Go-Ahead Dublin City Routes - Updates and Discussion

dashcamdanny · 17-10-2018 3:40pm

Stephen15 wrote: »

New style as in DB stops removed and replaced with the new TFI style of bus stops or the DB logos simply replaced with the TFI Bus logo which can be seen on most stops along the 45a, 59, 63 and 75 routes.

These bus stops are extremely hard to see at night from a bus drivers perspective. Needless to say, people with no experience of driving a bus designed them.

I hope they brighten them up a bit. I missed a stop last week . Yellow was perfect . Now its complete darkness when mixed in with trees .

punisher5112 · 17-10-2018 3:47pm

dashcamdanny wrote: »

These bus stops are extremely hard to see at night from a bus drivers perspective. Needless to say, people with no experience of driving a bus designed them.

I hope they brighten them up a bit. I missed a stop last week . Yellow was perfect . Now its complete darkness when mixed in with trees .

Imagine what it was like when the stops were dark blue.

A reflective strip or 2 down low on the pole would really help at night.

Bus eireann stops have these strips up high on the pole.

dashcamdanny · 17-10-2018 3:54pm

punisher5112 wrote: »

Imagine what it was like when the stops were dark blue.

A reflective strip or 2 down low on the pole would really help at night.

Bus eireann stops have these strips up high on the pole.

Thats a great idea. One that should be suggested. I have over 12 routes as a spare driver with variations . Some you get every week other you get once every two months. Its hard to remember all the stops.

Seems strange they would make it more difficult to spot them. But thats the NTA for ya.

dfx- · 17-10-2018 4:56pm

rx8 wrote: »

Apparently, the NTA overlooked another very important item.... THE FAREBOX MONEY.
GAI are not obliged to count or pass it on to the NTA, as it's not seemingly in their contract. Sitting in a corner in bags in Ballymount, awaiting collection. Whenever the NTA gets around to it.

:eek::eek:

Stephen15 · 17-10-2018 5:09pm

I still think it's mental that Go-Ahead only have one depot based in Ballymount and no outstations grand for the likes of the 17, 18, 75/a, 175 and the 76 but crazy for the likes of the 33a/b, 184 and 185 and other routes which serve only South and North Dublin Ballymount is not a great location.

Go-Ahead wanted to turn the old ferry terminal in DL into an outstation for 20 buses similar to the way DB have D/brook buses based out in Bray but were wrongly refused planning permission while the ferry terminal currently lies idle.

L1011 · 17-10-2018 7:16pm

Ferry terminal is being converted to offices and a restaurant now

normanoffside · 17-10-2018 7:30pm

Is there any prospect of the GAI being integrated into google maps?

Stephen15 · 17-10-2018 8:49pm

L1011 wrote: »

Ferry terminal is being converted to offices and a restaurant now

The tarmac could be used to park buses

Dravokivich · 17-10-2018 8:57pm

Stephen15 wrote: »

The tarmac could be used to park buses

No point in putting that in place, while looking for something else to do, when there's no garentee an alternative will be available before the planned work begins.

Stephen15 · 17-10-2018 9:04pm

Dravokivich wrote: »

No point in putting that in place, while looking for something else to do, when there's no garentee an alternative will be available before the planned work begins.

Are they planning to build on the tarmac?

tabbey · 17-10-2018 10:28pm

L1011 wrote: »

Ferry terminal is being converted to offices and a restaurant now

There was already a restaurant on the HSS terminal.It closed recently.

tabbey · 17-10-2018 10:36pm

Stephen15 wrote: »

The tarmac could be used to park buses

Trouble with parking any vehicles at the harbour, is the salt in the air, causing rust to develop more rapidly than in Ballymount.

However it is operationally inefficient to run buses on routes 59,63, 45A etc, from a base in Ballymount.

Somewhere like the Stillorgan, Leopardstown, Sandyford industrial estate would be suitable, but unfortunately more costly.

Stephen15 · 17-10-2018 11:09pm

tabbey wrote: »

Trouble with parking any vehicles at the harbour, is the salt in the air, causing rust to develop more rapidly than in Ballymount.

However it is operationally inefficient to run buses on routes 59,63, 45A etc, from a base in Ballymount.

Somewhere like the Stillorgan, Leopardstown, Sandyford industrial estate would be suitable, but unfortunately more costly.

Didn't think of that but I guess it's valid reasoning however would Clontarf buses not be effected by this considering the depot is near the sea and they park some buses overnight in the car park across the road. I hope they get their issues at the moment sorted out and their only teething issues if in the long run they aren't up to scratch I hope the NTA will be swift to act.

