Dublin bus driver here, ask questions.

bobby23

reading this page for a while, what strikes me is the ignorance of how things really work.
so for one night only all questions will be answered.
fire away

Twoandahalfmen

Why dont buses have wifi

Stheno

Twoandahalfmen wrote: »

Why dont buses have wifi

The new fleet that's being rolled out does, do you not read the news?

bobby23

as far as i know wifi is been rolled out on the new GT class

zenno

Is your job stressing ? The reason i ask is because it is long hours driving constantly to and from the same location all day long.

bobby23

zenno wrote: »

Is your job stressing ? The reason i ask is because it is long hours driving constantly to and from the same location.

When you first start for a few months you are worried about having a accident, but every day you go without one you grow more confident. with that the stress lessens, and to be honest now it takes a lot and i mean a lot to get stressed out.

zenno

bobby23 wrote: »

When you first start for a few months you are worried about having a accident, but every day you go without one you grow more confident. with that the stress lessens, and to be honest now it takes a lot and i mean a lot to get stressed out.

Thanks for the answer as i look at bus driving when i'm on the road myself driving and i always say to myself...it's one thing driving a small car but no way would i be able to drive that large bus through narrow roads all the time.

I have to hand it bus drivers though, it's a great skill to have to be able to master a large double decker bus in all sorts of crazy traffic. good stuff.

BALLHOPPER

Congrats to Dublin Bus Driver great stuff. Im an ex BE driver myself and its great to see that someone who knows something about the job on line

squod

How do you feel about sharing the buslane with cyclists?

What is the most annoying thing passengers do (from the driver's point of view) on a regular basis?

samina

Ok i know this is nowt to do with you but I'd like your opinion. For me to get in and out of town I could pay a couple of hours parking.
is there a reason that they're so expensive apart from the old overheads excuse? Would cheaper fares not attract more passengers?

Esoteric_

Why do drivers not automatically give you a change receipt, and get shirty when you ask for one?

I don't mean that to sound bitchy, but it's happened to me every one of the (occasional) times I've not had perfect change.

bobby23

squod wrote: »

How do you feel about sharing the buslane with cyclists?

Have nothing against cyclists, 80%+ are fine no problems.
Dont mind sharing the bus lane with cyclists at all, when they stay close to the kerb.
But the problems begin with the idiots who think they are pro cyclist and are going so fast, so they cycle in the middle of the bus lane holding up the bus, only going 30-40 kpm.
It happens every day , morning or evening rush hour.
Another thing that is a pain is not using the bike lane. Yet again the Lance Armstrong wanna bees believe they are so fast they are not causing a delay by cycling in the middle of the road.

bobby23

Deleted User wrote: »

What is the most annoying thing passengers do (from the driver's point of view) on a regular basis?

With out fail it is the idiot who gets on the bus first before everyone else and asks for a ticket and then starts looking for the money.
In slow traffic you can see the crowd standing at the stop ,maybe 1 or 2 mins and the idiot still wont get the money ready.
Maybe 1 minute to give them a ticket, when it should be no more than 5 seconds.
This will happen at several stops, and it all adds up to late buses and passengers giving out to me.

Mycroft H

bobby23 wrote: »

Have nothing against cyclists, 80%+ are fine no problems.
Dont mind sharing the bus lane with cyclists at all, when they stay close to the kerb.
But the problems begin with the idiots who think they are pro cyclist and are going so fast, so they cycle in the middle of the bus lane holding up the bus, only going 30-40 kpm.
It happens every day , morning or evening rush hour.
Another thing that is a pain is not using the bike lane. Yet again the Lance Armstrong wanna bees believe they are so fast they are not causing a delay by cycling in the middle of the road.

Can I show it from the other side? I don't like having big 15 tonne bus sail past me with inches to spare. I know most of you are decent drivers but there is the odd few who just are plain dangerous passing with no room to spare. I got cut up by a 46a near Belfield and had to replace a front wheel plus tyre because of it. That's why I'll sit 3-4ft from the kerb. I don't wear lycra either.

