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Bus Eireann - is this normal?

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Comments

  • #32
    devnull
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 11,896 Mod ✭✭✭✭devnull


    Stephen15 wrote: »
    How do you it was for staff convience, perhaps the driver was only following orders from the inspector on duty.

    Maybe he was, but it still isn't a great experience for the customer, and at the end of the day, if the driver didn't make the decision then another staff member did, so it's still staff convenience and company convenience.
    We don't know the full story here there could be a maintence defect with the bus meaning it needed to go back to the depot as soon as possible.

    Well there are posts in this thread that suggest that it is far from a rare event on one particular service and I've heard of it happening a few times as well, either BE just keep having maintenance problems that just co-incidentally keeps happening on the same departure or there is something more to it.

    The fact that according to another poster there is an element of forward planning to trying to see if another bus is leaving for the airport on another route suggests it's not maintenance issue in these cases, as does the claim that if there is no bus to join the bus will continue anyway. If it needs urgent maintenance attention it cannot continue.

    Out of curiosity what buses do people from services such as the X8 transfer to in these kind of situations, is it other Expressway buses or PSO services? I assume it would have to be the former.


  • #33
    Franz Von Peppercorn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,070 ✭✭✭Franz Von Peppercorn


    [Deleted User] wrote: »
    How was the driver to know that he was carrying an unaccompanied minor?

    As I already posted, I and family members use this bus (assuming it’s the 4pm 8X) on a regular basis over the past 4 years. The driver always knows if he’s got Airport passengers. I’ve heard him umpteen times ring ahead with his ETA and to check if he’d any bus heading to Airport. There’s always a porter on hand to point out what bus to get on. If there’s no bus available, the driver continues on himself, although this is rare.

    He met the unaccompanied minor.


  • #34
    Franz Von Peppercorn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,070 ✭✭✭Franz Von Peppercorn


    Stephen15 wrote: »
    How do you it was for staff convience, perhaps the driver was only following orders from the inspector on duty. We don't know the full story here there could be a maintence defect with the bus meaning it needed to go back to the depot as soon as possible.

    Come on. Someone said this was common. A bus to the airport should be the last bus to play these kinds of shenanigans. Some older people would have to get off with very large number of luggage and back on again.


  • #35
    Stephen15
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,905 ✭✭✭Stephen15


    Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »
    Come on. Someone said this was common. A bus to the airport should be the last bus to play these kinds of shenanigans. Some older people would have to get off with very large number of luggage and back on again.

    I would say it is likely part BE's cost saving strategy. Really the timetable should reflect this and not go to the airport


  • #36
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 17,847 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »
    Come on. Someone said this was common. A bus to the airport should be the last bus to play these kinds of shenanigans. Some older people would have to get off with very large number of luggage and back on again.

    In my experience, there was always someone there to help with luggage and with being pointed to correct bus.


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  • #37
    Wishbone Ash
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,121 ✭✭✭✭Wishbone Ash


    Stephen15 wrote: »
    .... there could be a maintence defect with the bus meaning it needed to go back to the depot as soon as possible.
    Hardly likely as the driver wouldn't have said he wasn't going to the airport with just one passenger.


  • #38
    kub
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,577 ✭✭✭kub


    Just as well there are competitors on this route.
    I have my doubts that the OP's daughter will use BE again on this route.


  • #39
    Stephen15
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,905 ✭✭✭Stephen15


    Wishbone Ash wrote: »
    Hardly likely as the driver wouldn't have said he wasn't going to the airport with just one passenger.

    That could be unofficial company policy


  • #40
    Wishbone Ash
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,121 ✭✭✭✭Wishbone Ash


    Stephen15 wrote: »
    That could be unofficial company policy
    I'd imagine if I was a driver, I'd be far more likely to say that there's a fault with the bus rather than say I'm not going to the airport with one passenger.


  • #41
    Stephen15
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,905 ✭✭✭Stephen15


    Wishbone Ash wrote: »
    I'd imagine if I was a driver, I'd be far more likely to say that there's a fault with the bus rather than say I'm not going to the airport with one passenger.

