Go-Ahead Dublin City Routes - Updates and Discussion

Joegriffin2019

Going down south apparently.

soundman45

I think the BE Waterford city services are using Streetlites identical to the GA ones

Stephen15

punisher5112 wrote: »

Oh god I don't want the displeasure of driving a streetlite

I'd say they're more likely for BE in Cork, Limerick or Galway. Thought 40 single deckers was probably a bit too much for GAI considering they can't operate the likes of the 59 and aren't on any DL routes bar the 111. The 63 and 114 can cope with single deckers for most departures but they aren't using them while the 102 is struggling with them and there seems to lesser capacity issues with them on the 184 and 270 during school hours.

Stephen15

soundman45 wrote: »

I think the BE Waterford city services are using Streetlites identical to the GA ones

I think BE are due something like 88 Streetlites for they have about 18 in Waterford atm I believe so there'll be more for Cork, Limerick, Galway and the town services in Athlone and Sligo I'd imagine.

ax586

Joegriffin2019 wrote: »

Go Ahead to get at least 5 more SG type next month. Some street lites may be moving....

It's 8

p_haugh

Got the 17 to and from Blackrock today. Way down was no problem, bus was on time and all.

When getting the return bus though, it left the terminus 10 minutes early. Managed to catch it at the 2nd stop as it was stuck in traffic.
To make matters worse, when it came to my stop, I pressed the buzzer and went to the front. Driver proceeded to sail by the stop like it wasn't there
He realised and let me off at the next stop, must've just started and was a bit rusty.

Weird thing is, another 17 passed me 5 minutes later and it wasn't on the RTPI or timetable

Joegriffin2019

ax586 wrote: »

It's 8

Even better if true, heard it was 5 next month until streetlite situation is sorted.

p_haugh

Joegriffin2019 wrote: »

Even better if true, heard it was 5 next month until streetlite situation is sorted.

Will GAI be getting any of the shorter wheelbase Streetlights?

Stephen15

p_haugh wrote: »

Will GAI be getting any of the shorter wheelbase Streetlights?

Actually heard a rumour they may be swapping 3 streetlites for the shorter WM class streetlites in Waterford which are around the same length as the DB WS class so they can operate the 59.

Stephen15

I've also heard the 18 and the 76/a launch will be delayed now until the new buses are delivered which will likely be late Feburary or early March. This may suggest that the new buses will be in addition to the GAI fleet rather than as replacements for streetlights which would bring up the GAI fleet to 133 buses rather than 125 as it's being said extra buses are required due to demand so perhaps there may be revised timetables aswell with more buses.

Joegriffin2019

I was just waiting for the ok to post this, got it a few minutes ago. Also posted by me on facebook.

Latest Developments:

Go Ahead need at least 10 more double deckers to run full quota of routes.

5 New SG type from 2019 Dublin Bus batch to be delivered next month. These will be in full DB spec. These buses are in Wrights in full Dublin Bus livery, will be repainted by Wrights.

5 streetlites leaving go ahead fleet to Bus Eireann, despite whats been said, no Bus Eireann buses to switch to go ahead.

The trial involving Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann with 9 Hybrid buses will also involve Go Ahead drivers and staff from Irish Commercials.

This is subject to change, but that is the official plan of attack.

dublinman1990

I saw this picture of the 17 on twitter tonight.



Wth was that doing trying to turn into Merrion Gates LC?

Here we go

I'm convinced who ever does the buying of busses in the NTA got a brown envelope to buy those street lights

XPS_Zero

dublinman1990 wrote: »

I saw this picture of the 17 on twitter tonight.



Wth was that doing trying to turn into Merrion Gates LC?

I'm confused as to what the point is meant to be here?


Private drivers are worse drivers? or what?


Could it not be that they will make some rookie mistakes because many of them are new drivers trained from scratch?...would DB newbies not make similar mistakes? I recall two occasions where DB drivers turned the wrong way and had to double back to get back on the right route.


What would such errors have to do with who owns the company?


It also appears he finds this so dangerous...that it's amusing?

