Bus Éireann city services

13-09-2018 6:28pm #1

Changes to bus services. 401-403 combining into one service from Salthill to Parkmore & back via Eyre Square. http://www.buseireann.ie/news_timetable.php?id=3054&month=Sep

Mrs OBumble · 13-09-2018 6:50pm

Indeed. Most likely no longer calling to Mervue shops.

http://news.galwaytransport.info/2018/09/cancellation-bus-403-extension-bus-401-salthill-to-parkmore.html

We await the mafia response ....

what_traffic · 14-09-2018 4:01pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Indeed. Most likely no longer calling to Mervue shops.

http://news.galwaytransport.info/2018/09/cancellation-bus-403-extension-bus-401-salthill-to-parkmore.html

We await the mafia response ....

Mafia?

Mrs OBumble · 16-09-2018 9:52pm

what_traffic wrote: »

Mafia?

The Mervue Mafia. Older cousins of the Ballybane Taliban.

I guess you're from the west side, and don't how the locals in these areas describe themselves.

flazio · 16-09-2018 10:13pm

Knocknacara cartel? The Geordies?

Mrs OBumble · 17-09-2018 7:58am

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Indeed. Most likely no longer calling to Mervue shops.

http://news.galwaytransport.info/2018/09/cancellation-bus-403-extension-bus-401-salthill-to-parkmore.html

We await the mafia response ....

Good news: The bus I caught this morning did go down to Mervue shops. And it turned up right on time. So far so good.

Fitz* · 17-09-2018 10:32am

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Good news: The bus I caught this morning did go down to Mervue shops. And it turned up right on time. So far so good.

How long will that last for? Here is a mail I received recently from the regional manager for BE services in Galway about why the 403 doesn't run at certain times. She basically said that they were aware that a bus service would not run as there was no driver timetabled to drive any bus at that time.

Dear *****,

I refer to your email and I want to apologise to you sincerely for the difficulties you encountered with route 403.

The 18.15 service which you referred to was operating behind schedule and was in Parkmore at the time of 18.27.

The bus and driver at 18.27 in Eyre Square you referred to was finishing his shift at this time and was returning back to the Depot.

Unfortunately due to peak hour traffic the services can be severely disrupted and it can take up to 2 hours before they return to schedule. I can assure you that the 403 service is monitored continually and interventions are made where necessary and where possible to keep the services running to schedule.

Once again please accept my sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused.

Kind regards,
***** *****,
Regional Manager's Office,
Bus Eireann,
Galway.

what_traffic · 17-09-2018 10:34am

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

The Mervue Mafia. Older cousins of the Ballybane Taliban.

I guess you're from the west side, and don't how the locals in these areas describe themselves.

Ah right - that's very USA.
They sound like those ridiculous American Sports teams Franchise names.

Mrs OBumble · 17-09-2018 5:08pm

Our new double-decker buses have middle doors!

In a few minutes I'll see if the driver is willing to use 'em.

zell12 · 17-09-2018 5:41pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Our new double-decker buses have middle doors! In a few minutes I'll see if the driver is willing to use 'em.

CityDirect have them. Drivers only use them if a wheelchair user is aboard or when it reaches its terminus. Plus CD don't do cash change, exact fare or else. Fast boarding.

ben.schlomo · 17-09-2018 7:14pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Our new double-decker buses have middle doors!

In a few minutes I'll see if the driver is willing to use 'em.

They didn't use them this morning on my journey.

Mrs OBumble · 17-09-2018 10:59pm

ben.schlomo wrote: »

They didn't use them this morning on my journey.

Nor mine either. But they were on routes 403 and 409 this afternoon.

Here's a quick look:

eyresquare · 18-09-2018 1:11am

I got this new bus tonight and the bus driver told me it was a nice bus and all, but they don't have radios!

Fitz* · 18-09-2018 10:43am

They didn't use the side doors on my bus this morning either. Are they going to use them at all, or are they only for wheelchair access?

Double decker was welcome, as the number of passengers was very high.

Mrs OBumble · 18-09-2018 11:44am

FitzShane wrote: »

They didn't use the side doors on my bus this morning either. Are they going to use them at all, or are they only for wheelchair access?

Double decker was welcome, as the number of passengers was very high.

Used on mine yesterday only in Eyre Square, not intermediate stops.

And no radios .... no death notices on the trip to work! About time.

zell12 · 18-09-2018 12:40pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Used on mine yesterday only in Eyre Square, not intermediate stops.
And no radios .... no death notices on the trip to work! About time.

