"Leap" into the unknown: The feedback thread

Victor · 14-11-2013 4:37am

Carawaystick wrote: »

Does this still apply even if Irish rail journeys take more than the time limit :
due to the late arrival of the incomming train
due to operational difficulties
due to low rail adhesion
due to IE allowing a railway fall into the sea
due to IE allowing a train derail and having single-line running

In such circumstances, you are entitled to a refund.

due to IE deciding to run short trains and customerd being left behind as they can't fit?

Even running with full length trains, this can sometimes happen.

Van.Bosch · 21-11-2013 12:31pm

The Dublin Bus capping on Dublin Bus is actually quite disappointing with regard to the express services being capped at 2.50. The cap for DB is 6.90 which I assume is designed to replace the 1 day rambler which was also 6.90. But with that ticket you could use the express services and the airlink included.

So it looks to me that this is in a way a less beneficial ticket for users – granted you can use 2.50 towards nightlink which is excluded from the rambler.

AlekSmart · 21-11-2013 5:32pm

Van.Bosch wrote: »

The Dublin Bus capping on Dublin Bus is actually quite disappointing with regard to the express services being capped at 2.50. The cap for DB is 6.90 which I assume is designed to replace the 1 day rambler which was also 6.90. But with that ticket you could use the express services and the airlink included.

So it looks to me that this is in a way a less beneficial ticket for users – granted you can use 2.50 towards nightlink which is excluded from the rambler.

It may indeed look that way VB,however it remains a very useful and laudable step in the ITS programme.

Given that the Expresso Zone 1 + 2 Leap fares are €2.50 and €3.50 respectively it's a good deal for most.

it should be borne in mind also that Expresso services have a far higher ratio of Period Pass holders as daily users,so the €2.50 concession is just that...a concession....

You could always shun this new-fangled stuff and stick with Cash...€3.05 and €4.20....that'll quickly soften one's financial cough from Dec 1.

The numbers of people being discommoded here are miniscule when placed against the overall benefit available to the majority ?

Van.Bosch · 22-11-2013 12:08am

AlekSmart wrote: »

It may indeed look that way VB,however it remains a very useful and laudable step in the ITS programme.

Given that the Expresso Zone 1 + 2 Leap fares are €2.50 and €3.50 respectively it's a good deal for most.

it should be borne in mind also that Expresso services have a far higher ratio of Period Pass holders as daily users,so the €2.50 concession is just that...a concession....

You could always shun this new-fangled stuff and stick with Cash...€3.05 and €4.20....that'll quickly soften one's financial cough from Dec 1.

The numbers of people being discommoded here are miniscule when placed against the overall benefit available to the majority ?

True, it most likely wont effect many but I would have thought a straight swap would be easier as the aim is the same, 1 day capping is in essence the 1 day rambler.

Still as you say it's progress to have the cap. I think progress has been significant for the card in recent months and hopefully will continue.

spring21 · 23-11-2013 9:35pm

Hi ,I need a bit of help regarding leap card . I read few pages from this post and I couldn't find what I am looking for; so at the moment I am driving but I want to switch to public transport as I think cost wise will be cheaper. I will need to take the bus for 3 stops and then the train for another 4 so which type should I use and how much will cost approximately per week?

Thank you in advance.

LXFlyer · 23-11-2013 9:47pm

OK - first off you need to specify the actual journey as the fares are not set on the basis of stops.

kryptonmight · 24-11-2013 8:21am

I actually have a question. Been using this on the Luas, doing the same journey morning and evening, tagging on and off at either end and for one of the journeys I get a small refund when I tag off, on the other, nothing. Is that normal?

spring21 · 24-11-2013 10:15am

lxflyer wrote: »

OK - first off you need to specify the actual journey as the fares are not set on the basis of stops.

So I'm going from blanchardstown to clonsilla train station to maynooth.thanks

LXFlyer · 24-11-2013 11:35am

spring21 wrote: »

So I'm going from blanchardstown to clonsilla train station to maynooth.thanks

Final question - are you a student?

spring21 · 24-11-2013 1:06pm

lxflyer wrote: »

Final question - are you a student?

No

LXFlyer · 24-11-2013 1:24pm

OK. Well then firstly, you're going to have to plan it well, as the 39 operates only every 30 minutes - there is the 239 also (hourly in the morning). The 39a does not pass the railway station.

Use www.a-b.ie and put in exact locations and you can match the bus and train times.

Fares wise, first of all you will not be using cash unless you're mad!!

