Now ye're talking - to a bus driver

Sexual Chocolate wrote: »

Do you find newer buses more reliable these days or were the older ones just as good ?

What's the highest mileage you've seen on one ? The old AVs and AXs in Dublin Bus must easily have more then a million kms.....

Do you feel Dublin in general could do with more single deckers ?

Were the bendy buses years ago in Dublin a complete f*** up as some people have claimed in your opinion ?

And finally do you think that public transport should be cash-less ? As in Leap cards only.

Once the Rose-Tints come off,most drivers would have to concede that newer designs of vehicle have a FAR higher degree of comfort and access than past designs.


Hard Leaf cart-springs with low powered engines,spewing out vast clouds of blue/black smoke,with oil and coolant constantly leaking and exhaust fumes wafting up into the body of the bus as rivers of rainwater and condensation soaked into your sleeves......ah but,was'nt the oul Atlantean a great yoke altogether.


There may well be a case for some single-deck vehicles,but the flexibility and capacity of the Double Deck remains it's strong point,and will do for many years yet.


There is definitely scope for Articulated Bus operation in Dublin,but only if the infrastructure is installed before the vehicles arrive.


Dublins last brush with bendies,was one of the most glaring examples of our long standing desire for hardship in anything we attempt.


Attempting to operate a fleet of 18.75 Mtr long articulated vehicles,in and out of Bus Bays designed to accomodate 9.8 Mtr rigid vehicles would have stumped Aristotle or Newton,and the choice of Volvo vehicles which did'nt exactly set the Nordic Forests alight,ensured that rigidity would be maintained in Éire.


As for cashless,it's inevitable,and will occur very rapidly indeed...I'd go with 2021 as being the last hurrah for the thrupenny bit....:)

Stephen15 wrote: »

That's an interesting point but you'd wonder which would cost the company more lost revenue from a fares free day or NTA fines

Some people may be confusing the two Free Fare Saturdays,which the Dept of Transport forced Dublin Bus to provide,following a mix-up over Fare Increases many years ago.



I've Never wondered once about it,but perhaps others lie awake over it.



It may well interest some,but it's largely moot and a scenario not likely to occur anytime soon...not worth spending too much time pondering on,whilst the Planet continues to spin ever onwards.

Now,where was I.......................

punisher5112 wrote: »

Anyone ever attacked you?

No.


Have you put anyone off? [/QUOTE] Off the bus,or off the Job ? Yes to the first.....Hmmmmm to the second .

Have you been in many crashes?

Accident Free....up to today.

Have you ever been sacked?

I recall being laid-off temporarily,during a dispute many years back.

Has anyone ever died on your bus?

Not to my knowledge.

Have you ever knocked someone down?

Not that I recall.

How do you find the public treat you?

Neutrally,the way I like it,I'm not looking for anything else.

Did you only plan working for the summer and leave after?

No that was not the case.

How do you cope doing without toilet facilities for 5 to 7 hours without....?

Again,personally I dont encounter any problems,I take care not to drink Tea/Coffee (diruretics) too close to my starting time,and I make sure to empty my bladder before returning after my break..that routine has worked for me so far. That's not to detract from the reality that the lack of such facilities as part of the Public Transport system Is a MAJOR issue and a true disgrace in the 21st Century.


Roll on Brexit.....


https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/sadiq-khan-to-spend-6m-on-toilets-for-london-bus-drivers-a3765906.html


However,whats necessary for some,is an impediment for others.....


https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-46471578


Perhaps somebody on here has the definitive answer...I don't


Apologies for the non-operation of some earlier services....this was due to Operational Issues...:D

unkel wrote: »

There will no longer be any need for professional drivers like bus drivers, lorry drivers, taxi drivers or delivery drivers within the next 10-15 years or so. Autonomous vehicles will be much cheaper and much safer and will take over.

I guess you will be retired by then, but is this a hot topic amongst your younger colleagues? All of them will lose their jobs soon enough.

Tepid,or perhaps lukewarm I'd suggest.


Retired I shall indeed be,but my pensioners pizza will still arrive in a Nissan Micra...and I'll be still encountering the stare of a human bean behind whatever type of steering gear is on the bus.


I'm very confident that fully autonomous Bus operation remains at least 30 years away in the first world....whilst here in the valley of the silicon shamrock,I'd predict 40 years before it merits a trial....:)


My ol pal Jarrett Walker has a thoughtful piece here....



https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2018/10/bus-best-public-transit-cities/574399/


However,as you suggest,life is constantly evolving and nothing stays the same for long....but I'm still going with 40 - 50 years before my kind becomes extinct....:D


https://www.citylab.com/life/2016/12/meet-the-high-tech-buses-of-tomorrow/509417/

"Streets are very complicated environments to drive in; you got jaywalkers and bike riders who sometimes dart out in front of the bus,” he says. “I think solving the technology problems for an urban bus to be safe is going to be very tough.” Even assuming that buses are equipped with proper safety features, there’s the potential problem of pedestrians adjusting their behavior for the worse.



That’s the basis for one recent research paper that uses game theory to suggest that when pedestrian learn that autonomous vehicles always stop for people, they’ll jaywalk with impunity. Robo-buses, therefore, are “not high on my list on what would make public transportation more viable,” Salvucci says. So what is?

This is the Salvucci being quoted....


https://transitlab.mit.edu/frederick-salvucci

Livia Sharp Mutt wrote: »

Have you ever reported a colleague or heard of drivers being reported over bad driving?

I've never personally had cause to report such an incident.


However the advent of Social Media has ensured that such reportage is commonplace across all operators.

mikemac2 wrote: »

Is inspector considered a promotion and is it very competitive to get that job? You get a hat :cool: Or maybe most drivers are happy to stay in the cab and don’t want the role?


Ever deal with a lazy cow who won’t fold up her buggy and so the wheelchair user gets left at the stop? And yet when I moved to Dublin fadó fadó the buses had steps and mothers managed somehow ?!?

Inspector grade was once the only promotional avenue available to busdrivers in the Public sector,however Supervision never interested me,so I never applied.


The advent of "Accessibility" legislation,and all that came with it,has brought a whole new raft of situations for Busdrivers AND Passengers to deal and cope with.


Once the Busdriver realises that they can only request cooperation in this regard,then things usually work out,but not always.


Modern Society,in general,has lost certain coping skills and instead now requires explicit directions for the most minor interactions,whereas previously a dollop of common-sense might have done the trick.

Stevieluvsye wrote: »

Do you get to choose your route? If so why would anyone have chosen the old 77 route? Or if it wasn't a choice did drivers kick up a storm on such routes as the 77

Drivers work what they are allocated generally,some have preferences and will attempt to swap onto particular routes etc.


As Drivers attain marked-in status,they then work that particular route or block of routes.



Plenty of Drivers spent decades on routes such as the 77,and had no issues.