Coronavirus and the effect on Public transport

devnull

Copy of the NTA announcement on the same with more details about the changes can be found here

thenightman

punisher5112 wrote: »

New announcement on buses too about prevention of the virus....

Heard it this morning alright. The length of the Irish version seems insane!

punisher5112

thenightman wrote: »

Heard it this morning alright. The length of the Irish version seems insane!

Yes it's very long.
Suppose like the centre door use nobody notices it.

p_haugh

BurnUp78 wrote: »

No news from go ahead regarding timetables?

Go-ahead announcement here.

Monday-Friday is going to be a Saturday Plus service, aka normal
Saturday service with extra services and the likes of the 161 still running.
Saturday and Sunday are operating to their usual timetables.

0gac3yjefb5sv7

Irish rail operating as normal next week aside from a few minor changes?

Curb Your Enthusiasm

Pheonix10 wrote: »

Irish rail operating as normal next week aside from a few minor changes?

They've cut two lines completely. The Waterford to Limerick Junction and Limerick-Ballybrophy lines.

Starving many towns along the line of any rail service at all. Even though beforehand it was only two trains a day each way anyway! Will suit their line closure obsession nicely.

thomasj

Pheonix10 wrote: »

Irish rail operating as normal next week aside from a few minor changes?

No

Maynooth line has been cut a bit .

The NTA did say Irish would be running 45-65 on routes

donvito99

Curb Your Enthusiasm wrote: »

They've cut two lines completely. The Waterford to Limerick Junction and Limerick-Ballybrophy lines.

Starving many towns along the line of any rail service at all. Even though beforehand it was only two trains a day each way anyway! Will suit their line closure obsession nicely.

When/what was the last line closed before Waterford - Rosslare? For an organisation supposedly 'obsessed' with shutting lines, they don't seem to shut many lines.... in fact, they have an "obsession" with opening lines that otherwise would not merit opening, it could be argued...

0gac3yjefb5sv7

thomasj wrote: »

No

Maynooth line has been cut a bit .

The NTA did say Irish would be running 45-65 on routes

Doesn't say that in the Irish rail site? Or do you have a link

thomasj

Pheonix10 wrote: »

Doesn't say that in the Irish rail site? Or do you have a link

Just via the journey planner.

Hourly - every 90 minutes mon-sat

Generally every 2 hours with the last train 9pm Sunday

Also m3 parkway will not operate at the weekend

thomasj

Just been announced that all public transport will be restricted except for essential services.

Dravokivich

thomasj wrote: »

Just been announced that all public transport will be restricted except for essential services.

Which is only right. People should have understood it. My da kept on seeing the same people bouncing around with the FTP over the last 2 weeks.

thomasj

Dravokivich wrote: »

Which is only right. People should have understood it. My da kept on seeing the same people bouncing around with the FTP over the last 2 weeks.

I agree.

Jamie2k9

thomasj wrote: »

Just been announced that all public transport will be restricted except for essential services.

They cannot police this unless I am missing something so in name only.

thomasj

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

They cannot police this unless I am missing something so in name only.

I presume there will be little or no public transport in the coming days?

punisher5112

thomasj wrote: »

I presume there will be little or no public transport in the coming days?

Saturday service but extra runnings for peak....

They are really asking people to grow up, cop on and think of others....

Stay the fluck at home....

Only travel if you must....

I'm still carrying many that shouldn't be outside their house and especially those that are elderly.....


One today started on me and was threatening me, he had to be in his 70s..... He was taking photos of me and getting right up to me....

He wanted to get out at a set of lights....

thenightman

So does the previous announcement about reduction to a 'Saturday plus' service still count? or is that out the window now due to Leo's speech and the lockdown? I work for a government agency deemed essential and rely on the bus to get there each day.

Sad Professor

thenightman wrote: »

So does the previous announcement about reduction to a 'Saturday plus' service still count? or is that out the window now due to Leo's speech and the lockdown? I work for a government agency deemed essential and rely on the bus to get there each day.

I assume it still applies and was announced in anticipation of Leo's speech.

punisher5112

There are meeting to take place in db and so on....

