LeinsterDub wrote: » They are played to drive not comment on the colour of bus or the routes. Once their terms and conditions don't change they should be told to drive the bus or we'll find someone else who's willing to
brokenarms wrote: » But their T&Cs will change. Marked in drivers.
brokenarms wrote: » I still dont know how this is going to go through with the unions. How do you take a marked in route off one driver let alone a 100 drivers without an all out strike? Even painting the busses to look the same as go ahead will be an issue. I tried to explain Bus connect to a marked in long term driver last week, and he laughed at me. I cant see it happen anytime soon. I hope it does happen, but I know how resistant to change people can be. There will be lots of friction.
Stephen15 wrote: » I assume you are a DB driver. If so can I ask you a question about how the marking in system works. Are drivers who are marked in ever moved from one route to another from time to time? Say a route is discountinued just like many routes were during network direct what would happen drivers who were marked in those routes, would be marked in on a different route or do they revert back to being spare?
punisher5112 wrote: » They would go back spare or may change route by applying themselves. It happened years ago when the 45 was axed. They keep their hours for a few months but then revert back spare unless marking in on another route occurs.
brokenarms wrote: » Did they get any sort of buy out?
Stephen15 wrote: » It will be a tall order to get current DB controllers and inspectors to transfer over to the NTA which could lead to industrial unrest. [...] This all seems like a whole heap of trouble just to tender out 10% of DB routes. They could have gotten DB to operate the routes and saved both money and trouble as the potential for union trouble is pretty high. Whether you like it or not unions in CIE are powerful and aren't going anywhere anytime soon.
markpb wrote: » I can't speak for the NTA but I think you've answered your own question. Why do the NTA want to split up the operation of buses in Dublin across multiple operators? Because the unions are so powerful that change is a pain in the ass for everyone. Network Direct stretched on for years because the unions had to be consulted about everything and vetoed lots of changes. Bus Connects will likely be the same. What you're suggesting is that we should keep giving our lunch money to the school bully because he's powerful and not going anywhere.
L1011 wrote: » "marking in" is up there with some of the most archaic and illogical work practices out there. Take the more experienced drivers, give them unchanging work; give the complicated stuff needing advanced knowledge to the greenhorns. Needs to end entirely.
end of the road wrote: » i would imagine go-ahead will be expected to employ all the staff it needs to operate the service including revenue protection, inspectors and so on. i can't imagine the NTA will set up their own revenue protection units or other grades.
Stephen15 wrote: » But unions are likely going to object and make the tender process a misery for the NTA. Unions will more than likely still be there in Go Ahead so it won't be much different to Dublin Bus.
punisher5112 wrote: » Its been mentioned already how would you or many like if say you are a 9-5 working day where tomorrow they say we will let you know the day before the time you start and finish.
LeinsterDub wrote: » That's actually pretty **** but what I'm talking about is that like a cleaning company. You work your 9 to 5 but today you could in in company a and tomorrow b. You're paid to clean. The new routes will make this easier.
punisher5112 wrote: » No it won't as each duty is different and each route has many many different styles of duty. Some are short and many runs and some are long etc. Its actually so out dated its unreal.
markpb wrote: » You're making two assumptions/suggestions that I can't agree with at all: 1. The unions and work practices in GA will be just as unhelpful as the ones in DB. 2. The unions and work practices in DB are unhelpful but we should make no effort to fix it because it's hard work. You've no proof of the first and the second is laziness of the highest order.
Stephen15 wrote: » Getting DB stops and buses rebranded in NTA livery will take more than a year and the fact that GA don't even have a depot yet let alone drivers and staff.
bk wrote: » GoAhead will most likely get brand new buses that come in from the NTA orders and so will have the new brand from the start and they only need to replace the bus stops on the routes that GoAhead will be operating on. They have already rolled out those new stops in Cork and they look great, won't be difficult to do it on the 10% of GA routes. As for the rest of DB buses and stops, that obviously isn't going to happen over night, but then it doesn't need to. It will likely be rolled out on a phased basis, probably along with the usual bus painting schedule. It wouldn't be ideal, but as long as they take the same leap cards at the same price, it isn't the end of the world. I really don't see either of the above being a major issue, certainly no sort of blocker. Getting a depot set up and drivers hired will be the challenge for GA.
Stephen15 wrote: » Also what about stops that serve both DB and GA routes stopping at them. The amount of stops that GA operated services will be stopping at is a lot larger than just 10% I'd say the figure would more like 30-40% of stops will have a GA operated service stopping at it.
bk wrote: » I assume those stops will all get the new NTA poles, just as the BE stops in Cork have already gotten. The new stop signs have space for both operators names and multiple route numbers. It is just replacing poles, not rocket science!
Ger Roe wrote: » I have a question over the type of contract awarded to Go Ahead.... Here in North Wicklow there is a community campaign underway to link the adjacent towns of Kilcoole and Newtown by a more direct bus route. Currently the only bus option to travel between the two towns is to take a very inconvenient and time wasting endurance of a route 184 (bus to newtown) and 84 (bus to Kilcoole) changeover in Greystones. The community suggestion is that the 84 which currently terminates in Newcastle should continue to Newtown, therefore connecting the two villages by a far more direct and shorter route. Does anyone know if the decision to award the 184 to a private operator will now prohibit the possibility of any other bus taking passengers to and from Newtown? If I was a private operator awarded a specific route, I would not be happy about another operator then being allowed to operate in my patch, no matter how much the community called for it. Am I right to be concerned that the new arrangement might put a stop to any associated route changes that could affect traffic on the newly contracted privately operated service?
Stephen15 wrote: » But it does take time and cost money. There are many better to spend money than on replacing stops.
bk wrote: » That is your opinion, I strongly disagree. The new bus stop signs are fantastic. Clear, modern and very informative. Much easier for visitors and people new to a route to use. They are vastly superior to the old BE and DB stop signs. They are one of the small, but important design features that make using public transport easier and more pleasant to use. Along with other features like RTPI, spider maps, Leap cards, next stop signs, etc. Either way bus stop signs eventually have to be replaced. The ones in Cork were WAY past they use by date, falling over, rusted and unpainted. They needed to be replaced either way and many DB signs are looking rough too now. This isn't really a GoAhead issue, this is something that should be happening either way and is very welcome IMO.
LeinsterDub wrote: » My understanding of Bus Connects is all routes are for the chop.
