Bus Vannin in Crisis

[Boris Johnson]

6 hours ago, Declan said:

The dog would need to make 100 trips for the pass to save it's owner money. 

And they can't even share the pass because of the photo ID, which I suppose will make it easier for the dog to open a bank account. 

I have 3 Black Labs, I would bet there is not a bus driver in the world, never mind the island that could tell them apart.

I can save at least £10.00 over the next couple of years,

..................................party on.

[AcousticallyChallenged]

16 minutes ago, Boris Johnson said:

I have 3 Black Labs, I would bet there is not a bus driver in the world, never mind the island that could tell them apart.

I can save at least £10.00 over the next couple of years,

..................................party on.

Don’t give them ideas, it’ll be pawprints next 

[Two-lane]

The gov. is certainly taking photo ID seriously these days. In another thread I have described my heroic efforts in getting a replacement driving licence. The original had a colour photo of me. The replacement was printed at a time when (I assume) the printer ran out of ink, so my photo has been reduced to a black-and-white line drawing - an oval for my head, two dots for my eyes and one vertical and one horizontal line for my nose and mouth.

I am going away again soon, and I'm not looking forward to handing that licence over to the hire car people - or any police-person anywhere.

Perhaps could pass myself off as a dog, I suppose. Cheap bus ticket.

[Albert Tatlock]

23 minutes ago, Two-lane said:

The gov. is certainly taking photo ID seriously these days. In another thread I have described my heroic efforts in getting a replacement driving licence. The original had a colour photo of me. The replacement was printed at a time when (I assume) the printer ran out of ink, so my photo has been reduced to a black-and-white line drawing - an oval for my head, two dots for my eyes and one vertical and one horizontal line for my nose and mouth.

That must be you the cops are looking for in this week's Examiner...

 

[Two-lane]

16 minutes ago, Albert Tatlock said:

That must be you the cops are looking for in this week's Examiner...

I used to have a hair style like that, but it was a long time ago. And these days I'm usually described as "wanting" not "wanted".

[doc.fixit]

Just picked someone up from the Gatwick Easy Jet. Whilst waiting I noticed the Bus arrive pick up a couple of passengers, waited just a couple of minutes ish and went. The Easy Jet passengers were still coming out so I wondered why they didn't schedule them for the passengers benefit.

Glad I wasn't a visitor relying on the bus service.

Edited December 22, 2022 by doc.fixit

[Andy Onchan]

5 hours ago, BillyNoMates said:

can i get the cheaper fare if i identify as a dog on the day? asking for a friend. 

Get down Shep!

[Ringy Rose]

33 minutes ago, doc.fixit said:

The Easy Jet passengers were still coming out so I wondered why they didn't schedule them for the passengers benefit.

Glad I wasn't a visitor relying on the bus service.

The EasyJet was late, so if it had been on time they'd have nicely caught the bus. As it is, the buses are every 20 minutes, so meh.

[BriT]

3 hours ago, Two-lane said:

Perhaps could pass myself off as a dog, I suppose. Cheap bus ticket.

30p school fare to CHRS for all self identifying students. 

[Happier diner]

24 minutes ago, doc.fixit said:

Just picked someone up from the Gatwick Easy Jet. Whilst waiting I noticed the Bus arrive pick up a couple of passengers, waited just a couple of minutes ish and went. The Easy Jet passengers were still coming out so I wondered why they didn't schedule them for the passengers benefit.

Glad I wasn't a visitor relying on the bus service.

If you think about it, they run to a schedule for more than the airport. You would be well pee'd off if you were stood at the bus stop at ballasalla and the bus was sat at the airport waiting for an easyjet flight. 

[BriT]

27 minutes ago, Happier diner said:

If you think about it, they run to a schedule for more than the airport. You would be well pee'd off if you were stood at the bus stop at ballasalla and the bus was sat at the airport waiting for an easyjet flight. 

You could probably steal a lot of cat identities. 

[Declan]

11 hours ago, doc.fixit said:

Just picked someone up from the Gatwick Easy Jet. Whilst waiting I noticed the Bus arrive pick up a couple of passengers, waited just a couple of minutes ish and went. The Easy Jet passengers were still coming out so I wondered why they didn't schedule them for the passengers benefit.

Glad I wasn't a visitor relying on the bus service.

The buses are every twenty minutes, passengers there have a shelter and even a warm airport building to wait in, unlike the person stood waiting in the Ballasalla rain. Bus Vannin don't know the precise moment that a place is going to land or all it's passengers will have collected baggage and got through security so can't schedule a bus to arrive at the precise moment the passengers are ready. 

Being on the bus when the Easy Jet lands is enough of a delay already, with passengers taking forever to stow their bags, surprised that they need to find their money, and passengers looking for Douglas trying to get on the one to Port Erin and then engaging in along conversation with the driver about when the bus to Douglas is going. To be fair, it's probably the only time they ever get a bus, so a bit of faff has to be expected. But adding further delay waiting for passengers to meander off the plane is unfair on the regular passenger who just want to get home or to work. 

Honestly compared to most airports or town railway stations across or Heysham or the Sea Terminal for that matter arriving at the airport and getting public transport to Douglas (at least during the day) is a breeze. You exit terminal wait a bit and get a bus direct to the town centre, the business area or where most of the hotels are.

 

[forestboy]

2 hours ago, Declan said:

The buses are every twenty minutes, passengers there have a shelter and even a warm airport building to wait in, unlike the person stood waiting in the Ballasalla rain. Bus Vannin don't know the precise moment that a place is going to land or all it's passengers will have collected baggage and got through security so can't schedule a bus to arrive at the precise moment the passengers are ready. 

Being on the bus when the Easy Jet lands is enough of a delay already, with passengers taking forever to stow their bags, surprised that they need to find their money, and passengers looking for Douglas trying to get on the one to Port Erin and then engaging in along conversation with the driver about when the bus to Douglas is going. To be fair, it's probably the only time they ever get a bus, so a bit of faff has to be expected. But adding further delay waiting for passengers to meander off the plane is unfair on the regular passenger who just want to get home or to work. 

Honestly compared to most airports or town railway stations across or Heysham or the Sea Terminal for that matter arriving at the airport and getting public transport to Douglas (at least during the day) is a breeze. You exit terminal wait a bit and get a bus direct to the town centre, the business area or where most of the hotels are.

 

There is a bus shelter in Ballasalla for Douglas bound buses. 

[Declan]

Not at every stop though.

[Andy Onchan]

3 hours ago, Declan said:

The buses are every twenty minutes, passengers there have a shelter and even a warm airport building to wait in, unlike the person stood waiting in the Ballasalla rain. Bus Vannin don't know the precise moment that a place is going to land or all it's passengers will have collected baggage and got through security so can't schedule a bus to arrive at the precise moment the passengers are ready. 

Being on the bus when the Easy Jet lands is enough of a delay already, with passengers taking forever to stow their bags, surprised that they need to find their money, and passengers looking for Douglas trying to get on the one to Port Erin and then engaging in along conversation with the driver about when the bus to Douglas is going. To be fair, it's probably the only time they ever get a bus, so a bit of faff has to be expected. But adding further delay waiting for passengers to meander off the plane is unfair on the regular passenger who just want to get home or to work. 

Honestly compared to most airports or town railway stations across or Heysham or the Sea Terminal for that matter arriving at the airport and getting public transport to Douglas (at least during the day) is a breeze. You exit terminal wait a bit and get a bus direct to the town centre, the business area or where most of the hotels are.

 

Wasn't there a dedicated airport bus service at one point, every 30 mins or something like that?