Coronavirus and the effect on Public transport

Rrrrrr2 · 12-06-2021 12:59am

devnull wrote: »

On e-tenders now the contract amounts for temporary support of commercial bus routes in the state can be seen.

They are as follows (rounded to nearest 100k)
Expressway by Bus Eireann - €27.4M
Dublin Coach - €9.4m
JJ Kavanagh (including Avalen and Kenneallys) - €5.8m
Matthews - €4.1m
CityLink - €4.1m
Wexford Bus - €3.3m
GoBus - €3.0m
Aircoach - €2.3m
Eirebus - €2.1m
Collins Coaches - €1.3m
McGinleys - €900k
Bus Feda - €700k
Kearns - €700k
City Direct - €600k

These contracts are believed to have commenced late last year, with the values relating to a period of six months but had optional extensions of two further periods of 3 months. It's not known if any of these were triggered.

Was wondering how they could afford to be running buses with just a handful of passengers. There’s my answer. Those figures are absolutely eye watering. Can guarantee the extensions were triggered- these businesses will be addicted to taxpayers money now once it’s been given

devnull · 29-06-2021 10:44am

Reports in the Business Post (paywall) suggesting that the NTA are planning for a 30% drop in commuting numbers following the COVID-19 pandemic.

https://www.businesspost.ie/transport/nta-planning-for-indefinite-drop-of-30-in-commuting-numbers-8c514919

Despite this there is no routes on publicly funded bus services to be cut and there won't be a reduction in the frequency of service. It's hoped that total passenger numbers will return to 85% by 2022 with people traveling more spread out over the course of a day.

ITV2 · 06-07-2021 4:48pm

https://www.independent.ie/news/restrictions-ireland-public-transport-toincreaseto-75pc-capacityfrom-july-19-40621240.html slowly getting back to 100%

Midnight_EG · 06-07-2021 5:07pm

ITV2 wrote: »

https://www.independent.ie/news/restrictions-ireland-public-transport-toincreaseto-75pc-capacityfrom-july-19-40621240.html slowly getting back to 100%

That'll be 100% really now... Thank jaysus

L1011 · 06-07-2021 6:12pm

Peak time rail I get is rarely troubling the 50% currently - the huge cut in overall capacity by weekend schedules had it well over 50% when we were nominally 25% though!

The odd Luas is over 50%.

Midnight_EG · 06-07-2021 6:41pm

It's strange, my passenger loading at 7am this morning was crazy high... On the 15 I was full up + a straggler or two by Clarehall, drove past every stop until Eden Quay then. But my 08:48 I barely took 20 from Firhouse side in.

Mrs OBumble · 06-07-2021 10:13pm

devnull wrote: »

They reflect the temporary financial support provided by the state to those operators in order to allow them to continue to operate during severe adverse trading conditions due to COVID-19 and related measures.

For a number they are surely about getting them back operating. The buses simply stopped until the subsidy was agreed. In certain of Galway's western suburbs, this was incredibly painful for people living a long distance from the BE routes, but still needing to get to work.

itchyfinger · 20-07-2021 11:49pm

Well one good thing is that Dublin bus are not near as warm and stuffy during this hot weather, light traffic means the bus can move and get some air flowing in the open windows and the reduced capacity also help to keep the bus feeling fresher and cooler, nicer to travel 100%.

dublinman1990 · 21-07-2021 9:57pm

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117639579#Comment_117639579

Are Go-Ahead keeping their windows open in their buses during the hot weather?

dublinman1990 · 28-07-2021 11:57am

There were a few delays on IÉ services according to their twitter feed this morning.

A truck had struck a LC at Lansdowne Road station delaying Dart services in the area. There was also a bridge strike with a truck between Clara & Athlone. There was also an incident that occurred between Sallins & Newbridge which caused delays to train services at Heuston.

Does anyone know what the Sallins & Newbridge incident was about earlier today?

devnull · 31-07-2021 5:45pm

Looks like Dublin Bus's DoDublin tours are restarting next week, with CitySightseeing and BigBus already having restarted.

Prices are certainly more expensive for all three operators than I can remember then being at €27-€29 for a single day or €32 to €35 for 48 hours, but good to see them back nevertheless. Do wonder how all three operators will make it pay though.

DB for me are the leader in this particular segment. Always found their tours a cut above, especially in the last 4-5 years.

Gael23 · 09-08-2021 4:19am

When is public transport returning to 100% capacity?

stephenjmcd · 10-08-2021 6:38am

An observation from my own journeys so far is that once once window seats on DB are filled, people aren't tending to sit in the then available seats, therefore leaving 50% capacity running essentially.

Maybe they don't know or maybe its a mental thing now

L1011 · 10-08-2021 9:46am

Its much the same on trains, people will sit in one of the seats of a two seat / one each side of a table seat; but not beside someone.

