Go-Ahead Dublin City Routes - Updates and Discussion

GM228 · 10-07-2018 11:19pm

devnull wrote: »

Only differences I know about aside from livery are
-Black light clusters and Wright logo on front
-New style signs and notices
- Different colour handrails
- Different pattern seat fabric.

There may be more!

They have no Wrights logo on the front, they are the same as the DB SGs with a Volvo logo on them above the Wrights style grille (some are missing rhe Volvo logo).

Black clusters makes them look smarter IMO.

Peregrine · 10-07-2018 11:38pm

I think the new SGs have a Wrights logo and black headlamp clusters. None in the DB fleet yet. I may be wrong.

They definitely look better with them.

end of the road · 11-07-2018 12:01am

GM228 wrote: »

They have no Wrights logo on the front, they are the same as the DB SGs with a Volvo logo on them above the Wrights style grille (some are missing rhe Volvo logo).

Black clusters makes them look smarter IMO.

so these busses are a volvo model, and Wrights build them under licence along with other models of bus?

GM228 · 11-07-2018 12:12am

end of the road wrote: »

so these busses are a volvo model, and Wrights build them under licence along with other models of bus?

No, Volvo provide chassis and engine, Wrightbus provide bodywork (Eclipse Gemini) and fit out, pretty standard for bus and coach building. For example the non Wrightbus DB fleet are Volvo chassis and engines with Alexander Dennis body work (ALX400, Enviro400 and Enviro500 for the current fleets).

Wrighbus provide their own chassis for the StreetLite.

BonnieSituation · 11-07-2018 12:12am

devnull wrote: »

Only differences I know about aside from livery are
-Black light clusters and Wright logo on front
-New style signs and notices
- Different colour handrails
- Different pattern seat fabric.

There may be more!

Are they new NTA standards or what GA wanted?

Victor · 14-07-2018 4:43am

I took a jaunt on the 56a on Friday and passed the Go-Ahead depot: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/607783781#map=15/53.3159/-6.3531

Of what I could see, there was one single-decker in GA colours, about 4 double-deckers in DB colours and about a dozen double-deckers in TFI colours.

punisher5112 · 14-07-2018 8:34am

Victor wrote: »

I took a jaunt on the 56a on Friday and passed the Go-Ahead depot: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/607783781#map=15/53.3159/-6.3531

Of what I could see, there was one single-decker in GA colours, about 4 double-deckers in DB colours and about a dozen double-deckers in TFI colours.

They are arriving into the likes of donnybrook and take buses out that have been prepared for painting, fleet numbers gone also.

Ga fleet seem to be 5 digit long.

Qrt · 16-07-2018 10:43am

I emailed regarding the 175 route a while back. They stated that it will begin at the current 77a, 65 trminus, turn left down Fortunestown Way, continue straight down towards Tallaght Leisure Centre, down the bypass, around the Square, continue through Tallaght Village to Old Bawn Road, then straight straight straight along Killinney Road, Taylor's Lane, Grange Road, through Dundrum Village, up Taney Road, by the Goat, then into UCD. It's essentially the 75 with the twists and turns that make the 75 unbearable. However I think they were considering going via the N82 and N81 instead Fortunestown Way, which would be a massive mistake imo.

soundman45 · 16-07-2018 3:22pm

Qrt wrote: »

I emailed regarding the 175 route a while back. They stated that it will begin at the current 77a, 65 trminus, turn left down Fortunestown Way, continue straight down towards Tallaght Leisure Centre, down the bypass, around the Square, continue through Tallaght Village to Old Bawn Road, then straight straight straight along Killinney Road, Taylor's Lane, Grange Road, through Dundrum Village, up Taney Road, by the Goat, then into UCD. It's essentially the 75 with the twists and turns that make the 75 unbearable. However I think they were considering going via the N82 and N81 instead Fortunestown Way, which would be a massive mistake imo.

Any idea about how frequently it will run?

dublinman1990 · 17-07-2018 5:01pm

I did see a glimpse of one of the new GAI SG's going past Dun Laoghaire Shopping Centre at 11am this morning. It was probably doing some route training today as it was going down in the direction of the People's Park. A few staff members were sitting down in the bottom deck. The new livery looks real nice on it. I was in Golden Discs when I saw the bus.

Creative83 · 17-07-2018 6:47pm

dublinman1990 wrote: »

I was in Golden Discs

:eek: Is Golden Discs still a thing??