    It could be an unwritten rule which management have told drivers to observe do not take passengers to the airport if there's less than x amount after the BE restructuring they may be looking at various different cost saving measures to save on fuel.


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  • #42
    ED E
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 36,095 ✭✭✭✭ED E


    Stephen15 wrote: »
    GA are only taking over 6 BE certain routes. The Dublin-Cork route is not one of them either.

    Yet.


  • #43
    TheQuietFella
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,857 ✭✭✭TheQuietFella


    zoe 3619 wrote: »
    Could you expand on that?

    In my opinion the driver must have been close to his driving hour limit or maybe he had gone over them, thus the need to stop and rest! Secondly he correctly re-directed the passenger to another bus that was going to the airport. It's hardly his problem if the passenger lost her ticket? He is not there to baby sit his passengers but maybe her Mother should have brought her to the airport?

    I wonder where she was going to when she got to the airport?
    This is a classic example of over-parenting children. You let them out in the big bad world and when things go wrong they just can't think for themselves!


  • #44
    ED E
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 36,095 ✭✭✭✭ED E


    Stephen15 wrote: »
    I would say it is likely part BE's cost saving strategy. Really the timetable should reflect this and not go to the airport
    Stephen15 wrote: »
    It could be an unwritten rule which management have told drivers to observe do not take passengers to the airport if there's less than x amount after the BE restructuring they may be looking at various different cost saving measures to save on fuel.

    Random excuse 678...
    Random excuse 679...

    Clearly BE can do no wrong in your eyes. The fanboyism is seriously strong on this sub.
    BarryD2 wrote: »
    Report the incident with the time and route of the bus etc. Get this investigated and if applicable this driver should get their ass burnt. That's no way to treat a fare paying passenger of minor age.

    Discipline isnt a word that exists in the semi state domain.


  • #45
    TheQuietFella
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,857 ✭✭✭TheQuietFella


    devnull wrote: »
    The bus should go to the airport itself because that is how it is timetabled to do so, the passengers should not have to be turfed out and get on or wait for another bus to connect them to the airport, the passenger should come before any staff convenience.

    But on the other hand management shouldn't even tolerate such practice, they should roster the driver for the entire route and if he is rostered then he should do the whole route regardless of how many passengers are onboard.

    And again, driving hours!


  • #46
    Stephen15
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,905 ✭✭✭Stephen15


    ED E wrote: »
    Yet.

    The route in question is a commercial Expressway route, so unless BE decide to sell their commercial enterprise to GAI it's unlikely


  • #47
    Stephen15
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,905 ✭✭✭Stephen15


    The issue could have been sorted by BE implementing a simple system which allows drivers issue a simple transfer voucher to allow passengers continue their journey


  • #48
    devnull
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 11,896 Mod ✭✭✭✭devnull


    TheQuietFella wrote: »
    And again, driving hours!

    That doesn't explain what has been said on this thread in relation to buses carrying on if there was enough passengers on the bus. Driver hours regulations don't say that one rule applies if there are x amounts of passengers on the bus and another rule applies if there are y passengers on the bus.

    Even if it was about drivers hours though that is still a problem for the company who are putting staff convenience ahead of that of passengers, because they should be designing rosters in a way to ensure that it does not happen and to operate the timetable as advertised and as their license requires them to.


  • #49
    pq0n1ct4ve8zf5
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,070 ✭✭✭✭pq0n1ct4ve8zf5


    TheQuietFella wrote: »
    devnull wrote: »
    The bus should go to the airport itself because that is how it is timetabled to do so, the passengers should not have to be turfed out and get on or wait for another bus to connect them to the airport, the passenger should come before any staff convenience.

    But on the other hand management shouldn't even tolerate such practice, they should roster the driver for the entire route and if he is rostered then he should do the whole route regardless of how many passengers are onboard.

    And again, driving hours!

    He's over the driving hours from driving a bus for his rostered shift on timetabled routes, then that's an organisational failure on BE's part.

    But feckit, be grumpy and make it the passenger's problem. Yep, sounds like bus Eireann.


