BusConnects Dublin - Big changes to Bus Network

brianc89

I'm still confused as to which app is best. When I search TFI in Play Store, here is what I see - there are 4 apps from TFI?.....

VG31

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119549535#Comment_119549535

The TFI app has a very annoying bug where if you open the app and immediately to go the favourites section your saved bus stops disappear. I wait 2 or 3 seconds to avoid this but I still forget occasionally and have to re-add all my saved bus stops.

LXFlyer

Ok, the various apps do the following:

TFI Real Time Ireland

- This is the current Real Time app - I use that one for the real time info as the live map colouring is better (stops are in blue and live buses are in black).

TFI Go

- This is the mobile ticketing app for use on all Bus Éireann and GoAhead operated regional PSO services, at LEAP prices, and is now being expanded to cover Local link services too.

LEAP Top-Up

- This is the app for manually topping up a LEAP card

TFI Journey Planner

- This is the trip planner app which is useful if you don't know how to get somewhere. It also has the real time functionality of the first app. The colouring on the real time map in this one isn't as clear as bus stops and live buses are both coloured blue).

TFI Live (**this is in test mode)

- This is the new Real Time and Journey Planning app that is is currently under test and will replace the existing TFI Real Time Ireland and TFI Journey Planner apps in due course. I can't comment on it as it's not available on iphone yet.

So, in summary, if all you want is real time information, then for now download the TFI Real Time Ireland app and use that. As I mentioned, the map showing the live bus positions is the most useful feature, along with confirmations of the cancelled and curtailed departures a close second.

If you require the other functionality (like me!) then download the next three as well.

If you want to join in app testing then download the last one as well.

Citrus_8

Ideally, it should be just 1 app covering all the above functions.

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119552139#Comment_119552139

I suspect you will end up with two.

TFI Go for ticketing/LEAP top up and TFI Live for planning and live info.

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119549535#Comment_119549535

Poor ratings for both of them, but you'd imagine people are criticising the services as much as the apps...

Citrus_8

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119552153#Comment_119552153

Sad it won't be 1 only. I've worked in the startup Trafi and we've managed to create 1 app for everything (note, all functions are available for a limited number of cities, but the concept is still just 1 app for everything).

alentejo

Google maps

dublinman1990

To anyone using the TFI Go app. There is some good news for you if you currently use it.

It received a major update today to include multiple amounts of commercial bus operators to buy tickets from the app.

The main 5 ones that I have seen so far is

Dublin Express

City Direct (Galway only)

Ashbourne Connect

Finnegans Bray

Nolan Coaches

And there is more to add in that list too if you can open it on your phone. The list of operators is quite large if you take a look at it.

p_haugh

Jesus that's a fair amount. One thing I noticed is that a lot of them have "Young adult/Student" as the only ticket type option, maybe a mistake and it should read "adult"?

Hotblack Desiato

You'll just have to do this

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119561779#Comment_119561779

No - look at the actual fare amounts.

The new commercial ones are all offering just student fares.

p_haugh

Ah okay, wonder why they don't have any adult tickets for the commercial ones then. Also, they could do with altering the operator selection screen slightly, even at minimum having a search bar and an option for a more condensed layout. If the plan is to add in even more operators, it could become quite a long list. Same for the route selection field (especially prevalent in the Bus Eireann route selection).

dublinman1990

Has there any been any route training in progress for the Southern Orbitals in advance of it's launch later this year?

There is a picture of a Dublin Bus training bus at Dun Laoghaire which was taken in mid August. It is up the C.I.E Buses Photo Group page on Facebook.

I wonder is that bus doing route training for the L25 from Dún Laoghaire to Dundrum Bypass?

