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RV buses on wheelchair routes

  • 14-08-2012 8:50pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 82 ✭✭


    Has anyone noticed the RV's are on routes that are meant to be wheelchair routes for example there was an RV on the 11 today.Does anyone know the reason behind this


Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,525 ✭✭✭miller50841


    They have been messing around cause they have AV version on it also and that road always had the AX since they came in.

    I would say it has something to do with the new fleet of 21 new buses coming into dbrook. Maintenance do be at it sometimes where there are so many off the road there is no other bus in the yard to go out.

    Don't worry the RV be gone shortly


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 15,740 Mod ✭✭✭✭dfx-


    Not necessarily unusual to see the odd one on the 7 and especially peak time on the 46A, but that RV (575) was operating all night, it was the last 11 from Wadelai Park. I wonder if it was programmed for the southside extension, picture of it from the Irish Passenger Transport Forum, showing Wadelai:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/57250583@N02/7784286408/in/photostream


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 158 ✭✭Darthvadar


    Constant problem on the 56A route, too.

    Really gets my back up. It's either a low-floor, wheelchair accessible route or it's not.

    Darth.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,236 ✭✭✭lucernarian


    dfx- wrote: »
    Not necessarily unusual to see the odd one on the 7 and especially peak time on the 46A, but that RV (575) was operating all night, it was the last 11 from Wadelai Park. I wonder if it was programmed for the southside extension, picture of it from the Irish Passenger Transport Forum, showing Wadelai:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/57250583@N02/7784286408/in/photostream
    That's a little strange, surely later in the evening there would be more AVs or AXs sitting around in the garage which could be deployed rather than using the RV? As it stands, the 11s even use one of the South Coast Tour Buses on a regular basis!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,525 ✭✭✭miller50841


    That's a little strange, surely later in the evening there would be more AVs or AXs sitting around in the garage which could be deployed rather than using the RV? As it stands, the 11s even use one of the South Coast Tour Buses on a regular basis!

    They wont change a bus thats out unless there is a defect on it because maitanenece are streched as it is.

    The tour bus is on it cause it pulls in or parks in town then changes onto tours.
    They are same colour as open top as you know but are based in dbrook.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,525 ✭✭✭miller50841


    dfx- wrote: »
    Not necessarily unusual to see the odd one on the 7 and especially peak time on the 46A, but that RV (575) was operating all night, it was the last 11 from Wadelai Park. I wonder if it was programmed for the southside extension, picture of it from the Irish Passenger Transport Forum, showing Wadelai:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/57250583@N02/7784286408/in/photostream

    The driver has to input number manualy on that one so he just forgot to change thats why has wadelai on it.
    All auto scrolls have every route on them except some vt type


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,525 ✭✭✭miller50841


    Darthvadar wrote: »
    Constant problem on the 56A route, too.

    Really gets my back up. It's either a low-floor, wheelchair accessible route or it's not.

    Darth.

    They only have to have one bus with a working ramp it's just bad that they don't fix them sooner when broken.

    The RV will be gone shortly so you will have newer buses on the road but one downside to this is the newer ones are not as reliable and do brake down a lot.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 158 ✭✭Darthvadar


    Thank you for the speedy reply, Miller...

    Not one bit surprised by what you tell me... I'm REALLY fed up with so-called wheelchair accessible buses... If the ramps aren't working (a regular feature), it's not accessible... I'm really fed up at being the first in the queue, and the bus when it arrives is either not a Low-Floor, or if it is, the ramp doesn't work... People who've arrived long after me are gone on their merry way, and I'm still sitting there, fuming, waiting and hoping for an accessible bus!... Grrrrrr!!!!!....

    And I won't even go there about the battle of the buggy v the wheelchair!... Double grrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!......

    And then people wonder why I prefer to use LUAS...

    Thanks again, Miller...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,525 ✭✭✭miller50841


    Darthvadar wrote: »
    Thank you for the speedy reply, Miller...

