BusConnects Dublin - Bus Network Changes Discussion

This has been a major failing of BusConnects and the way it is being rolled out and how long it is taking.

It seems the NTA have gotten tunnel vision and are only focusing on each new BusConnects corridor in turn, while ignoring the rest of the network and how it actually integrates with the BusConnects routes.

The 24 hour routes is an example of this, we had started rolling out 24 hour routes, the likes of the 41, 39a, etc. but it seems that rollout was put on hold so they would be done as part of Busconnects, but because BusConnects is taking years to rollout, routes that should have been made 24/7 years ago are taking far too long to get there.

Look at the 3km short fare, it only applies to BusConnects routes, how is that fair to people on routes that haven't been BusConnected yet and why did they stupidly shutdown all the fare calculators so no one can figure out if they sould be getting the short fare or not.

Look at how old routes skip newly installed BusConnects stops, completely negating the whole Connected part of BusConnects! Like the 16 and 14 skipping N4 stops, it makes non sense at all.

I think the vision of BusConnects is excellent and will be worth it once done, but boy is the implementation a **** show!

I get the strong smell of civil service bureaucracy from the implementation.

Had I to do it over again, I'd still aim for the BusConnects network, but see it as a more long term plan, I wouldn't have made 24/7 route, short fares, etc. contingent on it. I'd have rolled out the short fare (and fare calculators) to all routes from day one, similar to the 90 minute fare, I would have continued to rollout some 24/7 routes ahead of the BusConnectation of a route, etc.

I think the day one focus should have been on the orbital routes, 24/7 routes, and fares. as they have the biggest impact, the radial interlined BusConenct routes are nice, but not such a big deal and not worth delaying everything else for IMO.

In fairness I do think do are working, DB was having serious problems last year, got big fines and now seem to have greatly improved. GAI now seem to be having issues, but they sound like they are working hard to fix those issues (hiring extra mechanics), so hopefully will be sorted soon.

Yes, I've noticed the same, I think it is a genuine increase in the numbers, rather then cancellations, which seem to be far less then what others are reporting on other routes.

I saw much the same pattern when the N4 was introduced. I think it takes about a year for a route to really settle in and meet it's potential, specially these orbital routes, which are totally new, versus say a relatively minor change to a radial route.