I can't figure out how they allocate buses either it appears they are allocating them at random at the moment and routes don't have any set allocations I don't think this is that efficient. Anytime I pass by DL DART station since the switchover where there was once a line of DB buses laying over the terminus there is now usually a DB bus from the 46a and one or two GAI buses compared to about 5 or 6 DB laying over the terminus and about 5 or 6 GAI drivers waiting for to take over buses which have not yet arrived.

When DB were operating those services there would always usually be a driver to every bus and buses would remain parked up while drivers were on a break but appears now GAI is keeping buses out on the road. I can understand from a commercial point of view why they are doing this but buses should be at they're terminus when they are needed. They just seem a little badly organised at the moment. DB also used to have an inspector in DL making sure things were running as smoothly as possible and buses and drivers were where they should be.

punisher5112 · 18-10-2018 8:38am

Plenty places in Bray....

Old Dell and few other places even better left laying years empty.

Annasopra · 18-10-2018 8:47am

punisher5112 wrote: »

Plenty places in Bray....

Old Dell and few other places even better left laying years empty.

Yeah but the traffic to get in and out of Bray is massively congested already

punisher5112 · 18-10-2018 8:57am

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

Yeah but the traffic to get in and out of Bray is massively congested already

Not out the top end. Sure when the buses would be going out to start there is no traffic and even with traffic is much closer and quicker then where they are.

WomanSkirtFan8 · 18-10-2018 10:49am

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

Yeah but the traffic to get in and out of Bray is massively congested already

Not at the southern cross end of bray, although that roundabout coming in from greystones to bray does tend to get busy between 8am and 9am in the morning.

the former Dell site there on the boghall road would be a good placed to have a secondary depot for go ahead ireland.:cool:

Leonard Hofstadter · 18-10-2018 11:55am

normanoffside wrote: »

Is there any prospect of the GAI being integrated into google maps?

I'd like to know this as well, I got a 75 last night but it was no thanks to Google maps, which thinks the route doesn't exist any more. It also doesn't think the other routes which switched to GAI exist any more either.

MJohnston · 18-10-2018 11:58am

You can ask Google about that, as they're the ones that control the data. They're generally pretty quick, but far from instant.

L1011 · 18-10-2018 12:07pm

tabbey wrote: »

There was already a restaurant on the HSS terminal.It closed recently.

Well, there's one going in as part of the redevelopment

https://www.daft.ie/dublin/commercial-property-for-rent/restaurant-hotel-bar-for-rent/st-michales-pier-dun-laoghaire-dublin-735193/

soundman45 · 18-10-2018 12:47pm

Seems Go Ahead have zero chance of parking busses at the harbour so.

end of the road · 18-10-2018 2:18pm

soundman45 wrote: »

Seems Go Ahead have zero chance of parking busses at the harbour so.

agreed.

dublinman1990 · 18-10-2018 7:49pm

Two of the large bus stop heads with the generic blue bus signs near the junction & traffic lights of Monkstown Avenue are still not updated with the 63A marked on them. They both have basic A4 paper timetables from The other bus stops on Monkstown Avenue & Monkstown Farm also all have the basic A4 paper timetables for the 63/63A on them from the NTA.

There were a lot of the newer/transferred GAI double deckers going through Monkstown Farm this morning. No ex DB GT's yet though. One of the newer buses was doing some driver training with other GAI staff beside the driver on the way to Dun Laoghaire.

Does anyone know if the new streetlites are meant to be on that route soon?

Stephen15 · 18-10-2018 8:53pm

dublinman1990 wrote: »

Two of the large bus stop heads with the generic blue bus signs near the junction & traffic lights of Monkstown Avenue are still not updated with the 63A marked on them. They both have basic A4 paper timetables from The other bus stops on Monkstown Avenue & Monkstown Farm also all have the basic A4 paper timetables for the 63/63A on them from the NTA.

There were a lot of the newer/transferred GAI double deckers going through Monkstown Farm this morning. No ex DB GT's yet though. One of the newer buses was doing some driver training with other GAI staff beside the driver on the way to Dun Laoghaire.

Does anyone know if the new streetlites are meant to be on that route soon?

I think the timetables may be updated once GAI start operating the 184, 185 and 111 they are using the old and temporary ones in the meantime as some stops are shared between the routes which have yet to transfer and ones which have already transferred. It's a guess and I hope it's right and those temporary looking timetables aren't here to stay.