    Not one bit surprised by what you tell me... I'm REALLY fed up with so-called wheelchair accessible buses... If the ramps aren't working (a regular feature), it's not accessible... I'm really fed up at being the first in the queue, and the bus when it arrives is either not a Low-Floor, or if it is, the ramp doesn't work... People who've arrived long after me are gone on their merry way, and I'm still sitting there, fuming, waiting and hoping for an accessible bus!... Grrrrrr!!!!!....

    And I won't even go there about the battle of the buggy v the wheelchair!... Double grrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!......

    And then people wonder why I prefer to use LUAS...

    Thanks again, Miller...

    No problem Darthvadar I hope you do send a letter or an email in because if more do it it should hopefully get them to solve these issues well I would like to think thats how it should work.

    I have a issue with them been used for buggies because have seen on some occasions where the parent takes up the space and ignores the driver or just wont move to let a wheelchair on and also seen where 1 buggy is already on and then another gets on driver says 1 allready on and they do ignore the driver again and just proceed on.

    There are occasions where the ramp may leave the depot working and fail when out in service due to short from water or durt also kerbing them knocks them out happens with some kerbs that are too high and the stop is blocked so driver has to go in sharp.

    Hope that helps a bit.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 598 ✭✭✭stehyl15


    seen them on the the 4 quite a lot and it used to stat on the 46a and 145 timetables that "at peak times busses maybe replaced by none lowfloor busses


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 158 ✭✭Darthvadar


    Thanks Miller...

    Yes I DO complain... I'm on a Dublin Bus/Garda Community Forum too, so I make my feeling known... LOUDLY!....

    I'm fairly assertive... I will usually say to a person with a buggy, 'Excuse me, may I get into the wheelchair space, please?'... And I'm lucky, the drivers usually back me up... One driver announced over the PA system that he couldn't safely move the bus due to a buggy blocking the wheelchair space, turned off the bus, and waited...

    Took about a minute for the other passengers to have 'words' with the person with the buggy... Perfect!....

    Thanks again, Miller...

    Darth...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,004 ✭✭✭✭AlekSmart


    Darthvadar wrote: »
    Thank you for the speedy reply, Miller...

    Not one bit surprised by what you tell me... I'm REALLY fed up with so-called wheelchair accessible buses... If the ramps aren't working (a regular feature), it's not accessible... I'm really fed up at being the first in the queue, and the bus when it arrives is either not a Low-Floor, or if it is, the ramp doesn't work... People who've arrived long after me are gone on their merry way, and I'm still sitting there, fuming, waiting and hoping for an accessible bus!... Grrrrrr!!!!!....

    And I won't even go there about the battle of the buggy v the wheelchair!... Double grrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!......

    And then people wonder why I prefer to use LUAS...

    Thanks again, Miller...

    It's worth noting that the Busdrivers ONLY role in the Buggy Pusher vs Wheelchair User issue is to be HEARD to ask the BP to fold the contrivance.

    If a Buggy Pusher is already on board before the Wheelchair user presents for travel then the BP is entitled to use the location...that's the law,following a ruling by the Equality Commissioner.

    It appears that in this case they are taking the most literal interpretation of the word "Equality".

    On the issue of the ramp,it's worth noting that the Accessible Kerbing units (formerly known as KasselKerbing) should,if properly installed allow level access (250mm ?) when the Suspension drop is activated,thereby rendering the Ramp unnecessary at these locations.(Unlesss a larger type of powered chair is used).


    Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one.

    Charles Mackay (1812-1889)



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,525 ✭✭✭miller50841


    Darthvadar wrote: »
    Thanks Miller...

    Yes I DO complain... I'm on a Dublin Bus/Garda Community Forum too, so I make my feeling known... LOUDLY!....

    I'm fairly assertive... I will usually say to a person with a buggy, 'Excuse me, may I get into the wheelchair space, please?'... And I'm lucky, the drivers usually back me up... One driver announced over the PA system that he couldn't safely move the bus due to a buggy blocking the wheelchair space, turned off the bus, and waited...

