Coronavirus and the effect on Public transport

punisher5112 · 12-01-2021 9:57pm

I'm not paid enough to get all the abuse....

They have a complaints department, speak or bring it up with them....

Bus connect should have been brought in sooner..
Actually it could well have started under the covid seen as all the other measures were such as these temporary but permanent changes to roads, paths.

Midnight_EG · 12-01-2021 11:51pm

Passengers never complain when you're moving quickly... Funny how it works eh

punisher5112 · 12-01-2021 11:57pm

Midnight_EG wrote: »

Passengers never complain when you're moving quickly... Funny how it works eh

They only see what they want to see.

The past near a year has been strange, less traffic, less people apart from when opened again it was nuts, traffic system set to go red so at different times traffic was nuts but gone back quiet again.

People in Ireland aren't happy unless they're moaning and it goes for non Irish too, it's like it's rubbed onto them or something

weldoninhio · 13-01-2021 10:22am

punisher5112 wrote: »

They only see what they want to see.

The past near a year has been strange, less traffic, less people apart from when opened again it was nuts, traffic system set to go red so at different times traffic was nuts but gone back quiet again.

People in Ireland aren't happy unless they're moaning and it goes for non Irish too, it's like it's rubbed onto them or something

Unfortunately passengers aren't psychic. If someone gets a bus at 8am every morning and then it starts arriving at 7:45, you're late for work.

If i'm in Rush, surely it's not beyond the realms of technology that I should be able to set an alarm to ping when the bus is leaving Skerries.

Zebra3 · 13-01-2021 11:28am

Midnight_EG wrote: »

Passengers never complain when you're moving quickly... Funny how it works eh

Why would they?

the boss of me · 13-01-2021 2:40pm

weldoninhio wrote: »

Unfortunately passengers aren't psychic. If someone gets a bus at 8am every morning and then it starts arriving at 7:45, you're late for work.

If i'm in Rush, surely it's not beyond the realms of technology that I should be able to set an alarm to ping when the bus is leaving Skerries.

No need to be psychic, if you can read a timetable you know when the bus starts it's journey. Surely you know how long it takes to drive from Skerries to Rush.?

GT89 · 13-01-2021 4:41pm

.anon. wrote: »

I'm not convinced that any complaint posted on Twitter gets reported to anyone. It's just a handy way of allowing customers to vent and then get on with their day.

But yes, a public information campaign (including onboard announcements) is needed. Also, the fact that buses are so much quicker when there's no traffic really highlights the sheer extent to which private cars hamper the delivery of efficient public transport. Buses need to be given a lot more priority over other traffic.

I notice they always refer Twitter complaints to the official complaint form which suggests you may be right

dashcamdanny · 13-01-2021 6:38pm

Let be honest here. When they say it has been reported to the inspector on duty, that means the report in now in the bottom of a waste paper bin.

Especially when its a serial moan bag on twitter.

I have apparently been reported to inspector on twitter a couple of times. I use the word apparently. No inspector ever contacted me about anything. I just know it was me they where reporting.

Both time pure lies ..

Heads buried in their phones instead of putting an arm out to stop you.

punisher5112 · 13-01-2021 9:03pm

Nothing a Driver needs more then a bogus complaint or even better one while they're still aboard and on the tweet thing a ma bobby

weldoninhio · 13-01-2021 10:43pm

the boss of me wrote: »

No need to be psychic, if you can read a timetable you know when the bus starts it's journey. Surely you know how long it takes to drive from Skerries to Rush.?

I do, I leave my house at the time it leaves Skerries. Takes me 4 minutes to get to the stop, straight road so I can see the main road the entire time. Unfortunately, GAI sometimes use turbo powered buses, or leave Skerries early. Which is where an app letting me know it’s served a stop would come in handy.

punisher5112 · 13-01-2021 11:03pm

weldoninhio wrote: »

I do, I leave my house at the time it leaves Skerries. Takes me 4 minutes to get to the stop, straight road so I can see the main road the entire time. Unfortunately, GAI sometimes use turbo powered buses, or leave Skerries early. Which is where an app letting me know it’s served a stop would come in handy.

That could be due to the bus actually been late or all sorts.

weldoninhio · 14-01-2021 12:07pm

punisher5112 wrote: »

That could be due to the bus actually been late or all sorts.

straight road so I can see the main road the entire time

I've been walking up the road and seen it breeze by, 2 minutes after it's due to have left Skerries, which is about 10-15 mins away, depending on passengers and traffic.

punisher5112 · 14-01-2021 12:12pm

weldoninhio wrote: »

straight road so I can see the main road the entire time

I've been walking up the road and seen it breeze by, 2 minutes after it's due to have left Skerries, which is about 10-15 mins away, depending on passengers and traffic.

But as with covid buses are arriving very early so some will leave late.

Operating reason sometimes means they may leave a few minutes early say to close gaps if one was missing.

