Go-Ahead Dublin City Routes - Updates and Discussion

Yer Da sells Avon

Stephen15 wrote: »

Likely going to be for driver training with the NTA owned for passenger service only.

They are only for driver training. They're all well over 12 years old.

devnull

Stephen15 wrote: »

And what makes others think they can?

I think the most common argument on this thread has been that they have had trouble recruiting but nobody at all has been able to substantiate that. Simply saying that the other side can't prove something to the contrary doesn't mean that you are right.

devnull

Stephen15 wrote: »

DB staff don't have toilets so I don't think that makes sense

DB staff don't have toilets in their depots? Come on!

punisher5112 wrote: »

I highly doubt it but there does be the odd private coach into donnybrook or wherever to sit up on special runs.

Sure - but that's my point, it's all well and good saying GA should share their facilities or be able to use others, but it's a two way process, if one party is going to allow others to use their facilities they need to get the same in return.

Stephen15

Hapax Legomenon wrote: »

They are only for driver training. They're all well over 12 years old.

Common practice to use older buses for driver training DB do it too

Stephen15

devnull wrote: »

DB staff don't have toilets in their depots? Come on!

Sure - but that's my point, it's all well and good saying GA should share their facilities or be able to use others, but it's a two way process, if one party is going to allow others to use their facilities they need to get the same in return.

But why would a GAD driver go all the way from Ballymount to Donnybrook, Ringend, Clontarf, Summerhill, Harristown, Phibsboro or Conygham Road just to use a jax.

Yes and that's what will happen if there was to be toilets installed for drivers if the NTA would do so. You seem to think DB drivers hate drivers of any other bus company when that's not the case.

Stephen15

devnull wrote: »

I think the most common argument on this thread has been that they have had trouble recruiting but nobody at all has been able to substantiate that. Simply saying that the other side can't prove something to the contrary doesn't mean that you are right.

DB have had trouble getting staff and they pay higher what makes you think GA won't have recruiting problems despite paying less.

punisher5112

Stephen15 wrote: »

DB have had trouble getting staff and they pay higher what makes you think GA won't have recruiting problems despite paying less.

Quite possible the ones that fail to satisfy will go for it to try maybe get in that way.

devnull

Stephen15 wrote: »

But why would a GAD driver go all the way from Ballymount to Donnybrook, Ringend, Clontarf, Summerhill, Harristown, Phibsboro or Conygham Road just to use a jax.

Where did I say that? You said that DB staff don't have toilets and I pointed out that they do in the depots. I never said that GA would go all the way to those depots, but we were talking about sharing of companies facilities I recall?

You seem to think DB drivers hate drivers of any other bus company when that's not the case.

That's not what I said or anything like it. It's just rare that a company would allow staff of it's competitors to use facilities it owns. Now if they're owned by a regulator or a transport authority that is another matter of course.

Stephen15 wrote: »

DB have had trouble getting staff and they pay higher what makes you think GA won't have recruiting problems despite paying less.

Of course Dublin Bus have problem retaining recent hires, because the whole seniority system that exists in Dublin Bus, like any seniority system, stacks the odds against them from the day that start, which dents morale and people with low morale quit. That's HR basics at the end of the day.

If you're making a point then you need to be able to back it up. Simply resorting to the line that someone can't prove you wrong, doesn't really back-up your point and is somewhat clutching and straws. Facts are always better than pure speculation and guesswork.

Stephen15

devnull wrote: »

That's not what I said or anything like it. It's just rare that a company would allow staff of it's competitors to use facilities it owns. Now if they're owned by a regulator or a transport authority that is another matter of course.

Luas and DB aren't competing they should complement one another very likely that the toilets in Brides Glen are owned by The NTA and not Transdev.

Kyleboy

devnull wrote: »

So do you reckon that DB are going to allow GA staff in then?

Can't see it myself.