I am basing my answer here on the revised fares, which may be introduced from next weekend, and that you're making the trip five days per week:

The LEAP Bus fare would be €1.45 single - €2.90 return per day
The LEAP Rail fare would be €4.70 return

That's a total of €7.60 per day or €38 per week. Assuming 21 working days in a month that works out at €159.60.

You would be better off getting the Monthly Bus/Rail Short Hop ticket which costs €156, and allows you unlimited travel anywhere on the Dublin Bus network and within the Irish Rail Short Hop Zone (bordered by Balbriggan, Howth, Maynooth, M3 Parkway, Hazelhatch and Kilcoole).

This ticket is available under the taxsaver scheme (full details at www.taxsaver.ie) whereby you would save on tax, PRSI and USC on the cost of the ticket (which can be up to 52% depending on your tax rate), and your employer would save on employer PRSI. That means that the ticket would effectively cost you either €75 or €108 per month depending on your tax rate).

An annual version of this ticket is also available costing €1,560.

If your employer does not facilitate taxsaver, you can buy the monthly ticket at any Dublin Bus ticket agent or any rail station.

spring21 · 24-11-2013 1:38pm

lxflyer wrote: »

OK. Well then firstly, you're going to have to plan it well, as the 39 operates only every 30 minutes - there is the 239 also (hourly in the morning). The 39a does not pass the railway station.

Use www.a-b.ie and put in exact locations and you can match the bus and train times.

Fares wise, first of all you will not be using cash unless you're mad!!

I am basing my answer here on the revised fares, which may be introduced from next weekend, and that you're making the trip five days per week:

The LEAP Bus fare would be €1.45 single - €2.90 return per day
The LEAP Rail fare would be €4.70 return

That's a total of €7.60 per day or €38 per week. Assuming 21 working days in a month that works out at €159.60.

You would be better off getting the Monthly Bus/Rail Short Hop ticket which costs €156, and allows you unlimited travel anywhere on the Dublin Bus network and within the Irish Rail Short Hop Zone (bordered by Balbriggan, Howth, Maynooth, M3 Parkway, Hazelhatch and Kilcoole).

This ticket is available under the taxsaver scheme (full details at www.taxsaver.ie) whereby you would save on tax, PRSI and USC on the cost of the ticket (which can be up to 52% depending on your tax rate), and your employer would save on employer PRSI. That means that the ticket would effectively cost you either €75 or €108 per month depending on your tax rate).

An annual version of this ticket is also available costing €1,560.

If your employer does not facilitate taxsaver, you can buy the monthly ticket at any Dublin Bus ticket agent or any rail station.

thank you so much for taking the time to write all the above , I have a clearer picture now. Thanks again.

Carawaystick · 25-11-2013 12:27am

AlekSmart wrote: »

It may indeed look that way VB,however it remains a very useful and laudable step in the ITS programme.

Given that the Expresso Zone 1 + 2 Leap fares are €2.50 and €3.50 respectively it's a good deal for most.

it should be borne in mind also that Expresso services have a far higher ratio of Period Pass holders as daily users,so the €2.50 concession is just that...a concession....

You could always shun this new-fangled stuff and stick with Cash...€3.05 and €4.20....that'll quickly soften one's financial cough from Dec 1.

The numbers of people being discommoded here are miniscule when placed against the overall benefit available to the majority ?

I got charged 4 on the 33x on Friday morning, cost over 6 euros to get to tallaght by leap. Week before I got to limerick for 11....
Had to get the bus before the shop opened to get a t90, which would have cost 2.50

languagenerd · 25-11-2013 1:39am

kryptonmight wrote: »

I actually have a question. Been using this on the Luas, doing the same journey morning and evening, tagging on and off at either end and for one of the journeys I get a small refund when I tag off, on the other, nothing. Is that normal?

Yes, because they'll have charged you less for that journey to begin with.

When you tag on, it charges you the maximum fare possible from that stop - so if there's 5 zones, and you get on in Zone 1, it'll take 5 zones off your card. If you get off in Zone 4, for example, you get refunded the fare for the last zone because you only travelled 4. When you get back on that evening, in Zone 4, you're only charged for 4 zones this time, because that's the most you could possibly travel from that stop. Therefore, you get no refund this time as you weren't charged the extra zone in the first place.

Have a look at the screens when you tag on - the fare will be 15c or so lower for the journey where you get no refund.

No Pants · 25-11-2013 8:12am

Can more than one user register the same leapcard(s) on leapcard.ie? I got a card earlier this year, but gave it to the missus a couple of months ago when she started to get the bus to work rather than drive. I then got myself another, even though I'm an infrequent user. Both cards are registered on leapcard.ie using my credentials. Do I have to share these credentials with her, or can she simply set up her own page and register both cards on it also?

