Double-Decker Buses

Cityslicker1

Has anyone noticed the new Double-decker buses around the city?

Berty

Yes, they've been testing them for a number of weeks now and 4 of them went "Live" in the City this morning.

Poxyshamrock

Saw a few (or the same one more than once) this afternoon in town. Must try get a spin on one firing the week. They're massive!

dave 27

I assume it's just the UL and dooradoyle routes?

Poxyshamrock

dave 27 wrote: »

I assume it's just the UL and dooradoyle routes?

Just the 304, yeah.

stefanovich

Cityslicker1 wrote: »

Has anyone noticed the new Double-decker buses around the city?

Saw the 304 the other day. Kinda cool I must say Might take the bus with the plebs for the laugh.

Special Circumstances

Saw my first double decker here yesterday. Also saw my first group of "disadvantaged" (by their parents) children acting the maggot upstairs. Good times. Good times.

Umekichi

I'm really liking them so far, upstairs they have a screen that tells you what stop they are at and what stops are next. It also gives you an idea of what time the bus will arrive at the next stop. Hopefully these buses will help reduce the crush of people on the 304(If only the bus drivers would stop letting on 2-3 buggies on at the same time!).

Poxyshamrock

Spotted one in training out by Caherdavin this morning. I wonder are there plans to bring more double deckers for other routes in the future.

Umekichi

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

Spotted one in training out by Caherdavin this morning. I wonder are there plans to bring more double deckers for other routes in the future.

I'd say so, they are probably phasing them in slowly, prioritizing the busier routes

dashoonage

Ah here lads...someone take a picture...i dont want to leave my house

leakyboots

Two of them one after the other on the way out to the Crescent yesterday evening around 6

Vanquished

Good to see more investment in the city bus fleet. Double deckers making a return to the streets of Limerick after an absence of 20 years. They were withdrawn in January 1996 apparently.

We just need some more bus lanes now.

davo2001

Jasus lads, its a double decker bus, not the virgin fecking Mary!!

Insect Overlord

davo2001 wrote: »

Jasus lads, its a double decker bus, not the virgin fecking Mary!!

At least you can always tell when the Novena will be on. You can rarely be sure that your bus will turn up.

Shannon757

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

Spotted one in training out by Caherdavin this morning. I wonder are there plans to bring more double deckers for other routes in the future.

All of the city buses will be replsced with double deckers, although this will take a number of years.

Insect Overlord

Slightly off topic, but it used to be fierce exciting visiting Dublin as a teenager (before the Luas came along) and always taking the seats at the back upstairs on the Dublin Bus double-deckers.

marno21

Vanquished wrote: »

Good to see more investment in the city bus fleet. Double deckers making a return to the streets of Limerick after an absence of 20 years. They were withdrawn in January 1996 apparently.

We just need some more bus lanes now.

Where would you suggest?

stefanovich

Vanquished wrote: »

They were withdrawn in January 1996 apparently.
.

Don't remember them back then.

Berty

An File wrote: »

Slightly off topic, but it used to be fierce exciting visiting Dublin as a teenager (before the Luas came along) and always taking the seats at the back upstairs on the Dublin Bus double-deckers.

If obviously much older because I remember them here and our buses used to have the softest seat cushions as well.

There were other buses which had rows and rows of seats facing the same way and they had such uncomfortable seats. Normally used for school runs but often you got unlucky on your route.

In one of those old picture books of limerick you can see a double decker driving passed burger king and there's a mother and child on the top deck. It's my mother in law and sister in law and she's about 3.

Vanquished

marno21 wrote: »

Where would you suggest?

Complete the bus lane along O'Connell Avenue in to the city centre and get cracking on the rest of the Ennis Road from the maternity hospital to Ivans cross. There were also plans for a "green route" through Thomondgate and out to LIT which would be worthwhile.

The bus lane along Mulgrave Street needs to be extended along the Ballysimon Road to link up with the proposed continuation of the lane from the Dublin Road through the Parkway roundabout and along Childers Road. There is a project in the pipeline to develop bus and cycle lanes along the Childers Road from the Parkway to Roxboro and possibly Punches Cross. This is also set to include the removal of the existing roundabouts and the installation of signalised junctions.

Mc Love

Shannon757 wrote: »

All of the city buses will be replsced with double deckers, although this will take a number of years.

Dont think they will though as some of the routes go under railway bridges dont they?

Cookiemunster

Mc Love wrote: »

Dont think they will though as some of the routes go under railway bridges dont they?

