Dublin bus driver here, ask questions.

Kurooi

Yeah that's the problem I don't really expect the drivers to do much since yes most likely they would get killed but that is just lawless! I mean how easy would it be to once a week get a bus pulled over by the gardai and get the people there tickets or jail. I am sure they would not dare fight against a few officers.

Stheno

Karsini wrote: »

I'm not saying it's right, just that I can see where he's coming from. I don't agree with the travel pass remark though.

I can somewhat see where he is coming from, but as far as I'm concerned, he's basically painting Dublin Bus in a very bad light both from his posts as to his attitude and the whole "management" side of it.

Makes a good case for winding it up and privatising it, amazingly the drivers on the Swords Express manage to count change accurately on a daily basis. The service is on time, busses are clean, drivers are polite etc.

pistonsvox

Is there any reason for a driver not to stop for passengers at a bus stop?

I was heading home from work one night waiting for the last bus and there was a group of people beside me drinking cans, he just took one look at them and then just kept on driving leaving me to get an expensive cab home!

Kurooi

Karsini wrote: »

My personal experience is that I've only seen it once, on a 78A several years back, the driver stopped the bus in Inchicore, went upstairs and told off some lads upstairs at the back. Me personally, I'd be afraid they'd knife me if I tried...

I was also on a bus a few years ago where a passenger tried to board, refused to show his travel pass, then got aggressive when the driver refused him entry, Had to wait about 5 minutes for the Gardai from Ballyfermot to come and take him away.

Yeah that's the problem I don't really expect the drivers to do much since yes most likely they would get killed but that is just lawless! I mean how easy would it be to once a week get a bus pulled over by the gardai and get the people there tickets or jail. I am sure they would not dare fight against a few officers.

Stheno

bobby23 wrote: »

Stages are a mystery even to drivers.

Ah jesus, so now despite being on a route for a year, you can't count coins, and don't even understand stages?

Mycroft H

Scortho wrote: »

bobby23 wrote: »

Would have to be Rain man to check change in slot.
Fare evasion is rampant, what i thing dont mean a thing.
Do cyclist have to pass any type of test to get on the road?
i am in the best of heath, no a worry in the world, how many people can say that?

Is there no actual coin counting machine?
SO I could just throw in a fistful of 10c and be on my merry way without having paid the full fair?

Yep! I used to throw a load of coppers and 10,20 cents when I was short change in college

Stheno

Stheno wrote: »

Makes a good case for winding it up and privatising it, amazingly the drivers on the Swords Express manage to count change accurately on a daily basis. The service is on time, busses are clean, drivers are polite etc.

After the whole Eircom fiasco I'm vehemently against any privatisation of state assets. Reform it (properly, not the Croke Park Agreement style of "reform") but don't sell it off. Anyway, I'm veering off topic here.

bobby23

deelite wrote: »

Have you ever considered playing music on the buses at certain times of the day eg 7.30am on Monday Boontown Rats - I don't like Mondays, or the Bangles Manic Monday and for Friday evenings at 5.00 ish something upbeat

Plenty of people with walkmans turned up full volume

Posy

Stheno wrote: »

So basically you are unable to do one element of your job checking fares?

All of your posts basically support shutting down Dublin Bus and privatising it.
Getting rid of people who are overpaid for not carrying out basic elements of their job (such as you), and encourage fare evasion would be a start.

To be fair though, if I pay a €1.90 fare with eleven 10c, 2 20c, six 5c, three 2c and four 1c coins it would take a good half minute to try and locate and tot up all those coins, slowing down the whole process.

Cyclists don't have to use cycle lanes anymore?
(so that's cycle lanes and traffic lights they can disregard so!) :pac:



Are Dublin Bus ever going to do away with the crazy stage system?

Stheno

Karsini wrote: »

After the whole Eircom fiasco I'm vehemently against any privatisation of state assets. Reform it (properly, not the Croke Park Agreement style of "reform") but don't sell it off. Anyway, I'm veering off topic here.

Reform is as good as privatisation if it's done right, I'd be happy with that.

Posy wrote: »

To be fair though, if I pay a €1.90 fare with eleven 10c, 2 20c, six 5c, three 2c and four 1c coins it would take a good half minute to try and locate and tot up all those coins, slowing down the whole process.

Didn't realise they take coppers, that madness.

I suppose given that the drivers can't count, they could replace the machines used now with counting machines that will ping when the relevant amount is in.

MidlandsM

bobby23 wrote: »

F
At the end of the day i get payed the same wage

Spoken like a real trade unionist.........:rolleyes:

Posy

Stheno wrote: »

I suppose given that the drivers can't count, they could replace the machines used now with counting machines that will ping when the relevant amount is in.

That would make more sense alright. If I was stuck behind a person for a minute while the driver counts out all their shrapnel I'd go mental!

(although I have been that 'paying with millions of coins, including loads of 1c pieces at some stage in my life!!)

Wishbone Ash

bobby23 wrote: »

news to me

From National Cycling Policy

15.4 Mandatory Use Regulation
We will revoke the Statutory Instrument that requires cyclists
to use cycle tracks where they are provided - Road Traffic
(Traffic and Parking) Amendment Regulations, S.I. No. 274 (1998).
This regulation is unsatisfactory for a number of reasons:
(i) it is clear that the cycling infrastructure that has been constructed
to date is often of a poor standard and is poorly maintained, and
cyclists are required to use it;
(ii) it can force cyclists to be on cycle tracks and (when they are planning
on continuing straight ahead) to be on the inside of left-turning
vehicles, including Heavy Goods Vehicles;
(iii) if a group of cyclists (on a weekend cycle for example) is using a road
with an off-road cycle-track alongside it, then they are required to use
it – which is not practicable

I hope DB management will bring any changes to the attention of drivers so the "teach him a lesson" brigade of DB drivers can be disciplined/dismissed.

delad

BX 19 wrote: »

Yep! I used to throw a load of coppers and 10,20 cents when I was short change in college

could that be used as a way to get receipts for change, so you put in less than the receipt you are getting, and just do that all day?