The Streetlites are due to enter service on the 111, 184 and 185 at the weekend. I don't know if they'll be on the 63 maybe after more routes transfer over. The 63 seems to be quite busy lately perhaps even justifying the dd at times.

belfast stephen · 18-10-2018 11:12pm

Does anyone know if and where you can get paper copies of the Timetables for the Go Ahead routes

Stephen15 · 18-10-2018 11:18pm

belfast stephen wrote: »

Does anyone know if and where you can get paper copies of the Timetables for the Go Ahead routes

I doubt there's a huge demand for them

belfast stephen · 18-10-2018 11:49pm

That maybe the case but always good to be able to have a paper copy of the timetable

punisher5112 · 19-10-2018 12:06am

belfast stephen wrote: »

That maybe the case but always good to be able to have a paper copy of the timetable

Print them off yourself.

I would be very surprised if they have any as they have no premises where the public can go.

vectorvictor · 19-10-2018 12:49am

punisher5112 wrote: »

Print them off yourself.

I would be very surprised if they have any as they have no premises where the public can go.

Printed A5 booklet style timetables have been door dropped to alot of the local areas on routes. I'm sure an email to the customer comment address will yield some

KD345 · 19-10-2018 7:27am

vectorvictor wrote: »

Printed A5 booklet style timetables have been door dropped to alot of the local areas on routes. I'm sure an email to the customer comment address will yield some

Can anyone confirm if TFI has carried out a similar leaflet drop for the timetable changes on Dublin Bus routes?

Stephen15 · 19-10-2018 8:03am

punisher5112 wrote: »

Print them off yourself.

I would be very surprised if they have any as they have no premises where the public can go.

NTA head office on Harcourt Street is open to the public. They'd be the ones responsible for that kind of thing not Go-Ahead.

punisher5112 · 19-10-2018 8:59am

Stephen15 wrote: »

NTA head office on Harcourt Street is open to the public. They'd be the ones responsible for that kind of thing not Go-Ahead.

Well db have it all at their head office but saying that I would guess they no longer have time table for routes that are gone.

Stephen15 · 19-10-2018 11:08am

punisher5112 wrote: »

Well db have it all at their head office but saying that I would guess they no longer have time table for routes that are gone.

Go-Ahead operated buses are purely a matter for the NTA not Go-Ahead themselves. DB keep their own fare revenue GAI do not.

ax586 · 19-10-2018 12:41pm

rx8 wrote: »

Apparently, the NTA overlooked another very important item.... THE FAREBOX MONEY.
GAI are not obliged to count or pass it on to the NTA, as it's not seemingly in their contract. Sitting in a corner in bags in Ballymount, awaiting collection. Whenever the NTA gets around to it.

Also, the issue of DB looking after the lost property is an absolute joke. WTF are they smoking in O'Connell St. They say they can't afford to turn down the money they're being paid to collect it.

That’s a load of pony..I see G4S going into Ballymount every second day collecting fares

dublinman1990 · 19-10-2018 2:37pm

I just got an email today about the November issue of Buses Magazine. It includes a brand new article about Go-Ahead Ireland in Ballymount and plans for further expansion across Ireland.

ON A MISSION
In its second major bus venture beyond the UK, Go-Ahead Group has started operating the first of 30 franchised routes in the Dublin area and has ambitions of doing much more across Ireland.

Stephen15 · 19-10-2018 4:01pm

dublinman1990 wrote: »

I just got an email today about the November issue of Buses Magazine. It includes a brand new article about Go-Ahead Ireland in Ballymount and plans for further expansion across Ireland.

The Wright eclipse 3 single decker on the front page there is what the NTA probably should have gone for instead of the Streetlites.

CramCycle · 19-10-2018 4:06pm

I seen a streetlite in Bray the other day, about 930am turning left down Florence road, presume it was a practice run. Not sure of the livery though as I was focused on my own use of the road.

belfast stephen · 19-10-2018 6:50pm

vectorvictor wrote: »

punisher5112 wrote: »

Print them off yourself.

I would be very surprised if they have any as they have no premises where the public can go.

Printed A5 booklet style timetables have been door dropped to alot of the local areas on routes. I'm sure an email to the customer comment address will yield some

I dropped Go Ahead an E-mail and they are going to post some timetables out to me

Stephen15 · 19-10-2018 9:59pm

Another thing I have noticed on GAI buses is signs mentioning a €100 penalty fare for passengers who do not pay either the fare or the correct fare. How is this possible though as GAI or the NTA have yet to hire any revenue protection officers?

dublinman1990 · 19-10-2018 10:06pm

Stephen15 wrote: »

Another thing I have noticed on GAI buses is signs mentioning a €100 penalty fare for passengers who do not pay either the fare or the correct fare. How is this possible though as GAI or the NTA have yet to hire any revenue protection officers?