    Took about a minute for the other passengers to have 'words' with the person with the buggy... Perfect!....

    Thanks again, Miller...

    Darth...

    I have noticed some new signs and adverts on bus inner walls stating that the wheelchair space is for wheelchairs and must be vacated for this purpose.

    Whta route would you use or like to use if you don't mind me asking.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,004 ✭✭✭✭AlekSmart


    I have noticed some new signs and adverts on bus inner walls stating that the wheelchair space is for wheelchairs and must be vacated for this purpose.

    Whta route would you use or like to use if you don't mind me asking.

    I haven't noticed the latest wording,but I would be VERY surprised if the word "Must" was used.

    The sheer amount of grief and ill mannered barely concealed aggression which surrounds the use of this space makes Clear Unambiguous DIRECTIONS unavoidable....mild mannered requests or gentle entreaties quite often will be ignored,with the result being a wheelchair user being left on the footpath,whilst the Bus specifically constructed to carry that individual drives off ....crazy Ted,or what ?

    If the Equality Commissioner has some byzantine difficulty with that approach then I suggest he/she be strapped into a wheelchair for a week to research the issue.....:o


    Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one.

    Charles Mackay (1812-1889)



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 158 ✭✭Darthvadar


    Thanks for your reply, AS...

    Dublin Bus's own website states that Wheelchair Users have priority over buggies in that space... http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/Your-Journey1/Accessibility/Passengers-with-buggies/

    People with disabilities have spent more than twenty years campaigning for accessible public transport... Buggy Pushers haven't lifted a finger!.... And a buggy can be easily folded (even I can do it from a wheelchair!)...

    Miller, it's the 56A (supposed to be Low-Floor, wheelchair accessible), or the 27... Not yet supposed to be accessible.... Also occasionally use the 65... As you know, there can be as much as a two hour gap between buses, so if a ramp doesn't work, it's a disaster...

    Thanks to you both for taking the time to reply...

    Darth...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,525 ✭✭✭miller50841


    Darthvadar wrote: »
    Thanks for your reply, AS...

    Dublin Bus's own website states that Wheelchair Users have priority over buggies in that space... http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/Your-Journey1/Accessibility/Passengers-with-buggies/

    People with disabilities have spent more than twenty years campaigning for accessible public transport... Buggy Pushers haven't lifted a finger!.... And a buggy can be easily folded (even I can do it from a wheelchair!)...

    Miller, it's the 56A (supposed to be Low-Floor, wheelchair accessible), or the 27... Not yet supposed to be accessible....

    Thanks to you both for taking the time to reply...

    Darth...

    No prob Darth just wondering would you consider or be in the position of ringing or making a request to check or make sure the bus at the time you intend to take would have a working ramp or that a low floor bus be on at the time you would need as far as I know they will try and work on such a request now not sure how well it would work out as for a buggy then taking the space or another wheelchair


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 158 ✭✭Darthvadar


    Thanks Miller....

    About the other wheelchair user... That's a pain, but I can live with that... It's the buggies that are the killer....

    Asking about working ramps on the bus I intend to use isn't much help... They won't assure me of a working ramp, and then there's the return journey... A quick visit to a lady in a nursing home can turn into an all day saga trying to get there and back...

    I agree, Alek, the signage at that space should be totally unambigious... Such as 'May be used by a buggy if a wheelchair user doesn't need it'...

    Thank you very much to you both for engaging like this....

    Darth...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,525 ✭✭✭miller50841


    Darthvadar wrote: »
    Thanks Miller....

    About the other wheelchair user... That's a pain, but I can live with that... It's the buggies that are the killer....

    Asking about working ramps on the bus I intend to use isn't much help... They won't assure me of a working ramp, and then there's the return journey... A quick visit to a lady in a nursing home can turn into an all day saga trying to get there and back...

    I agree, Alek, the signage at that space should be totally unambigious... Such as 'May be used by a buggy if a wheelchair user doesn't need it'...

    Thank you very much to you both for engaging like this....