Victor · 25-11-2013 11:07am

There is an option to unregister a card. The other user should then be able to register the card. I'd leave it a day or two before registering it again.

No Pants · 25-11-2013 11:08am

Victor wrote: »

There is an option to unregister a card. The other user should then be able to register the card. I'd leave it a day or two before registering it again.

I'll get her to setup a page and then see what's possible. Ideally I'd like if both our pages could have the two leap cards registered, but I suspect that isn't possible. Will report back on how we get on.

ailbheg · 25-11-2013 11:11am

No Pants wrote: »

I'll get her to setup a page and then see what's possible. Ideally I'd like if both our pages could have the two leap cards registered, but I suspect that isn't possible. Will report back on how we get on.

Why do you want to have it registered on two accounts? Unless it's a personalised card (which couldn't be registered twice) or you report it stolen/lost would it matter which of you uses it?

Victor · 25-11-2013 11:22am

No Pants wrote: »

Ideally I'd like if both our pages could have the two leap cards registered

I suspect that isn't possible. If you want, change it to a different, shared password.

No Pants · 25-11-2013 6:37pm

ailbheg wrote: »

Why do you want to have it registered on two accounts? Unless it's a personalised card (which couldn't be registered twice) or you report it stolen/lost would it matter which of you uses it?

So that either of us can see if it needs topping up. As Victor says, it's probably not possible, so I'll just transfer it to her.

ailbheg · 25-11-2013 8:04pm

No Pants wrote: »

So that either of us can see if it needs topping up. As Victor says, it's probably not possible, so I'll just transfer it to her.

You can do that with one account, just set a password both of you can remember.

No Pants · 25-11-2013 10:30pm

ailbheg wrote: »

You can do that with one account, just set a password both of you can remember.

Yeah, that would work. I normally rotate my passwords every three weeks or so for stuff that has any kind of financial link to it though.

AngryLips · 26-11-2013 10:08am

Does anyone know, where you use your Leap Card on the Airlink service how much of the fare contributes towards the daily capped value?

dazberry · 26-11-2013 10:18am

AngryLips wrote: »

Does anyone know, where you use your Leap Card on the Airlink service how much of the fare contributes towards the daily capped value?

From the leapcard website:

For Dublin Bus, why doesn’t Airlink contribute towards the Cap?
Airlink is a fully premium commercial service so it doesn’t contribute towards the cap.

Once again the tail is wagging the dog...

D.

AngryLips · 26-11-2013 11:14am

Weird ...because a Rambler ticket is valid on Airlink.

LXFlyer · 26-11-2013 11:18am

AngryLips wrote: »

Weird ...because a Rambler ticket is valid on Airlink.

Dublin Bus made a commercial decision to allow the Rambler ticket to be used on the Airlink.

The NTA are paying for LEAP through the PSO grant, and are responsible for the cap, and as such do not view commercial services such as Airlink as being appropriate for inclusion in the cap.

Not good news for people, I'm afraid.

Dravokivich · 26-11-2013 11:40am

Would Airlink be popular as a regular commuter service?

LXFlyer · 26-11-2013 11:47am

Dravokivich wrote: »

Would Airlink be popular as a regular commuter service?

I imagine that quite a few people with annual passes use it to commute to/from the Airport.

However, being accessible using a rambler ticket made it more attractive to use public transport to get to/from the Airport.

If some of the rambler tickets are withdrawn in the future, as the NTA fare determination report suggests, then those users may not use public transport for that trip, which to my mind is not a positive development.

Stevek101 · 26-11-2013 12:18pm

Sure the rambler on the Leap still works on the Airlink...

LXFlyer · 26-11-2013 12:25pm

Stevek101 wrote: »

Sure the rambler on the Leap still works on the Airlink...

Until it is potentially withdrawn in 2014.

Stevek101 · 26-11-2013 2:06pm

lxflyer wrote: »

Until it is potentially withdrawn in 2014.

Rambler tickets will still exist on the Leap card, well a five day at least.

Seaswimmer · 26-11-2013 2:19pm

Any update on when the pre paid tickets can be purchased online.

I can see Bus Eireann there but nothing else as yet, either for student or normal card..

Stevek101 · 26-11-2013 2:40pm

Seaswimmer wrote: »

Any update on when the pre paid tickets can be purchased online.

I can see Bus Eireann there but nothing else as yet, either for student or normal card..

