Bus Eireann - Do they know what they are doing?

JP85 · 18-02-2015 10:01AM #1

I get the 120 bus from heuston towards straffan and I am so sick of buses going past full. 2-3 times a week i get to the bus stop in time only to see my bus go past full and have to wait another 30 minutes until the next scheduled bus.

My problem is as follows:
· The have single decker buses going out of town between 5 & 6 when it’s the busiest time for commuters and then you look across the road to see double decker buses heading towards town with about 4 people on it, surely it’s not that difficult to schedule where the bigger buses should be at a given time?
· They have this sign on the front of their buses that’s says "bus full - bus following" or something like that, when in fact they don’t have another bus following until the next scheduled bus
· Some drivers let you stand, other buses don’t let you stand, what is the policy on this, I would happily take my chances on the bus and risk injury than to stand at a freezing bus stop for another 30 minutes
· Their app keeps crashing
· If you say anything to any of the bus drivers they don’t seem to care
· I’ve sent numerous emails to bus eireann but get a half-hearted response saying that management will look into it but it’s been going on for 2 years
All this has made me so angry last night when I was stuck at the bus stop for 2 hours as 3 buses went past full and my phone died so I couldn’t arrange another form of transport and get picked up.

This route is one of the planned routes to be privatised and my question is, will this improve or hamper the service, well all I can say is that it couldn’t get any worse, I wonder do other people experience similar issues with this ridiculously incompetent company:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

Conway635 · 18-02-2015 10:13AM

JP85 wrote: »

I get the 120 bus from heuston towards straffan and I am so sick of buses going past full. 2-3 times a week i get to the bus stop in time only to see my bus go past full and have to wait another 30 minutes until the next scheduled bus.

My problem is as follows:
· The have single decker buses going out of town between 5 & 6 when it’s the busiest time for commuters and then you look across the road to see double decker buses heading towards town with about 4 people on it, surely it’s not that difficult to schedule where the bigger buses should be at a given time?
· They have this sign on the front of their buses that’s says "bus full - bus following" or something like that, when in fact they don’t have another bus following until the next scheduled bus
· Some drivers let you stand, other buses don’t let you stand, what is the policy on this, I would happily take my chances on the bus and risk injury than to stand at a freezing bus stop for another 30 minutes
· Their app keeps crashing
· If you say anything to any of the bus drivers they don’t seem to care
· I’ve sent numerous emails to bus eireann but get a half-hearted response saying that management will look into it but it’s been going on for 2 years
All this has made me so angry last night when I was stuck at the bus stop for 2 hours as 3 buses went past full and my phone died so I couldn’t arrange another form of transport and get picked up.

This route is one of the planned routes to be privatised and my question is, will this improve or hamper the service, well all I can say is that it couldn’t get any worse, I wonder do other people experience similar issues with this ridiculously incompetent company:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

I can't answer most of your questions, but I am aware that BE are taking delivery shortly of a further 12 of the "LD" type double-deck coaches for the Dublin area (the type in use on the 109 and 120 services) in order to increase the number of busy commuter services that can be double-deck operated.

For this type of vehicle (double-deck coach, as opposed to double-decck citybus of the type used on, for example, 103 Ashbourne services) standing is, *if I recall correctly* illegal.

This is because these coaches are permitted to operate to a higher speed limit than city type double-decks, (I think it is 100 V 80 km/h for the two types).

BE is also taking deliver of an additional 25 standard double3-decks, but these are mostly for Cork and Galway this time round.

C635

JP85 · 18-02-2015 10:39AM

Conway635 wrote: »

I can't answer most of your questions, but I am aware that BE are taking delivery shortly of a further 12 of the "LD" type double-deck coaches for the Dublin area (the type in use on the 109 and 120 services) in order to increase the number of busy commuter services that can be double-deck operated.

For this type of vehicle (double-deck coach, as opposed to double-decck citybus of the type used on, for example, 103 Ashbourne services) standing is, *if I recall correctly* illegal.

This is because these coaches are permitted to operate to a higher speed limit than city type double-decks, (I think it is 100 V 80 km/h for the two types).

BE is also taking deliver of an additional 25 standard double3-decks, but these are mostly for Cork and Galway this time round.

C635

Ok thats interesting, good to get some information like to know that there is something that they are doing to sort out their mess

foggy_lad · 18-02-2015 10:41AM

Bus eireann do operate a smaller single deck city bus on this route usually at off-peak times and this would be the only bus you can legally stand on. At all other times they use the LD double deck and single deck commuter coaches.

As for the stop at heuston it can be tricky at busy times to get a bus from there as the buses leave Connolly station stop almost half full and then fill up at the stop at the halfpenny bridge. There are extra services at this time though with the 123 and 121 leaving as well as a 120 every 30 minutes so you won't be left waiting too long.

The flow on the 120 route is generally into Dublin in the morning peak and out to the sticks in the evening but because of the large population of Clane and Celbridge using the service particularly students who can be travelling to Dublin at off peak times these towns are served every 30 minutes during the day.

