Go Ahead buses - waiting at bus stops/sticking to timetable

that jack · 28-04-2019 4:46pm #1

Hi all,

if any Go Ahead passengers are fed up with their policy of waiting at bus stops & cruising at a ludicrously slow speed, in order to stick to their printed timetable, then please let the NTA (National Transport Authority) know, as it is their policy:

info (at) nationaltransport.ie

The NTA has informed me that, "services can run early, this is not acceptable but can be mitigated by the bus waiting till its due time to leave a stop."

This means Go Ahead passengers will always have the longest possible commuting time, regardless of how light the traffic is.

If you are as frustrated as I am, sitting around at bus stops on my way home from work, then please contact the NTA and let them know. Maybe we can force them into a re-think.

Thanks,

Jack

VG31 · 28-04-2019 4:50pm

Only in Ireland could someone possibly complain about buses sticking to the timetable! I've travelled a lot on buses in Germany and Austria and it is very common for buses to wait at stops if they are running early. It means that you know there is no chance you have missed the bus as they are never more than a minute or two early.

[Deleted User] · 28-04-2019 4:55pm

Seen this practice as described by OP on route 75. I intended to board at this particular stop (not going to say where). The 75 stops just short of the actual bus stop. Another intending passenger goes up to the bus and asks the bus driver to let her on. He refuses.
At this point, I shrug my shoulders leave the stop and walk to another bus stop and get another bus, a Dublin Bus to my destination, Tallaght.

punisher5112 · 28-04-2019 4:58pm

VG31 wrote: »

Only in Ireland could someone possibly complain about buses sticking to the timetable! I've travelled a lot on buses in Germany and Austria and it is very common for buses to wait at stops if they are running early.

This is Ireland and honestly it shouldn't be in until buses are actually prioritized.

Bus lane enforcement, bus stop enforcement, actually letting a bus out in law, clearways actually enforced, more clearways implementation and bus stops that buses can get into especially to use both doors safely.

Double red lines like in the UK seen as one can load/unload for 30 minutes on double yellows.

Traffic lights that allow buses through.

Better ticket equipment.

All this and so much more to increase efficiency and speed then run a proper schedule timetable.

People get thick when we are changing drivers sure and that is even when driver is in and out with no messing about.

baby and crumble · 28-04-2019 5:00pm

It's completely normal in the UK (greater London buses that I've experienced anyway) to wait at a stop for it to catchup to the timetable. Why would you be annoyed at having knowledge of exactly when a bus is due to arrive both at your stop AND your destination stop? It makes no sense.

Jamie2k9 · 28-04-2019 5:36pm

Dublin Bus don't apply this policy.

punisher5112 · 28-04-2019 5:38pm

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Dublin Bus don't apply this policy.

Not yet but it is meant to be happening.

Stephen15 · 28-04-2019 5:39pm

Proper order for too long in this country timetables have been a work of fiction. I can't believe what I'm reading I guess people have become so accustomed to poor punctuality that when they see timetables actually being stuck too they can't figure out what's going on. Aircoach do this too I think.

DB should be doing this aswell it should be like London on high frequency routes of every 15 mins or better there shouldn't be a timetable but rather minimum headway so instead of having say the 46a running to a timetable have each 46a spaced at 7 mins apart and if a bus gets too close to the bus in front make it pull in and wait. This should be done on the 4, 15, 16, 25a/b, 27, 39a, 40, 46a and 145.

noelfirl · 28-04-2019 5:45pm

that jack wrote: »

Hi all,

if any Go Ahead passengers are fed up with their policy of waiting at bus stops & cruising at a ludicrously slow speed, in order to stick to their printed timetable, then please let the NTA (National Transport Authority) know, as it is their policy:

info (at) nationaltransport.ie

The NTA has informed me that, "services can run early, this is not acceptable but can be mitigated by the bus waiting till its due time to leave a stop."

This means Go Ahead passengers will always have the longest possible commuting time, regardless of how light the traffic is.

If you are as frustrated as I am, sitting around at bus stops on my way home from work, then please contact the NTA and let them know. Maybe we can force them into a re-think.

Thanks,

Jack

The solution is to rejig individual departures to account for the average expected traffic levels for the time of day and weekday/weekend. Not wholesale abandon the timetable and screw over passengers at later stops who turn up at the time given in the tables.

Yeesh.

Yer Da sells Avon · 28-04-2019 7:27pm

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Dublin Bus don't apply this policy.

It'll probably be part of their next contract with the NTA.

As a driver, I find it frustrating, especially when the schools are off and I have two hours and nine minutes to cover a route that could easily be done in less than an hour. But I can see the logic behind it. I use the PA system to explain to passengers that if I don't stop and adhere to the timetable, the bus will run early and other passengers will miss it. This usually results in a lot of passive-aggressive sighing, eye-rolling and tut-tutting. At which point, I've started suggesting that they could always hire taxis instead, thus negating the whole issue of public transport services not being run with their individual desires and whims in mind.

xieann wrote:

Seen this practice as described by OP on route 75. I intended to board at this particular stop (not going to say where). The 75 stops just short of the actual bus stop. Another intending passenger goes up to the bus and asks the bus driver to let her on. He refuses.

That driver, whoever he is, is what is generally known in the business as 'a bollocks'.

LeinsterDub · 28-04-2019 8:13pm

You would assume if waits are very frequent the NTA will adjust the timetable

Yer Da sells Avon · 28-04-2019 8:17pm

LeinsterDub wrote: »

You would assume if waits are very frequent the NTA will adjust the timetable

That would be the sensible thing to do. However, 'the sensible thing' is invariably the last thing I'd expect from the NTA. They are beyond useless.