Train hosts on intercity will go telling people standing that there are open seats but not everyone will take them even then.

road_high · 16-08-2021 12:48am

Are the Dublin coach Dundrum services completely gone now or what?

stephenjmcd · 25-08-2021 6:02pm

Full capacity from next Wednesday 1st September

25-08-2021 9:01pm

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/public-transport-set-to-return-to-100pc-capacity-next-week-40787649.html

More info

LXFlyer · 25-08-2021 9:04pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117760066#Comment_117760066

Still suspended.

Sussex18 · 29-08-2021 11:54am

How safe are trains at the moment I wonder?, Is there any windows open? 🙂

29-08-2021 6:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117818340#Comment_117818340

They are a farce. I've taken trains about 10 times over the last 4 weeks and each and every time there were many people point blank refusing to wear masks.

Coughing, spluttering, spitting

An utter, utter sh1tshow and to be avoided

I don't understand it to be honest. Far higher compliance seen when I was on buses but I couldn't tell you

Sussex18 · 30-08-2021 9:32am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117820118#Comment_117820118

I've heard that Windows cannot be opened on trains, is that the case? 🙂 Sorry to hear that.

I will have to get the train sooner or later...

Jamie2k9 · 01-09-2021 6:00pm

I see NBRU and SIPTU in a spin over capacity levels they would like on public transport.

Couple of shop stewards must have kicked up a fuss to warrant the advise change!

road_high · 05-09-2021 8:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117803667#Comment_117803667

Any idea when the Dundrum service may resume?

LXFlyer · 05-09-2021 10:34pm

Nothing on their website.

bk · 06-09-2021 11:08am

"Any idea when the Dundrum service may resume?"

It is odd that Dublin Coach haven't restarted either their Dundrum service or their Belfast service. I wonder what is going and if there is perhaps more to the story? Perhaps difficulty getting drivers?

I'm kind of surprised that DC have survived the past year and a half, if any company was likely for take over, I would have thought it would be them.

road_high · 06-09-2021 4:56pm

You go onto the Airbus website and there’s no mention of it being stopped? https://www.airbus.ie/. Can anyone fully co form the Airbus is not running at sll

bk · 06-09-2021 5:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117854549#Comment_117854549

It says it is stopped on the Dublin Coach website, it says "Recommencement Date for this service: TBC" :

https://www.dublincoach.ie/timetables-fares/dublin-airport-dundrum-luas-bus.php

Airbus is just one of Dublin Coaches brand names and it is typical of their poor service to have forgotten to update the airbus.ie website with this information!

devnull · 06-09-2021 6:19pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117854549#Comment_117854549

That site hasn't been updated for the last two years. Even during the worst of the pandemic there wasn't a notice there to say it was not running.

TranslatorPS · 06-09-2021 6:22pm

The legal and branding names mess surrounding Dublin Coach is, pardon the choice, surreal. Especially on the Naas-Kildare corridor where there are multiple stops of the 726 and 826 shared with the 125/126s, and where the NTA have prepared their standard timetables including DC's routes, none of the stops actually mention Dublin Coach as the operating company, but rather the plethora of legal names they operate under (Citibus or K Coach[es?]) that have no simple connection with the brand name. With such a mess in just their legal/brand names, I'm not so surprised they have issues keeping their off-shoot websites up to date.

Of course this being unrelated to the coronavirus: EOT.

L1011 · 06-09-2021 6:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117821885#Comment_117821885

On certain trains there are no opening windows. Many only have a few.

The bulk of the stock is air conditioned but it's seriously sub par on some or in specific areas of some.

dublinman1990 · 06-09-2021 7:41pm

Are Dublin Coach still able to run a service for some of their customers these days or are they treating it like they have no money to run it at all?

road_high · 06-09-2021 7:55pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117855292#Comment_117855292

I see lots of them on the M9 route anyways- that benefitted as the good Belfast route coaches appear to be all on it rather than the knackered old Setras

road_high · 06-09-2021 7:57pm

Is there any decent quick way of getting to Dundrum from the Red Cow stop now using public transport and avoiding the city centre?

LXFlyer · 06-09-2021 8:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117855355#Comment_117855355

LUAS to Tallaght and then 75 or 175 to Dundrum is probably the only realistic option avoiding the city centre.

Use the NTA Journey Planner app.

Otherwise, LUAS red line to Abbey and LUAS green line from Marlborough stop.

loyatemu · 08-09-2021 9:00am

Google suggests you can get off the Red at Suir Rd and get a 122 bus to Charlemont to get back on the Green. The O bus route will do a better job of linking the 2 lines whenever it gets up and running.