Qrt · 17-07-2018 9:35pm

soundman45 wrote: »

Any idea about how frequently it will run?

Every thirty mins afaik.

BonnieSituation · 19-07-2018 3:29am

Creative83 wrote: »

:eek: Is Golden Discs still a thing??

Yup and they're profitable!:eek:

LorelaiG · 23-07-2018 3:57pm

Saw one of these busses today in Mulhuddart doing driver training.

Drifter50 · 23-07-2018 8:27pm

Saw 1 in Dundrum on the 17 route today, about 5 high vis jackets on board

soundman45 · 23-07-2018 9:16pm

What will they do with drivers they are currently training as most of the routes don't come into force until later in the year. Are they trained and then laid off until September and October?

AlekSmart · 23-07-2018 9:50pm

soundman45 wrote: »

What will they do with drivers they are currently training as most of the routes don't come into force until later in the year. Are they trained and then laid off until September and October?

Don't you worry about them......there's plenty for them to be gettin on with in the meantime......;)

https://www.worldmeeting2018.ie/en/Pope-Francis/Papal-Itinerary

Stephen15 · 30-07-2018 7:26pm

Saw a GAI bus in the TFI livery for the first time today in the flesh in Dun Laogahire and in Cornelscourt. Looks quite well the blue is a good bit darker than it looks in most of the pictures more of a royal blue bordering on navy almost. The buses still stand out.

r93kaey5p2izun · 30-07-2018 7:49pm

I thought the opposite about them standing out. I saw one in the new livery with L plates displayed on Katherine Tynan Road in Tallaght on Friday. I liked the livery in photos but thought it was way too dark irl and for the first time could understand where those worried about visibility are coming from.

Stephen15 · 30-07-2018 8:00pm

Xzavier Clean Optometry wrote: »

I thought the opposite about them standing out. I saw one in the new livery with L plates displayed on Katherine Tynan Road in Tallaght on Friday. I liked the livery in photos but thought it was way too dark irl and for the first time could understand where those worried about visibility are coming from.

That's probably the livery seen on the left which is only for training buses and won't be used on buses in passenger service both liveries can be seen here. The one one on the right will be used in passenger service and the one on the left is just for training buses.

john boye · 30-07-2018 8:14pm

Stephen15 wrote: »

That's probably the livery seen on the left which is only for training buses and won't be used on buses in passenger service both liveries can be seen here. The one one on the right will be used in passenger service and the one on the left is just for training buses.

I actually think the one on the left is a very nice scheme, is that a livery they use somewhere else?

r93kaey5p2izun · 30-07-2018 8:44pm

Stephen15 wrote:

That's probably the livery seen on the left which is only for training buses and won't be used on buses in passenger service both liveries can be seen here. The one one on the right will be used in passenger service and the one on the left is just for training buses.

Thanks. I had thought maybe it was a difference between the single and double deckers, never considered they'd have a different one for training.

Stephen15 · 30-07-2018 8:47pm

Xzavier Clean Optometry wrote: »

Thanks. I had thought maybe it was a difference between the single and double deckers, never considered they'd have a different one for training.

Yeah the blue one is an NTA/TFI livery and the purple is a GAI livery for training.

Victor · 02-08-2018 6:32pm

dublinman1990 wrote: »

I wouldn't know what to say from Go Ahead's perspective if they have to change their bus routes they had initially agreed to run going from their contract in the first place. Their contract with the NTA lasts for five years. BusConnects is being implemented only a year later while they are in existence while they run the original contracted routes from Dublin Bus. I'm for one am not sure about how these proposed routes for BusConnects are factored in with Go-Ahead.

Contract is likely for a specific number of hours / km / peak vehicle requirement, not specific routes.

Qrt wrote: »

I doubt any more than 10% of the routes would be allocated to Go-Ahead considering that's what the initial deal was.

It's not 10% of routes (some routes have only a handful of departures per day), it's 10% of the business.

AlekSmart · 02-08-2018 7:01pm

Victor wrote: »

Contract is likely for a specific number of hours / km / peak vehicle requirement, not specific routes.

It's not 10% of routes (some routes have only a handful of departures per day), it's 10% of the business.

It's about time the NTA put the GAI contract into the Public Domain.

This will remove any speculation as to what is likely and what is not.

If the Authority refuses to put it in the Public Domain,then the very least required is a Full explanation of why the secrecy is required......Commercial Sensivity does not,in my opinion,constitute a reason for the continued refusal.