Allinall · 28-04-2019 8:22pm

that jack wrote: »

Hi all,

if any Go Ahead passengers are fed up with their policy of waiting at bus stops & cruising at a ludicrously slow speed, in order to stick to their printed timetable, then please let the NTA (National Transport Authority) know, as it is their policy:

info (at) nationaltransport.ie

The NTA has informed me that, "services can run early, this is not acceptable but can be mitigated by the bus waiting till its due time to leave a stop."

This means Go Ahead passengers will always have the longest possible commuting time, regardless of how light the traffic is.

If you are as frustrated as I am, sitting around at bus stops on my way home from work, then please contact the NTA and let them know. Maybe we can force them into a re-think.

Thanks,

Jack

Presume you’re ok then arriving at your stop 5 minutes before your bus is due to bring you home from work, and then waiting for another half hour, because your bus left early?

Let us know.

Annasopra · 28-04-2019 10:25pm

that jack wrote: »

Hi all,

if any Go Ahead passengers are fed up with their policy of waiting at bus stops & cruising at a ludicrously slow speed, in order to stick to their printed timetable, then please let the NTA (National Transport Authority) know, as it is their policy:

info (at) nationaltransport.ie

The NTA has informed me that, "services can run early, this is not acceptable but can be mitigated by the bus waiting till its due time to leave a stop."

This means Go Ahead passengers will always have the longest possible commuting time, regardless of how light the traffic is.

If you are as frustrated as I am, sitting around at bus stops on my way home from work, then please contact the NTA and let them know. Maybe we can force them into a re-think.

Thanks,

Jack

No no no

Thats nonsense.

I want the correct times not buses leaving earlier than scheduled meaning I miss the bus.

Cookie_Monster · 29-04-2019 5:21am

the problem with this approach is excessive timetable padding, if buses are consistently waiting then the timetable is too slack and needs to be tightened up.

KD345 · 29-04-2019 6:49am

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

the problem with this approach is excessive timetable padding, if buses are consistently waiting then the timetable is too slack and needs to be tightened up.

Until the Bus Connects corridors are in place this can’t happen. There are too many factors affecting timetables - weather, day of week, sports events, concerts, schools, shopping etc. The bus is sharing too much road space with cars for it to be in full control of the timetable.

sharper · 29-04-2019 9:14am

The train will wait at a stop if it's somehow running ahead, people don't mind because the trains generally run on time.

If busses are constantly delayed due to traffic then of course people are going to be annoyed that the odd time they're making good time they have to pull over and wait, especially with the timetable padding mentioned above.

I imagine Dublin Bus would have to switch once bus connects is implemented, especially in and around the interconnect points. With RTPI you can show up at the right time (ish) for a bus even if it's running ahead but if you're relying on a connection you have no control over it.

Dravokivich · 29-04-2019 9:20am

When did a schedule per bus stop come in? I only ever saw departure times from terminus.

Thrashssacre · 29-04-2019 10:03am

All go ahead services have a departure time from the stop you’re at on the printed timetable. Db do not even at shared stops

Pkiernan · 29-04-2019 10:06am

that jack wrote: »

Hi all,

if any Go Ahead passengers are fed up with their policy of waiting at bus stops & cruising at a ludicrously slow speed, in order to stick to their printed timetable, then please let the NTA (National Transport Authority) know, as it is their policy:

info (at) nationaltransport.ie

The NTA has informed me that, "services can run early, this is not acceptable but can be mitigated by the bus waiting till its due time to leave a stop."

This means Go Ahead passengers will always have the longest possible commuting time, regardless of how light the traffic is.

If you are as frustrated as I am, sitting around at bus stops on my way home from work, then please contact the NTA and let them know. Maybe we can force them into a re-think.

Thanks,

Jack

Here's my email:

Dear Sir/Madam,

Thanks for sticking to your published timetables.

Best regards.

Del2005 · 29-04-2019 10:33am

punisher5112 wrote: »

This is Ireland and honestly it shouldn't be in until buses are actually prioritized.

Bus lane enforcement, bus stop enforcement, actually letting a bus out in law, clearways actually enforced, more clearways implementation and bus stops that buses can get into especially to use both doors safely.

Double red lines like in the UK seen as one can load/unload for 30 minutes on double yellows.

Traffic lights that allow buses through.

Better ticket equipment.

All this and so much more to increase efficiency and speed then run a proper schedule timetable.

People get thick when we are changing drivers sure and that is even when driver is in and out with no messing about.

The bus wouldn't be waiting for its time to leave the stop if this was an issue. That only affects buses running late so they won't have to wait for their departure time and yes we do need all that to improve rush hour travel.

But the bus sticking to its timetable is more important than arriving early. We should be like the Swiss where when the train is late your watch is wrong not standing hoping there will be some public transport arriving at any time

TCM · 29-04-2019 10:43am

baby and crumble wrote:

It's completely normal in the UK (greater London buses that I've experienced anyway) to wait at a stop for it to catchup to the timetable. Why would you be annoyed at having knowledge of exactly when a bus is due to arrive both at your stop AND your destination stop? It makes no sense.

There are two things that infuriate me about bus public transport. 1. Bus does not turn up. 2. Bus runs early.

sharper · 29-04-2019 10:55am

TCM wrote: »

There are two things that infuriate me about bus public transport. 1. Bus does not turn up. 2. Bus runs early.

I guess it depends on the route you take but my own annoyances are:

1. Bus doesn't show up.
2. Bus shows up but is full.
3. Bus is running late.

The bus very rarely runs early for me except when the schools are off. To be honest the idea of spending the Easter or summer break being pulled over waiting to "catch up" with the normal timetable does not thrill me.

Annasopra · 29-04-2019 11:03am

Bus leaving earlier than scheduled is really bad and I wouldnt support encouraging this at all.

Go Ahead buses - waiting at bus stops/sticking to timetable

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