Yes they do, many different companies use Dublin Bus facilities.

devnull

Kyleboy wrote: »

Yes they do, many different companies use Dublin Bus facilities.

Such as who?

Kyleboy

devnull wrote: »

Such as who?

Garda, bus eireann, Irish rail, aircoach, how many more do you want?

devnull

Kyleboy wrote: »

Garda, bus eireann, Irish rail, aircoach, how many more do you want?

I'm just surprised that it was the case since I heard that they were for Dublin Bus staff only in the past.

I know there are some shared facilities between Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann though and Bus Eireann and Irish Rail but they are sister companies.

punisher5112

Kyleboy wrote: »

Garda, bus eireann, Irish rail, aircoach, how many more do you want?

Taxis, junkies and just random people.

It's exactly like this in the canteen in the city.

It's shocking what they allow go on in there.

I've had numerous incidents where sitting having a break and to be interrupted by someone staring right through me while tensing up, 2 lads came in one night and started on many drivers these were from what I could tell off their heads on drugs and then helping Porter out with stopping certain individual getting in.

One even goes ah here ya have to let me in I have me bus pass.....
Yes his free travel bus pass given by the social as he is an addict.

They have had numerous incidents where they have had to kick in toilet doors to get users out also.

devnull

punisher5112 wrote: »

Taxis, junkies and just random people.

It's exactly like this in the canteen in the city.

It's shocking what they allow go on in there.

I've had numerous incidents where sitting having a break and to be interrupted by someone staring right through me while tensing up, 2 lads came in one night and started on many drivers these were from what I could tell off their heads on drugs and then helping Porter out with stopping certain individual getting in.

One even goes ah here ya have to let me in I have me bus pass.....
Yes his free travel bus pass given by the social as he is an addict.

They have had numerous incidents where they have had to kick in toilet doors to get users out also.

Where is that Canteen, is that the one near the (old) lost property office?

punisher5112

devnull wrote: »

Where is that Canteen, is that the one near the (old) lost property office?

Just in behind clearys

Yer Da sells Avon

Around 15 years ago, I worked in a shop near that canteen. Customers (who definitely weren't employees of Dublin Bus... or employees full-stop) regularly came into the shop boasting about getting their dinner for £2 in there. It came highly recommended, although I never had the neck to go in there myself.

TheQuietFella

Kyleboy wrote: »

Garda, bus eireann, Irish rail, aircoach, how many more do you want?

Even I've been in for my dinner when I was stuck!

Stephen15

Is the food actually good there always thought it was the typical truckers caff type affair with the usual greasy fried breakfasts and that kind of thing. I suppose it would be a good cheap alternative to the likes of Kylemore Cafe and Graham O'Sullivan type places which are now gone from the CC.

GM228

devnull wrote: »

Where is that Canteen, is that the one near the (old) lost property office?

It is known as the Earl Place canteen, there is another one in Harristown.

Kyleboy

Stephen15 wrote: »

Is the food actually good there always thought it was the typical truckers caff type affair with the usual greasy fried breakfasts and that kind of thing. I suppose it would be a good cheap alternative to the likes of Kylemore Cafe and Graham O'Sullivan type places which are now gone from the CC.

Food is disgusting, you would be better off in mcdonald's in my opinion.

john boye

A mate of mine who worked in a (now gone) pub around the corner used to always go in for his lunch and would gleefully tell me about it. I couldn't believe how lax it sounded.

Tickityboo

Stephen15 wrote: »

Is the food actually good there always thought it was the typical truckers caff type affair with the usual greasy fried breakfasts and that kind of thing. I suppose it would be a good cheap alternative to the likes of Kylemore Cafe and Graham O'Sullivan type places which are now gone from the CC.

No It's ****e!!

AlekSmart

devnull wrote: »

Where did I say that? You said that DB staff don't have toilets and I pointed out that they do in the depots. I never said that GA would go all the way to those depots, but we were talking about sharing of companies facilities I recall.