    Darth...

    Anytime no probs at all Darth.

    Do try what I said just to see if something could be done for you it can sometimes take one person to make a big change and hope they do and can help even if small would be a start.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 457 ✭✭Tickityboo


    AlekSmart wrote: »
    I have noticed some new signs and adverts on bus inner walls stating that the wheelchair space is for wheelchairs and must be vacated for this purpose.

    Whta route would you use or like to use if you don't mind me asking.

    I haven't noticed the latest wording,but I would be VERY surprised if the word "Must" was used.

    The sheer amount of grief and ill mannered barely concealed aggression which surrounds the use of this space makes Clear Unambiguous DIRECTIONS unavoidable....mild mannered requests or gentle entreaties quite often will be ignored,with the result being a wheelchair user being left on the footpath,whilst the Bus specifically constructed to carry that individual drives off ....crazy Ted,or what ?

    If the Equality Commissioner has some byzantine difficulty with that approach then I suggest he/she be strapped into a wheelchair for a week to research the issue.....:o

    It says please be prepared to vacate the space if requested.

    I would assume if they're not prepared to they don't have to unfortunately!!!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 158 ✭✭Darthvadar


    Thanks Miller....

    Certainly worth harrassing DB Management when the service is inaccessible... After all, it IS supposed to be 'Transport for All'....

    Darth...


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,525 ✭✭✭miller50841


    Darthvadar wrote: »
    Thanks Miller....

    Certainly worth harrassing DB Management when the service is inaccessible... After all, it IS supposed to be 'Transport for All'....

    Darth...

    At least I can see you are a decent person from what you have posted and don't take it out on the driver.

    Be worth having a go as you said at management and also have a go at Leo are wonderful transport minister.

    No harm in trying was always told God loves a trier:D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 158 ✭✭Darthvadar


    Oh God no Miller... I'd NEVER take it out on the driver!....

    Not their fault... Although I'd question that all drivers check the ramp all of the time... Drivers are human, not saints!....

    Besides, I know that drivers are told to take out a bus whether the ramp works or not... I'd an inspector tell me that it was FAR more important to move fifty people on time than worry about a social niciety like a ramp... What I didn't tell him to do is not worth telling!... In a very polite manner, I've a tongue that can clip a hedge!... I'd say he's STILL picking fleas out of his ear!...

    Now having a 'frank exchange of views' with Leo???... Hadn't thought of that!... Thanks.....

    Darth....


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 15,740 Mod ✭✭✭✭dfx-


    Darthvadar wrote: »
    Besides, I know that drivers are told to take out a bus whether the ramp works or not... I'd an inspector tell me that it was FAR more important to move fifty people on time than worry about a social niciety like a ramp... What I didn't tell him to do is not worth telling!... In a very polite manner, I've a tongue that can clip a hedge!... I'd say he's STILL picking fleas out of his ear!...

    What if the ramp is working and the next bus is two hourrs away and the bus is lowfloor, ticking all the boxes, but there are two wheelchair passengers needing the one space.

    I was on a 16 that had three claims for the wheelchair space. You can't legislate for demand..


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,562 ✭✭✭✭Cookie_Monster


    dfx- wrote: »
    You can't legislate for demand..

    dunno about that. There's virtually no demand for low floor yet all buses have to have it now...


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 23,457 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    dunno about that. There's virtually no demand for low floor yet all buses have to have it now...

    Well to be honest low floor and wide door buses are much nicer then the old buses even for able-bodied passengers. Much easier to get on and off.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 158 ✭✭Darthvadar


    Bit Chicken and Egg IMO, Cookie...

    I believe that more wheelchair users would use the service IF it were reliable, and accessible... I only use LUAS because access is not a problem... Given the choice, I'd far rather use the bus...

    And DFX, yes it DOES happen that there's already a wheelchair user on board, and I can't board... I don't like it, but I can live with it... The problem arises either when the ramps don't work, or the wheelchair space is otherwise blocked...

