Route 139 Naas to Blanchardstown Launches 12th Mar

John Dough

139 also serves Leixlip/Lucan to Blanch badly needed.

Wonder do the take passes??

AlekSmart

n97 mini wrote: »

Local government and democracy in action I guess. A lot of local people (myself included), and councillors questioned the NTA on the validity of the re-route. One of the councillors announced earlier that the NTA had instructed JJK to go back to the original route from first bus tomorrow.

Ironically it was a different councillor (from Celbridge no less) that seemed instrumental in screaming "won't someone think of the children!" to the NTA in the first place. I'll vote for everyone except him in the next elections.

So,after all that it was just an oul "Wrong Sign" ?

If I was looking for a business to invest in,I reckon Road Sign Makers & Suppliers would be a good place to start...

http://www.roadway.ie/

http://www.pwssigns.com/road-signs-ireland

http://www.rennicks.com/

It's really about spotting the openings...

Victor

John Dough wrote: »

Wonder do the take passes??

It's an NTA-sponsored service, so it would.

n97 mini

John Dough wrote: »

139 also serves Leixlip/Lucan to Blanch badly needed.

Not Lucan. That already has the 239 to Blanch.

John Dough wrote: »

Wonder do the take passes??

Yes.

thomasj

Good to see the displays are up and running now

devnull

Well JJ Kavanagh have put a timetable up now, but very interesting development on how they've gone about it:

Remember the original NTA issued Timetable PDF with a route map, TFI branding and fare info here. Now look at the one that JJ Kavanagh have put up on their website here.

They've removed the first page with the route map and TFI branding and even more curiously they've blocked the fare section out even though it still says fares are correct at time of going to print.

Not very transparent with customers or integrated is it?

AlekSmart

devnull wrote: »

Well JJ Kavanagh have put a timetable up now, but very interesting development on how they've gone about it:

Remember the original NTA issued Timetable PDF with a route map, TFI branding and fare info here. Now look at the one that JJ Kavanagh have put up on their website here.

They've removed the first page with the route map and TFI branding and even more curiously they've blocked the fare section out even though it still says fares are correct at time of going to print.

Not very transparent with customers or integrated is it?

Is there,I wonder,an element of tension between the NTA and,in this case,the JJK group ?

The manner in which the 139 was rather suddenly rolled out,and the very obvious lack of any preparation,planning and most obviously,NO Customer Focused action at all,might indicate that the JJK group suddenly realised that they had a deadline approaching to get the wheels rolling before becoming liable for penalties ?

As you say,the lack of transparancy and definitive information in this single case,does not at all instill any confidence in the NTA's basic ability to manage situations like this ?

devnull

AlekSmart wrote: »

Is there,I wonder,an element of tension between the NTA and,in this case,the JJK group ?

The manner in which the 139 was rather suddenly rolled out,and the very obvious lack of any preparation,planning and most obviously,NO Customer Focused action at all,might indicate that the JJK group suddenly realised that they had a deadline approaching to get the wheels rolling before becoming liable for penalties ?

We will have to see but I'm less than impressed so far with the way this service has been launched.

If the NTA do have some ways to enforce better standards of information they should so so without delay and if not they should learn lessons from this to make sure these issues don't happen again and put things in place to make it so.

n97 mini

devnull wrote: »

We will have to see but I'm less than impressed so far with the way this service has been launched.

Same here. I really do wonder what the good folk employed by the NTA actually do every day. As regards the 139, they had one job, and they really fscked it up.

devnull wrote: »

If the NTA do have some ways to enforce better standards of information they should so so without delay and if not they should learn lessons from this to make sure these issues don't happen again and put things in place to make it so.

There are still massive information gaps. The buses now seem to be adhering to the timetable, but there are still no signs at existing bus stops to indicate the 139 services them. And RTPI integration seems to be too much of an ask.

AlekSmart

n97 mini wrote: »

Same here. I really do wonder what the good folk employed by the NTA actually do every day. As regards the 139, they had one job, and they really fscked it up.

There are still massive information gaps. The buses now seem to be adhering to the timetable, but there are still no signs at existing bus stops to indicate the 139 services them. And RTPI integration seems to be too much of an ask.

It's now a valid question to pose as to who,or what agency is tasked with monitoring and regulating the Regulator ?

As we are now discovering with the LUAS/College Green issue,the NTA itself now seems to be behaving in some form of weird "well meaning amateur" mode,which to some is ok,but to anybody with a bit of recognition of what a NATIONAL TRANSPORT AUTHORITY should be aspiring to,the events of the past week raise SERIOUS questions as to Professional Competence at the very highest levels in this "Authority".

However,as posters on here represent just ordinary folks,it's highly unlikely that our misgivings & fears will result in any REAL probing of these failures....it'll most likely take some additional external stimulus before the edifice starts to become repairable.

thomasj

There was a 139 heading outbound at blanchardstown shopping centre earlier.

There were only 5 or 6 passengers but the bus was there for 4 or 5 minutes as it took ages for the driver to get tickets issued for leap cards.

Stephen15

thomasj wrote: »

There was a 139 heading outbound at blanchardstown shopping centre earlier.

There were only 5 or 6 passengers but the bus was there for 4 or 5 minutes as it took ages for the driver to get tickets issued for leap cards.

