Go-Ahead Dublin City Routes - Updates and Discussion

Yer Da sells Avon

Stephen15 wrote: »

Also a DB SG on the 84 had it's back window on the lower deck outside Bray Station as it was hit by the wing mirror of a GAI Streetlite pulling away from the stop. I would say this is more due to the poor design of the Streetlites due the fact the passenger sides wing mirror protrudes more than most other buses.

In addition to the protruding mirrors, they have a tendency to abruptly jump forward, rather than creep, as the driver releases the brake. This makes maneuvering extremely difficult. There have been several similar incidents, so it's obviously a fundamental design fault, rather than simple driver error. Eventually, this will result in injuries or deaths.

n!ghtmancometh

They don't care. Go Ahead/privatisation is the NTA's pet project and failure will never be admitted, despite Go Ahead ballsing up again and again.

The social media complaining was a waste of time with Dublin Bus, the emails were a waste of time with Dublin Bus and even complaining to local politicians was a waste with Dublin Bus, as complaints were never followed up on or recurring issues were fobbed off with the usual 'operational issues', so I imagine the same can be assumed for Go Ahead services.

Message from the NTA is basically: If you cannot afford a car or have no viable alternative to the bus, you are to know your place and accept any auld crap bus service given to you, whilst paying out the nose for said bus service.

TallGlass

Out of interest. How much are NTA saving here?

Surely Go Ahead have SLAs with the NTA? Are they getting fined for the poor service levels

Stephen15

TallGlass wrote: »

Surely Go Ahead have SLAs with the NTA? Are they getting fined for the poor service levels

Just a guess that such SLAs may have some kind of cooling off period attached with them to allow for any teething issues.

markpb

TallGlass wrote: »

Surely Go Ahead have SLAs with the NTA? Are they getting fined for the poor service levels

I’d be very surprised if the NTA and GAI blindly assumed (like many here) that the changeover would be seamless, that everything would go according to plan and that the timetables would be perfect on day one. Even an ounce of common sense would say that they had planned for interruption. It’s not ideal but it was always extremely likely to happen.

LastStop

p_haugh wrote: »

I was also waiting for that bus. I think it left 15 minutes early, as when I was getting off the DART from town at 6:50, I saw a 17 to Rialto leaving that stop :mad:

Did you check the new timetable for the 17s? Monday - Friday from blackrock 06.52 and then 07.27.

07.05 is Saturday times

p_haugh

LastStop wrote: »

Did you check the new timetable for the 17s? Monday - Friday from blackrock 06.52 and then 07.27.

07.05 is Saturday times

Sorry meant 7 in the evening, which is meant to leave at 19:06.

One I saw when getting off the dart was the 18:44, which left 5 minutes late

AlekSmart

TallGlass wrote: »

Out of interest. How much are NTA saving here?

Surely Go Ahead have SLAs with the NTA? Are they getting fined for the poor service levels

The continuing absence of the GAI Contract specifications from the public domain is now leading to the inevitable speculation and uncertainty as to what oversight is in place on the soending of €172,000,000 of public funding.

It would appear that the Authority's strategy is to force interested parties into submitting Freedom of Information Act requests,which would then allow for very specific or redacted publication of the Contractual elements.

I personally see it as somewhat sinister for a Public Body to be so reluctant to reveal details of a Public Service Contract with a particular company,when the details of all other such PSO contracts remain freely available on the Authorities own website,and have done since inception.

"None of your business"appears to have become the NTA motto,when dealing with the BMO process...?

devnull

AlekSmart wrote: »

I personally see it as somewhat sinister for a Public Body to be so reluctant to reveal details of a Public Service Contract with a particular company,when the details of all other such PSO contracts remain freely available on the Authorities own website,and have done since inception.

Like the Bus Eireann Waterford one you mean?

Every direct award contract has been treated in the same way as each other and every single tendered contract under the BMO process has been treated exactly the same way as others.

Stephen Gawking

Has anyone heard of a delay in the final transfer of routes frim DB to GAI? The 18 /76 apparently aren't being transferred until the end of march. Looking really shambolic at this stage. Hope its not true as this whole saga has been dominated by 'teething problems.'

Bigmac1euro

Day 1 bus is 30 minutes late
Day 2 bus is a no show.