The railway bridges on the Dublin Rd. and Ballysimon Rd. were replaced by newer bridges with a higher clearance since we last had double deckers in Limerick.

mgbgt1978

Jaysus I must be old.
I (just) remember the Double-Deckers with the open rear entrance & the winding staircase at the very back of the Bus.
I think it was 2 old pennies to go anywhere in Limerick (child fare ?). Back then (early 70's) I lived in Sunville and the buses even used to service the North circular road.

dashoonage

I spotted one! I spotted one! gigiddy.....

Poxyshamrock

Got one today from Dooradoyle. They feel a lot smoother than the single deckers. The bus driver seemed to take corners a bit wider and slowed down a lot more than normal when approaching traffic or parked cars. Lovely smell of new off it as well! :pac:

The bus driver wouldn't leave on people with a prams as there was already someone on the bus with one. He said they're only allowed one per bus. They weren't too pleased to be left waiting.

Shannon757

I'm on one now. Fierce nice buses. I agree with Poxyshamrock. Very cool looking with more of a presence than the other city buses.

Shannon757

Hitting a lot of branches:-o

Berty

Big green one just passed me in Kildare by the tricky train bridge and the young couple upstairs at the front just freaked out as I guess it must appear you can't control the bus in your own head.

Shannon757

Berty wrote: »

Big green one just passed me in Kildare by the tricky train bridge and the young couple upstairs at the front just freaked out as I guess it must appear you can't control the bus in your own head.

That would be Dublin Coach. I'm all alone up above and no one will join me

Umekichi

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

The bus driver wouldn't leave on people with a prams as there was already someone on the bus with one. He said they're only allowed one per bus. They weren't too pleased to be left waiting.

I hope they keep enforcing this rule. It's infuriating trying to get on/off a bus when the driver has decided that it's perfectly fine to leave on 3/4 open buggies. Has caused me to trip a few times.

Shannon757

Back on the single decker feels weird now.

Shannon757

Really narrow stairs on them.

ShatterProof

Shannon757 wrote: »

Back on the single decker feels weird now.

Shannon757 wrote: »

Really narrow stairs on them.

When did they put stairs in the single deckers ?

zulutango

Umekichi wrote: »

I hope they keep enforcing this rule. It's infuriating trying to get on/off a bus when the driver has decided that it's perfectly fine to leave on 3/4 open buggies. Has caused me to trip a few times.

There must be a better solution than simply not letting people with buggies on. We want people with kids using the bus, don't we?

Skintwin

zulutango wrote: »

There must be a better solution than simply not letting people with buggies on. We want people with kids using the bus, don't we?

As far as I know, as long as the buggies are folded and stored in the correct areas, the driver can let on as many as will fit. But I've seen drivers ask people to do this before and be met with a litany of abuse!
I have to agree that it is infuriating when drivers leave 3/4 buggies on, t can be hell to try and get off and the LOOKS you get from the parents when you ask them to move the buggy so you can get through, murderous!

Shannon757

ShatterProof wrote: »

When did they put stairs in the single deckers ?

I meant on the double deckers

Umekichi

zulutango wrote: »

There must be a better solution than simply not letting people with buggies on. We want people with kids using the bus, don't we?

What is supposed to happen is that other people with buggies who get on are supposed to fold the buggy. However it has never really been enforced as the drivers get abuse when they have enforced it. I don't want people with kids in buggies to be left off but at the same time I want to be able to get off the bus without running the risk of breaking my neck. It's also a nightmare if you are in a wheelchair as 60-70% of the time you are left waiting for the next bus as someone with a buggy is taking up the wheelchair space.

stefanovich

Umekichi wrote: »

What is supposed to happen is that other people with buggies who get on are supposed to fold the buggy. However it has never really been enforced as the drivers get abuse when they have enforced it. I don't want people with kids in buggies to be left off but at the same time I want to be able to get off the bus without running the risk of breaking my neck. It's also a nightmare if you are in a wheelchair as 60-70% of the time you are left waiting for the next bus as someone with a buggy is taking up the wheelchair space.

How about this. All buggies must be folded. Leave the space for the wheelchair user who has no option?

celligraphy

Skintwin wrote:

As far as I know, as long as the buggies are folded and stored in the correct areas, the driver can let on as many as will fit. But I've seen drivers ask people to do this before and be met with a litany of abuse! I have to agree that it is infuriating when drivers leave 3/4 buggies on, t can be hell to try and get off and the LOOKS you get from the parents when you ask them to move the buggy so you can get through, murderous!

Do they really get guff over asking ?? I usually fold up my buggy if it's busy enough and let the little one sit on my lap

Umekichi

stefanovich wrote: »

How about this. All buggies must be folded. Leave the space for the wheelchair user who has no option?

I'd agree with that if bus eireann implemented it but it would need to be enforced.

celligraphy wrote: »

Do they really get guff over asking ?? I usually fold up my buggy if it's busy enough and let the little one sit on my lap

I've seen it happen about 5/6 times.