    As I've said, apart from a couple of places I need to go to that are only on bus routes, I use LUAS... I'm in the fortunate position that I can do that, most aren't...

    And yes, BK, easier access improves the service for all...

    Darth...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,562 ✭✭✭✭Cookie_Monster


    bk wrote: »
    Well to be honest low floor and wide door buses are much nicer then the old buses even for able-bodied passengers. Much easier to get on and off.

    true but you need to balance cost against that. prematurely replacing an entire is expensive and no doubt low floor buses cost more...
    the open rear platform buses would be better again for the majority but can't have them for modern H&S and scumbag fare dodgers...
    darthvader wrote:
    I believe that more wheelchair users would use the service IF it were reliable, and accessible
    indeed but even if you take ever wheelchair or mobility impaired person in the Dublin are the numbers are still tiny in comparison to the whole of DB potential customer base. commercially it doesn't stack up and requires incentive for a company to do, in this case legislation


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,585 ✭✭✭✭LXFlyer


    This debate regarding low floor -v- non low floor is sort of irrelevant given the entire fleet will be low floor by the end of the year, and has been achieved mainly in line with DB standard fleet replacement timelines (12 years).


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,562 ✭✭✭✭Cookie_Monster


    lxflyer wrote: »
    This debate regarding low floor -v- non low floor is sort of irrelevant given the entire fleet will be low floor by the end of the year, and has been achieved mainly in line with DB standard fleet replacement timelines (12 years).

    that's not the standard, 16 years is and given what many companies in the UK manage even this is low


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,585 ✭✭✭✭LXFlyer


    It has been the standard for the last 12 years.

    Previous replacement rates were in excess of even 16 years (there was a 5 year period when there were no new buses at all), and the problems that caused were there for everyone to see.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,281 ✭✭✭Stevek101


    Even now there are problems. Just look at DB's twitter feed. Several break downs a day and they're the ones that people are complaining about! I've been on RV's on the 16 twice in the past month that broke down.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,585 ✭✭✭✭LXFlyer


    That is true but mercifully it is nothing compared to the Van Hool McArdle and Bombardier days.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,281 ✭✭✭Stevek101


    The city relies too much on bus transport, particularly when the other modes are prone to incidents, this will not change for the foreseeable future. Clearly we cannot have an ever ageing fleet as some people seem to want. DB's vehicle reliability has decreased dramatically in recent months and no doubt that is due to the ever increasing fleet age.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 158 ✭✭Darthvadar


    Cookie, Maybe it is a small number now, but people are living longer, and are surviving serious illnesses, and catastrophic accidents that would have killed them ten years ago, but they are now disabled in one form or another... Very premature babies are surviving more often too, but lots are living with disability... So the numbers needing accessible public transport will only grow...

    And by DB's own slogan, it's supposed to provide 'transport for all'... Besides, it's public transport... People with disabilities are tax-paying, and in many cases fare paying members of the public too...

    Darth...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,980 ✭✭✭✭murphaph


    Pretty sad to hear that buggy owners are reluctant to fold their buggies to allow someone confined to a wheelchair to get where they need to go, I mean, how selfish have people become?

    I heard from a good pal that in Istanbul, despite the public transport being absolutley jammed with people, if an elderly or infirm person boards then you can expect multiple people to offer their seats and if a young man doesn't do so, everyone turns on the miscreant and "ensures a seat" for the person in need is delivered. We probably think that we are more civilised than the bould Turks, but maybe we'd be wrong!


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 178 ✭✭sharpish


    Darthvadar wrote: »
    Cookie, Maybe it is a small number now, but people are living longer, and are surviving serious illnesses, and catastrophic accidents that would have killed them ten years ago, but they are now disabled in one form or another... Very premature babies are surviving more often too, but lots are living with disability... So the numbers needing accessible public transport will only grow...

    And by DB's own slogan, it's supposed to provide 'transport for all'... Besides, it's public transport... People with disabilities are tax-paying, and in many cases fare paying members of the public too...

    Darth...