Cycle lanes, I'll use them where there good. Like along the canals.

bobby23

samina wrote: »

Ok i know this is nowt to do with you but I'd like your opinion. For me to get in and out of town I could pay a couple of hours parking.
is there a reason that they're so expensive apart from the old overheads excuse? Would cheaper fares not attract more passengers?

When the cost of travel comes up in the canteen everyone agrees it is getting too expensive.
Its like the Pubs who killed of their trade with price rises, people went elsewhere(off licence).
The best thing would be a flat fare of €2.
And loads of ticket inspectors with zero tolerance for fare evaders.

LXFlyer

samina wrote: »

Ok i know this is nowt to do with you but I'd like your opinion. For me to get in and out of town I could pay a couple of hours parking.
is there a reason that they're so expensive apart from the old overheads excuse? Would cheaper fares not attract more passengers?

There are some valid reasons:
1) The government policy (although not stated) is to shift the burden of paying for public transport onto the customer by reducing the subsidy
2) The government abolished the fuel duty rebate and unlike most other countries did not offer an alternative - this has massively increased fuel costs.

Have you looked at all the options? One or some of Leap card, Travel 90 10 Journey ticket, Dublin Bus 3, 5, and 30 Day rambler tickets (non-consecutive days over an 18 month period) all offer discounts of some form over cash fares which so many people don't bother investigating and still insist on paying cash.

Check out the links below for the prices.
http://dublinbus.ie/en/Fares--Tickets/Tickets/
http://dublinbus.ie/en/Fares--Tickets/Leapcard/

GRMA

Why do some of your drivers let smelly fcukers like the small grey haired guy with the funny walk onto busses? (you probably know of that guy, been known to take a sh!t on the bus)

MagicMarker

bobby23 wrote: »

With out fail it is the idiot who gets on the bus first before everyone else and asks for a ticket and then starts looking for the money.
In slow traffic you can see the crowd standing at the stop ,maybe 1 or 2 mins and the idiot still wont get the money ready.
Maybe 1 minute to give them a ticket, when it should be no more than 5 seconds.
This will happen at several stops, and it all adds up to late buses and passengers giving out to me.

These people should but sent to the gulags!!

The other week someone gets on in front of me, she'd been standing at the bus stop as long as I had, and it was only when she actually got on the ****ing bus that she decided it may be time to open up the aul handbag to find her leap card, with a queue of people behind us. Absolute twat.

bobby23

LyndaMcL wrote: »

Why do drivers not automatically give you a change receipt, and get shirty when you ask for one?

I don't mean that to sound bitchy, but it's happened to me every one of the (occasional) times I've not had perfect change.

Fact is a lot of people dont wait or want them.
Look at the drivers position when he is working the ticket machine, most likely left hand extended to the machine, his left arm will block a lot of his view of the money in the slot.
When you put in a €2 coin i hear a solid clunk, i know from experience its a €2 coin, person says 1.90 i give them ticket and then press 3 buttons to give change.
if you throw in a handful of coins i just assume it is the correct fare.
At the end of the day i get payed the same wage, nothing extra for not giving not change tickets.

bobby23

BX 19 wrote: »

Can I show it from the other side? I don't like having big 15 tonne bus sail past me with inches to spare. I know most of you are decent drivers but there is the odd few who just are plain dangerous passing with no room to spare. I got cut up by a 46a near Belfield and had to replace a front wheel plus tyre because of it. That's why I'll sit 3-4ft from the kerb. I don't wear lycra either.

Cycle lanes, I'll use them where there good. Like along the canals.

There is a cycle lane the full length of the stillorgan dual carriage way.
Use it.
When we are in the training school we are told just because there is a Bus lane it dont mean you are to race down it. As long as you are making steady progress the lane is serving its purpose.
Bike lane is no different, you dont have to race along it, just make steady safe progress and get home in one piece.

twogunkid

Can you say when was someone last prosecuted for smoking on the bus ?
What action would you take if you saw some one smoking--would you challenge them --are you discouraged by company from confronting smokers ?

hillbloom

Hi Bobby Will you tell me what number bus I can get tomorrow from City centre to City West Hotel & where is the pick up & how much is the fare. I am from the country and dont know the system at all. Will the buses be running when the DARTS are over at 10.30pm. Thanks a mill. Really need help!!

