Bus Eireann routes 109/109A Changes

Commuter109 · 27-11-2013 06:45PM

6.30 express full and gone and people refused at 6.26. Lovely big new double decker beside us with less than 20 people on it going to kells.

Seriously ??? and I don't care if NTA are reading this , only conclusion I can come to is that between BE and /or NTA , they haven't got things sorted re whatever bull**** paper work has to be completed before a BE bus goes through DPT , so will only run a private bus with no BE logo on it through DPT at 6.30 or b)

And this is equally probable , - they honestly couldn't give a sh.t

Furp · 28-11-2013 06:30PM

Sitting on the 6.30 this evening 53 seater just gone 6.30 and 2 people had to get off because it's full.

Commuter109 · 29-11-2013 09:43AM

Furp wrote: »

Sitting on the 6.30 this evening 53 seater just gone 6.30 and 2 people had to get off because it's full.

I asked one the guys in BE yesterday evening re the LEAP card, and he told me in nutshell, if you produce a LEAP card on any relevant non LEAP enabled bus, i.e. alot of the private buses that run the express services , you will be onboarded for free.

If I was buying a 10 journey BE ticket and using the expresses, suffice to say I'd be buying a LEAP card for a fiver or whatever its costs next week.

AlekSmart · 29-11-2013 01:38PM

Commuter109 wrote: »

I asked one the guys in BE yesterday evening re the LEAP card, and he told me in nutshell, if you produce a LEAP card on any relevant non LEAP enabled bus, i.e. alot of the private buses that run the express services , you will be onboarded for free.

If I was buying a 10 journey BE ticket and using the expresses, suffice to say I'd be buying a LEAP card for a fiver or whatever its costs next week.

Just to recap.....12 years and c.€40 Million to bring the ITS/Leapcard project to the heights it currently occupies.

Al_Coholic · 05-12-2013 11:30AM

not sure if it has been mentioned here but Sillan Tours have a new 6.30pm service from Nassau Street which go through the port tunnel and first stop is in Dunshaughlin.

gazzer · 06-12-2013 10:38AM

Al_Coholic wrote: »

not sure if it has been mentioned here but Sillan Tours have a new 6.30pm service from Nassau Street which go through the port tunnel and first stop is in Dunshaughlin.

Does it stop in Virginia or Cavan town do you know?

LXFlyer · 06-12-2013 10:49AM

Sillan Tours operate to Kingscourt and Shercock, not to Cavan.

http://www.sillan.ie/index.php/bus-timetables

gazzer · 06-12-2013 12:27PM

lxflyer wrote: »

Sillan Tours operate to Kingscourt and Shercock, not to Cavan.

http://www.sillan.ie/index.php/bus-timetables

Ah right. Thanks for that.

malene · 08-12-2013 01:22PM

Got the nitelinik @ 3.30a.m on Friday and was charged €13.50 from a private bus company, then on Saturday, it was back to 11.50 as per usual. Same driver, I said nothing, but next time be wary, it's only €11.50.

Geog1234 · 08-12-2013 04:18PM

Would suggest dropping Bus Éireann a line or e-mail about this.

horseburger · 09-12-2013 03:32AM

malene wrote: »

Got the nitelinik @ 3.30a.m on Friday and was charged €13.50 from a private bus company, then on Saturday, it was back to 11.50 as per usual. Same driver, I said nothing, but next time be wary, it's only €11.50.

Hi Malene,

if you ever miss the 3.30am bus for Navan and need to get to the airport to get the 5.20 109A bus back to Navan, I just thought to mention that Aircoach run buses every half hour to Dublin Airport from their bus stop at the top half of O'Connell Street, on the opposite side of the street from the Gresham Hotel.

The fare is 7 euros. I didn't realise until recently that Aircoach ran such a frequent service during the night from the city centre to the airport.

http://www.aircoach.ie/table.routes.dublin.citycentre.php

horseburger · 14-12-2013 03:25AM

I saw that the link to the aircoach Dublin city centre - Dublin airport timetable, that I included in my message the other day, doesn't work, since it is the page from before they updated their website.