    Darth,

    Have you thought about contacting the NTA. It a sad state of affairs that in this day and age you've to fight to get on bus with unreliable ramps ( i'm sure they do a safety check on other equipment before the bus leaves for the day) And then have to fight with a buggy for space.

    And if you are caught at stop and bus with a broken ramp comes, I'd expect them to send a taxi for you ( I must be innocent)

    public transport if for the public is for all.... and if they started to strip out the minorities when would it stop?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,980 ✭✭✭✭murphaph


    In Berlin even the newer buses use a manual ramp that the driver lifts out of the floor for the odd wheelchair user: KISS and it will never break down because of some hydraulic leak etc.

    (buggy pushers are expected to get on board with the bus kneeling down a bit and they can)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,185 ✭✭✭KD345


    Darthvadar wrote: »
    And by DB's own slogan, it's supposed to provide 'transport for all'... Besides, it's public transport... People with disabilities are tax-paying, and in many cases fare paying members of the public too...

    Darth...

    To be fair to Dublin Bus, they are fulfilling their promise of having a fully low floor fleet before the end of the year. Low floor double deck buses really only came into operation in the UK in 1998, and in 1999 Dublin Bus began trials of various vehicles and then ordered their first batch of low floor double deck buses which entered service in 2000. The few remaining high floor Volvo Olympians in service today are in some cases less than a year older than the low floor buses. I think the company are aware of the importance of providing a low floor fleet for it's passengers and have made great improvements with their vehicles compared to other bus operators.
    murphaph wrote: »
    Pretty sad to hear that buggy owners are reluctant to fold their buggies to allow someone confined to a wheelchair to get where they need to go, I mean, how selfish have people become?

    I heard from a good pal that in Istanbul, despite the public transport being absolutley jammed with people, if an elderly or infirm person boards then you can expect multiple people to offer their seats and if a young man doesn't do so, everyone turns on the miscreant and "ensures a seat" for the person in need is delivered. We probably think that we are more civilised than the bould Turks, but maybe we'd be wrong!

    I'd like to think that as a society we are not all that bad. I've been on plenty of buses and trams recently where people have offered their seat to an elderly passenger. There will be selfish people in every country but there are still plenty of decent people still offering seats.
    sharpish wrote: »
    Darth,

    Have you thought about contacting the NTA. It a sad state of affairs that in this day and age you've to fight to get on bus with unreliable ramps ( i'm sure they do a safety check on other equipment before the bus leaves for the day) And then have to fight with a buggy for space.

    And if you are caught at stop and bus with a broken ramp comes, I'd expect them to send a taxi for you ( I must be innocent)

    public transport if for the public is for all.... and if they started to strip out the minorities when would it stop?

    I believe it is Dublin Bus policy to check the wheelchair ramp before the bus leaves the depot, but there will be times when a ramp is damaged while the bus is in service and not spotted until it needs to be used. I'm assuming the wear and tear on low floors buses is far greater than older vehicles due to the many high ramps and bad roads which exist through many housing estates.

    It's also worth noting the new buses shortly arriving in Dublin will have a blue wheelchair area and symbol marked clearly into the floor.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,004 ✭✭✭✭AlekSmart


    Darthvadar wrote: »
    Thanks for your reply, AS...

    Dublin Bus's own website states that Wheelchair Users have priority over buggies in that space... http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/Your-Journey1/Accessibility/Passengers-with-buggies/

    People with disabilities have spent more than twenty years campaigning for accessible public transport... Buggy Pushers haven't lifted a finger!.... And a buggy can be easily folded (even I can do it from a wheelchair!)...

    Darth...

    It's worth noting that the DB website reference is dated November 26th 2008.

    Quite a lot has changed since then,most importantly the clarification by the Equality Commissioner as to the actual priority level available to Disabled Passengers.

    The reality is that Dublin Bus's obligation (On a designated Low-Floor Route) is to provide the required space and that it's staff will have recieved the appropriate training in Disability Awareness.