Mycroft H

bobby23 wrote: »

There is a cycle lane the full length of the stillorgan dual carriage way.
Use it.
When we are in the training school we are told just because there is a Bus lane it dont mean you are to race down it. As long as you are making steady progress the lane is serving its purpose.
Bike lane is no different, you dont have to race along it, just make steady safe progress and get home in one piece.

Cycle lane is one with the bus lane just towards town from belfield. 46A racing to the bus stop, cuts me off, I clip a massive pothole which wrecks a tyre and a front wheel, cost me 60 quid to put right. I was in a cycle lane at the time, but I use a bit more space after that incident.

I'll use a cycle lane where they're safe to and only then.

MagicMarker

hillbloom wrote: »

Hi Bobby Will you tell me what number bus I can get tomorrow from City centre to City West Hotel & where is the pick up & how much is the fare. I am from the country and dont know the system at all. Will the buses be running when the DARTS are over at 10.30pm. Thanks a mill. Really need help!!

You could just get a Luas from Abbey St to Saggart, €4.50 return for an adult, will bring you right there with just a short walk. I don't know of a bus you could get from town that would bring you straight to the hotel, only the industrial estate which would be a fair walk away.

Buses run until around 11.30pm, Luas a little later at the weekend afaik.

Alternatively, just use www.dublinbus.ie to plan a route, it has all the info you need.

cold case

How do you flag down a bus at the designated stop, in the country, in the dark mornings, with no public lighting. My daughters often have the bus drive past them, even if they wave their lit-up phones, and sometimes they take a torch, but the bus does not always stop for them.

bobby23

GRMA wrote: »

Why do some of your drivers let smelly fcukers like the small grey haired guy with the funny walk onto busses? (you probably know of that guy, been known to take a sh!t on the bus)

A few years ago in dublin bus passengers became customers. As we know the customer is always right.
Believe it or not, any complaint sent in about a driver is taken as Gospel, it wont be the homeless smelly passenger complaining, but some old bat with nothing better to do.
Driver will be draged over the coals and might get a sent back to the training school.
So for a easy life let them on.

Julius Seizure

countrymouse89 wrote: »

Hi Bobby,
Just wondering if you could tell me what is the student discount on the monthly tickets? Can't find any information on the website on the reduction.
I get the bus around 40 times a month and am trying to figure out the cheapest way to travel.
Thanks

How many stages? I've recently written down the different costs of student tickets but it all depends on how much leap or cash would be

bobby23

twogunkid wrote: »

Can you say when was someone last prosecuted for smoking on the bus ?
What action would you take if you saw some one smoking--would you challenge them --are you discouraged by company from confronting smokers ?

No idea about smoking prosecution.

Im no hero, dont want any aggro. This driver hears no evil, see no evil.
Dublin Bus will throw driver to the wolves if anything goes wrong. So we dont get involved.
If passenger comes to me to complain about smoking, company procedure is to announce on intercom "No smoking allowed on dublin bus".
If they continue to smoke and passenger still complains tell them you will do something as soon as they get of bus. "If i do anything now, The smoker will know it was you who complained, and he might have a go at you, best that you are not here if they go mad".
With out fail the complainer gets off at their stop "Thanks driver, didnt think of that".
Bus continues on its way. Repeat if there is another complainer.
Alternative is to call Guards, could be waiting 30 minutes, most likely smoker long gone.
Passengers angry at me for delay.
Dont want hassel

bobby23

hillbloom wrote: »

Hi Bobby Will you tell me what number bus I can get tomorrow from City centre to City West Hotel & where is the pick up & how much is the fare. I am from the country and dont know the system at all. Will the buses be running when the DARTS are over at 10.30pm. Thanks a mill. Really need help!!

Dont drive bus to City west.
Like asking Mcdonalds worker about Burger King, Dont know anything about it.
sorry.

Aoifums

Is the 'no smoking' announcement automatic, like linked to smoke alarms, or do you cause it to happen?
Would you rather passengers say thanks or is it a waste of breath on our part?

scudzilla

What is your favourite type of cheese?

pm1977x

Is it annoying to you if Leap users state their destination rather than the fare?