Dublin bus drivers threatened to go on strike when the trannies were taken away. DB relented to pressure. Now everyone on the bus gets to hear Liveline.

Fitz* · 18-09-2018 1:18pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Used on mine yesterday only in Eyre Square, not intermediate stops.

And no radios .... no death notices on the trip to work! About time.

Eyre Square / bigger stops with lots of footfall and not every stop makes sense alright. I don't think the doors opened in Eyre Square this morning though.

ger vallely · 20-09-2018 4:09pm

Anyone know what the issue with the 402 was this morning? I was at the stop 15 minuets before it was due at 7.50, it never arrived. The next one zoomed past, full to bursting at 8.23! Seems like the earlier one simply disappeared, leaving me in a panic calling a taxi to work. When it does show it’s unbelievably full. For a bus that services numerous schools and the hospital plus lots of work places, it’s just crazy. Passengers having to temporarily get off to allow those standing down the back to get off. Shocking ‘service’ that needs adjusting to make it work properly.

Bredabe · 21-09-2018 4:53pm

ger vallely wrote: »

Anyone know what the issue with the 402 was this morning? I was at the stop 15 minuets before it was due at 7.50, it never arrived. The next one zoomed past, full to bursting at 8.23! Seems like the earlier one simply disappeared, leaving me in a panic calling a taxi to work. When it does show it’s unbelievably full. For a bus that services numerous schools and the hospital plus lots of work places, it’s just crazy. Passengers having to temporarily get off to allow those standing down the back to get off. Shocking ‘service’ that needs adjusting to make it work properly.

As for their Saturday morning 'service"!:mad::mad::mad:, so many disappearing bus's on one route.

jkforde · 23-09-2018 9:29pm

BÉ operates to keep their unions happy, not their customer base. buses of the 405 when i used it from its terminus at Ballybrit used to disappear regularly in the evenings and then two would turn up, one would stop and the other wizzed off empty... and same answer was 'rush hour, what can we do'.... which would explain fully why two buses tailgating each other would turn up together.:P

bobbyss · 24-09-2018 2:08am

Does anyone use the Real Time Ireland App for city services? For stop 5 in Eyre Square (Rahoon) it's pure fiction.
The Real Time screen at stop 5 is rarely correct as well as buses just disappear from the screen. Why is this?

Mrs OBumble · 24-09-2018 8:57am

bobbyss wrote: »

Does anyone use the Real Time Ireland App for city services? For stop 5 in Eyre Square (Rahoon) it's pure fiction.
The Real Time screen at stop 5 is rarely correct as well as buses just disappear from the screen. Why is this?

Can't prove it, but I believe it shows timetable data when actual real- time data from the buses isn't available - and that there is something the drivers can do which stops buses from transmitting data.

bobbyss · 24-09-2018 4:50pm

Mrs OBumble wrote:

Can't prove it, but I believe it shows timetable data when actual real- time data from the buses isn't available - and that there is something the drivers can do which stops buses from transmitting data.

It is such a common occurrence it makes a mockery of itself.
Why wouldn't real time data be available from the buses? Is there a technological issue or what that can not be overcome? I could understand if it happened once in a while. I have no stats but Dublin Bus' real time ( from experience) would be 95% correct.

Am not quite sure what you mean by drivers doing something which stops the transmission of data.

jkforde · 24-09-2018 6:44pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

...and that there is something the drivers can do which stops buses from transmitting data.

this beggars belief... they invest millions in this real-time system and some driver off on a 'personal detour' can turn it off... yet another prime time candidate not that highlighting these things does a blind bit of good

dilallio · 24-09-2018 7:48pm

I wish when they update their timetables, that they would remove the old ones from their website so that a google search cannot return the older timetable.

Mrs OBumble · 24-09-2018 11:50pm

bobbyss wrote: »

Am not quite sure what you mean by drivers doing something which stops the transmission of data.

Commercial drivers often don't like the idea of big brother being able to track where they are at all times.

We know that when they sign out of the ticketing system, eg when changing drivers, the bus disappears off the system for a few minutes. I suspect there are other methods too.

Stevolende · 28-09-2018 12:14pm

What's going on with the 409 terminus stop at Eyre Square during rush hours. I assumed that the increase in service would mean that people wouldn't be waiting too long. I stood there from 6pm last night to 6.40 waiting for a bus.
Saw several disappear from the electric schedule indicator as I waited.
Then saw a load of them coming in the opposite direction when we did manage to get underway.
Are they skipping Eyre Square in the rush hour? That can't make sense can it. I think some people were left waiting when the bus did get filled and leave. Plus people were told not to stand on the upper deck. Not seen that happening before, might be safer but would think it had to do with how many people were waiting too.