If you are that close to the termini then there really is no reason for you to be missing them and that's on you if you walk off.

There is the rtpi and apps to keep eye on estimate of arrival.

GT89 · 14-01-2021 1:38pm

Confirmed Dublin Bus are moving to an enhanced Saturday Schedule from 18th January until further notice. There will be extra departures on certain routes.
https://www.dublinbus.ie/DublinBus-Mobile/News/?depth=1&srcid=8600

OscarMIlde · 14-01-2021 4:16pm

GT89 wrote: »

Confirmed Dublin Bus are moving to an enhanced Saturday Schedule from 18th January until further notice. There will be extra departures on certain routes.
https://www.dublinbus.ie/DublinBus-Mobile/News/?depth=1&srcid=8600

A reduction of the usual x services which is understandable given reported staff illness levels. A bit worrying that all mine depart from UCD with none from the city centre. Will make it more difficult for those further up route to catch a bus if there are capacity issues.

GT89 · 14-01-2021 5:10pm

OscarMIlde wrote: »

A reduction of the usual x services which is understandable given reported staff illness levels. A bit worrying that all mine depart from UCD with none from the city centre. Will make it more difficult for those further up route to catch a bus if there are capacity issues.

The thing is now they're going to Saturday times there will be more spare buses and drivers that can be deployed to provide extra capacity if there are issues. I think the drivers are supposed to radio in if they're bus reaches capacity and an extra bus can be deployed should it be available. Saturday times mean extra buses will be available.

weldoninhio · 14-01-2021 5:45pm

punisher5112 wrote: »

But as with covid buses are arriving very early so some will leave late.

Operating reason sometimes means they may leave a few minutes early say to close gaps if one was missing.

If you are that close to the termini then there really is no reason for you to be missing them and that's on you if you walk off.

There is the rtpi and apps to keep eye on estimate of arrival.

This has been common since GAI took over the route. With and without Covid. Laughable to suggest it’s my fault for missing a bus that’s leaving it’s first stop ten minutes before it’s scheduled to.

punisher5112 · 14-01-2021 6:15pm

weldoninhio wrote: »

This has been common since GAI took over the route. With and without Covid. Laughable to suggest it’s my fault for missing a bus that’s leaving it’s first stop ten minutes before it’s scheduled to.

I wasn't saying that, I was just answering to why I believe it may be happening.
They were definitely having issues due to drivers having to do different routes and stick in traffic.

Heard lately they have even been throwing passengers off as they can go on to get back on time at the other terminus.
Not sure if true or not but that isn't on at all.

Have you contacted GAI and the nta.
If not do so and don't bother on twitter, contact the CEO of each.
NTA is Anne Graham

OscarMIlde · 14-01-2021 6:35pm

GT89 wrote: »

The thing is now they're going to Saturday times there will be more spare buses and drivers that can be deployed to provide extra capacity if there are issues. I think the drivers are supposed to radio in if they're bus reaches capacity and an extra bus can be deployed should it be available. Saturday times mean extra buses will be available.

That's great to hear, thank you. Also, just wanted to say the service has been great this year. Any issues I've had related to passengers thinking it was ok to travel by bus for socialising/shopping when at 25% capacity, and I blame them not the drivers.

.anon. · 14-01-2021 7:39pm

punisher5112 wrote: »

I wasn't saying that, I was just answering to why I believe it may be happening.
They were definitely having issues due to drivers having to do different routes and stick in traffic.

In the lead-up to Christmas, when every idiot in the country was out buying tat and spreading Covid19, they were experiencing huge issues with traffic on one route having a knock-on effect on whichever route the driver was supposed to be switching to afterwards (often within as little as seven minutes of arriving at the terminus). Their tight turnaround times only work when traffic is light - and when the driver doesn't want to exercise his/her right to go to the bathroom between trips. Their rosters and duties are designed to squeeze as much as they can from the smallest possible number of buses and drivers.

And one poorly-thought-out feature of their contract with the NTA is that any bus more than 5 minutes and 59 seconds late might as well not be running at all. So the controller curtails part (or all) of the next trip, telling the driver to 'go dead' (Brit term for 'go special') to a certain point and begin from there.

punisher5112 wrote: »

Heard lately they have even been throwing passengers off as they can go on to get back on time at the other terminus.
Not sure if true or not but that isn't on at all.

When passenger numbers allow, they occasionally transfer passengers from a bus that's running late onto the next one, if they're running close together. It's not ideal, but Dublin Bus used to do the same (I don't know if they still do). It certainly wouldn't be company policy to just throw passengers off unless there was another bus to throw them onto.

weldoninhio · 14-01-2021 7:43pm

punisher5112 wrote: »

I wasn't saying that, I was just answering to why I believe it may be happening.
They were definitely having issues due to drivers having to do different routes and stick in traffic.