Wait so the driver has to issue actual paper tickets for Leap passengers. Sort ofdemoralises the point of Leap as a paperless system.

n97 mini

Stephen15 wrote: »

Wait so the driver has to issue actual paper tickets for Leap passengers. Sort ofdemoralises the point of Leap as a paperless system.

No he doesn't. He only issues tickets for cash customers. And unlike Dublin Bus they take notes, which imho is a bad thing. Yesterday a woman paid for a 5.50 ticket with a 20 note.

The timetable is apparently about to be revised as it has far too much padding at the moment. 30 minutes from Leixlip to Maynooth is insane.

Stephen15

n97 mini wrote: »

No he doesn't. He only issues tickets for cash customers. And unlike Dublin Bus they take notes, which imho is a bad thing. Yesterday a woman paid for a 5.50 ticket with a 20 note.

The timetable is apparently about to be revised as it has far too much padding at the moment. 30 minutes from Leixlip to Maynooth is insane.

By being a more long distance operator having more expensive fares it is a good idea to take notes but where that won't delay the bus extra. I have travelled on similar longer distance buses on the continent which do take notes and they employ a conductor as well as a driver perhaps this would be good idea for this type of setup.

thomasj

Stephen15 wrote:

Wait so the driver has to issue actual paper tickets for Leap passengers. Sort ofdemoralises the point of Leap as a paperless system.

Sorry my bad. It took ages for the driver to get the system to take leap cards.

n97 mini

Stephen15 wrote: »

By being a more long distance operator having more expensive fares it is a good idea to take notes but where that won't delay the bus extra.

Not sure I'd agree. Naas (via Sallins), Maynooth, Leixlip, Blanchardstown are all within the Irish Rail short hop zone.

As some fares are over €5, maybe accept €5 notes, but I think it should still be exact fare only.

AlekSmart

n97 mini wrote: »

Not sure I'd agree. Naas (via Sallins), Maynooth, Leixlip, Blanchardstown are all within the Irish Rail short hop zone.

As some fares are over €5, maybe accept €5 notes, but I think it should still be exact fare only.

I recall some talk last year about the introduction of a €5 Coin,which might stifle the rush to retain paper.

With the NTA firmly committed to eliminating Public Bus Service cash transactions in the GDA within two-years,anything to keep cash at vaulting pole length is well worth it !!....particularly on a :eek: BRAND-NEW 2018 SERVICE :eek:

n97 mini

AlekSmart wrote: »

I recall some talk last year about the introduction of a €5 Coin,which might stifle the rush to retain paper.

With the NTA firmly committed to eliminating Public Bus Service cash transactions in the GDA within two-years,anything to keep cash at vaulting pole length is well worth it !!....particularly on a :eek: BRAND-NEW 2018 SERVICE :eek:

On a side note I waited for the feeder bus from Naas to Sallins train station twice on Saturday gone. Neither showed up. Ended up getting a Bus reann bus to Dublin at 18.56 instead.

GM228

From the NTA today:-

wrote:

5. Information on Route 139 service
Leaflets were distributed by the NTA to households in the catchment area of Route 139 in advance of commencement of services in March. The Transport for Ireland website contains timetable information in relation to the new service. The operator (JJ Kavanagh) has also provided timetable information on its website for Route 139 under “Town and City services”

Funny that the timetables only made it onto their site after I e-mailed the NTA about it!

tnegun

I wonder if the leaflets will arrive now too for what its worth I live in Maynooth and didn't receive one(I do have a no junk mail sign though).

devnull

GM228 wrote: »

From the NTA today:-

Funny that the timetables only made it onto their site after I e-mailed the NTA about it!

There's also a link to it on the menu on the TFI site now.

n97 mini

tnegun wrote: »

I wonder if the leaflets will arrive now too for what its worth I live in Maynooth and didn't receive one(I do have a no junk mail sign though).

Same here in Leixlip. A lot of people first heard about it when the local paper said it was being withdrawn due to the weight limit on Cope Bridge.

tnegun

Was all word of mouth or a few of the community facebook pages that spread it around here.

GM228

The Route 139 contract award notice was recently published in the Official Journal of the EU (OJ).

http://ted.europa.eu/udl?uri=TED:NOTICE:234076-2018:TEXT:EN:HTML&src=0

Nearly €750,000 (ex vat) for JJ to run the route.

Lord Glentoran

n97 mini wrote: »

On a side note I waited for the feeder bus from Naas to Sallins train station twice on Saturday gone. Neither showed up. Ended up getting a Bus reann bus to Dublin at 18.56 instead.

Is the timetable a bit fictional then?

thomasj

I see that the buses that operate the 139 route are in the tfi livery now .

Branding includes the route map.

jmkennedyie

I find 139 very close to timetable. Drivers regularly pause at stops to stay on schedule

devnull

thomasj wrote: »

I see that the buses that operate the 139 route are in the tfi livery now .

Branding includes the route map.

Any photos?

thomasj

Sorry was on a bus at the time so didn't have the best angle.

But should be down that way layer so will take one later.

devnull

Don't worry if you don't have chance - I was just curious if someone posted one elsewhere as to what it looked like.

Did anyone notice that JJ Kavanagh have the old timetable on their website still and not the revised one?

JJK haven't exactly covered themselves in glory have they in the way they've handled their first tendered route?