Tarabuses · 06-08-2018 2:13pm

Qrt wrote: »

I emailed regarding the 175 route a while back. They stated that it will begin at the current 77a, 65 trminus, turn left down Fortunestown Way, continue straight down towards Tallaght Leisure Centre, down the bypass, around the Square, continue through Tallaght Village to Old Bawn Road, then straight straight straight along Killinney Road, Taylor's Lane, Grange Road, through Dundrum Village, up Taney Road, by the Goat, then into UCD. It's essentially the 75 with the twists and turns that make the 75 unbearable. However I think they were considering going via the N82 and N81 instead Fortunestown Way, which would be a massive mistake imo.

They seem to be constructing two bus stops on Mount Anville Road, one in each direction. I think this is the first bus service to ever use that road.

06-08-2018 5:04pm

AlekSmart wrote: »

It's about time the NTA put the GAI contract into the Public Domain.

This will remove any speculation as to what is likely and what is not.

If the Authority refuses to put it in the Public Domain,then the very least required is a Full explanation of why the secrecy is required......Commercial Sensivity does not,in my opinion,constitute a reason for the continued refusal.

Have you tried submitting a FOI request directly to them. Its free.

https://www.nationaltransport.ie/foi/

They are one of the most transparent groups within the govt

https://www.nationaltransport.ie/foi/foi-disclosure-log/

r93kaey5p2izun · 06-08-2018 5:22pm

Will there be any timetable changes when Go Aheas take over? Or will they operate them exactly as they are now? I understand it's not up to GA to make changes like this - I'm just wondering if any improvements in timetables have been agreed. The 239 for example - will it continue to be Mon-Sat only with a massive gap with no service in the middle of the day?

Stephen15 · 06-08-2018 5:32pm

Xzavier Clean Optometry wrote: »

Will there be any timetable changes when Go Aheas take over? Or will they operate them exactly as they are now? I understand it's not up to GA to make changes like this - I'm just wondering if any improvements in timetables have been agreed. The 239 for example - will it continue to be Mon-Fri only with a massive gap with no service in the middle of the day?

There will be an increase in service but that will be for both DB and GAI services. As all the DB buses which are moving to Go-ahead are being replaced by new buses for DB.

It will depend on what services warrant an increase due to demand or not.

devnull · 06-08-2018 5:34pm

Xzavier Clean Optometry wrote: »

Will there be any timetable changes when Go Aheas take over? Or will they operate them exactly as they are now? I understand it's not up to GA to make changes like this - I'm just wondering if any improvements in timetables have been agreed. The 239 for example - will it continue to be Mon-Fri only with a massive gap with no service in the middle of the day?

Overall Go-Ahead will operate approx 35% more services than Dublin Bus on the same routes.

It hasn't been disclosed what route gets what increase at this stage.

Qrt · 08-08-2018 8:03pm

I just received information from a close source,

the Mother

, that bus stops are in the process of being installed on Fortunestown Way, i.e. the new 175 route.

belfast stephen · 08-08-2018 9:20pm

I take it there will be paper timetables available for when Go Ahead take over

john boye · 08-08-2018 10:13pm

Qrt wrote: »

I just received information from a close source,
the Mother
, that bus stops are in the process of being installed on Fortunestown Way, i.e. the new 175 route.

Any idea what kind of stops they are out of interest? Although I doubt your inside source got too technical on them!

punisher5112 · 08-08-2018 10:20pm

john boye wrote: »

Any idea what kind of stops they are out of interest? Although I doubt your inside source got too technical on them!

Most likely silver type pole with info board as what is meant to be across the board

They will most likely fix pavement and fit pole anchor in ground then come back at a later date to fit.

Qrt · 08-08-2018 11:50pm

john boye wrote: »

Any idea what kind of stops they are out of interest? Although I doubt your inside source got too technical on them!

Not sure, I'm abroad for the summer so it's just what my source is telling me. My source mentioned that they had "wheelchair ramps".

The road is due to lose its service under BusConnects which is ****e considering it's just getting this. I'll be lobbying the NTA to extend the proposed very short Rathcoole/Saggart Luas local bus to The Sq via this alignment. Anyway, this isn't the BusConnects thread so I'll park this here.

Stephen15 · 09-08-2018 12:13am

punisher5112 wrote: »

Most likely silver type pole with info board as what is meant to be across the board

They will most likely fix pavement and fit pole anchor in ground then come back at a later date to fit.

