Dublin Bus - driver change

TheBandicoot

If your bus is delayed waiting for a driver, can you change to another bus on the same route that is pulled up behind you for free?

This morning we were sitting for almost 10 minutes at Bachelors Walk on the 39a, because we arrived at 9:40- the bus leaves Ongar at 8:50 and obviously the timetable says it should take an hour to arrive at the Walk so that's when the relief driver is scheduled to be there.

Most passengers just got off amid huffing and puffing, not sure where they went. I was wondering if I do get off, could I get whatever 39a appears behind next?(I know that the next departure, the 0900 from Ongar, does not have a driver change, and sometimes it might have caught up with the 0850 at Bachelors Walk)

EDIT: also, there was a ticket check on the bus this morning, the 2nd time I've had one in the last month!

corktina

Why don't you avoid getting the 8.50 and wait for the 9.00 at Ongar?

AlekSmart

TheBandicoot wrote: »

If your bus is delayed waiting for a driver, can you change to another bus on the same route that is pulled up behind you for free?

EDIT: also, there was a ticket check on the bus this morning, the 2nd time I've had one in the last month!

Short answer,Yes you can.

Once you make it known to the driver of the other bus that there's a problem then you're good to go.

Equally,if you're travelling on a Leapcard when this occurs ,do NOT tag on again.

On the ticket-check issue,within the next three months,customers can expect to encounter far more random revenue checks across the system.

TheBandicoot

corktina wrote: »

Why don't you avoid getting the 8.50 and wait for the 9.00 at Ongar?

I do just that most days for precisely this reason, but it usually gets me into work between 1005 and 1015, but today I needed to be on a call at 10 on the dot, and the 0850 at least brings me to work just before 10. It doesn't leave me late or anything even with the driver change, it is just annoying to make good time all the way into the city centre, then three stops from work get held up for almost quarter of the journey time!

AlekSmart wrote: »

Short answer,Yes you can.

Once you make it known to the driver of the other bus that there's a problem then you're good to go.

Thanks. Is this another gentleman's agreement i.e am I at the mercy of the driver accepting this explanation, or is it a policy? Also, what stops someone who was waiting at Bachelor's Walk just boarding the bus and saying the same thing for free travel?:D

AlekSmart

TheBandicoot wrote: »

Thanks. Is this another gentleman's agreement i.e am I at the mercy of the driver accepting this explanation, or is it a policy? Also, what stops someone who was waiting at Bachelor's Walk just boarding the bus and saying the same thing for free travel?:D

I've never seen the printed word on it,but anytime it happens with me,and most of my colleagues It's pack em in and go..

Of course you may well encounter an Eejit,but that could well be said of a Garda,Shop-Assistant,Security Guard or Government Minister too.

In olden times there was a "Transfer Ticket",which was supposed to be issued by a Driver Transferring his full bus load.

However,in Dublin usage,the Transfer Ticket ended up being given to any individual passenger transferring due to mishaps,breakdowns etc.

8734222 may well get you the OFFICIAL line on this ?

PS: This Transfer situation remains a VERY significant issue in London also,with so many TfL services being curtailed en-route for various reasons...so much so that TfL had to recently introduce a protocol to cover it....

http://www.fixmytransport.com/campaigns/demand-a-refund-of-your-money-from-t

http://www.londonreconnections.com/2013/tfl-make-changes-to-bus-transfer-tickets/

So...take heart...we are not alone !!!

schemingbohemia

I can't understand why DB don't introduce an automated message (as drivers seem for the most part to be mute or afraid of using the PA) to announce a driver change-over. The amount of times people have waited on the bus for a driver change-over and got off at the next stop (which they'd have reached in half the time) amazes me.

AlekSmart

schemingbohemia wrote: »

I can't understand why DB don't introduce an automated message (as drivers seem for the most part to be mute or afraid of using the PA) to announce a driver change-over. The amount of times people have waited on the bus for a driver change-over and got off at the next stop (which they'd have reached in half the time) amazes me.

It's on the "Announcements" menu.

TheBandicoot

There is such an announcement, it played this morning. The driver also made a manual PA announcement.

coylemj

schemingbohemia wrote: »

I can't understand why DB don't introduce an automated message (as drivers seem for the most part to be mute or afraid of using the PA) to announce a driver change-over. The amount of times people have waited on the bus for a driver change-over and got off at the next stop (which they'd have reached in half the time) amazes me.

At Donnybrook you'd be aware that there's a driver changeover because the bus stops well short of the bus stop, that's the inbound one near the tyre centre and the outbound stop at the Sacred Heart church. So no need for an announcement really and most handovers there are pretty efficient.

schemingbohemia

AlekSmart wrote: »

It's on the "Announcements" menu.

TheBandicoot wrote: »

There is such an announcement, it played this morning. The driver also made a manual PA announcement.

coylemj wrote: »

At Donnybrook you'd be aware that there's a driver changeover because the bus stops well short of the bus stop, that's the inbound one near the tyre centre and the outbound stop at the Sacred Heart church. So no need for an announcement really and most handovers there are pretty efficient.

Never heard it used, in fairness it would be rare that I get a bus where there's a driver change.
Most recently it would have been the 15 taken at Tara St then around the corner on Hawkins Street there could be a significant delay with the only "announcement" being the turning off of the engine which wouldn't happen every time.