I couldn't edit that post, so here is the correct link

http://www.aircoach.ie/timetables/route-700-dublin-airport-dublin-city-centre

they run every 30 minutes from midnight to 4.30am and then every 15 minutes.

malene · 20-12-2013 01:40AM

Had an incident on the 8 p.m bus. It pulled out but managed to stop it just before it went past the front of Busaras. Driver stopped, open doors, I politely asked for a one way ticket to Navan and had about 14 euro on me (tenner and coins). He ABSOLUTELY REFUSED to sell me a ticket, saying he wasn't going to sell a ticket? Did Bus Eireann stop selling tickets on buses?? He was Eastern European, in his 30's I'd say with very short black hair. I was absolutely humiliated, and had to get off the bus again. I mentioned it to another guy and they said they know him and know what he's like. Seriously, can B.E not sack arrogant (fill in the blank) from the company. I was DENIED entry on a bus, not for being rude, abusive, intoxicated, but because he DIDN'T want to sell me a ticket. I really fuming over this right now. Arrogant people with personality problems should NOT be allowed to drive buses. Foreign or Irish.

horseburger · 20-12-2013 03:04AM

malene wrote: »

Had an incident on the 8 p.m bus. It pulled out but managed to stop it just before it went past the front of Busaras. Driver stopped, open doors, I politely asked for a one way ticket to Navan and had about 14 euro on me (tenner and coins). He ABSOLUTELY REFUSED to sell me a ticket, saying he wasn't going to sell a ticket? Did Bus Eireann stop selling tickets on buses?? He was Eastern European, in his 30's I'd say with very short black hair. I was absolutely humiliated, and had to get off the bus again. I mentioned it to another guy and they said they know him and know what he's like. Seriously, can B.E not sack arrogant (fill in the blank) from the company. I was DENIED entry on a bus, not for being rude, abusive, intoxicated, but because he DIDN'T want to sell me a ticket. I really fuming over this right now. Arrogant people with personality problems should NOT be allowed to drive buses. Foreign or Irish.

You'd have to wonder why he even stopped if he wasn't going to sell a ticket, or even consider the possibility that you were about to buy a ticket.

What often occurs is that as a bus pulls out of the gate area, once it closes its doors and starts moving, a passenger may come out to the bus just as it is leaving.

Even if the driver sees the passenger, he may not stop and reopen the doors to allow the passenger on. That happened to me recently at gate 7 where the driver indicated he would not reopen the door and let me on.

I was speaking to an inspector about it and he gave me a fair and reasonable explanation that it was a health and safety measure. I understand from his explanation, that it is done to ensure that anyone looking to get on are not too close to the bus while it is moving or reversing when it is pulling out of the bus station.

I mention this to say that it is the only reason I can think of that he may not have let you on, but in your case he stopped the bus giving you the impression he was about to let you board the bus.

Did you stop him outside the main entrance?

malene · 20-12-2013 02:39PM

yes, it was outside the main entrance, not within the gates of Busaras itself. The fecker was actually working today and was at market Square in Navan at 2.00, thankfully I wasn't going on board, but man, I felt like mouthing off to him for being a complete jerk. I've complained to Bus Eireann about it and will see what they say, if anything.

horseburger · 21-12-2013 06:12AM

By stopping and then deciding to not sell you a ticket, he delayed you getting home by at least 30 minutes, and having to wait for the next bus at 8.30pm.

It's hard to understand why he stopped at all, if he wasn't going to let you buy a ticket. He could hardly say that he'd only allow you on if it only meant using a return ticket.

Most of the drivers are very accommodating when passengers stop them in situations where they almost miss the bus.

But it's incidents like what happened to you, that can turn people off using buses daily to and from Dublin. It probably takes passengers having one negative experience, that determines how frequently, in the future, they use a bus service.

Considering that, I'd imagine Bus Éireann will look into it and respond to you.

malene · 26-12-2013 12:05AM

horseburger wrote: »

By stopping and then deciding to not sell you a ticket, he delayed you getting home by at least 30 minutes, and having to wait for the next bus at 8.30pm.

It's hard to understand why he stopped at all, if he wasn't going to let you buy a ticket. He could hardly say that he'd only allow you on if it only meant using a return ticket.