Heard lately they have even been throwing passengers off as they can go on to get back on time at the other terminus.
Not sure if true or not but that isn't on at all.

Have you contacted GAI and the nta.
If not do so and don't bother on twitter, contact the CEO of each.
NTA is Anne Graham

I’ve found GAI incredibly difficult to deal with, from blatant lying, to just ignoring complaints. They seem to reply quickly enough when you cc local TDs in your emails.

.anon. · 14-01-2021 7:53pm

weldoninhio wrote: »

I’ve found GAI incredibly difficult to deal with, from blatant lying, to just ignoring complaints. They seem to reply quickly enough when you cc local TDs in your emails.

You tweet them a lot, and your tone is always very demanding and unreasonable, so they've probably dismissed you as a crank.

weldoninhio · 14-01-2021 8:36pm

.anon. wrote: »

You tweet them a lot, and your tone is always very demanding and unreasonable, so they've probably dismissed you as a crank.

I tweet them when they don’t provide the service they're paid to provide, it’s hardly my fault that’s a lot.

GT89 · 15-01-2021 1:30am

.anon. wrote: »

When passenger numbers allow, they occasionally transfer passengers from a bus that's running late onto the next one, if they're running close together. It's not ideal, but Dublin Bus used to do the same (I don't know if they still do). It certainly wouldn't be company policy to just throw passengers off unless there was another bus to throw them onto.

Yeah I think DB call that turning short and apparently it has not been agreed to by SIPTU at least as of 2017
http://www.dublinbusdrivers.com/turningshort.html

L1011 · 15-01-2021 9:11am

Pretty standard service recovery procedure - ensure passengers aren't further delayed by the swap and get a vehicle back the opposite direction. Only practical on high frequency routes.

Irish operators of all kinds need to study how others do service recovery - Irish Rail are incompetent at it when there's signalling issues or stopped trains even where they have alternative paths, bi directional signalling and so on

pottokblue · 20-01-2021 4:22pm

as on other thread DB have been great during lockdown but its a shame that they are cutting the hospital routes during this period. Have they indicated a timeframe for this enhanced saturday schedule as i'm spending 20e a pop on taxis instead of 2.55e on bus

punisher5112 · 20-01-2021 4:35pm

pottokblue wrote: »

as on other thread DB have been great during lockdown but its a shame that they are cutting the hospital routes during this period. Have they indicated a timeframe for this enhanced saturday schedule as i'm spending 20e a pop on taxis instead of 2.55e on bus

Which hospital routes are cut?

If it's say the 7 they put extra works on for the peak times and if there are issues contact them and they will add if needs be....

They done this in the 1st lockdown where it went to Saturday service for a good number of weeks.

GT89 · 20-01-2021 6:18pm

pottokblue wrote: »

Have they indicated a timeframe for this enhanced saturday schedule as i'm spending 20e a pop on taxis instead of 2.55e on bus

Probably will go back to M-F timetables once schools return

thenightman · 27-01-2021 8:51pm

Finished work later than anticipated yesterday so just missed the sole Xpresso service still serving Clondalkin (51d at 5.15) so jumped Luas up to James to catch the 13 instead. 15 min wait and myself, another guy who was there before and a woman and with a toddler in her arms who arrived after me eventually waiting at the stop. Bus arrives and lad gets on first and I let the woman and toddler on ahead of me. I go to get on and driver (who saw me let her ahead of me) says bus is full (it wasn't, wheelchair/buggy space was empty.) I had been working in an essential government service since 8am that morning and also had a heavy backpack crammed full of files to do at home.

30 min wait for next 13 to Clondalkin, so I got a citybound 13 (that was jammed!) and got the 69 home. Left office at 5.10 and got home just after 7pm. The joys of commuting on public transport during Covid.

punisher5112 · 27-01-2021 8:57pm

thenightman wrote: »

Finished work later than anticipated yesterday so just missed the sole Xpresso service still serving Clondalkin (51d at 5.15) so jumped Luas up to James to catch the 13 instead. 15 min wait and myself, another guy who was there before and a woman and with a toddler in her arms who arrived after me eventually waiting at the stop. Bus arrives and lad gets on first and I let the woman and toddler on ahead of me. I go to get on and driver (who saw me let her ahead of me) says bus is full (it wasn't, wheelchair/buggy space was empty.) I had been working in an essential government service since 8am that morning and also had a heavy backpack crammed full of files to do at home.

30 min wait for next 13 to Clondalkin, so I got a citybound 13 (that was jammed!) and got the 69 home. Left office at 5.10 and got home just after 7pm. The joys of commuting on public transport during Covid.

1st come 1st served....

Just because someone isn't in wheelchair area doesn't mean the bus isn't full...

People are thick and sit everywhere they aren't meant to...

You should have got on as you were there before, it's just how it is at the moment and we as Drivers aren't getting joy out of turning passengers down.

Coronavirus and the effect on Public transport

Comments