Electric, Hydrogen & Hybrid Electric Buses in Ireland

So they do, my bad your right, forgot they had the Volvo engines.

As does pretty much everything double deck with DB/GAI from the RAs right up until SGs. Only exceptions being the DTs. First time in years we're starting to see a bit of diversity in the fleet in terms of manufacturers.

Theres about 10 of them around the back.

EW58 fully electric out on trial this morning.© Jonathan McDonnell.

nathan McDonnell..

This is from the unions,

The EW bus, electric double decker is to enter service from end of July from Summerhill and September for Phibsboro

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That would've been the logical thing and I thought it was the original plan with the PAs until they decided to cancel the rest of the order and go with electric buses instead. Why not just continue ordering the PAs until the installation of charging facilities is complete.

Now we have a situation where the AXs and EVs which are on their last legs and must be costing more to keep on the road then their even worth have no imminent replacement in sight.

The NTA were probably over ambitious ordering electric buses when they could have just continued with PAs. That may be overly simplistic but that what it looks like to an outsider. I have heard there have been issues with the PAs internally in DB but not sure if it was just the usual drivers complaining about them or actual mechanical problems.

Apologies I wasn't having a go at drivers. I just remember on here when the SGs were new a lot of drivers were complaining about and how the AVs were better and how the RVs were the best buses ever built from a drivers POV.

Good the Volvo buses are much better than the Wrightbus and ADL junk. The VHs are the best out of the AH and WH. Not sure why they didn't go with the VH over the PA.

We could go all out and get 3 door versions on both single and double decks, speed things up a bit. Would probably make too much sense thought.

I think the plan was to go with the VH but wrightbus went bust at the time

This 100%, people have no problem standing on the Dart and Luas so why not on a bus for short journeys. The extra door would reduce your average bus journey overall.

The EAs have a lot of standing room. The bendys for the BRT up in Belfast seem to be a success could be BRT be an option for Galway and Limerick in absence of a Luas

That's the norm in the UK with the exception of London

It is pretty poor but it suits the private but publicly backed operators like Stagecoach, First Group, Go-Ahead, Arriva etc. to buy buses that way. At the end of the day it reduces fare evasion and more importantly it reduces claims which means more money for shareholders while passengers and drivers suffer.

Manchester is getting it's own London style network soon which will mean integrated ticketing and a common livery. Still with single door buses though but I guess it's a start. Think Liverpool is doing something similar too.

The other thing is that double decker buses probably make more sense here as those 3 door buses you see on the continent are not ordered in the UK therefore not readily available in RHD. I believe the DAA/Aircoach have had great difficulty sourcing electric bendybuses in RHD for carpark work since bendybuses have fallen out of favour over in the UK and hence are no longer being produced in RHD.