Electric, Hydrogen & Hybrid Electric Buses in Ireland

ax586 wrote: »

Our Enviro500EV electric double decker has arrived in California! 🚌⚡️🇺🇸
https://twitter.com/ADLbus/status/1352211472521318400?s=19
I wonder will we see a right hand version.

Very interesting, there batteries and drive train are from the US company Proterra, rather then BYD who they partner with for the 400EV in the UK.

Buses are repainted every few years anyway, just to keep them clean and fresh looking, so a new livery isn't a big deal or all that much extra cost.

Reading comments like this pains me, I would have thought most people involved in public transport at this stage would realise that the biggest challenge it faces is attracting people out of their cars and onto buses, etc.

Buses (and bus stop infrastructure) need to be modern, reliable, well maintained, clean and well presented, if we want to attract people out of their car and onto buses. No one is going to give up their car for old dirty buses that break down all the time and look unattractive.

Compared to the cost of wages which by far make up the fast majority of costs and the cost of the bus itself, a bit of paint to keep things looking fresh and presentable is a drop in the ocean.

2 Billion was allocated to BusConnects and I'd assume that included budget for rebranding, new livery, new bus stops, etc. along with all the other elements of BusConnects, ticketing, network redesign, infrastructure.

That was all pre-covid, where the unexpected money comes up, is the €460 million extra that has been needed up to the end of 2020 (and more since) to keep public transport running and wages paid.

Of course all of this is a drop in the ocean to the overall cost of Covid19, 19 Billion deficit in 2020 and more to come in 2021. Which is actually quiet good to the originally estimated deficit of 30 Billion!

Luckily interest rates are at an all time low, in fact they are negative, so lenders are actually paying us to take on our debt!

Of course in the long term we will have to pay all this back in our taxes. But after the last recession, I would hope people here have learned how damaging fiscal austerity is and be glad that we aren't in this situation at the moment and can continue to invest in improving infrastructure, etc.

punisher5112 wrote: »

Don't get me wrong as in I know buses are repainted but imo too frequent and not oy that most that are at near retirement end up going out with near new paint.

From what others have said, it will just be the SG's in the DB fleet getting the new branding, not older buses. The SG's will continue to be in the fleet for many years too come. And many of them most have been approaching their repaint date anyway.

punisher5112 wrote: »

The AV class were even given brand new steelies which is just bizarre.

Yep, I certainly can't say that there isn't waste going on. Pretty common in any large organisation unfortunately. Usually down to the spend all the budget or lose it next year mentality

punisher5112 wrote: »

I honestly can't see how a bus pole is going to improve a service and honestly money could be better spent elsewhere.

It is about presentation of the service. Bus poles and shelters are basically a major, permanent advertisement for the service.

Most non transport companies would kill to have that much onstreet public advertisement presence for free, which is why ads on bus shelters is such a lucrative business.

I'll readily admit bus poles and shelters in Dublin are in relatively good condition. But that is because they are regularly maintained and replaced.

In Cork, they were in an incredibly bad shape until the recent NTA replacement. I'm talking rusting, falling over, even dangerous in places. They looked really bad and that reflected very poorly on the service.

I'll never forget the bus shelter near my parents house as a kid, big metal thing with massive holes rusted through it! Things like this really turned people in Cork off the bus service.

As I said, not as bad in Dublin, but that is because frequent maintenance and replacement was already been done anyway. I've seen the bus stop near my home in Dublin replaced about twice over the last ten years. The change the NTA is making is just more obvious as they are a new style of pole, but replacing poles needs to happen any way.

Honestly I'm glad that we have moved away from the idea of just sticking a pole in the ground and leaving there unmaintained for 50 years. Companies, including the likes of ESB, Eir, etc. are getting better at understanding the need to properly maintain infrastructure and replace it as needed.

punisher5112 wrote: »

Security or Garda patrols that actually get on, could cut out the antisocial behaviour onboard and this would improve it for everyone.

I agree 100%, always been in favour of a proper transport police service.

But perception is also important. Buses covered in graffiti, burned seats, dirt everywhere, looking old, poor lighting, damaged/burned out bus stops and shelters all lead to a perception of a service being unsafe.

Fortunately operators and the NTA have realised this and have put a lot of effort into making the services feel, clean, well maintained, brightly light, etc. which helps make people feel safer about the service.