Midnight_EG

Training bus only does training school duties. Route learning is in a normal blanked scroll bus

p_haugh

I wonder will the Dublin City services (i.e. Dublin Bus & Go-ahead) be added to the TFI Go at at some stage. Would be a pretty decent stop gap measure until the Next generation ticketing comes into effect in 2024(?). Edinburgh currently has a app similar to TFI Go that can be used on their regular city services

Peregrine

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119578461#Comment_119578461

No, I asked and it's been ruled out in Dublin for having too much driver interaction.

mikeybhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119577804#Comment_119577804

With Dublin Bus yeah never seen them use a training bus for anything else. Go-Ahead sometimes use their training buses for other purposes seen them using it to as a ferry bus to bring drivers from Ballymount to Dun Laoghaire, Bray and Blanch. Think they used them as break buses aswell.

I believe drivers like taking the training buses as ferry buses as they aren't restricted to 65km/h so they're good for driving on the M50 even if they are technically breaking the law.

loyatemu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119578587#Comment_119578587

buy your ticket on the app, get on the bus - no need for any driver interaction. lots of cities have this system, if they're worried about evasion then they should be beefing up the inspection teams, not relying on the drivers.

p_haugh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119578587#Comment_119578587

To be honest I don't see how it would be any longer than using a leap card/cash, if anything it would be quicker as the driver would just need to glance at it and press a button.

mikeybhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119578964#Comment_119578964

Given the volumes of people using DB/GAI services compared to that of BE and the GAI commuter routes I'd say it would create issues with people using fakes/outdated tickets. The driver isn't going to be taking their time to read each individual e-ticket to check it's in date.

They probably feel most drivers will just wave people on even if the ticket is out of date or a screenshot. If they had proper revenue protection like on the continent or even what they have on the Luas it would probably work well.

p_haugh

Winetavern street contraflow going to be in operation from the 25th. Wonder will Dublin Bus reroute any routes from then or just wait till the G-spine launch?

https://www.dublincity.ie/news/new-contraflow-bus-lane-winetavern-street-opens-busconnects-network

Edit: more info in the article below, including this quote from the council

The introduction of this bus lane will initially facilitate driver training and junction signal optimisation prior to services commencing on October 16.

https://irishcycle.com/2022/09/14/contraflow-on-bus-lane-on-winetavern-street-to-open-sunday-week-no-taxis-allowed-says-dublin-city-council/

DaBluBoi

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/frustrations-dublin-west-busconnects-route-25063711.amp

I know that quoting Dublin Live is like using Wikipedia as a valid reference, though this seems concerning

L1011

It's a light controlled single track bridge. The concern cannot be two crossing - it has to be width or approach angles or something else

thomasj

3 full 39as , non-VTs going through blakestown in the space of 5 minutes this morning , first 2 were skipping stops and leaving people behind.

Given the plans for B2 in this area are for 15 minute frequency I dread to think what will happen in 2 years time

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119646068#Comment_119646068

Bear in mind that the L61 will be every 15 mins through Blakestown as well which will feed into the B-Spine routes at Blanchardstown SC.

People may have to change their travel patterns to connect at the shopping centre going forward. Remember too that the B4 will start at the shopping centre so will be empty from there.

Spanish Eyes

Re Winetavern Street contra flow, where are the North bound buses going to be routed if College Green not in use for them eventually.

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119647765#Comment_119647765

Indicative proposed routings are in the map below.

The D and G-Spines will use Winetavern Street and the Quays in both directions.

The A and F Spines will divert via Cuffe Street, around St. Stephen's Green and then Dawson Street (northbound) / Kildare Street (southbound), Nassau Street and Grafton Street to Westmoreland Street / College Street.

The key to all of this is the realignment of the cross-city network to avoid left or right turns at O'Connell Bridge.

Spanish Eyes

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119647901#Comment_119647901

Once again, thanks for filling in the gaps for me. I'm not lazy just a bit bamboozled! I didn't realise that Winetavern Street would be two way for buses, I (stupidly....) read it as bus and cycle contraflow Southbound and car only Northbound. A lot to catch up on. Bit by bit.

thomasj

Not great news on the W6.

https://www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/frustrations-dublin-west-busconnects-route-25063711