# Minister Varadkar: makes changes at CIE, IRÉ, BÉ & DB.



## levelpar (28 Mar 2011)

Congrats to  Leo Varadkar Minister of transport for beginning the process of replacing the system of political appointmnets to key posts  in  the semi-state company 

Apparently the Executive chairman of CIE is to go and 4 non-executives chairpersons for CIE, Dublin Bus, Iarnrod Eireann and Bus Eireann will be appointed.

Also  some FFer  slotted in a former FF councillor (who had been a senator and TD) to the board of Dublin Bus a day before he or she departed their plush office.


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## Protocol (28 Mar 2011)

I wish the new Minister well, but we are still waiting for:

a bus map of Dublin
bus ticket machines
two or three doors on buses
audio on buses to name the next stop
video screens on buses with the name of the next stop
a prepaid smartcard for ALL modes of transit
integrated fares, not just integrated tickets
the ability to buy a combined rail + bus ticket, e.g. Dublin to Bundoran or Kilrush
faster trains
and on and on and on


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## ajapale (28 Mar 2011)

levelpar said:


> Apparently the Executive chairman of CIE is to go and 4 non-executives chairpersons for CIE, Dublin Bus, Iarnrod Eireann and Bus Eireann will be appointed.



Tinkering!

Who will perform the Executive functions formerly performed by the Executive chairman of CIE?

Why not abolish CIE? and replace it with three stand alone commercially run companies Dublin Bus, Iarnrod Eireann and Bus Eireann?


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## markpb (28 Mar 2011)

Protocol said:


> audio on buses to name the next stop



Being trialled on the 123 right now as part of the RTIS project



> video screens on buses with the name of the next stop



Also on the 123



> a prepaid smartcard for ALL modes of transit



RPA have this card in pilot right now. I've been using it for a few weeks.


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## Protocol (28 Mar 2011)

I applaud the progress, but we are still years behind other countries.

One route is not enough.

No new bus should be ordered without:

3 sets of doors
audio and video announcements of every stop
*Bus stops*

Does every bus stop even have a name?

Is the name of the bus stop marked at the stop?  I don't think so.

We need a large map of the whole network at each stop - as in Paris.


*Smart card*

I'd like to know if it can cope with this journey:

Onto Luas at Rialto, to Connolly, then onto DART to Malahide, then onto local bus to final destination.

That is one journey with 3 modes - can I pay one fare for that?  Or buy one single ticket for that journey?


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## RoyRover (2 Apr 2011)

This sort of integrated ticketing and transport policy for Dublin has been mooted for years, but is constantly blocked by the CIE unions.


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## horusd (3 Apr 2011)

RoyRover said:


> This sort of integrated ticketing and transport policy for Dublin has been mooted for years, *but is constantly blocked by the CIE unions*.


 

Why would the unions object?


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## Complainer (3 Apr 2011)

horusd said:


> Why would the unions object?



They didn't. But don't be surprised on AAM when people just make up stuff to suit their agenda. If you speak to anyone who has at least a passing acqaintance with the integrated ticketing project, they will tell you that the major roadblocks were around getting the participating companies to agree how they were going to split the revenue. There was no union issue. Smart cards are already in place on Dublin Bus, Irish Rail and Luas, so there is no change to work practices involved.

But let's not let the facts get in the way of a good AAM anti-union anti-public-servant rant.


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## Odea (4 Apr 2011)

Protocol said:


> *Bus stops*
> 
> 
> Does every bus stop even have a name?
> ...


 
I agree with this. It is only when you are abroad and trying to find your way in a strange place that you appreciate how helpful these things are.


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## MANTO (4 Apr 2011)

Not even that, when you take a route on Dublin Bus you have never taken before, you need to find out what building / garage / venue you have to keep a look out for to find your stop...


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## dereko1969 (4 Apr 2011)

Protocol said:


> I applaud the progress, but we are still years behind other countries.
> 
> One route is not enough.
> 
> ...


 
From what I understand the Smart Cards will cover all 3 services and a daily cap will be put in place.


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## dereko1969 (4 Apr 2011)

MANTO said:


> Not even that, when you take a route on Dublin Bus you have never taken before, you need to find out what building / garage / venue you have to keep a look out for to find your stop...


 
You could ask the Driver for assistance. Most bus services around the world depend on passengers knowing where they're going, there are very few bus services that announce the next bus stop either by audio or visually.


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## Protocol (4 Apr 2011)

See this photo of a Parisian bus stop with several maps, including one of the whole network (bottom left):

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2327/2421787639_31f0fceec7.jpg?v=0

Here is another example of the maps at a Paris bus stop:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3251/2422600414_ae1cf9e90d.jpg?v=0


These are the smaller local area maps:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/21/25815528_ea420f5828.jpg


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## Protocol (4 Apr 2011)

Derek1969,

if all bus stops don't have names, then what will the video screen say as the name of the stop?


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## Protocol (4 Apr 2011)

dereko1969 said:


> From what I understand the Smart Cards will cover all 3 services and a daily cap will be put in place.


 
This is one journey, on three modes, so one fare should apply.


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## csirl (4 Apr 2011)

It would help if the put useful destination names on the display on the front of the bus - it seems like every second bus goes to 'Harristown' (which is a large garage in the middle of nowhere near the airport?). Not a lot of use to most people. Even if the bus does end up in Harristown, why cant they put the area it serves on the front?


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## Oscaresque (6 Apr 2011)

I really like the new electronic screens stating the time for the next bus. For the 2 I use regularly they have only been wrong once. More of this please Minister.


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