BusConnects Dublin - Big changes to Bus Network

Well, it will sound ridiculous, but that's just my perspective. I never took L54, L58, L59. But I see from my car L54 being nearly empty (1-5 passengers) at Ballyowen Park or Fonthill train station. Particularly weekends and weekdays after 7pm.

When I'm around Celbridge, I often see L59 with same bizarre loads between M4 Business Park towards Leixlip. Especially weekends or even weekdays after 6pm.

Never seen them packed, but it probably happens only mornings and perhaps 1pm to 3pm for school? Don't know about L58, but by looking on the map, it feels that P bus should be enough and L58 runs probably empty?

Heard people complaining that they can't get C3 and C4 to Maynooth university from Lucan village as the buses come too full. I wonder why didn't they make C3 and C4 via N4 and could have extended L54 to Maynooth instead of going to Leixlip Convey. Same with 52, could have extended to Maynooth. This way 52 and L54 would had a lower frequency linking Lucan village to Maynooth, but could provide a better chance to get on a bus. It would be more functional. And Intel could have a P or X bus via N4.

I also wonder, why Maynooth Meadowlink Road is not served. Looks like a big residential chunk of the town is left off without a service. Celbridge: also seem odd that the was no attempt to divert C4 via Clane Road and Shackleton Road to cover more residential areas.

It's the same reasoning why the 6 isn't a Hx route, as its f-60 cannot be tied sensibly into the overall 8bph of the H Spine. Timings-wise, it's independent, the scheduler doesn't have to really care about aligning the 6 with the Hs.

Just to call out the inaccuracy about the Maynooth rail line times in your post. It is not correct to state that the service is hourly. For the best part of the day it is every 30 minutes, increasing to every 20 minutes in the peak. The hourly only kicks in late in the night. While there is more to do and bringing the DART to Maynooth will solve this, the rail service is not an hourly one.

DB test is overkill. They should stick to the industry standards used within Europe. Being strict is good if it reasonable. But I can't say it is at this time. We need drivers even if they're deaf. Don't see a problem of hiring deaf person to be a driver, for instance.

Are you for real? Or just trolling again?

Of course I am real! Not sure what exactly you are so surprised about. My suggestion about deaf people, I suppose? Drivers are happily working in other European countries, but suddenly couldn't do the job here?! What this small country is so special about?

Ticket sales is the easiest to resolve: hand gestures (not the sign language ones, but the ones easy to understand. Long/short, adult/student... very easy. Many deaf people can read from lips no probs. A special badge and stickers for passenger to point for options). You can see these anywhere else in Europe. Why are we so stubborn to include disabled in our society here?

Radio? No probs - can be adapted with a text message to the phone. Phone vibrates, bus driver stops at the closest bus stop. Small inconvenience, but equity and inclusion.

Audible alarms is a design feature. This should have been thought through long ago! New buses should have been fit with visuals together with audios.

So again, these little "problems" are only the excuses which can be easily overcome with smart decisions.

Interesting point. My opinion is the opposite that it would rather be accommodating, not a show. I know a few deaf friends and they see no issues using such tools at their work, but in my home country so maybe this is a cultural thing (the way we interpret and think of the certain situations). I have an Irish deaf friend, will ask him what he thinks.

Deaf people have a superb skill of attention to details. Similar to blind - sensitivity is higher to the surroundings. There's a huge chance visual wouldn't be missed. Japanese are one of the most accurate people culturally, and they have a special process in place for train drivers - they constantly check for any alerts and also point the finger to fixate that the task is done or something is checked (door, mirror, time, timetable, traffic signal etc.) as our human brain can sometimes think we have done something what hasn't been physically done - was just thought of. People with certain disabilities are different as they compensate disabilities replacing with abilities which makes them more aware and stronger at certain skills they evolve during the life.

I still think that these are the excuses. But as I said, it could seem like that due to a different way of thinking.

I have to apologise for your ignorance as this is a discriminatory comment. Deaf people have eyes and they actual can and do drive every day. This doesn't make a difference of driving a bus or a car in this regard. Except the number of people on board and extra duties as any other job has. Emergency vehicle drivers are trained to yield traffic when they have a red light, to slow down at the junctions and make sure everyone around is aware of them. This includes pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers around. As I already mentioned, disabled people compensate and have other skills. Deaf, for example, have a wider visibility range and a better awareness (why do we have a green light, but most traffic is still standing still? Pedestrian on the left suddenly stopped crossing. Some people turned to look at something). Even when streets are empty, our rules of the road suggest to look around before starting off at the green light. I could give many more examples of why deaf people are very good drivers, but don't want to be too much off the topic as I believe I already am. Just wanted to point out that DB are missing a lot of opportunities to hire drivers and that I have very little respect to them for this huge mismanagement.