Gremlinertia · 28-09-2018 2:50pm

I do know traffic has been very bad this week parkmore side, yesterday in particular was insane, the parkmore road and junction up to briarhill Dunnes just didn't move for an age, took close to two hours to get any real movement..
Guessing that drivers were due shift changes or breaks then..

bobbyss · 28-09-2018 4:53pm

Stevolende wrote:

What's going on with the 409 terminus stop at Eyre Square during rush hours. I assumed that the increase in service would mean that people wouldn't be waiting too long. I stood there from 6pm last night to 6.40 waiting for a bus. Saw several disappear from the electric schedule indicator as I waited. Then saw a load of them coming in the opposite direction when we did manage to get underway. Are they skipping Eyre Square in the rush hour? That can't make sense can it. I think some people were left waiting when the bus did get filled and leave. Plus people were told not to stand on the upper deck. Not seen that happening before, might be safer but would think it had to do with how many people were waiting too.

I share your pain. The 'old disappearing bus trick'. Fuming I would be. Often I have walked to my destination rather than put up with that nonsense. Sometimes the bus I had been waiting for passes me by. I swear I see it smirk at me.

Storm 10 · 29-09-2018 3:07pm

Was up in Parkmore last week and there were 5 409 buses there I can only assume that they are getting caught in our famous traffic and causing problems with their achedule

ger vallely · 29-09-2018 7:27pm

Yet again, all week packed into the morning bus. Having to get off on Bohermore to allow passengers at the back disembark. Then on a Saturday at 2pm double decker drives past with maybe 8/10 people on board. Simply idiotic.

Mrs OBumble · 29-09-2018 8:20pm

The 409 I was on a bit after 4pm today needed its double-deck: 75% full for some parts of the journey.

Stevolende · 02-10-2018 10:00pm

Odd I thought they specifically ran single deckers in the rush hour.

Fitz* · 23-10-2018 5:34pm

405 has been consistently worse ever since they implemented the new timetable. (And by new timetable I mean nothing actually changed as there are no increased service, no changes times etc).

Nothing will ever be done to fix this route. It's a joke.

Either no bus shows up for 40+ mins at a stop or else 2 show up at the same time. BE have a special ability to not be able to have services provided during peak hours.

zell12 · 24-10-2018 8:07am

Again the buses get stuck in the traffic created by the private cars, particularly during rush hour - hence why they are late repeatedly.
It is not the bus driver's fault.

Fitz* · 24-10-2018 9:49am

The majority of the time, yes that it correct.

But some drivers are just not utilizing the buses to their full capacity. What is the point in having buses with middle opening doors if the middle doors do not open at stops and still force everyone to leave the bus through the front door before allowing new passengers to enter the bus. Causes delays.

BE / NTA doing nothing to help them either. Service is getting worse, they are aware of it but no changes or additional services will be made or provided.

Mrs OBumble · 24-10-2018 11:35am

405 really does get the raw end on the deal in terms of unscheduled cancellations.

Its almost like someone in BÉ management hates Rahoon.

bobbyss · 25-10-2018 5:42am

Has anyone ever called an inspector while waiting for a delayed bus to get an explanation or update?

45mhrc7evo1d3n · 26-10-2018 12:33am

Waiting for the 401 at Caesar’s Palace in Salthill this evening and the real time info online was way off. The bus was late but looking at the “real time” info on my phone, apparently the bus was at Fr Griffin Road at the same time it actually arrived at Caesars Palace. The system is a joke.

flazio · 26-10-2018 6:50am

I seriously doubt the Real Time is working off GPS. I reckon it's counting down the timetable

ben.schlomo · 26-10-2018 8:47am

flazio wrote: »

I seriously doubt the Real Time is working off GPS. I reckon it's counting down the timetable

Definitely doesn't work solely to timetable, there are differences from bus to bus.

Mrs OBumble · 26-10-2018 10:47am

flazio wrote: »

I seriously doubt the Real Time is working off GPS. I reckon it's counting down the timetable

It's a mixture of both.

Sometimes it's spot on for late buses. Sometimes its not.

bobbyss · 26-10-2018 4:43pm

Rosalyn Greasy Pants wrote:

Waiting for the 401 at Caesarâ€™s Palace in Salthill this evening and the real time info online was way off. The bus was late but looking at the â€œreal timeâ€ info on my phone, apparently the bus was at Fr Griffin Road at the same time it actually arrived at Caesars Palace. The system is a joke.

