BusConnects Dublin - Bus Network Changes Discussion

I just think that having the terminus also be at the Point Village would be more convenient for drivers on break in terms of amenities, as well as being a more obvious focal point for passengers.

Change things around once Spencer Dock rail station is actually built and operational.

Tweet from Dublin bus re terminus of g1/g2

Which is about 300m more than is recommended for major trip generators.

I was at a concert in the 3 Arena there recently have to say the Luas was a total sh*tshow there was a 20 minute wait for a Luas after the concert so I ended up walking from there to D'Olier Street to catch my bus.

Good to see more transport options in that area always thought it was a bit of a public transport wasteland down that part of town bar the Luas.

Seems there's a spate of anti-social issues along balgaddy road in Lucan, which is affecting the L53 and L54.

*That should say Foxborough Road, not Foxedene Ave.

See below for routing (red=existing, green=detour):

According to the comments, drivers have mentioned that the change might be made permanent if the issues continue.

Yeah no, that area has been notoriously crap since I moved here. I'm surprised these issues have only been highlighted now and not within like the first month of those routes though

I don't know if that's reasonable to say, but I think DB and especially GAI prefer unexperienced drivers who then can be trained and supported in getting a D licence as operators can pay them a lower starting wage. It's easier to make less experienced drivers to commit and stick around for longer rather than get a year of experience and leave. I don't think it's very feasible to desperately get anyone knowing that they will leave soon...

I also could guess that operators might possibly have issues moneywise? The NTA provide funding, but diesel prices jumped drastically within a 12 months' time. I wonder, how often the NTA review and adjust a funding? Can't it be that the operators better off cancelling services rather than paying higher wages to attract more drivers? I would be very difficult to increase the salaries to new drivers but avoid increasing to current drivers... That's a huge number of employees and an amount of money to spare from the budget... It seems to me the whole driver shortage thing is being dealt ineffectively. That shows it's either being done deliberately or simply a huge mismanagement, or a bit of both.

I have been looking at the comments section of that post by the Social Democrats about their survey being completed on the C-Spine routes in Leixlip.

While reading them; there is a comment from one lady there who has a friend who uses multiple bus routes while travelling from Tallaght to UCD to be there at 9am.

The solution to that problem on paper is that the young person's friend will have to take the S6 from to Tallaght to Blackrock Dart Station via UCD.

However; we still do not have a start date for the Southern Orbitals to commence for BusConnects Dublin posted here on boards yet which is the phase after the G-Spine. The G-Spine will begin to run services, which are the G1, G2 & 60, from this Sunday.

What is the story here? Is there any news for the Southern Orbitals to start soon.

Also would the issues with driver shortages at Go Ahead Ireland, who will run the S6 route, be sorted out by the time these new routes get rolled out to their passengers?

Well DB management are getting what they deserve due to the way they treat applicants. If they improved the recruitment process to something similar to what private operators they wouldn't have as much trouble getting drivers.

GAI aren't like that from what I believe but they treat their staff like sh1t once they're already in so again they too are getting what they deserve. It's a pity for people trying to use the service but hey treat potential and serving staff like sh1t and that's what happens.

Well how come someone I know who used to work as a London bus driver was also rejected. Generally in business when recruiting people if you have a load of people applying for a small amount of positions you can be choosy on who you select but if there's a high amount vacancies and few people applying then you can't afford that luxury. DB still think they have it.

Licence + experience and still rejected as I say go to the UK and apply for a bus driving position with any of the large operators (Stagecoach, Go-Ahead, Arriva, Metroline, First Group etc.) and you'll nearly be hired there and then from what he was telling me as they're all desperate for drivers. Some of them don't even do a driving assessment.

What's the difference between Ireland and the UK absolutely nothing apart from a few subtle differences and bus operators that take a far more business like approach to recruitment and selection.

I get the sense though that DB is still seen as a job for life whereas in the UK drivers are seen as just numbers.

If people are applying bus driver roles with the operator because of new routes starting up due to BusConnects and get rejected because of their connections with CIE etc. Is this not a major indicator that BusConnects is being set up to fail on purpose?

The recruitment process culture within DB must be very demoralising at present. I do think there is an overwhelming sense of irony coming from within the company in that if they are not able to recruit more new drivers as hoped to help them operate these new routes for the new incoming bus system. They would really find it to be a real struggle if they cannot be able to recruit the level of new bus drivers needed to operate the new services.

Are they are going to have further problems down the line with recruitment of drivers for the Southern Orbitals phase of the project?

DB are becoming the bigger loser here in trying to operate all of these new routes in the near future. They currently have about 90% of the routes given to them by the NTA to operate the PSO contract.

What If 2024 comes along and Dublin Bus have come across more issues with retention of staff becoming worse within the next 2 years when they are trying to renew that crucial contract for bus routes within the GDA. What happens then; could they lose a larger amount of routes then expected by having them awarded to GAI as a way to some how to address clearing up their staff retention issues?