  • #50
    n!ghtmancometh
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 407 ✭✭n!ghtmancometh


    Well, if they continue to treat their fare paying passengers like this they won't have a commercial service for too long anyway, thankfully.

    Imagine faffing about like this with a time critical service like a bus to the airport? Ridiculous that people are actually defending such practices.


  • #51
    Wishbone Ash
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,121 ✭✭✭✭Wishbone Ash


    TheQuietFella wrote: »
    In my opinion the driver must have been close to his driving hour limit or maybe he had gone over them, thus the need to stop and rest!
    That's hardly anything to do with passengers. The bus was on time so presumably the route was designed to accommodate driver's hours.

    Secondly he correctly re-directed the passenger to another bus that was going to the airport.
    He didn't initially. He merely told her that she'd have to find another bus. He only directed her to the Donegal bus after she asked where to go and that bus wasn't leaving for another hour.
    It's hardly his problem if the passenger lost her ticket?
    I didn't say it was.
    He is not there to baby sit his passengers but maybe her Mother should have brought her to the airport?
    So expecting to be brought to your destination is now 'babysitting'?
    I wonder where she was going to when she got to the airport?
    What relevance is that?


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  • #52
    Franz Von Peppercorn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,070 ✭✭✭Franz Von Peppercorn


    TheQuietFella wrote: »
    And again, driving hours!

    You’re saying that the bus can never go to the airport because it’s rostered so badly the driver is always over hours at busarus?

    That’s not what he said anyway.


  • #53
    Shpud2
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,749 ✭✭✭Shpud2


    Mayson Screeching Month wrote: »
    He's over the driving hours from driving a bus for his rostered shift on timetabled routes, then that's an organisational failure on BE's part.

    But feckit, be grumpy and make it the passenger's problem. Yep, sounds like bus Eireann.

    It could be a case where delays brought him over hours.


  • #54
    devnull
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 11,896 Mod ✭✭✭✭devnull


    Shpud2 wrote: »
    It could be a case where delays brought him over hours.

    Yet the OP has said that the bus was on time....


  • #55
    pq0n1ct4ve8zf5
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,070 ✭✭✭✭pq0n1ct4ve8zf5


    Wishbone Ash wrote: »
    TheQuietFella wrote: »
    In my opinion the driver must have been close to his driving hour limit or maybe he had gone over them, thus the need to stop and rest!
    That's hardly anything to do with passengers. The bus was on time so presumably the route was designed to accommodate driver's hours.

    Secondly he correctly re-directed the passenger to another bus that was going to the airport.
    He didn't initially. He merely told her that she'd have to find another bus. He only directed her to the Donegal bus after she asked where to go and that bus wasn't leaving for another hour.
    It's hardly his problem if the passenger lost her ticket?
    I didn't say it was.
    He is not there to baby sit his passengers but maybe her Mother should have brought her to the airport?
    So expecting to be brought to your destination is now 'babysitting'?
    I wonder where she was going to when she got to the airport?
    What relevance is that?
    Shpud2 wrote: »
    Mayson Screeching Month wrote: »
    He's over the driving hours from driving a bus for his rostered shift on timetabled routes, then that's an organisational failure on BE's part.

    But feckit, be grumpy and make it the passenger's problem. Yep, sounds like bus Eireann.

    It could be a case where delays brought him over hours.

    Then he could have explained that, and again, not the passengers' fault, but turned into the passenger's problem.

    No indication that this bus was late getting to Busaras, so if there were delays it was before he started that journey, so why'd he start it? On the assumption he wouldn't complete it? Why does this never happen with citylink and the rest?

    I get that drivers' jobs are demanding and I don't want to see public transport privatised. But if they don't drop this attitude that passengers are being difficult by expecting journeys to correlate with the timetables then that's what'll happen.