On the website it says state your destination, but sometimes drivers don't know the correct fare and look confused/vexed, or you get charged 1.70 by one driver, 1.95 by the next. But conversely, if I just get on and state the fare I will often get asked where I'm going as if I'm pulling a fast one?

On a side note I'm sure it's a tough job and as a daily user of the service I have to say it's great (if a bit expensive) and the regular drivers on my route are great, so keep up the good work!

bobby23

cold case wrote: »

How do you flag down a bus at the designated stop, in the country, in the dark mornings, with no public lighting. My daughters often have the bus drive past them, even if they wave their lit-up phones, and sometimes they take a torch, but the bus does not always stop for them.

sorry, only know about dublin Bus.

The Dublin Bus Way™
If it happens offen ring the bus depot and tell the inspector what is happening, he will get on to the driver.
If it does happen again, phone the depot again.
Fact is we want a easy life no aggro, if you cause aggro for depot inspector he will be after the driver to stop messing around.
Driver continues to act the maggot the inspector gets grief from you, he then is going to make sure the driver does as he is told or he will make his work life awkward.

pm1977x

I have another question - do you know why sometimes buses don't show up on the electronic readout or disappear off them and then show up anyway?

Wishbone Ash

Why do so many DB drivers pass a cyclist and then immediately pull in to a stop forcing us cyclists to take evasive action?

BTW - I'm not a slow cyclist. I'm on a road bike in lycra and am often doing +40kph when the above happens. Why not wait behind for 2 seconds and pull in safely?

mikemac1

As far as I know there is only one unfolded buggy allowed on the bus at any time

And that's a rule that has to be enforced I suppose, if there is a crash and a compo claim then management will hammer the driver if the procedure was not followed.

Do you ever get hassle from people refusing to fold up a buggy?
Like two friends getting on, one must fold and the other is fine


Or even more outrageous....
Has it ever happened that a wheelchair user gets on and the person with the buggy flat out refuses to fold up. :eek::mad:
And so the wheelchair user can't use the bus.

bobby23

Aoifums wrote: »

Is the 'no smoking' announcement automatic, like linked to smoke alarms, or do you cause it to happen?
Would you rather passengers say thanks or is it a waste of breath on our part?

No Smoke alarms on bus.
Announcement automatic.
Drivers do appreciate thanks.

bobby23

scudzilla wrote: »

What is your favourite type of cheese?

In a can

Esoteric_

bobby23 wrote: »

Fact is a lot of people dont wait or want them.
Look at the drivers position when he is working the ticket machine, most likely left hand extended to the machine, his left arm will block a lot of his view of the money in the slot.
When you put in a €2 coin i hear a solid clunk, i know from experience its a €2 coin, person says 1.90 i give them ticket and then press 3 buttons to give change.
if you throw in a handful of coins i just assume it is the correct fare.
At the end of the day i get payed the same wage, nothing extra for not giving not change tickets.

It's generally a case where I throw in a 2 euro coin for a 1.90 fair actually. :pac: Obviously you're just in a better mood than my bus driver or something. :pac: Cheers.

Dubwat

Do you drive the same route day in/day out forever or do you get switched around every few weeks? Ever made a mistake and taken the wrong turn/route

bobby23

pm1977x wrote: »

Is it annoying to you if Leap users state their destination rather than the fare?

On the website it says state your destination, but sometimes drivers don't know the correct fare and look confused/vexed, or you get charged 1.70 by one driver, 1.95 by the next. But conversely, if I just get on and state the fare I will often get asked where I'm going as if I'm pulling a fast one?

On a side note I'm sure it's a tough job and as a daily user of the service I have to say it's great (if a bit expensive) and the regular drivers on my route are great, so keep up the good work!

Dont think drivers have a preference,i know i dont, either will do.
The reason you are getting asked where you are going is that the €1.90 is the cash ticket asked for by passengers who are going all the way. They just drop €2 in the slot no matter how far they are going.
driver "where are you going?"
passenger "ehehhhhhhhh"
Driver "city center?"
passenger "Ehh yeah"
Driver "€2.65"
Myself, i dont care , give them the ticket and be on my way.
Yet again dont want any aggro

bobby23

pm1977x wrote: »

I have another question - do you know why sometimes buses don't show up on the electronic readout or disappear off them and then show up anyway?