XPS_Zero

Yer Da sells Avon wrote: »

They probably only went into service this week - give them a break. Unlike most other jobs, bus drivers have to make all their rookie mistakes in public. On my first couple of days, I was constantly stopping either a foot away from the kerb or loudly crunching against it.

I do have to wonder if Dublin Bus could survive (PR wise) the level of scrutiny now being given to GA

SG317

So are Dublin Bus getting 5 additional SGs or are they getting 5 less now? Regarding the 59, I don't think it would have been operated by single deckers if they were shorter. As it is interworked with the other DL local routes and the 63 didn't get single deckers even though it is suitable for them. Will the 5 Streetlites affect the allocation of any route also? Also, it seems that the same bus usually does the same route, is this generally the case?

Joegriffin2019

Folks I will be out on routes 17A, 104 and 220 on Monday. Ill be wearing a blue hi vis vest if anyone wants to pop up and say hello. Feedback and comments welcome on said above routes.

dfx-

Joegriffin2019 wrote: »

I was just waiting for the ok to post this, got it a few minutes ago. Also posted by me on facebook.

Latest Developments:

Go Ahead need at least 10 more double deckers to run full quota of routes.

Does that full quota include just the routes it has now or when it has to run the 18/76 on top?

If it's the former, what are they covering the gap with?

Joegriffin2019

dfx- wrote: »

Does that full quota include just the routes it has now or when it has to run the 18/76 on top?

If it's the former, what are they covering the gap with?

Its not full quota, another 5 double decks should make things right.

Stephen15

SG317 wrote: »

So are Dublin Bus getting 5 additional SGs or are they getting 5 less now? Regarding the 59, I don't think it would have been operated by single deckers if they were shorter. As it is interworked with the other DL local routes and the 63 didn't get single deckers even though it is suitable for them. Will the 5 Streetlites affect the allocation of any route also? Also, it seems that the same bus usually does the same route, is this generally the case?

The 59 only requires a one bus due to it's short nature same story when it was with DB only one bus and two drivers one for the morning and one for the evening I think as you'd imagine this can change if a bus needs to be taken out of service due an incident or a breakdown. If they had a few smaller single deckers they could also do other routes in DL such as the 111 or the occasional off peak 63.

Single deckers are grand on the 63 off peak but this route can get busy enough to require double deckers during the peak hours as there's a few schools on the route and it can get busy enough as some seem to use as a Luas feeder.

There have been significant capacity issues with the single deckers on the 102 so I believe they're trying to make it double deck operated once more.

Stephen15

dublinman1990 wrote: »

I saw this picture of the 17 on twitter tonight

Wth was that doing trying to turn into Merrion Gates LC?

It looks like the bus may have been turning back on to the Rock Road rather turning into Merrion Gates. How the 17 ended up there I don't know either lost or the bus wasn't actually in service but displaying 17.

MDZX85

Joegriffin2019 wrote: »

Folks I will be out on routes 17A, 104 and 220 on Monday. Ill be wearing a blue hi vis vest if anyone wants to pop up and say hello. Feedback and comments welcome on said above routes.

Will you be driving the routes?

n!ghtmancometh

So are DB down 5 new busses because Go Ahead made a balls planning routes and underestimating demand?

Joegriffin2019

n!ghtmancometh wrote: »

So are DB down 5 new busses because Go Ahead made a balls planning routes and underestimating demand?

Nothing what so ever to do with Go Ahead. Its the NTA, they plan and allocate what type of bus goes where. They plan the times etc.

devnull

n!ghtmancometh wrote: »

So are DB down 5 new busses because Go Ahead made a balls planning routes and underestimating demand?

NTA based the predictions for the size of vehicles required for routes and scheduled departures based on demand when the routes were with Dublin Bus, which I would say was almost certainly based on that of the ticket machine and the number of fares issued, Leap Cards tagged on and DSP passes scanned.