  • #56
    end of the road
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,539 ✭✭✭✭end of the road


    ED E wrote: »
    Yet.

    no, not at all. i believe that is an expressway route. or at least, a route that is unlikely to be tendered either way. and even if it was, there is nothing to say that another company then go ahead wouldn't win it, such as bus eireann.
    ED E wrote: »
    Random excuse 678...
    Random excuse 679...

    on what basis do you state they are excuses, rather then real possibilities?
    ED E wrote: »
    Clearly BE can do no wrong in your eyes. The fanboyism is seriously strong on this sub.

    clearly be is always wrong no matter what in your eyes. the hatred is seriously strong on this sub. okay lets come back to reality. he's simply giving you some possibilities of what may have gone on. given we weren't there, we are never going to know the actual reasons why what happened happened.
    ED E wrote: »
    Discipline isnt a word that exists in the semi state domain.

    it is . you aren't going to hear about it however. it's not going to make front page news.

    I'm very highly educated. I know words, i have the best words, nobody has better words then me.



  • #57
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 17,847 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Wishbone Ash wrote: »
    That's hardly anything to do with passengers. The bus was on time so presumably the route was designed to accommodate driver's hours.


    He didn't initially. He merely told her that she'd have to find another bus. He only directed her to the Donegal bus after she asked where to go and that bus wasn't leaving for another hour.

    I didn't say it was.

    So expecting to be brought to your destination is now 'babysitting'?

    What relevance is that?

    The bus I usually change to is the one to Sligo. As far as I know both it and the Donegal bus stop at the airport and they leave Busaras at the same time. One would be asked to wait for the 8X if there weren’t many going on to the airport. Personally, I think that it was just a huge misunderstanding.


  • #58
    end of the road
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,539 ✭✭✭✭end of the road


    Mayson Screeching Month wrote: »
    I get that drivers' jobs are demanding and I don't want to see public transport privatised. But if they don't drop this attitude that passengers are being difficult by expecting journeys to correlate with the timetables then that's what'll happen.

    privatization is very very unlikely to happen because of those issues or attitudes. if privatization happens it will be most likely for other reasons, not related to service provision or the user.

    I'm very highly educated. I know words, i have the best words, nobody has better words then me.



  • #59
    devnull
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 11,896 Mod ✭✭✭✭devnull


    Deleted User wrote: »
    The bus I usually change to is the one to Sligo. As far as I know both it and the Donegal bus stop at the airport and they leave Busaras at the same time.

    One would be asked to wait for the 8X if there weren’t many going on to the airport. Personally, I think that it was just a huge misunderstanding.

    If you are on a bus that is supposed to be going to the airport and you are asked to wait for another bus as they are terminating it short because of not enough passengers then that is completely unacceptable and it also means the operator has decided not to operate the service as it is timetabled or as licensed which is a clear case of the company putting it's own interests ahead of the passengers.

    In addition the other issue is that there are limited licenses available for services on each corridor and such an operator is using one up but not operating the services to places served and therefore denying an operator who may want to operate such services from doing so.


  • #60
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 17,847 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    devnull wrote: »
    If you are on a bus that is supposed to be going to the airport and you are asked to wait for another bus as they are terminating it short because of not enough passengers then that is completely unacceptable and it also means the operator has decided not to operate the service as it is timetabled or as licensed which is a clear case of the company putting it's own interests ahead of the passengers.

    In addition the other issue is that there are limited licenses available for services on each corridor and such an operator is using one up but not operating the services to places served and therefore denying an operator who may want to operate such services from doing so.

    You are missing my point. The 8X which I am on stops at Busaras. It is due to leave again in a few minutes, at the same time as 2 more busses, all stopping at the airport next. IF there’s room on one of those busses for 2 or 3 more, why not transfer them. We still get there at the same time. If there’s not room on either of the other busses (they seem to hold one only, usually the Sligo one and only for a few minutes) then the 8X continues to the airport.


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  • #61
    BowWow
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,840 ✭✭✭BowWow


    Young daughter going from Cork to Dublin Airport, but not for a flight? Daughter not used to travelling on a coach, gets flustered, wont stand up for herself etc. so Mother lets her away on her own. And all this is the driver and BE's fault?

    I think there is more to this story.

    Plausible alternative - Daughter gets off in Busaras, realises she's in the wrong place, but too late, bus and driver have gone off duty as no passengers remain on board. So blames driver...

    I'm no fan of BE, but natural justice would demand the other side of this tale...


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