It's worse than a joke. Last week there were two 404s and one 405 dancing a jig on the real time at Eyre Square stop. Some of them disappeared for a short time then returned for an encore. Changing times forward and backwards. Meanwhile the phone was telling a different story. It had just gone six o'clock and I had thought of ringing the inspector or whoever but thought as it was past five they would have all ....ed off home and what was the point any way.
Dublin Bus realtime thingy is correct I would say 95% of the time. Is it not the same system? Why is it not working in Galway? The issue is constant and long standing.

ben.schlomo · 26-10-2018 6:53pm

bobbyss wrote: »

Rosalyn Greasy Pants wrote:

Waiting for the 401 at Caesarâ€™s Palace in Salthill this evening and the real time info online was way off. The bus was late but looking at the â€œreal timeâ€ info on my phone, apparently the bus was at Fr Griffin Road at the same time it actually arrived at Caesars Palace. The system is a joke.

It's worse than a joke. Last week there were two 404s and one 405 dancing a jig on the real time at Eyre Square stop. Some of them disappeared for a short time then returned for an encore. Changing times forward and backwards. Meanwhile the phone was telling a different story. It had just gone six o'clock and I had thought of ringing the inspector or whoever but thought as it was past five they would have all ....ed off home and what was the point any way.
Dublin Bus realtime thingy is correct I would say 95% of the time. Is it not the same system? Why is it not working in Galway? The issue is constant and long standing.

It's called traffic.

Mrs OBumble · 26-10-2018 7:11pm

ben.schlomo wrote: »

It's called traffic.

Its is not traffic that causes the real time signs to display inconsistently. I'm about 80% sure it's something the drivers do.

ben.schlomo · 26-10-2018 7:25pm

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

ben.schlomo wrote: »

It's called traffic.

Its is not traffic that causes the real time signs to display inconsistently. I'm about 80% sure it's something the drivers do.

Not on every occasion but a lot of it is traffic related, I see it any time I use a bus, it's not that hard to figure it out. As an example the RT board shows 5 minutes, 6 later it's 3, traffic is heavy, end result is a delayed bus.

bobbyss · 26-10-2018 7:42pm

Mrs OBumble wrote:

Its is not traffic that causes the real time signs to display inconsistently. I'm about 80% sure it's something the drivers do.

You mentioned this previously. I would reckon that Dublin Bus Realtime is over 90% spot on anytime I use it. Very impressive it is. I have never heard anything about them doing anything to interfere with it. Are you suggesting something nefarious in the west? What would they be doing and why?

dilallio · 29-10-2018 7:39pm

bobbyss wrote: »

It's worse than a joke. Last week there were two 404s and one 405 dancing a jig on the real time at Eyre Square stop. Some of them disappeared for a short time then returned for an encore. Changing times forward and backwards. Meanwhile the phone was telling a different story. It had just gone six o'clock and I had thought of ringing the inspector or whoever but thought as it was past five they would have all ....ed off home and what was the point any way.
Dublin Bus realtime thingy is correct I would say 95% of the time. Is it not the same system? Why is it not working in Galway? The issue is constant and long standing.

+1
I'm a regular user of the 402 service to Knocknacarra. Most workday evenings, if there is no service after 5pm until 6:15pm or later.

The realtime signs and app are a complete joke.
The times on the official app are completely different to the signs at the bus stops, and neither of these correspond to when the bus actually arrives.

There is obviously a setup issue in the way the realtime info for the 402 bus has been commissioned. For example, the 402 realtimes for buses travelling from Merlin Park towards Eyre Square show the times for Prospect Hill, the last stop immediately before Eyre Square, to be a few mins after the times for Eyre Square.

I've tried complaining to the NTA - their realtime report an issue page hasn't worked in months - it gives an error when you try to save a complaint. I've called them 4 or 5 times since, and each time they have said that a 'developer' would call back.

It's frustrating because as bobbyss correctly points out, the signs and app are very accurate in Dublin.

pure.conya · 01-11-2018 4:12pm

ben.schlomo wrote: »

It's called traffic.

In this day and age they should have their realtime app synced with Google maps that would provide a more accurate eta

zell12 · 11-11-2018 1:37pm

BusEireann stated that their average bus speed in Galway rush hour is 7.5kph
The worst in the country.

That is only marginally faster than walking!

dilallio · 11-11-2018 3:29pm

Got a 402 from NUIG at 6.20pm last week heading to Seacrest. The driver told me he left Merlin at 4.30pm.

Bus Éireann city services

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