Most of the drivers are very accommodating when passengers stop them in situations where they almost miss the bus.

But it's incidents like what happened to you, that can turn people off using buses daily to and from Dublin. It probably takes passengers having one negative experience, that determines how frequently, in the future, they use a bus service.

Considering that, I'd imagine Bus Éireann will look into it and respond to you.

NO response yet.

Azza89 · 26-12-2013 01:16PM

malene wrote: »

NO response yet.

It's highly unlikely you'll get a response. BE are terrible with complaints.

In the unlikely event that you do get a response it will be a load of crap.

LXFlyer · 26-12-2013 02:21PM

Either way - I would be patient - given this is the Christmas holiday period, the relevant people could be on leave.

horseburger · 06-01-2014 05:41PM

hi malene

just wondering if you got a response yet from Bus Éireann

malene · 07-01-2014 03:29PM

malene wrote: »

yes, it was outside the main entrance, not within the gates of Busaras itself. The fecker was actually working today and was at market Square in Navan at 2.00, thankfully I wasn't going on board, but man, I felt like mouthing off to him for being a complete jerk. I've complained to Bus Eireann about it and will see what they say, if anything.

Just an update on this. They have replied and I do give them credit for that and are aware of the driver in question. Hopefully he'll be removed.

horseburger · 07-01-2014 07:37PM

malene wrote: »

Just an update on this. They have replied and I do give them credit for that and are aware of the driver in question. Hopefully he'll be removed.

thanks for the update

Commuter109 · 09-01-2014 01:11PM

Different year, same service from what I've seen on first week back. 5.30 was full and gone and people left behind on Tuesday. 6.30 was full and gone at 6.29 yesterday and this morning on the 7.20 express, by 7.20 from what I could see there was only one bus on the square. it picked up about 10 in Johnstown and was full, leaving circa 25 people there at 7.25, I hope a second bus came along promptish.

As regards this review and service adjustments in the greater Dublin area, I hope its not the case, but can only assume at this stage that its been and gone and the R109 route isnt been altered or amended.

From what I have seen the private buses still arent LEAP enabled, so free travel is still available to all!

Bus Eireann - consistency in a world gone mad!

gazzer · 09-01-2014 04:11PM

I got the 11am 109 from Cavan on the Sunday after Christmas. According to the timetable it is meant to be in Busarus for 13.10. At 13.35 we were only at the Halfway House. 1.50 before we were at Busarus.

I was coming back to Cavan that night so got the 8.30 bus from Busarus. 10.30pm and it was only arriving in Virginia. The timetable does not bear any resemblance to reality.

horseburger · 09-01-2014 08:05PM

gazzer wrote: »

I got the 11am 109 from Cavan on the Sunday after Christmas. According to the timetable it is meant to be in Busarus for 13.10. At 13.35 we were only at the Halfway House. 1.50 before we were at Busarus.

I was coming back to Cavan that night so got the 8.30 bus from Busarus. 10.30pm and it was only arriving in Virginia. The timetable does not bear any resemblance to reality.

I guess the reason that the bus sometimes arrives at the final destination later than stated on the timetable is because of the traffic that is encountered going to and from Dublin city centre.

For example, any time I have taken the 109A buses from Navan at different times, the journey time to the airport has been pretty much the same. They arrived at the airport shortly before 20 past the hour, around 15 minutes past the hour, which is the time they are due there. It then leaves the airport at 20 past the hour to return to Kells.

I imagine it is able to keep to the printed timetable times because it is not dealing with the same heavy volume of traffic going to the city centre.

Another example is that, I find that the 109 buses that start in Kells at 15 minutes past the hour generally arrive in Navan shortly before 35 past the hour, which is the time that they are due to pick up in Navan.

But generally, the 109 buses that leave Cavan on the hour - even though it says on the timetable that its due in Navan at 5 past the hour - arrive at Navan around 10 past or 15 minutes past the next hour.

These buses generally get into O'Connell St at 20 past or 25 past the hour.