Signs for seats are coming and sanitiser for driver's cabs to be fitted.

dashcamdanny

So are we to refuse anyone not traveling to work and back? How is that going to work?

Better Than Christ

dashcamdanny wrote: »

So are we to refuse anyone not traveling to work and back? How is that going to work?

I'm not taking fares (or allowing people near the validator, as it's less than two metres from me) and only opening the middle door, so I won't be close enough to anyone to refuse them.

c.p.w.g.w

devnull wrote: »

Copy of the NTA announcement on the same with more details about the changes can be found here

Will last nights announcement lead to a further reduction of services? The reduction to 80% was announced lunch time yesterday.

AlekSmart

dashcamdanny wrote: »

So are we to refuse anyone not traveling to work and back? How is that going to work?

Busdrivers will continue to provide the service as they currently do.

It is not up to the Busdriver to assume the role of Judge.

Some drivers,thankfully a minority,appear to relish an opportunity to issue commands or direct people in matters outside the remit of Public Transport.

I am taking the recommended precauitions,and being a bit more conscious and vigilant,and that's about it.

There are a 1001 things out there,including virsues,in the daily grind which could injure or kill me,they have ALAWAYS been there,and now we have one new arrival,which in the fullness of time will be dealt with as well.

Eventually humanity will come to terms with COVID-19,whether by beating it or merely devising a strategy to reduce it's effects.

I personally do not feel any more at risk in my cab than I do outside of it,and I continue to operate as close to normal as I can.

After that,It's in the lap of a God somewhere ?

Tickityboo

dashcamdanny wrote: »

So are we to refuse anyone not traveling to work and back? How is that going to work?

From Dublin Bus Twitter

devnull

Having seen the Irish Rail DART and Northern Commuter timetable, you have to ask if that's the best they can do? They seem to have thrown people on Northern Commuter Line stations under the train, so to speak.

It seems that the Malahide branch will be running every 1 hour mostly but with some stations seeing morning gaps between 90-120 minutes at times. The first train from Malahide is at 6.41, a commuter that doesn't stop at either Portmarnock or Clongriffin. The first DART is at 6.50

The Howth service will run every up to every 30 minutes with some gaps of 10-20 minutes with the first DART at 6.00 and another at 6.30am. This means that two ex Howth DARTs will arrive at Connolly before the first train has even left Clongriffin or Portmarnock.

Departures from Portmarnock to Connolly.
06:54 DART
07:11 Commuter (via Howth Jct)
08:43 Commuter (via Howth Jct)
08:49 DART
09:42 Commuter (Clongriffin, Howth Jct)

From Clongriffin
06:57 DART
08:52 DART
09:44 Commuter

I understand that there needs to be cuts, to achieve social distancing and to cut unnecessary travel but the timetable they have come up with just seems very poorly executed and unbalanced.

punisher5112

I wonder are they finding it difficult to get staff in?

Not seeing any huge issues in db but that could of course change....

I do wonder how as a bus driver we can keep the correct distance when people are getting on or off...

devnull

punisher5112 wrote: »

I wonder are they finding it difficult to get staff in?

Not seeing any huge issues in db but that could of course change....

I do wonder how as a bus driver we can keep the correct distance when people are getting on or off...

Even if they were, they could still distribute the services better.

Whilst the normal timetable isn't perfect, it has a reasonable balance between the two DART spurs so everyone gets a decent and frequent service with roughly similar start times for everyone.

Now we've essentially told a group of passengers, not only is your service going to have gaps of between 90-120 minutes in the morning, it's going to start an hour later so everyone else is going to have a train every 30 mins at worst.

These are exceptional times but this is very poor from Irish Rail, clearly nobody important can be living on the Malahide branch but maybe on the Howth

I would imagine this will have an impact on buses from Portmarnock and Clongriffin, so if you are driving on these routes you might see a few unfamiliar people who normally take the train!

punisher5112

devnull wrote: »

Even if they were, they could still distribute the services better.

Whilst the normal timetable isn't perfect, it has a reasonable balance between the two DART spurs so everyone gets a decent and frequent service with roughly similar start times for everyone.