Day 3 it will probably come driving through my living room wall. Ahhh yeah go ahead buddy

Dravokivich

I know a driver in go ahead and apparently there was a few minor collisions which took quite a few buses off the road, but they don't have the parts available to them at present to carry out repairs needed to get them back on the road. So they could be left in a similar position as DUBLIN Bus have plenty of times before, "what do we prioritise with reduced availability."

Stephen15 wrote: »

Just a guess that such SLAs may have some kind of cooling off period attached with them to allow for any teething issues.

Usually happens where I work. The SLA would be reported on new accounts and services for an initially period, but not penalised for any failure. To see whether or not it's possible first. And to give operations the chance to adjust, for any short comings identified in service.

Dravokivich

Yer Da sells Avon wrote: »

In addition to the protruding mirrors, they have a tendency to abruptly jump forward, rather than creep, as the driver releases the brake. This makes maneuvering extremely difficult. There have been several similar incidents, so it's obviously a fundamental design fault, rather than simple driver error. Eventually, this will result in injuries or deaths.

I doubt the brakes are a fault, they'd be taken off the road if it's the case. There's a lot of people driving with go ahead who are new to these types of vehicles and probably weren't also used to automatics either. I suspect they are going harder on the throttle than they expected.

cherryghost

Stephen Gawking wrote: »

Has anyone heard of a delay in the final transfer of routes frim DB to GAI? The 18 /76 apparently aren't being transferred until the end of march. Looking really shambolic at this stage. Hope its not true as this whole saga has been dominated by 'teething problems.'

That's terrible if true. The 76/a is unreliable as-is, and often full to the brim halfway through the journey. Some of the DB routes is in bad need of increased frequency following the handoff of these routes. Honestly it was one thing I was holding onto in my area for improved travel time (the awful 13 would have benefitted from increased frequency)

Thrashssacre

cherryghost wrote: »

That's terrible if true. The 76/a is unreliable as-is, and often full to the brim halfway through the journey. Some of the DB routes is in bad need of increased frequency following the handoff of these routes. Honestly it was one thing I was holding onto in my area for improved travel time (the awful 13 would have benefitted from increased frequency)

The 13 is fine bar a half hour to 45 minuite period in the morning peak. Not sure about the north side end but in all my years of getting it only once could I not get on and in fairness I was at the red cow at about 6pm

76 needs a serious overhaul. Filled to the brim even outside peak, no shows are a daily occurrences and the real time is absolutely no use a lot of the time.

cherryghost

Thrashssacre wrote: »

The 13 is fine bar a half hour to 45 minuite period in the morning peak. Not sure about the north side end but in all my years of getting it only once could I not get on and in fairness I was at the red cow at about 6pm

76 needs a serious overhaul. Filled to the brim even outside peak, no shows are a daily occurrences and the real time is absolutely no use a lot of the time.

I use the 13 a lot many times during the day due to my erratic work hours against my will (I always try to use 151 where possible). Bus is normally full after 7:15 til 9am. It's full mid morning quite often on weekdays because of a backup of buses after rushhour (there's a gap of sometimes an hour due to congestion of buses finishing its routes). The bus is full (along with 40) from CC outwards from around 4:30pm right out past 8pm. It's also terrible for bunching at all hours due to its long convoluted, lack of bus lanes, route.

Thrashssacre

The bunching is fairly common due to the route length and yes busses are busy but it’s extreamly rare for them to be so full as to stop taking passengers. outside of peak hours I’ve never had a problem getting a seat once the bus has gotten to the end of dame street which is acceptable in my opinion, any route traversing the city should be busy at peak times. I think splitting the route into a north side and Southside route like it use to be would be a good idea though the bunching can ridiculous at times same goes for the 40

Stephen15

Stephen Gawking wrote: »

Has anyone heard of a delay in the final transfer of routes frim DB to GAI? The 18 /76 apparently aren't being transferred until the end of march. Looking really shambolic at this stage. Hope its not true as this whole saga has been dominated by 'teething problems.'

The new route 155 is meant to be starting when the 18 transfers which is meant to be no later than early March. I don't what the problems taking over the 18 and 76 are. How could get drivers to start every other route but not these or is there another issue that's not getting drivers.

StreetLight

Stephen Gawking wrote: »

Has anyone heard of a delay in the final transfer of routes frim DB to GAI? The 18 /76 apparently aren't being transferred until the end of march. Looking really shambolic at this stage. Hope its not true as this whole saga has been dominated by 'teething problems.'

Exactly what I said over a week ago.