That's not what I said or anything like it. It's just rare that a company would allow staff of it's competitors to use facilities it owns. Now if they're owned by a regulator or a transport authority that is another matter of course.

Of course Dublin Bus have problem retaining recent hires, because the whole seniority system that exists in Dublin Bus, like any seniority system, stacks the odds against them from the day that start, which dents morale and people with low morale quit. That's HR basics at the end of the day.

If you're making a point then you need to be able to back it up. Simply resorting to the line that someone can't prove you wrong, doesn't really back-up your point and is somewhat clutching and straws. Facts are always better than pure speculation and guesswork.

To address two points raised in the thread...

With the NTA continuing to espouse the well tried,tested and accepted "London Model" as it's basic template,I'm sure they will be keen to keep up with the continuing improvements to that model.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/sadiq-khan-to-spend-6m-on-toilets-for-london-bus-drivers-a3765906.html

I,for one,would welcome such a move,but perhaps it's not the same "London" the NTA refer to ?

Suggesting that there is some form of mass exodus of newly recruited Drivers is not correct.

I personally had to sit through a Canteen masterclass,in which a Driver spoke convincingly of a 70% turnover,ie: 7 out of 10 new entrants had left within their first 3 months.

Oddly enough,the slow but steady improvements in duty notifications,along with impending additional opportunities such as 24 hour working,are appreciated by the rather quieter majority,who just get on with the job.

As the economy picks up again,it is the mid term Drivers (10-15 years service), many of whom are qualified in other fields,who are returning to their former occupations,and who are leaving,in the main with little rancour.

The oft quoted "can't get Drivers" line is not quite such a problem for larger operators such as BAC or GAD,all of whom have the capability & willingness,to train from "B" Licence,something the smaller indigenous operators are less prepared to contemplate.

There is no shortage of appplicants,but the fact remains that irrespective of what way it is dressed up,public transport operations,remain an occupation centred upon Staff being available to work when Everybody Else is chillin'....and that reality must be accepted by anybody entering the sector...9 to 5 it ain't....and never will be

dublinman1990

Some new information for you.

SG46 and two Mercedes single deckers were painted in the navy blue livery at Freeney's last week.

SG46 was sold to Go-Ahead Ireland on the 28th of May.

Also the Go Ahead Ireland logo has now appeared on the website.

Stephen15

Judging by the area they are operating in Go-Ahead Leinster or Go-Ahead East would make more sense than Go-Ahead Ireland

end of the road

Stephen15 wrote: »

Judging by the area they are operating in Go-Ahead Leinster or Go-Ahead East would make more sense than Go-Ahead Ireland

i'd disagree as their area of operation may extend long term or change so it's best to simply have a consistent brand now that doesn't require changing depending on their area of operation extending/contracting/changing.

Stephen15

end of the road wrote: »

much easier to simply go with go ahead ireland now and be done with it as their area of operation may extend/change long term.

If they started operating in Limerick or Cork they could call all operations from that depot Go-Ahead Munster in the UK they have Go-Ahead London, Go-Ahead North East etc.

end of the road

Stephen15 wrote: »

If they started operating in Limerick or Cork they could call all operations from that depot Go-Ahead Munster

in the UK they have Go-Ahead London, Go-Ahead North East etc.

they could but i'd imagine they have decided that due to the size of ireland and the likely long term size of their operations here that it's better and cheaper to simply have 1 brand. they do have multiple brands across the uk as you say, but i think that's to make their operations easier to manage due to the size of their operation as a whole there.

devnull

dublinman1990 wrote: »

Some new information for you.

SG46 and two Mercedes single deckers were painted in the navy blue livery at Freeney's last week.

SG46 was sold to Go-Ahead Ireland on the 28th of May.

Also the Go Ahead Ireland logo has now appeared on the website.

No vehicles are being sold as such, just transferring as they are vehicles that are the NTA's to reassign and the Mercedes vehicles are for route and driver training and not for service.