BusConnects Dublin - Bus Network Changes Discussion

lateconnection

What are the chances of Dublin Bus/NTA ordering the Enviro500EV tri-axle to boost capacity? I also see Wrightbus have launched a tri-axle version of the Streetdeck Electroliner in Hong Kong.

Some of the busier routes like the 15, 16, 39A, C Spine or E Spine could do with these to boost capacity.

Midnight_EG

Wouldn't get a triaxle off the roundabout at Colmcilles on the 15, or around the bend at Supervalu either. It'd really struggle in Clongriffin too at the loop.

PlatformNine

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123980804#Comment_123980804

This is always an interesting question and there has been a lot of good discussion about it.

At the moment probably not. The NTA is likely prioritising the general rollout of BusConnects and the retiring of single door and end-of-life vehicles. For as nice as the larger buses may be (15-20% extra capacity) everything I mentioned is just a much higher priority, and that means getting as many buses as they can as quickly as they can.

The later point is probably the bigger problem of the two, as DB currently has around 170 buses past the normal end-of-life (14 years if I remember right), all of which also happen to be the single-door buses. Even by itself that is just a lot of buses, but the NTA don't need to just replace them, they need even more buses to continue BC rollout. Plus, from next year the GTs will also start to become life-expired too. BÉ and GAI also have some life-expired urban buses too, but it’s only a handful compared to DB.

Additionally, I wouldn't expect them to order (or more likely setup a framework) any tri-axles before the current framework for the Wright double-deckers is complete. Which, I believe only 421 of 800 have been ordered so far. Though considering the framework is split between DB and BÉ, that will go quite quick, at the rate they have been order buses it could be complete in the next 2-3 years.

That said, I do think they will eventually consider some tri-axles again. It is a good way to boost some routes' capacities by up to 20% without the need for extra services and drivers. However, as said above the bigger question is what routes (and depots) can take them. That I don't have the answer for unfortunately, but their sheer size (and some other comparatively other minor factors) is likely what contributed to only 70 tri-axles being ordered in the mid-2000s.