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=109118554&postcount=3242

TallGlass

markpb wrote: »

I’d be very surprised if the NTA and GAI blindly assumed (like many here) that the changeover would be seamless, that everything would go according to plan and that the timetables would be perfect on day one. Even an ounce of common sense would say that they had planned for interruption. It’s not ideal but it was always extremely likely to happen.

I knew this would be a rocky hand over. Too many 'new' variables at play. Throw enough mud however and some will stick sort of approach from NTA, rather than a gentle easing in of services over 2 years.

dfx-

cherryghost wrote: »

I use the 13 a lot many times during the day due to my erratic work hours against my will (I always try to use 151 where possible). Bus is normally full after 7:15 til 9am. It's full mid morning quite often on weekdays because of a backup of buses after rushhour (there's a gap of sometimes an hour due to congestion of buses finishing its routes). The bus is full (along with 40) from CC outwards from around 4:30pm right out past 8pm. It's also terrible for bunching at all hours due to its long convoluted, lack of bus lanes, route.

The 13 is a nightmare, to be avoided like the plague. iIt's too long. There's crushloads on a 15 minute frequency until 9pm. If you try to get it on Thomas St in the evening, you may as well take a book and settle in for a long wait.

It's always worth the walk to the 151, 68 or 69 if possible.

cherryghost

dfx- wrote: »

The 13 is a nightmare, to be avoided like the plague. iIt's too long. There's crushloads on a 15 minute frequency until 9pm. If you try to get it on Thomas St in the evening, you may as well take a book and settle in for a long wait.

It's always worth the walk to the 151, 68 or 69 if possible.

I know but
a) 68 runs once an hour and can be unreliable
b) 151 I get more often during commuting hours but its full at times and because of frequency, if one doesnt make it, sometimes it can be 20/30 mins before the next one.
c) 68x runs at a weird time, doesnt get into town by either 8am or 9am.
d) 69 too far.
e) 51D runs too late in the morning for myself.

So process of elimination the ****show of the 13 becomes my only option at times.

Yer Da sells Avon

Dravokivich wrote: »

I doubt the brakes are a fault, they'd be taken off the road if it's the case. There's a lot of people driving with go ahead who are new to these types of vehicles and probably weren't also used to automatics either. I suspect they are going harder on the throttle than they expected.

You don't even need to touch the throttle for them to take off. It's impossible to maneuver them with any level of precision. Experienced drivers have had issues with them too.

LeinsterDub

TallGlass wrote: »

I knew this would be a rocky hand over. Too many 'new' variables at play. Throw enough mud however and some will stick sort of approach from NTA, rather than a gentle easing in of services over 2 years.

2 years ! Why such a long time frame ? I've heard nothing about the 17A since about a week after launch.

punisher5112

The SG model was totally different to anything we ever had.

If you release the handbrake it does nothing that's why when you do put the foot on to get moving they jump.

Terrible bus.

Technocentral

Why does the TFI app have the 220s destination as Kilmacanogue (place in Wicklow)? It Just went by me in Finglas (on time) the destination on its front was Ballymun.

n!ghtmancometh

punisher5112 wrote: »

The SG model was totally different to anything we ever had.

If you release the handbrake it does nothing that's why when you do put the foot on to get moving they jump.

Terrible bus.

Happened this evening on a jam packed hardly any room for standing 69, moving off from the lights on the Naas Road. Engine revved for a second or two before jolting off. Great fun when you are struggling to keep a grip of the grab bars for balance.

punisher5112

n!ghtmancometh wrote: »

Happened this evening on a jam packed hardly any room for standing 69, moving off from the lights on the Naas Road. Engine revved for a second or two before jolting off. Great fun when you are struggling to keep a grip of the grab bars for balance.

Just so you're aware it's not us driver's and we can be going at a walking pace and it feels as a passenger like we are speeding.

They are shockingly bad and very uncomfortable.

Every little crack, bump and pot hole.
Ramps are back breaking.

thomasj

Pretty sure I just saw a go ahead single decker bus that was brought over for training , in service with passengers on board heading through Blanchardstown centre.

At the back ,it said out of service , so I presume it has a paper destination on the front .

punisher5112

thomasj wrote: »

Pretty sure I just saw a go ahead single decker bus that was brought over for training , in service with passengers on board heading through Blanchardstown centre.

At the back ,it said out of service , so I presume it has a paper destination on the front .

Wasn't this by any chance????