Now we've essentially told a group of passengers, not only is your service going to have gaps of between 90-120 minutes in the morning, it's going to start an hour later so everyone else is going to have a train every 30 mins at worst.

These are exceptional times but this is very poor from Irish Rail, clearly nobody important can be living on the Malahide branch but maybe on the Howth

I would imagine this will have an impact on buses from Portmarnock and Clongriffin, so if you are driving on these routes you might see a few unfamiliar people who normally take the train!

With them fitting signs on seats that you must not use won't help this either as I gather the bus will be full around the 20 person mark....

I only carried 14 passengers today for a whole duty....

The big issue is this 2 metres rule and then people getting on been extremely close to us and us to them....

I'm very concerned that I could catch it or pass it on either way.

It's very tough times and I really hope we can keep the numbers low and stamp out completely, feel terrible for those losing their life and family and friends..... I fully get it people die but this virus has no sign of stopping.

end of the road

devnull wrote: »

Having seen the Irish Rail DART and Northern Commuter timetable, you have to ask if that's the best they can do? They seem to have thrown people on Northern Commuter Line stations under the train, so to speak.

It seems that the Malahide branch will be running every 1 hour mostly but with some stations seeing morning gaps between 90-120 minutes at times. The first train from Malahide is at 6.41, a commuter that doesn't stop at either Portmarnock or Clongriffin. The first DART is at 6.50

The Howth service will run every up to every 30 minutes with some gaps of 10-20 minutes with the first DART at 6.00 and another at 6.30am. This means that two ex Howth DARTs will arrive at Connolly before the first train has even left Clongriffin or Portmarnock.

Departures from Portmarnock to Connolly.
06:54 DART
07:11 Commuter (via Howth Jct)
08:43 Commuter (via Howth Jct)
08:49 DART
09:42 Commuter (Clongriffin, Howth Jct)

From Clongriffin
06:57 DART
08:52 DART
09:44 Commuter

I understand that there needs to be cuts, to achieve social distancing and to cut unnecessary travel but the timetable they have come up with just seems very poorly executed and unbalanced.

yes i have to agree with you that this is unfair treatment of the Malahide branch users and it's not acceptable at all.
they are entitled to the same service level as the users of the Howth branch, whether that be 30 minutes or an hour.
to me an hour is probably the best level as the inner stations will get a 30 minute frequency and key workers would be able to get to work, all be it not as flexably as they usually can.
like yourself i have no problem with the service reductions given the extra-ordinary times but i do have a major major problem with some passengers being favoured over others in whatever form it takes and believe there is no excuse for it.
the way services are cut on the buses seems to be a fair way of doing it, where services in a certain frequency are cut down to a lower frequency across that group of services.

GT89

punisher5112 wrote: »

I wonder are they finding it difficult to get staff in?

Not seeing any huge issues in db but that could of course change....

I do wonder how as a bus driver we can keep the correct distance when people are getting on or off...

You'd there'd be less absenteeism amongst IE staff than DB in the current situation considering IE staff interact far less with the general public.

expectationlost

Go ahead bus driver threatens to refuse to drive Dublin hospital route https://www.fm104.ie/news/fm104-news/fresh-calls-to-limit-numbers-on-public-transport/

they have plastic shield between themselves and their customers https://twitter.com/ajfarrell75/status/1244235917390426113 I know their some studies that suggest the virus is airborne but I think people are taking these 2 meters thing too literally and ignoring physical barriers!

i think this from dublin bus is over the top too https://twitter.com/ray_dublin/status/1244011951992307712 there's no room left on the bus!

people more likely to get it from touching surfaces and then their mouths

how are medical staff to get to work https://twitter.com/johnharveyperez/status/1244190513844150273

punisher5112

There are seats upstairs, if you look it's giving adequate space to allow those off by centre doors and if someone is sitting there they're too close....

Better spread out upstairs but issues already with numpties sitting in theses blocked of seats.

expectationlost

punisher5112 wrote: »

There are seats upstairs, if you look it's giving adequate space to allow those off by centre doors and if someone is sitting there they're too close....