I noticed stop 3129 on the N11 in Cabinteely which serves DB route 145 and soon to be GAI route 63 got a new shelter installed. The new shelter has no DB branding or timetable posted so it will probably get TFI branding in due course I assume. The new JCDecaux shelter design looks well, I have to say they look a lot more sturdy than Adshel designs and more vandal proof.

Tickityboo · 09-08-2018 1:35am

Stephen15 wrote: »

I noticed stop 3129 on the N11 in Cabinteely which serves DB route 145 and soon to be GAI route 63 got a new shelter installed. The new shelter has no DB branding or timetable posted so it will probably get TFI branding in due course I assume. The new JCDecaux shelter design looks well, I have to say they look a lot more sturdy than Adshel designs and more vandal proof.

It's amazing the they way they can find money to do stuff for a new company!!

AlekSmart · 09-08-2018 6:28am

Tickityboo wrote: »

It's amazing the they way they can find money to do stuff for a new company!!

But,it's not for a new company...all Bus Stop infrastructure is now NTA responsibility...so it's for themselves.

Currently,there are new Bus Stop mountings being replaced/installed all over the City,particularly where Routes are due to be withdrawn under Busconnects...

BonnieSituation · 09-08-2018 8:13am

Stephen15 wrote: »

I noticed stop 3129 on the N11 in Cabinteely which serves DB route 145 and soon to be GAI route 63 got a new shelter installed. The new shelter has no DB branding or timetable posted so it will probably get TFI branding in due course I assume. The new JCDecaux shelter design looks well, I have to say they look a lot more sturdy than Adshel designs and more vandal proof.

Does the canopy extend out far enough so you might actually stay dry in the rain?

dublinman1990 · 09-08-2018 2:27pm

I saw some of the new 182 reg'd GAI double deckers carrying out more route training in Dun Laoghaire yesterday. The blue livery when I looked at them up close looks great as it looks really smart on them. There was one thing that I noticed on these new buses is that when they are Not in Service; I have seen that their signs are formatted like the route displays from Dublin Bus. Some of the old GT's displays that were from Dublin Bus have it reformatted to say Not in Service on the top with As Sherbhís on the bottom. One of the Mercedes training buses was out in Dun Laoghaire doing their route training yesterday. I seen it going down Marine Road while in Eason's yesterday. The training livery looks very nice on them.

All of the buses that I saw while out yesterday had included a driver & training instructors on the inside carrying out driving instructors. I don't know how many buses were out as I saw the 182 reg'd buses 3 times & the Mercedes training bus once. Are these buses doing specific route training when departing from Dun Laoghaire?

I have heard some more info about GAI while reading Buses magazine yesterday.

The 175 route will have a PVR allocation of 6 vehicles when it launches on the 9th of September.

The 59 & 111 will both revert back to single deck operation with the Streetlites when GAI begins their service from the 7th of October.

GAI have 10 Mercedes training buses in their fleet & 1 Dennis Trident bus that is loaned to them from a company in Rathcoole for driver training.

Stephen15 · 09-08-2018 7:12pm

dublinman1990 wrote: »

I saw some of the new 182 reg'd GAI double deckers carrying out more route training in Dun Laoghaire yesterday. The blue livery when I looked at them up close looks great as it looks really smart on them. There was one thing that I noticed on these new buses is that when they are Not in Service; I have seen that their signs are formatted like the route displays from Dublin Bus. Some of the old GT's displays that were from Dublin Bus have it reformatted to say Not in Service on the top with As Sherbhís on the bottom. One of the Mercedes training buses was out in Dun Laoghaire doing their route training yesterday. I seen it going down Marine Road while in Eason's yesterday. The training livery looks very nice on them.

All of the buses that I saw while out yesterday had included a driver & training instructors on the inside carrying out driving instructors. I don't know how many buses were out as I saw the 182 reg'd buses 3 times & the Mercedes training bus once. Are these buses doing specific route training when departing from Dun Laoghaire?

I have heard some more info about GAI while reading Buses magazine yesterday.

The 175 route will have a PVR allocation of 6 vehicles when it launches on the 9th of September.

The 59 & 111 will both revert back to single deck operation with the Streetlites when GAI begins their service from the 7th of October.

GAI have 10 Mercedes training buses in their fleet & 1 Dennis Trident bus that is loaned to them from a company in Rathcoole for driver training.