That penalty fare is applied for invalid tickets on Dublin Bus. Was there any GAI branding displayed on these signs?

john boye · 19-10-2018 10:09pm

I've noticed many GAI vehicles don't have any GAI branding on the exterior and none seem to have any legal details (company name and address etc) or capacity and weight limits, aren't they legal requirements?

tabbey · 19-10-2018 10:44pm

Presumably the NTA as owner, considers itself above the law.
Not surprising considering that the minister himself makes representations to NTA, as though he was a mere citizen.

ax586 · 19-10-2018 11:14pm

john boye wrote: »

I've noticed many GAI vehicles don't have any GAI branding on the exterior and none seem to have any legal details (company name and address etc) or capacity and weight limits, aren't they legal requirements?

There is it’s on the left hand side right behind the front door and the Go-Ahead is on that side aswel

ax586 · 19-10-2018 11:15pm

Stephen15 wrote: »

Another thing I have noticed on GAI buses is signs mentioning a €100 penalty fare for passengers who do not pay either the fare or the correct fare. How is this possible though as GAI or the NTA have yet to hire any revenue protection officers?

GAI are in the process of hiring revenue officers

john boye · 19-10-2018 11:26pm

ax586 wrote: »

There is it’s on the left hand side right behind the front door and the Go-Ahead is on that side aswel

Ah OK, I was looking in the wrong place!

Stephen15 · 19-10-2018 11:29pm

ax586 wrote: »

GAI are in the process of hiring revenue officers

Not advertised on their website. I hope they do as I'd consider applying myself although Ballymount is a bit out of the way for me as I'm looking for a start in the transport industry.

ax586 · 19-10-2018 11:52pm

Stephen15 wrote: »

Not advertised on their website. I hope they do as I'd consider applying myself although Ballymount is a bit out of the way for me as I'm looking for a start in the transport industry.

One of the managers said they are..some drivers are interested in it and said it be advertised soon

SG317 · 20-10-2018 6:25pm

For those that were giving Dublin Bus an extremely hard time, for not posting the transfer of routes 45A, 59, 63 and 75, until the second day of the routes being operated by Go Ahead. Dublin Bus has announced in advance that routes 111, 184 and 185 will be operated by Go Ahead from tomorrow, they have even posted a picture of Go Ahead's logo. Interestingly enough though those same people that constantly blame Dublin Bus for just about everything eventhough it's not Dublin Bus's fault, I don't find them here now praising Dublin Bus for this move. Especially considering they have even mentioned there will be timetable changes. Maybe it just doesn't suit some people's anti-Dublin Bus agenda. Sorry for the rant, it is just frustrating how Dublin Bus is given such a hard time by some people and held to some ridiculously high standards compared to other operators and transport organisations.

MJohnston · 20-10-2018 6:30pm

SG317 wrote: »

For those that were giving Dublin Bus an extremely hard time, for not posting the transfer of routes 45A, 59, 63 and 75, until the second day of the routes being operated by Go Ahead. Dublin Bus has announced in advance that routes 111, 184 and 185 will be operated by Go Ahead from tomorrow, they have even posted a picture of Go Ahead's logo. Interestingly enough though those same people that constantly blame Dublin Bus for just about everything eventhough it's not Dublin Bus's fault, I don't find them here now praising Dublin Bus for this move. Especially considering they have even mentioned there will be timetable changes. Maybe it just doesn't suit some people's anti-Dublin Bus agenda. Sorry for the rant, it is just frustrating how Dublin Bus is given such a hard time by some people and held to some ridiculously high standards compared to other operators and transport organisations.

I don't really remember this complaint in this thread, tbh.

Stephen15 · 20-10-2018 6:37pm

SG317 wrote: »

For those that were giving Dublin Bus an extremely hard time, for not posting the transfer of routes 45A, 59, 63 and 75, until the second day of the routes being operated by Go Ahead. Dublin Bus has announced in advance that routes 111, 184 and 185 will be operated by Go Ahead from tomorrow, they have even posted a picture of Go Ahead's logo. Interestingly enough though those same people that constantly blame Dublin Bus for just about everything eventhough it's not Dublin Bus's fault, I don't find them here now praising Dublin Bus for this move. Especially considering they have even mentioned there will be timetable changes. Maybe it just doesn't suit some people's anti-Dublin Bus agenda. Sorry for the rant, it is just frustrating how Dublin Bus is given such a hard time by some people and held to some ridiculously high standards compared to other operators and transport organisations.

DB/NTA/GAI have learned their lesson they hardly deserve praise for doing what they are supposed to be doing. Should we praise DB, GAI or the NTA for doing their job no.

I can't speak for other posters here but I don't have an anti DB agenda or a pro GAI or pro NTA agenda but a rather an agenda that favours an efficient integrated public transport system I think most would agree. I will give DB, GAI, IE, Transdev, BE or the NTA credit when credit is due and will crictise them when criticism is due.

Go-Ahead Dublin City Routes - Updates and Discussion

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