(for example the 109 that leaves Cavan at 5pm gets to Navan around 6.10-6.15pm and gets to O'Connell St around 7.25pm)

I think it is slightly later than listed on the timetable as a result of the distance and traffic that the drivers encounter on the route from Cavan into Virginia Kells and Navan and then often there is heavy traffic at the Phibsborough Church area heading into Dublin and also heading home.

malene · 13-01-2014 03:27PM

Let the rant begin. Came up to Dublin Saturday, one way ticket to Blanch as I was getting the 3.30 109N later which usually arrives on the slip road at about 3.50-4:0 a.m.

IT NEVER CAME THROUGH THE SLIP ROAD! I waited until about 4.30 and realized it wasn't coming, had to hail a taxi and that cost me €50. Its an absolute disgrace, not coming at a stop on a route and leaving the person stranded. I'm mailing BE now, is there a chance I'll get my €50. Problem is I paid cash and no receipt to prove it. I'll mail them anyway.

M

Commuter109 · 14-01-2014 12:46PM

One hour Fourty Minutes on the 5.30 slow coach to Navan yesterday. Went out the via Cabra to pick up one individual. Nearly would have been safer waiting for the 6.30 express.

schemingbohemia · 14-01-2014 02:16PM

malene wrote: »

Let the rant begin. Came up to Dublin Saturday, one way ticket to Blanch as I was getting the 3.30 109N later which usually arrives on the slip road at about 3.50-4:0 a.m.

IT NEVER CAME THROUGH THE SLIP ROAD! I waited until about 4.30 and realized it wasn't coming, had to hail a taxi and that cost me €50. Its an absolute disgrace, not coming at a stop on a route and leaving the person stranded. I'm mailing BE now, is there a chance I'll get my €50. Problem is I paid cash and no receipt to prove it. I'll mail them anyway.

M

How could they possibly give you a refund? Sure everyone could just use the same story, without a receipt you've no chance.

horseburger · 14-01-2014 10:02PM

schemingbohemia wrote: »

How could they possibly give you a refund? Sure everyone could just use the same story, without a receipt you've no chance.

There is a case to be made considering the bus did not pick up at the bus stop, as it should have done. Blanchardstown is listed as a pick up point on the 109N.

http://www.buseireann.ie/pdf/1293185310-109N.pdf

Can the Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) tracking system be used to determine the route the bus followed on Saturday night? If it could, malene will have a strong case, regarding the question of having confidence in relying on the bus to stop at Blanchardstown.

On a press release on buseireann.ie from April 2010 on the introduction of real time information, a description of the AVL system states:

"Real-time information tells customers exactly when the next bus is due to arrive, as distinct from the scheduled time of arrival, which can be distorted due to congestion, road works, diversions and adverse weather conditions".

"The system uses Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) technology, which is underpinned by Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, to track the movements of individual buses and then calculates how far the vehicle is from its next destination".

http://www.buseireann.ie/news.php?id=851&month=Apr

Dr Robotnik · 15-01-2014 01:36AM

gazzer wrote: »

I got the 11am 109 from Cavan on the Sunday after Christmas. According to the timetable it is meant to be in Busarus for 13.10. At 13.35 we were only at the Halfway House. 1.50 before we were at Busarus.

I was coming back to Cavan that night so got the 8.30 bus from Busarus. 10.30pm and it was only arriving in Virginia. The timetable does not bear any resemblance to reality.

I was having a look at the route planner on the Bus Eireann's app. It gives a detailed breakdown on what time the 109 is supposed to be at certain stops along the route. (9.05 Market Square Navan, 9.10 Ardboyne Hotel, etc) According to this timetable, it should take 5 minutes to get from the Halfway House to St Peter's in Phibsborough.

Only by breaking the speed limit and traffic lights could you make it between those two points in just 5 minutes.

schemingbohemia wrote: »

How could they possibly give you a refund? Sure everyone could just use the same story, without a receipt you've no chance.

Even with a receipt I would bet that there's no chance unfortunately. Hell would freeze over before a state company would offer someone a refund. The poster above will most likely get an apology with some vague spiel about the mythical 'route supervisor' being notified. Which is all very unfair of course on the person above.

Bus Eireann routes 109/109A Changes

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