Following claims drivers are being distracted by calls to maintain times on their routes, union representatives have now advised drivers “not to operate their radios while in service”.
One Dublin Bus driver, named Kathleen, told Newstalk radio this week, that several drivers had claimed controllers calling through radios have put them in potentially dangerous situations.
Each bus has a ‘PressIt box’ display, showing how early or late it is. With lighter-than-usual traffic, some buses have been running faster than scheduled.
If ahead of schedule, drivers are required to wait at stops to remain on time. This has increased tension between drivers and controllers, and union representatives warn it could lead to industrial action.
“You’re not going to get the same volume of traffic at 11 in the morning as at six in the evening,” Kathleen told Newstalk.
“There’s rush hour, passenger levels, and weather – many factors can affect this. Ninety-nine per cent of drivers will keep their time.”
Kathleen said drivers don’t purposely arrive early, as they typically know their regular passengers and want to avoid causing them to miss their bus.
She also noted these boxes can be “inaccurate” and “frustrating”, while some routes lack “reasonable places” to pull over.
Now, SIPTU and the NBRU unions have issued a notice advising drivers, “for safety reasons, not to operate their radios while in service”.
The notice said: “We cannot allow a driver to be continuously harassed and distracted by a controller.
“This is dangerous and clearly breaches the company’s ‘Zero Tolerance Policy’, which prohibits the driver from engaging in conversation with any other employee while driving.
“For this reason, a driver should only use the radio when they are at termini, or if necessary, when stopped at a bus stop,” the statement added.
Typically, buses on most routes are expected to arrive no more than 5 minutes and 59 seconds late and should not depart more than one minute early.
Operators must ensure a certain percentage of buses meet these timing targets to achieve punctuality standards.
In response to queries from the Irish Independent, a Dublin Bus spokesperson said: “The customer is at the heart of everything we do at Dublin Bus.
“The PressIt Box is an on-board device used by drivers for several purposes. These include maintaining schedules, communicating with Central Control, and for on-board announcements for passengers.
“The PressIt device allows direct communication between drivers and controllers at all times, especially to keep buses on schedule if ahead of time.
“This system aims to improve punctuality and reliability, providing a positive customer experience across the network.
“Controllers only engage, via radio, with drivers not adhering to schedule, to ensure buses arrive on time for customers as they rightly expect.
“PressIt boxes have been standard across Dublin city buses since 2010 and are a common practice among large bus operators worldwide,” they added.
