The National Transport Authority (NTA) is set to introduce a new location tracking system for Dublin buses following complaints about “ghost buses” appearing on the real-time information system.
Residents in north Dublin have reported an increase in buses appearing on the TFI Live app but failing to arrive, with the issue becoming more noticeable in recent weeks as children returned to school.
Dublin Bus says the real-time information on the app is not always being updated quickly enough to reflect last-minute cancellations.
This means passengers can be left waiting for a bus that has already been cancelled, while the app continues to show it as operating.
Dublin Bus Director of Services Gwen Morgan said the issue is linked to the system used to provide real-time information to passengers.
She stressed that TFI Live is not a Dublin Bus app and said improvements are expected when a new automatic vehicle location system is introduced.
“The app is not a Dublin Bus app,” Newstalk reports.
“That app, I am led to believe, will be improved when we get the new automatic vehicle location system in place.”
The new system is expected to provide more accurate information on where buses are and whether services are actually operating.
The issue of “ghost buses” has caused frustration for passengers, particularly those relying on public transport to get to work, school and appointments.
For now, passengers are being warned that the real-time information shown on the TFI Live app may not always reflect last-minute changes to services.
The NTA is expected to bring the new automatic vehicle location system into operation soon, which should provide more reliable real-time information for passengers across the Dublin bus network.