Better spread out upstairs but issues already with numpties sitting in theses blocked of seats.

its more then near the doors they've blocked off seats...

I presume they've 'blocked off' seats upstairs too?

Tickityboo

expectationlost wrote: »

Go ahead bus driver threatens to refuse to drive Dublin hospital route https://www.fm104.ie/news/fm104-news/fresh-calls-to-limit-numbers-on-public-transport/

they have plastic shield between themselves and their customers https://twitter.com/ajfarrell75/status/1244235917390426113 I know their some studies that suggest the virus is airborne but I think people are taking these 2 meters thing too literally and ignoring physical barriers!

i think this from dublin bus is over the top too https://twitter.com/ray_dublin/status/1244011951992307712 there's no room left on the bus!

people more likely to get it from touching surfaces and then their mouths

how are medical staff to get to work https://twitter.com/johnharveyperez/status/1244190513844150273

Nothing is over the top when it comes to trying to stop this virus spreading.
Those kind of measures will save people's lives.

punisher5112

expectationlost wrote: »

its more then near the doors they've blocked off seats...

I presume they've 'blocked off' seats upstairs too?

Not yet, it's due to design.

thomasj

All Enterprise services will be operated by the Northern Ireland standard fleet until further notice it's been announced.

expectationlost

Tickityboo wrote: »

Nothing is over the top when it comes to trying to stop this virus spreading.
Those kind of measures will save people's lives.

allowing essential people go to work will save lives

expectationlost

punisher5112 wrote: »

Not yet, it's due to design.

i don't get that, look they've blocked off the back seats bar one surely someone could sit by the window seat on the other side.

end of the road

expectationlost wrote: »

allowing essential people go to work will save lives

hence they are allowed to go to work, and hence the measures being taken

by the companies to implement social distancing aboard their services.

Tickityboo

expectationlost wrote: »

allowing essential people go to work will save lives

Oh I never thought of that!!
Cram them all in so and they can all catch it.

expectationlost

Tickityboo wrote: »

Oh I never thought of that!!
Cram them all in so and they can all catch it.

1 per two seats isn't craming (or 1 pair per two seats)

Better Than Christ

punisher5112 wrote: »

Better spread out upstairs but issues already with numpties sitting in theses blocked of seats.

I wonder, is there anything at all to be said for pouring a bit of water onto those seats.

expectationlost

end of the road wrote: »

hence they are allowed to go to work, and hence the measures being taken

by the companies to implement social distancing aboard their services.

you can't implement 2 metres distance spacing on a bus!, that bus driver is talking bollox

punisher5112

expectationlost wrote: »

i don't get that, look they've blocked off the back seats bar one surely someone could sit by the window seat on the other side.

Someone would be sitting right in front of you or behind then too, that's the point they're trying to keep as far away as possible.

15 minutes is the time given so if numerous people are traveling the route they could be on the bus 30-80 minutes etc etc.

punisher5112

expectationlost wrote: »

you can't implement 2 metres distance spacing on a bus!, that bus driver is talking bollox

Excuse you I'm not, I'm not the one making the recommendation either....

To be honest we have been left in the deep end and I have yet to be provided with sanitiser or wipes or anything else as it was all gone.

I've used my brain though I bought my own.

expectationlost

punisher5112 wrote: »

There are seats upstairs, if you look it's giving adequate space to allow those off by centre doors and if someone is sitting there they're too close....

Better spread out upstairs but issues already with numpties sitting in theses blocked of seats.

anywhere on the bus is "too close", getting off at the middle doors is no more dangerous for those sitting or getting off.

expectationlost

punisher5112 wrote: »

Someone would be sitting right in front of you or behind then too, that's the point they're trying to keep as far away as possible.

15 minutes is the time given so if numerous people are traveling the route they could be on the bus 30-80 minutes etc etc.

that number is arbitrary bs, its touching handrails and then their mouths where people will get it from a bus.

devnull

expectationlost wrote: »

https://twitter.com/ray_dublin/status/1244011951992307712 there's no room left on the bus!