One possible solution is to get the luas to Connolly stop and board the bus there.

ailbheg · 18-02-2015 12:16PM

foggy_lad wrote: »

Bus eireann do operate a smaller single deck city bus on this route usually at off-peak times and this would be the only bus you can legally stand on. At all other times they use the LD double deck and single deck commuter coaches.

As for the stop at heuston it can be tricky at busy times to get a bus from there as the buses leave Connolly station stop almost half full and then fill up at the stop at the halfpenny bridge. There are extra services at this time though with the 123 and 121 leaving as well as a 120 every 30 minutes so you won't be left waiting too long.

The flow on the 120 route is generally into Dublin in the morning peak and out to the sticks in the evening but because of the large population of Clane and Celbridge using the service particularly students who can be travelling to Dublin at off peak times these towns are served every 30 minutes during the day.

One possible solution is to get the luas to Connolly stop and board the bus there.

The 17.30 121 doesn't serve Straffan though (usually), so it's not an option.

Heading up to Connolly, while presumably not ideal, would be your best bet, as at peak times you're not even guaranteed at the Hapenny bridge.

foggy_lad · 18-02-2015 01:01PM

ailbheg wrote: »

The 17.30 121 doesn't serve Straffan though (usually), so it's not an option.

Heading up to Connolly, while presumably not ideal, would be your best bet, as at peak times you're not even guaranteed at the Hapenny bridge.

The 121 at 5:30pm does not serve Straffan but the 120 leaving at the same time does. The 120/123 leaves every half hour from the Connolly station stop.

http://www.buseireann.ie/pdf/1202394373-123.pdf

ailbheg · 18-02-2015 01:06PM

foggy_lad wrote: »

The 121 at 5:30pm does not serve Straffan but the 120 leaving at the same time does. The 120/123 leaves every half hour from the Connolly station stop.

http://www.buseireann.ie/pdf/1202394373-123.pdf

If you're unlucky though, you could be waiting a long time at the quays/Connolly as there's no form of queueing there, it's a free-for-all wherever the bus pulls up and people will plough through you to get on the bus. At rush hour it's safest to go to Connolly if you don't want to be left waiting at a stop.

foggy_lad · 18-02-2015 01:14PM

ailbheg wrote: »

If you're unlucky though, you could be waiting a long time at the quays/Connolly as there's no form of queueing there, it's a free-for-all wherever the bus pulls up and people will plough through you to get on the bus. At rush hour it's safest to go to Connolly if you don't want to be left waiting at a stop.

There are no Hoards boarding these buses at Connolly and any time I have seen boarding on the Quays it has been fairly civilised but there are large crowds because the same stop is used for the 115, 126 and some other services afaik. It does help to be aware of the time your bus is expected on the Quays and to watch out for it and move to the kerb in good time.

I have seen people left at Heuston By the 120/123 as well as the Waterford buses because they were fumbling through a bag or playing with their phone etc instead of taking care of the business at hand which is waiting for a bus and sticking the hand out to stop it.

foggy_lad · 18-02-2015 01:22PM

ailbheg wrote: »

I wasn't talking about Connolly, I said Connolly was the place to go if you don't want to risk missing a bus, I was mainly referring to the quays, where I have experienced people shoving past me to get on the bus on a number of occasions (the main reason I will head for Connolly at peak).

Well some people are just ignorant and I would usually deploy my elbows for those people and stop them in their tracks.

ailbheg · 18-02-2015 01:22PM

foggy_lad wrote: »

There are no Hoards boarding these buses at Connolly and any time I have seen boarding on the Quays it has been fairly civilised but there are large crowds because the same stop is used for the 115, 126 and some other services afaik. It does help to be aware of the time your bus is expected on the Quays and to watch out for it and move to the kerb in good time.

I have seen people left at Heuston By the 120/123 as well as the Waterford buses because they were fumbling through a bag or playing with their phone etc instead of taking care of the business at hand which is waiting for a bus and sticking the hand out to stop it.

I've experienced larger numbers boarding at Connolly at peak, not as many as on the quays though, and more often than not there isn't a queue, but a crowd around the door.

I was mainly referring to the quays though, where I have experienced people shoving past me to get on the bus on a number of occasions (the main reason I will head for Connolly at peak and suggested it if you don't want to be left waiting).

Edited post and missed your reply - I have tried that, and usually have a second bag which acts as a sort of barrier, but when someone has the nerve to tell you they're not skipping the queue even though they were behind you one minute and in front the next, what can you do?? Can't really give them a dig/kick from behind...

end of the road · 19-02-2015 12:25AM

JP85 wrote: »

This route is one of the planned routes to be privatised and my question is, will this improve or hamper the service, well all I can say is that it couldn’t get any worse

it won't make a difference, as the NTA dictate and will dictate the service levels

Bus Eireann - Do they know what they are doing?

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