Fictional Transport Timetables & Schedules

foggy_lad

I have come across quite a few timetables in the last year or three, mostly Bus Éireann where the times are just not possible.

The x20 is never on time in either direction and often departs late due to drivers arriving late for their breaks.(using the motorway between Galway and Athlone might help, most drivers don't.)

The 004/x4 is one where the destination times are not too bad but intermediate times are like something a child imagined. Busáras to red cow luas in 15 minutes is just not possible at any time in a bus!

The x8 is usually 40-60 minutes late either end but with so many proper express services Dublin to cork the x8 is more like a service/stage carriages bus than an expressway service.

What other services fall into the fiction category?
Train/bus/operator doesn't matter as long as the timetable is impossible to keep to. Or makes wildly exaggerated claims about the journey times.

The Idyll Race

foggy_lad wrote: »

I have come across quite a few timetables in the last year or three, mostly Bus Éireann where the times are just not possible.

The x20 is never on time in either direction and often departs late due to drivers arriving late for their breaks.(using the motorway between Galway and Athlone might help, most drivers don't.)

The 004/x4 is one where the destination times are not too bad but intermediate times are like something a child imagined. Busáras to red cow luas in 15 minutes is just not possible at any time in a bus!

The x8 is usually 40-60 minutes late either end but with so many proper express services Dublin to cork the x8 is more like a service/stage carriages bus than an expressway service.

What other services fall into the fiction category?
Train/bus/operator doesn't matter as long as the timetable is impossible to keep to. Or makes wildly exaggerated claims about the journey times.

Unless it makes you like the Wicked Witch of the West interfacing with a bucket of water, why don't you take the train then if the buses piss you off so much? I take it you have made a suitable complaint and that the relevant staff have been executed to your satisfaction.

Mycroft H

The Idyll Race wrote: »

Unless it makes you like the Wicked Witch of the West interfacing with a bucket of water, why don't you take the train then if the buses piss you off so much? I take it you have made a suitable complaint and that the relevant staff have been executed to your satisfaction.

I don't think foggy likes the train either. :pac:

The Idyll Race

BX 19 wrote: »

I don't think foggy likes the train either. :pac:

Perhaps we could club together and buy him a bicycle?

n97 mini

LOL. Great solution to poor bus timetables is to take the train. Gonna call you guys Statler & Waldorf from now on.

AlekSmart

n97 mini wrote: »

LOL. Great solution to poor bus timetables is to take the train. Gonna call you guys Statler & Waldorf from now on.

Nice one,but which Henson character will Foggy_Lad play.....?

The Idyll Race

n97 mini wrote: »

LOL. Great solution to poor bus timetables is to take the train. Gonna call you guys Statler & Waldorf from now on.

I'm an old skool muppets fan. Praise indeed. That's what me and a former poster on boards (not Wote) get called when we offer sideline commentary at Ireland cricket matches for those less familar with the most beautiful of games:D

The Idyll Race

AlekSmart wrote: »

Nice one,but which Henson character will Foggy_Lad play.....?

Scooter?

bk

All joking aside, but Foggy does have a point.

The X8 schedule seems to be totally out of whack. I think they seem to be doing this to make their schedule look better versus Aircaoch/GoBE, but this is wrong for a few reasons:

- May cause people to miss important meetings or flights.

- Makes for an unfair comparison with companies who have real schedules.

If it is true, then the NTA should really crack down on this sort of behaviour. If it isn't dealt with, we may end up with a situation of all companies competing with one another with made up schedules that have no basis in reality and are thus useless to passengers.

The Idyll Race

bk wrote: »

All joking aside, but Foggy does have a point.

The X8 schedule seems to be totally out of whack. I think they seem to be doing this to make their schedule look better versus Aircaoch/GoBE, but this is wrong for a few reasons:

- May cause people to miss important meetings or flights.

- Makes for an unfair comparison with companies who have real schedules.

If it is true, then the NTA should really crack down on this sort of behaviour. If it isn't dealt with, we may end up with a situation of all companies competing with one another with made up schedules that have no basis in reality and are thus useless to passengers.

Indeed. In many ways this is a throwback to the 1920s where "pirates" - small private operators indulged in cutthroat competition with each other and timetabled their services to drive competitors out of business - funny enough this lead ultimately to the CIE monolith as initially the private operators combined to form the Irish Omnibus Company in the early 30s, and then swiftly taken over by the Great Southern Railways, though as ever without much/any meaningful integration with the trains.

Its just another case of history repeating.

bk

However ironically this time it is a CIE company doing this.

The Idyll Race

bk wrote: »

However ironically this time it is a CIE company doing this.