Posy

I don't cycle (don't start me on cyclists!!) so may I ask how it is a better/safer thing for cyclists not to use cycle lanes?
Will they be back on the footpaths?

Kurooi

I don't even drive and cyclists annoy me ! Are there no laws concerning them? seriously just last week I seen one blast off full speed into a crowd of people crossing the road (on green for them) and smacking into some woman knocking her off. Seriously does no one on a bicycle even try to act as if they were driving a car because that is the kind of approach I take, obey same rules as cars but on the side or separate lane.

bobby23

Stheno wrote: »

So basically you are unable to do one element of your job checking fares?

All of your posts basically support shutting down Dublin Bus and privatising it.
Getting rid of people who are overpaid for not carrying out basic elements of their job (such as you), and encourage fare evasion would be a start.

We get the average industrial wage.
Drivers will still be needed if privatised. Doubt i would have to work late shift if private operator. Win for me.

It is fierce annoying to see the dregs of society use and abuse the bus service.
Inspectors Will tell you how they go to court for fare evasion fines and the judge in his wisdom will let repeat offenders off scot free.

Some would like fare evasion to double if not tripple, and then maybe something will be done about it.

A lot of drivers are of the opinion that it has to get much worse before it gets better.
When Dublin bus revenue drops trough the floor but passengers numbers are up, maybe the powers that be will do something.

Just look at the dirt of the buses, they are cleaned every night and if they come back to the garage during the day they are cleaned again, yet they are filthy after only a hour or two of service.
Dublin Bus is not completely to blame for the state of the service, passengers must take some of the blame.
How many times have you payed the correct fare while your friend under pays?

delad

Why do so many bus drivers try to intimidate young people and foreigners?

Why are Dublin bus drivers incapable of smoothly slowing down to a stop and smoothly pulling away from a stop? How difficult is that to do?

Why aren't Dublin bus drivers considerate to elderly people and people with disabilities? Would it really kill you to wait until said people have been able to get to a seat and sit down before flooring it like a lunatic?

urbane4u

I got a question -> There are frequent advertisements asking people to use the bus; Do company official and your boss, management ever use the bus. I see lot of swanky cars (always parked wrongly) near the depot at phoenix park entrance.

Stheno

bobby23 wrote: »

How many times have you payed the correct fare while your friend under pays?

Never I have a yearly pass, which I will not renew next year due to the appalling service.

I use the private Swords Express service other than for getting into and out of work.

Far nicer service, far more efficient, geared towards the customers, and not over paid, underskilled union members.

The_Wrecker

Deleted User wrote: »

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

Hold the queue while continuing their phone call.

Wishbone Ash

Posy wrote: »

so may I ask how it is a better/safer thing for cyclists not to use cycle lanes?

Where do I start.....

poorly maintained surfaces
glass/debris - road sweepers sweep debris into cycle lanes
pedestrians
confused elderly people
dog walkers with leads extending across lane
buggies
tricycles
wheelie bins abandoned on bin day
parked vehicles
bus stops on lanes
bus passengers alighting onto lanes/waiting on lanes
poles/bus stop signs/lighting poles planted on lanes
picnics (Clontarf)
need to make right turn ahead
wet leaves in leafy areas
dead ends
low hanging branches (Stillorgan DC)
yield symbols at every driveway
"cyclist dismount" signs (imagine "motorist get out and push" signs)

etc. etc.

Wishbone Ash

Stheno wrote: »

I use the private Swords Express service other than for getting into and out of work.

Far nicer service, far more efficient, geared towards the customers, and not over paid, underskilled union members.

They may be geared towards customers but continually break the law by parking on cycle lanes, footpaths, bus lanes etc. basically giving the two fingers to those who are not their customers.

bobby23

Kurooi wrote: »

Do bus drivers ever notice that someone is smoking on the bus?
Do they care?
Can they do anything about it?

I often see people do it, together with alcohol and illegal drugs even and only once in a while does the bus driver actually spam the "smoking is illegal..." message, which actually works like a charm but still I would love to once in a while see Garda getting hold of the more out right bad passengers.

All driver can do is call for the guards, aprox 30minutes for them to arrive.
Decent Passengers become very angry with driver for delay, urge him "just drive".
Why no plan clothes guard on bus to catch anti social behaviour?

At the end of the day the driver has the same powers as any other passenger and that is to make a citizens arrest. How many of you keyboard warriors would do that?

handsomecake

my question is :

do you like aggro?

bobby23

Scortho wrote: »

Is there no actual coin counting machine?
SO I could just throw in a fistful of 10c and be on my merry way without having paid the full fair?

Driver has a quick look, if it looks right you are good to go.

Stheno

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

They may be geared towards customers but continually break the law by parking on cycle lanes, footpaths, bus lanes etc. basically giving the two fingers to those who are not their customers.

Didn't know that, haven't used them for a good six months.

Shame.

The_Wrecker

Stheno wrote: »

So basically you are unable to do one element of your job checking fares?

All of your posts basically support shutting down Dublin Bus and privatising it.
Getting rid of people who are overpaid for not carrying out basic elements of their job (such as you), and encourage fare evasion would be a start.

You try looking and counting coins behind 10yrs old perspex after dark when the passenger has been busking all day for spare change.

bobby23

Will answer questions posted up to midnight.

Stheno

The_Wrecker wrote: »

You try looking and counting coins behind 10yrs old perspex after dark when the passenger has been busking all day for spare change.

I've already suggested they put in counting machines.

That of course would be up to "management"