Honestly have no idea,
As far as i know they are not operated by dublin bus.
Believe its the NTA. More jobs for the boys.

Stheno

bobby23 wrote: »

Dont think drivers have a preference,i know i dont, either will do.
The reason you are getting asked where you are going is that the €1.90 is the cash ticket asked for by passengers who are going all the way. They just drop €2 in the slot no matter how far they are going.
driver "where are you going?"
passenger "ehehhhhhhhh"
Driver "city center?"
passenger "Ehh yeah"
Driver "€2.65"
Myself, i dont care , give them the ticket and be on my way.
Yet again dont want any aggro

Recurrent theme in your posts is "Don't really give a ****, will do anything for an easy life"

It's a really sad endorsement of the opinion a lot of people have of people in the likes of CIE, that they really couldn't be bothered to do anything over and above the minimum asked of them in their job.

pm1977x

bobby23 wrote: »

Dont think drivers have a preference,i know i dont, either will do.
The reason you are getting asked where you are going is that the €1.90 is the cash ticket asked for by passengers who are going all the way. They just drop €2 in the slot no matter how far they are going.
driver "where are you going?"
passenger "ehehhhhhhhh"
Driver "city center?"
passenger "Ehh yeah"
Driver "€2.65"
Myself, i dont care , give them the ticket and be on my way.
Yet again dont want any aggro

ok thanks!

bobby23

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Why do so many DB drivers pass a cyclist and then immediately pull in to a stop forcing us cyclists to take evasive action?

BTW - I'm not a slow cyclist. I'm on a road bike in lycra and am often doing +40kph when the above happens. Why not wait behind for 2 seconds and pull in safely?

Most likely bike lane not being used.
Guaranteed you are not traveling as fast as you would like to think you are

Bus stopped at traffic lights , tight to kerb.
Cyclist mount pavement to get in front of bus.
light turn green , bus stuck behing lance armstong wanna be, crawling out the road.

A door opens on a building and 20 people want to get out and you want to get in, would you push in pass them or let them out before you went in?
Bus 50+ passengers going home v 1 cyclist.

Losty Dublin

If you had your way, what bus would you choose as the one and only for Dublin Bus, past and present?

Wishbone Ash

bobby23 wrote: »

Most likely bike lane not being used.
Guaranteed you are not traveling as fast as you would like to think you are

I should have clarified, it's more of a problem on outer routes, rural unlit roads. Drivers on the 33 route are particularly guilty.

Re cycle lanes - I don't see the relevance - regardless of whether or not a cyclist is using the cycle lane, it doesn't give a DB driver the right disregard his responsibility. Attending an inquest is not pleasant.

Re speed - I have a GPS on the bike so I know exactly what speed I'm doing.

meoklmrk91

Whats your opinion of people thanking you when they get off the bus? Is it annoying to have 20 people getting off at once saying it, do you say it back?

bobby23

Dubwat wrote: »

Do you drive the same route day in/day out forever or do you get switched around every few weeks? Ever made a mistake and taken the wrong turn/route

im marked in.
Marked in driver do 1 route and have a roster, they know what shift they will be doing all year. You Can plan ahead, you know when you start and finish.

Spare driver only find out today what they are doing tomorrow.
Spare drivers get all the "Animal" shifts.
Bogey shifts eg. start 7:00 garage. Break 12:00- 16:00. Finish 19:00 city center. Absolute pigs. Imaging living down in wexford and doing that.
Long, long day.

Years ago before the working time directive, when spare you could get a 15:00 start and finish in depot at 00:30.
Then be rostered to do a bogey starting at 7am.
Fu**ing nightmare! Try commuting up from carlow or wexford and do that.
Is it any wonder some drivers can be grumpy.

In the beginning loads of wrong turns.
Sent out to do routes you dont know
Depot inspector '"Sure you will know the route by the end of the day"

squod

bobby23 wrote: »

Dont mind sharing the bus lane with cyclists at all, when they stay close to the kerb.

Can I ask if you're a cyclist yourself? Do/did you commute daily to work on a bike for example?