No irony bk: CIE don't do co-ordination!

BenShermin

Sorry to drag up an old thread, (mods feel free to move this if you want).

I'll be travelling on a Bus Éireann rover ticket next month. I plan to take the 1800 X8 from Dublin to Cork some evening, that bus is scheduled to arrive into Cork at 2130. The problem is that the last connection from Cork to Kinsale is scheduled to leave at 2205.

I know I'm clutching at straws here, and I think I know the answer myself, but is the X8 still so ridiculously delayed that there's a chance I'll miss the Kinsale connection in Cork? Has anybody travelled on the service recently that could give feedback.

In reality I'll probably just pay the extra for the train or GoBÉ that evening to ensure the start of my holiday isn't ruined by a missed connection in Cork.

Thanks in advance folks.

Cool_CM

Check the timetables at Dublin bus stops:

"* all times are based on off peak estimates"

Wouldn't be a problem if the real time displays were accurate...

Jamie2k9

The 004/x4 is one where the destination times are not too bad but intermediate times are like something a child imagined. Busáras to red cow luas in 15 minutes is just not possible at any time in a bus!

I took the 004/X4 last weekend to/from Dublin and the overall time is good however as you say intermediate times are not great and this is for a number of reasons. Departing Waterford Bus station can take some time because it can take time to cross the quays and 4 lanes of traffic need to be stopped, the level crossing outside Waterford can hold up things to. Then their is the N9 to Paulstown which is a road in a very bad state and parts are in need or major resurfacing.

I took the 13.00 up at it left Carlow around 10 minutes late but was in Dublin on time even though there was very heavy traffic in the city centre. Took the 17.30 back on Sunday and it was in Waterford 10 minutes early.

foggy_lad

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

I took the 004/X4 last weekend to/from Dublin and the overall time is good however as you say intermediate times are not great and this is for a number of reasons. Departing Waterford Bus station can take some time because it can take time to cross the quays and 4 lanes of traffic need to be stopped, the level crossing outside Waterford can hold up things to. Then their is the N9 to Paulstown which is a road in a very bad state and parts are in need or major resurfacing.

I took the 13.00 up at it left Carlow around 10 minutes late but was in Dublin on time even though there was very heavy traffic in the city centre. Took the 17.30 back on Sunday and it was in Waterford 10 minutes early.

I have often been in carlow waiting on the bus to dublin at 2.25pm or 4.25pm both buses are due at ten past the hour, but it also depends on the driver.

Jamie2k9

foggy_lad wrote: »

I have often been in carlow waiting on the bus to dublin at 2.25pm or 4.25pm both buses are due at ten past the hour, but it also depends on the driver.

well its largely the road, remember if you get stuck behind a truck or tractor between Waterford and Paulstown you cannot pass them out at all. How this road was every declared a national primary road by the NRA is shocking.

AlekSmart

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Well its largely the road, remember if you get stuck behind a truck or tractor between Waterford and Paulstown you cannot pass them out at all. How this road was every declared a national primary road by the NRA is shocking.

It's not in the least "Shocking",Jamie.

The NRA's was born out of Political necessity,rather than any sudden Governmental concern about the State of the Nations Roads...

A concern,taken very seriously by the same NRA too......

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/no-money-for-essential-road-repairs-admits-nra-29427656.html

Anybody care to express an opinion......Surprise perhaps..?

Jamie2k9

I don't expect it to get work done as its almost empty with the M9 taking the traffic and I just made the observation that it being called a primary road before the motorway and was given 60mph speed limit is shocking. Weather it be for political reasons of not it should never of being a primary road.

As for the link you posted, didn't the Government announce millions for road repairs a few weeks ago?

AlekSmart

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

I don't expect it to get work done as its almost empty with the M9 taking the traffic and I just made the observation that it being called a primary road before the motorway and was given 60mph speed limit is shocking. Weather it be for political reasons of not it should never of being a primary road.

As for the link you posted, didn't the Government announce millions for road repairs a few weeks ago?

I was'nt aware of that announcement,it may have been lost in between Micheal Noonan's "The Economy will take off like a Rocket" and Joan Burton's " Not another Cent will be cut" speeches...so it's quite possible those Millions had to be diverted off onto a slip-road ?

Jamie2k9

AlekSmart wrote: »

I was'nt aware of that announcement,it may have been lost in between Micheal Noonan's "The Economy will take off like a Rocket" and Joan Burton's " Not another Cent will be cut" speeches...so it's quite possible those Millions had to be diverted off onto a slip-road ?

I found some info about it
http://www.finegael.ie/latest-news/2013/50m-to-repair-600km-of-ro/