I was going to suggest cycling between the 2 along the canal, but it appears neither Dublin Bikes nor Bleeper are available at that end of the canal.

dublinman1990 · 09-10-2021 6:48pm

It has been reported today that the NTA have no current plans to put the Nitelink back into service on October 22nd; although they are considering it to return sometime on a later date before Christmas. FF Dublin Spokesperson Cormac Devlin TD, who a received formal letter from NTA CEO Anne Graham on the matter, has said he wants the Nitelink to return as soon as the Covid restrictions are lifted on the 22nd of October. The Licensed Vitners Association have agreed with Devlin's request to have the Nitelink returned on October 22nd to restore Dublin's night-time economy.

Is this request from Devlin actually a good idea. I personally would like to see the Nitelink to come back soon. But that all depends if Dublin Bus are able to afford to have the Nitelink back on their network very soon. The Dublin Bus drivers will probably be very happy to see it come back if they're hearing the NTA want it to return before Christmas.

https://extra.ie/2021/10/09/news/irish-news/nitelink-wont-resume-night-clubs

bk · 10-10-2021 8:50pm

Why is he asking the NTA? They don’t have anything to do with Nitelink. Nitelink is a commercial service of DB, not a PSO service, so it is totally up to DB if they want to operate this service or not, similar to Airlink.

I assume DB have said no their aren’t going to run this service anymore, that it isn’t commercially worth it, similar to Airlink.

As a result I guess that the NTA might consider temporarily subsidising the service to run this Christmas. Though long term I assume the NTA want to switch completely over to the 24/7 PSO routes and then no need for Nitelink, though obviously they aren’t ready for that yet.

LXFlyer · 10-10-2021 9:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118002120#Comment_118002120

Nitelink is a PSO service and forms part of the contract between Dublin Bus and the NTA.

L1011 · 10-10-2021 9:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118002120#Comment_118002120

Nitelink was changed to PSO some years ago. DBs commercial services are only tours since Airlink ended.

bk · 10-10-2021 11:34pm

Thanks to you both, I had totally missed that it had swapped to a PSO service!

p_haugh · 15-10-2021 2:16pm

Nitelink is returning on the 22nd afterall (depending on the easing of restrictions of course), was mad that initially it wasn't going to return with the reopening of the night-time entertainment sector.

https://twitter.com/ray_dublin/status/1448990155356913692?t=aXcY9UGdYDc4BvFcFF07OQ&s=19

dublinman1990 · 01-01-2022 9:53pm

Dublin Bus are really in the thick of it at the moment as a lot of their own staff are not turning up for work due to Covid. They released a post on their Twitter account to send their apologies to their customers for the distruption to their services.

https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/dublin-bus-reports-disruption-to-services-due-to-covid-19-1236448.html

I wonder how bad this impact is going to be at this time as the schools are going to return later this week. Has anyone using a bus with them this weekend experienced any delay in their own work schedules due to this issue with Omicron?

devnull · 01-01-2022 11:41pm

I'd hardly call self-isolating because of COVID as not turning up to work to be honest.

All transport operators are seeing far higher levels of staff absence due to the pandemic, Irish Rail, LUAS and Go-Ahead have also been affected.

Kyleboy · 02-01-2022 1:33am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118402883#Comment_118402883

That was just to cover up the fact that there's no agreement for working after 10 pm departure on new year's eve and the nta forced Dublin bus to operate a full Saturday service, so it was easier to blame it on covid.

drivingmissdaisy · 02-01-2022 2:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118402883#Comment_118402883

Remember government covid rules, no more than 100 at a wedding.

Dublin bus running a full service at full capacity , so no problem with 100 passengers crammed onto a double decker.

Is it any wonder drivers getting Covid.

Either the Covid rules are BS or the government don’t care about people using public transport, which do you think it is?

02-01-2022 2:57pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118405167#Comment_118405167

I've been on 6 buses in the past few days and only saw a mask worn by the driver once.

Not saying that's the cause of drivers getting covid but adhering to the bare minimum health advice to protect themselves might be a good place to start in terms of protection against it

Mrs OBumble · 02-01-2022 3:39pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118405298#Comment_118405298

Masks reduce the amount of infected material that people with Covid spread around.

They don't stop you from getting Covid. They help stop you from making other people sick.

It's not lack of masks on drivers that is making drivers sick.

stephenjmcd · 02-01-2022 3:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118405298#Comment_118405298

Drivers are exempt from wearing masks given they're behind a perspex screen & can adequately ventilate the cab

Stevek101 · 02-01-2022 4:10pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118405507#Comment_118405507

Outdated advice to be honest. FFP2/KN95 will stop you from getting the virus in this type of setting and are madatory is many EU countries.

john boye · 02-01-2022 4:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118402883#Comment_118402883

Regarding your last sentence, if your bus didn't turn up how would you know it was due to omicron?

Coronavirus and the effect on Public transport

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