There's a false narrative going around about how Dublin Bus are implementing social distancing by placing notices on sheets and other operators off their own back and other operators are not doing this.

The National Transport Authority and the relevant parts of government have requested that all public transport operators in receipt of funding take part in social distancing guidelines and that is starting to be rolled out today.

Pictures from both GAI and DB vehicles can be found below





The Go-Ahead video would have been recorded before any operator rolled out the above notices since DB only started putting notices on today, so to say that one operator doesn't care because they didn't have the signs a few days ago what another operator has only got today is not proof of this because nobody had these signs at that point.

I would suspect that the reason the driver found himself in difficulty was his reported remark about refusing to use the front door on the bus which was probably in contrary to an instruction from a manager. This is normally given as an example of misconduct in pretty much any company disciplinary process from my time of working in HR. To my knowledge neither DB or GAI have said that passengers should not use the front door or their drivers have an option of not using it.

In addition, posting the video was probably also in breach of the companies social media guidelines. Pretty much any company these days says that posting things on social media in relation to your company that may bring it into disrepute are disciplinary offences and if he's also been caught on camera saying he's not going to follow a management instruction either, then altogether HR can argue there's been a major breach of trust, which justifies suspension.

I do have some sympathy with some of what the driver has said, but if you are going to go out on a limb like that and make yourself personally identifiable and say or do something that is in breach of your disciplinary policy, you'd be best of doing it in a way that would not allow you to be identified by not showing your face or going through your union who could make those claims on your behalf and protect you.

expectationlost

devnull wrote: »

There's a false narrative going around about how Dublin Bus are implementing social distancing by placing notices on sheets and other operators off their own back and other operators are not doing this.

The National Transport Authority and the relevant parts of government have requested that all public transport operators in receipt of funding take part in social distancing guidelines and that is starting to be rolled out today.

A picture from a Dublin Bus vehicle, with all of the operator logos can be found below, I have also seen GAI vehicles with the same on.

yes rumours that driver has been suspended.


so what are the NTA recommendations? https://www.nationaltransport.ie/news/latest-news/ nothing there.

Published on Saturday, March 28, 2020Introduction of Social Distancing Measures On-board
Dublin Bus is rolling out social distancing measures across our fleet. To help maintain a 2 metre distance some seating on-board will be restricted, which will be highlighted by signage. We are asking our customers to please follow these restrictions.

We would like to remind our customers to please maintain 2 metres social distancing when boarding, alighting and on board.

Customers should also:

• Give priority to older people for seating downstairs
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or you sleeve when you cough or sneeze
• Wash your hands properly and often
• Ensure that you do not leave any litter behind

Public transport  is an essential service and the dedication of our 3,500 employees means we can continue to ensure healthcare and other workers can keep performing their vital roles.

The health and safety of our customers and employees, and the wider public, is paramount. We are asking all of our customers to please continue to carefully follow the guidelines set out by the HSE and the Department of Health.
Customers can also get updates on Facebook, follow us on Twitter @dublinbusnews or call our customer service line on (01) 8734222, lines open from 07:00 - 19:00hrs Monday to Friday and 08:00 – 18:00hrs Saturday, Sunday and public holidays.

https://www.dublinbus.ie/News-Centre/General-News/Introduction-of-Social-Distancing-Measures-On-board/ nonsense, how do you maintain 2 metres social distance on a bus?

devnull

expectationlost wrote: »

yes rumours that driver has been suspended.

So what are the NTA recommendations?

There are said to be a number of new ones in addition to the previous ones but the one new one I do know about advises operators to block off seats. The same notices are being rolled out to DB and GAI vehicles from today. There are others apparently but I have not had it confirmed what they are yet and I don't think it's right to post rumour when I can't verify it.

I have also been told from a good source that the notices have LUAS, Bus EIreann and Irish Rail logos on them as well because of the fact that the same approach is going to be rolled out on them, which would make sense since otherwise there would be no reason to have their logos on there if they're not doing the same.

Can anyone who has been on Irish Rail, LUAS or Bus Eireann today confirm if they've seen them?