EricPraline

coylemj wrote: »

At Donnybrook you'd be aware that there's a driver changeover because the bus stops well short of the bus stop, that's the inbound one near the tyre centre and the outbound stop at the Sacred Heart church. So no need for an announcement really and most handovers there are pretty efficient.

Not always efficient, have had a 10 minute wait on the in-bound stop on a number of occasions. Also, the driver changeover is obvious to those who regularly use routes that pass through Donnybrook, but often leads to confused and worried looks from tourists and students from abroad. Have yet to hear a PA announcement there yet.

Julius Seizure

Some of the city centre changes are stupid though, could they not be done on O'Connell street instead of Parnell St? On the 38 for example the bus will be stopped there for a couple of minutes anyway as that's where all the passengers get off. I'm sure there are more situations like this around the network anyway.

LXFlyer

Julius Seizure wrote: »

Some of the city centre changes are stupid though, could they not be done on O'Connell street instead of Parnell St? On the 38 for example the bus will be stopped there for a couple of minutes anyway as that's where all the passengers get off. I'm sure there are more situations like this around the network anyway.

And block the stop for other routes if it arrives early?

Driver changes are best taking place where there is a safe and reasonable area to wait, should the need arise.

O'Connell Street does not afford that space.

stehyl15

What i cant understand why drivers have to take an age having a chat they should say hi bye pick up passaengers and go on a 30 second process

punisher5112

stehyl15 wrote: »

What i cant understand why drivers have to take an age having a chat they should say hi bye pick up passaengers and go on a 30 second process

Because its nice to be nice and to be honest at times it could be something important, or something on the route or a problem and also can be nice to wind down or have a laugh before or after dealing with fools.

Julius Seizure

lxflyer wrote: »

And block the stop for other routes if it arrives early?

Driver changes are best taking place where there is a safe and reasonable area to wait, should the need arise.

O'Connell Street does not afford that space.

If it can be done on Bachelor's Walk it can be done on OCS. I mean most of the time it's not too slow but even if the driver is there the handover still takes a minute or two which would be better at a stop where the passengers will be getting on and off anyway.

cdebru

TheBandicoot wrote: »

If your bus is delayed waiting for a driver, can you change to another bus on the same route that is pulled up behind you for free?

This morning we were sitting for almost 10 minutes at Bachelors Walk on the 39a, because we arrived at 9:40- the bus leaves Ongar at 8:50 and obviously the timetable says it should take an hour to arrive at the Walk so that's when the relief driver is scheduled to be there.

Most passengers just got off amid huffing and puffing, not sure where they went. I was wondering if I do get off, could I get whatever 39a appears behind next?(I know that the next departure, the 0900 from Ongar, does not have a driver change, and sometimes it might have caught up with the 0850 at Bachelors Walk)

EDIT: also, there was a ticket check on the bus this morning, the 2nd time I've had one in the last month!

Said it before this could mostly be avoided by overlapping the drivers starting and finishing times for enroute handovers, in your example bus is due at 9:50 relief driver is due at 9:50 if the relief driver had a 10 minute overlap so he has to be there at 9:40 even though officially the bus is not due for another 10 minutes problem solved.

The Dagda

punisher5112 wrote: »

Because its nice to be nice and to be honest at times it could be something important, or something on the route or a problem and also can be nice to wind down or have a laugh before or after dealing with fools.

Yes the priority should be the lads having a chat rather than the, you know, customers, or fools as you call them! :rolleyes:

punisher5112

The Dagda wrote: »

Yes the priority should be the lads having a chat rather than the, you know, customers, or fools as you call them! :rolleyes:

Never have I said all were fools far from it most are decent people and honestly a driver talking for a few seconds or a minute or so isn't a big deal.

Maybe for some its a issue but people get on asking questions or even stop the bus even though they don't want it.

Most of the time the bus is ahead of time so in this case you technically shouldn't even be at the stop yet.

Definitely bigger things to be worrying about.

AlekSmart

The Dagda wrote: »

Yes the priority should be the lads having a chat rather than the, you know, customers, or fools as you call them! :rolleyes:

Oddly enough,priorities,if thats what they are,can be wildly different,even amongst passengers.

I had a situation,last year, where a young lad with a non-obvious disability,was making his first solo journey by bus.

His Father accompanied him to the terminus and discreetly advised me of the situation,explaining that a lot of preparation had gone into the journey,including the BAC "buddy" programme,but they now wanted to see if he was ready to roll independently.

No big deal,and all part of what Busdrivers can encounter virtually every day.

However,as I was handing-over in the City Centre,I took the time to brief my relief driver conversationally, on the situation,including the description and location of the young lad,and the fact that he was being met at a designated Bus-Stop etc.

I have little doubt that there may well have been many other passengers on board that journey,fuming at the barefaced effrontery of two Busdrivers "chatting".

Different priority,one of the many such priorities which can and do alter as each journey progresses...most people usually manage to cope without permanent scarring,some never do,but that's a feature of life itself I guess ?

I sometimes smile,in places such as Paris,where I have seen traditional handshakes and an embrace or two (along with an obligatory exchange of Cigarettes !) between Busdrivers.

PS: The young-fella flew through the journey and now travels daily on his tod,so at least somebody came away with a positive