    Up until the Equality Commissioner's clarification,most people had assumed that a disabled passenger had the right (in law) to occupy the disabled space.

    This important fact allows for a person in charge of such Transport to INSTRUCT or DIRECT a non-disabled person to vacate the space or in extreme cases to leave the bus in favour of the disabled passenger.

    The net result of the EC's decision was to immediately place the Company and it's Drivers in a VERY risky situation,such as the one which did actually come to the National Airwaves and which led to the Equality Commissioners ruling.

    Unfortunately Darthvadar,as long as Disabled folk focus their anger/frustration on Dublin Bus alone it convieniently allows the REAL culprits to slip away into the night.

    The REAL problem is that several Governments have failed to provide the leglislation based framework necessary to allow meaningful prioritization of Disabled Persons rights.

    The Disability Act 2005 remains the relevant legislation covering this area,with a relatively small amount of re-wording being the only requirement to placing disabled folk on a far more solid footing in relation to their Public Transport useage.

    For example,how start-up operations such as Swords Express were licenced to operate new stage-carriage services using high-floor non-accessible touring coaches in 2007 is surely indicative of an Adminstration not knowing its Ass from it's Elbow....

    Why,after 7 years,is this thread still having to cover the most basic elements of the entire issue...THAT of itself underlines a failure at a far higher level than Dublin Bus Management & Staff.

    Just to clarify the current situation regarding the Wheelchair Ramp.

    Operation of the Wheelchair Ramp is checked on every Bus so equipped as part of the First-Use Check each morning before entering service.

    However,if a defective Wheelchair Ramp is detected it does not render that vehicle unfit for service. (A Class 2 item,Class 1 being a No-Go defect)

    The vehicle will enter service with the defective ramp prioritized for maintenance attention.

    I understand that once 100% Low-Floor operation is achieved,that the intention is then to classify a defective Ramp as a Class 1 defect.

    Murphaph: In Berlin even the newer buses use a manual ramp that the driver lifts out of the floor for the odd wheelchair user: KISS and it will never break down because of some hydraulic leak etc.

    Whilst the manual ramp is indeed a KISS item,it's useage in Dublin operations is rendered somewhat fraught by extraneous issues.

    Probably the single greatest one is the requirement for Drivers to remain within the cab security screeen whilst in service.

    This reflects back to the reasons why the Security Screens had to be introduced in the first place....Assaults and Robberies on an ever increasing scale.

    Secondly there is now a requirement for the Driver to switch off the engine when exiting the cab,a process which can cause considerable confusion amongst passengers upstairs or not aware of the reasons for the sudden silence...:)

    The reliability of the Wheelchair Ramps is constantly improving,but being electro-mechanical they can and do fail.

    It should also be noted that the ramp itself is specifically for wheeled access and if overutilized for foot-pasengers can bend the hinge mechanism due to the Thump-Thump effect of the footfalls....;)


    Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one.

    Charles Mackay (1812-1889)



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 598 ✭✭✭stehyl15


    i see wvs all the time on the 46a and 145 at the peak hours going outbound! wvs should allocated on the routes that kneed them like the 63, 59, 44b, 111 and they could be used on the 184, 185, off peak 84s and the 114.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,525 ✭✭✭miller50841


    stehyl15 wrote: »
    i see wvs all the time on the 46a and 145 at the peak hours going outbound! wvs should allocated on the routes that kneed them like the 63, 59, 44b, 111 and they could be used on the 184, 185, off peak 84s and the 114.

    Only 3 left on the road nearly all gone they were only out because not enough buses I know not enough but its a maintenance issue.

    New double deckers coming in think end of month


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 51 ✭✭postmanpat78


    people will be pleased to know,that the rv batch of buses,will all be withdrawn shortly,and dublin bus,will be all low floor buses,in relation to the buggy/wheelchair,it is up to the person with the buggy if they move or not,if a bus stops at a stop and a wheelchair uses is there,the driver can only ask the person with a buggy to move,if they refuse,well little the driver can do.


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