Bus Éireann is still only using Adult Leap cards as far as I know. Dublin Bus tickets will be kind of pointless to buy online you'll still have to pick them up in a shop.

Seaswimmer · 26-11-2013 2:45pm

Stevek101 wrote: »

Dublin Bus tickets will be kind of pointless to buy online you'll still have to pick them up in a shop.

Not really.

Its handy to buy online and then pick up at Payzone when you are buying and managing for someone else or even for a few people..

Dravokivich · 26-11-2013 3:07pm

Seaswimmer wrote: »

Not really.

Its handy to buy online and then pick up at Payzone when you are buying and managing for someone else or even for a few people..

But, you can buy them at the shop.

LXFlyer · 26-11-2013 3:22pm

Stevek101 wrote: »

Rambler tickets will still exist on the Leap card, well a five day at least.

Not necessarily - the NTA have indicated that they will review the situation in 2014.

I hope you're right - but the jury is out for the moment.

Dravokivich · 26-11-2013 3:40pm

lxflyer wrote: »

Not necessarily - the NTA have indicated that they will review the situation in 2014.

I hope you're right - but the jury is out for the moment.

Well, capping with Leap Cards can replace ramblers in the long term. It makes no sense to have a few similar items, that do sort of the same thing, on the one card.

It's like trying to explain the staging system to someone who isn't use to the fare structure for Dublin Bus.

Seaswimmer · 26-11-2013 3:41pm

Dravokivich wrote: »

But, you can buy them at the shop.

ok.

let me explain..

I have 4 members of the family on Leap cards (1 adult and 3 students).

I dont want to have to root out cash and hand it to them to top up cards.

Much handier for me to buy online and let them pick up at their leisure.

AngryLips · 26-11-2013 3:47pm

Stevek101 wrote: »

Rambler tickets will still exist on the Leap card, well a five day at least.

So can this be purchased from the driver in this scenario or will you need to go into a shop?

LXFlyer · 26-11-2013 4:08pm

AngryLips wrote: »

So can this be purchased from the driver in this scenario or will you need to go into a shop?

You need to go to a shop.

AngryLips · 26-11-2013 4:47pm

lxflyer wrote: »

You need to go to a shop.

...disappointing, given that the technology is there to support it direct from the driver.

Polar101 · 26-11-2013 10:08pm

What happened to the auto top-up feature, when is it going live?

Also, if I've hit the cap on Dublin Bus and want to pay for a €1.40 fare, could I just use the card reader on the right-hand side?

LXFlyer · 26-11-2013 11:03pm

If you're sure you have reached the cap, then yes you could.

KD345 · 26-11-2013 11:16pm

Polar101 wrote: »

What happened to the auto top-up feature, when is it going live?

According to the NTA it will be active in the next few months.

markpb · 27-11-2013 8:36am

AngryLips wrote: »

...disappointing, given that the technology is there to support it direct from the driver.

Surely the point of a smart card is to remove driver interaction, not increase it? What they're proposing is perfectly normal.

AngryLips · 27-11-2013 10:11am

markpb wrote: »

Surely the point of a smart card is to remove driver interaction, not increase it? What they're proposing is perfectly normal.

Well if that was the intention they would introduce a fixed fare, abolish cash fares and do away with the driver's machine altogether

markpb · 27-11-2013 1:24pm

AngryLips wrote: »

Well if that was the intention they would introduce a fixed fare, abolish cash fares and do away with the driver's machine altogether

By that thinking, if we can't make something perfect right from the start, we should feel free to make it worse? Strange logic.

bk · 27-11-2013 1:53pm

markpb wrote: »

By that thinking, if we can't make something perfect right from the start, we should feel free to make it worse? Strange logic.

In fairness the Leap project has been going on for almost 14 years now!!!

AngryLips · 27-11-2013 5:08pm

markpb wrote: »

By that thinking, if we can't make something perfect right from the start, we should feel free to make it worse? Strange logic.

Are you suggesting that this is the intent? To introduce a fixed fare?

AlekSmart · 28-11-2013 3:16pm

Lothian Buses have just announced their new "App" with a the added convenience of "M-Tickets".

It all sounds very useful to those of a mobile outlook,although it appears to involve a lot of peering into mobile phone screens...?

http://lothianbuses.com/apps?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Say+hello+to+the+official+Lothian+Buses+app&utm_content=Say+hello+to+the+official+Lothian+Buses+app+CID_86338f51673cc981882fe31612160458&utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software

"Leap" into the unknown: The feedback thread

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