I saw one in Monkstown Farm the other day so I assume that was doing 63 training. I think the 182 buses are doing route training and driver familarisation while the Merc Citaros are doing training for drivers who don't have a D licence yet. I wonder how many bites of the cherry GAI are giving drivers who their D test. I also noticed some of the GAI buses I've seen were displaying the standard "Sorry - Not in Service" and "Entering Service" so not all are displaying "Not in Service".

If 6 buses are being allocated to the 175 what kind of frequency can we expect to get I assume it will be somewhere along the lines of every 20-30 mins. I would think it would have been better to extend the 175 to Blackrock DART as this would boost the 17 between Blackrock and UCD. Altough the terminus there is tight so I think more work will need to be done especially as Bus Connects is looking at terminating 4 bus routes there all at a frequency of every 30 mins.

john boye · 09-08-2018 7:41pm

Hope they're spreading the training out across all those SGs and keeping them ticking over otherwise they'll have fierce problems with them when they go into service. Incidentally, I wonder what routes will get the new deckers? Suspect the 175 will and maybe the 75 but outside of those I couldn't say.

Stephen15 · 09-08-2018 9:02pm

john boye wrote: »

Hope they're spreading the training out across all those SGs and keeping them ticking over otherwise they'll have fierce problems with them when they go into service. Incidentally, I wonder what routes will get the new deckers? Suspect the 175 will and maybe the 75 but outside of those I couldn't say.

I would say they'd be going to the busier and more frequent routes they got such as the 17, 17a, 18, 75 and the 175. The other routes will probably be a mixture of SGs, GTs and Streetlites with the new buses appearing there from time to time also.

The 59 and the 111 will be solely operated by Streetlites by the sounds of things but I'd say we'll also see them on the likes of the 63, 114, 185, 220, 238, 239 and 270 will also get a Streetlite allocation. It's an improvement for these services as they are all mostly operated by older buses such as AV/X's, VG's and EV's at the moment with DB SO EVEN GT's and older SG's will be an improvement.

Anyone what's the story with the new 1xxx numbering system is it an NTA system or a GAI system?

Stephen15 · 10-08-2018 2:42pm

About the 185. It needs to be split up into two or three separate routes with separate timetables out of all DB routes the timetable is currently a mess with loads of different variations which is very confusing.

https://www.dublinbus.ie/Your-Journey1/Timetables/All-Timetables/185-/

prettyboy81 · 10-08-2018 2:49pm

I have seen GA buses around Finglas, Charlestown Shopping Centre bus terminus.

punisher5112 · 10-08-2018 3:26pm

Churchtown today seen them.

Stephen15 · 10-08-2018 4:38pm

punisher5112 wrote: »

Churchtown today seen them.

I have already seen 4 or 5 now around DL

Panjandrums · 10-08-2018 5:15pm

Db driver shaking his head at me for using an X route for a 5 minute journey.
Im sure Go Ahead will appreciate the business.

Vic_08 · 10-08-2018 5:39pm

Panjandrums wrote: »

Db driver shaking his head at me for using an X route for a 5 minute journey.
Im sure Go Ahead will appreciate the business.

Short hop journeys on long X routes can cause people living far out to be left behind with a long wait for the next service. They also slow up the service with extra stops in areas where other high frequency routes are available.

IMO these routes should be pick-up only outbound until past the regular high frequency routes.

GA's only business is with the NTA, they will have no financial benefit in the numbers carried.

dublinman1990 · 10-08-2018 7:13pm

I thought the 185 was not meant to officially changeover to GAI until the DL routes & the 184 from the 7th of October. There are no updates available on GAI's website or Twitter account so far to say that they will begin to operate it from September. Does anyone have proof of these letters to say when the 185 will start in September?

I don't really buy the idea that the 185 will have it's route partly chopped off because GAI have said that when they got the routes from the tender; they are providing expanded services in route mileage on about a 1/3 of their acquired routes from DB. If routes in GAI were somehow being given reduced service as a way of sacrificing themselves for expanded routes elsewhere in their network well that could become a farcical joke among people who would use these routes for day to day usage.

The 175 is getting a PVR of six buses allocated to it. That I feel is a sensible allocation because of the size of the fleet that is currently available to GAI.

I really don't know what the issue is with the 185 going up to Shop River when run from Enniskerry Village when DB knowingly run nearly all types of their bus fleet to the terminus without any known issues. The bus fleet in GA realistically should not have any problems with their buses going to up to Shop River.

Let me ask you this? Would GAI have a potential shortage of buses for the 185 going up to Shop River while running their own routes in their own network elsewhere?

Go-Ahead Dublin City Routes - Updates and Discussion

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