you have a 15yr old with you? he isnt allowed into the pubs after 10. is it safe for the elderly woman to walk through a bunch of drunks playacting who might knock her over? it is also nit the respinsibility of the pubs to provide toilets to someone else's customers.

surely its al least possible to open up the eurolines section, small area, close off the access to main hall. one secirity guard for 1 hour. if it cant cope with demand then there is a serious issue with the building being closed

efb

DebDynamite wrote: »

None of your business where I was going.

I was trying to see where bus eireann advertise the service from, and when you post on a public board you can't then decide its private when its relevant to the discussion.

Oh and FYI few of the Meath Services depart from Busaras itself.

efb

overshoot wrote: »

have you thought, does everyone have a car, why are they using the bus in the first place if collection is an option? also a quick collection is a bit difficult if you live on the otherside of the country, this is bus eaireann not dublin bus. and anyway in the OP's case she was with the elderly person in question.
its a simple question here of customer service and common sense, neither of which bus eireann have. a little * on the post 11pm services with a departs from store street outside busáras would be a good hint that the building is closed. Some of the routes last 4hrs without bathroom breaks, what if you have a 15yr old with you? he isnt allowed into the pubs after 10. is it safe for the elderly woman to walk through a bunch of drunks playacting who might knock her over? it is also nit the respinsibility of the pubs to provide toilets to someone else's customers.

surely its al least possible to open up the eurolines section, small area, close off the access to main hall. one secirity guard for 1 hour. if it cant cope with demand then there is a serious issue with the building being closed

I suggested a taxi, also , you would have a 15 year old out that late, for what reason?

efb

overshoot wrote: »

have you thought, does everyone have a car, why are they using the bus in the first place if collection is an option? also a quick collection is a bit difficult if you live on the otherside of the country, this is bus eaireann not dublin bus. and anyway in the OP's case she was with the elderly person in question.
its a simple question here of customer service and common sense, neither of which bus eireann have. a little * on the post 11pm services with a departs from store street outside busáras would be a good hint that the building is closed. Some of the routes last 4hrs without bathroom breaks, what if you have a 15yr old with you? he isnt allowed into the pubs after 10. is it safe for the elderly woman to walk through a bunch of drunks playacting who might knock her over? it is also nit the respinsibility of the pubs to provide toilets to someone else's customers.

surely its al least possible to open up the eurolines section, small area, close off the access to main hall. one secirity guard for 1 hour. if it cant cope with demand then there is a serious issue with the building being closed

the toilets aren't accessible if Eurolines was closed off. Is one security guard enough, what about the services after midnight?

DebDynamite

efb wrote: »

I was trying to see where bus eireann advertise the service from, and when you post on a public board you can't then decide its private when its relevant to the discussion.

Oh and FYI few of the Meath Services depart from Busaras itself.

I was staying in Dublin and my mother was getting the Bus Eireann bus.

And FWIW, all BE busses we/I ever get home depart from inside Bus Aras, apart from last night of course.