Perhaps the data from the ticket machines did not include all the passengers who were actually travelling? There's been talk on this thread previously about a number of passengers just walking on rather than scanning their DSP passes, which would have contributed to these figures and possibly there were people tailgating at busy times too, I've seen this happen and although it's pretty rare, it does happen at busy stops where the driver is distracted by people going up to him or her.

At the end of the day DB most likely won't be down any vehicles, they'll just withdraw 5 less vehicles from 2006 and overall the Dublin City Bus service will benefit from this by adding extra capacity. Need to look at these things from a Dublin City Bus network point of view rather than an operators.

RuleNumber6

4 new buses initially due to Go Ahead. 4 more further down the line. These are not yet built let alone painted so no repainting from DB will happen.

No Streetlites are moving.

AlekSmart

devnull wrote: »

NTA based the predictions for the size of vehicles required for routes and scheduled departures based on demand when the routes were with Dublin Bus, which I would say was almost certainly based on that of the ticket machine and the number of fares issued, Leap Cards tagged on and DSP passes scanned.

Perhaps the data from the ticket machines did not include all the passengers who were actually travelling? There's been talk on this thread previously about a number of passengers just walking on rather than scanning their DSP passes, which would have contributed to these figures and possibly there were people tailgating at busy times too, I've seen this happen and although it's pretty rare, it does happen at busy stops where the driver is distracted by people going up to him or her.

At the end of the day DB most likely won't be down any vehicles, they'll just withdraw 5 less vehicles from 2006 and overall the Dublin City Bus service will benefit from this by adding extra capacity. Need to look at these things from a Dublin City Bus network point of view rather than an operators.

The BMO plan as envisaged by the NTA,was always about establishing a set of criteria by which the then operational information from the "dominant operator" (BAC) could be verified,independently crosschecked and,if necessary modified or retained.

Only by actually getting the "New" operator actually up & running,could the process actually begin to function as envisaged.

It is very early days yet,and as the routes bed in and operational adjustments are made,the comparisons will become clearer.

However,early indications appear to suggest that some NTA personages,may have felt that BAC's operational methods,in respect of vehicles and staff were somewhat slack or "padded".

There may have been an expectation,that the arrival of a new unencumbered operator,would immediately have confirmed these suspicions,and thus validate this aspect of the NTA's reasoning.

What is being shown,as the situation settles,is that BAC had been operating most of these services at,or near,optimum levels of effectivity and efficiency,with the NTA-GAI now steadily embracing schedules & practices not that far removed from what originally existed.

It was always going to be a steep learning curve,but as with all such processes,it's success will be measured by those involved,actually wanting to learn.

Time (and availability of contractual requirements) will tell

Stephen15

RuleNumber6 wrote: »

4 new buses initially due to Go Ahead. 4 more further down the line. These are not yet built let alone painted so no repainting from DB will happen.

No Streetlites are moving.

I thought GAI needed ten more double deckers in order to be able to take up the 18 and 76/a. If it's the case that these buses are yet to be built then the transfer of the routes will likely be another couple of months. The NTA have said that the new route 155 will be operational by early March at the latest when the 18 transfers to GAI.

CramCycle

XPS_Zero wrote: »

I do have to wonder if Dublin Bus could survive (PR wise) the level of scrutiny now being given to GA

While I have huge respect for many of the DB drivers, staff etc. I even have friends and family working for DB but lets be honest about this, DB would be fourth out of the ashes after WW111, following the cockroaches, the HSE and admin staff in the public/civil service due to the strength of the union and the lack of backbone elsewhere.

I say this as someone who is a fan of DB in general but while they have many fantastic staff and services, the parts that need to be let go are too well protected for no good reason.

I haven't the same experience as others with GAI but have to say bar one or two schoolboy, not dangerous, errors, the 45A is doing well from my observations.

Stephen15

Here we go wrote: »

I'm convinced who ever does the buying of busses in the NTA got a brown envelope to buy those street lights

I don't it was that now. I think the NTA are looking at these things with a severe case of tunnel vision where they decided to just plough ahead and buy the buses with taking things like their design and the perception of them by passengers and drivers in the UK. Also why were the Streelites bought without centre doors?