Bus to the Dublin Airport?

comet

Anyone know what time the first bus leaves Dublin for Dublin Airport on a monday morning? Is there a website with a timetable?

bringitdown

Dublin Bus - Route 747
Aircoach

Not sure of Aerdart thing tho'

DadaKopf

The Ballsbridge / Donnybrook service operates to and from Dublin Airport with coaches every 15 minutes from 5am to 12 midnight and hourly from 12:30am to 4:30am.

http://www.aircoach.ie

Dublin Bus Airport Services:
http://www.dublinbus.ie/your_journey/airport_services.asp

comet

excellent stuff guys....what was that 4 or 5 minutes!!:)

Doesn't the aircoach thing go as far as Stillorgan now as well??
mm

ToxicPaddy

Yup it sure does, passed it twice last week out that way..

Excellent service i must admit, they did what Dublin Bus was unable to do.. provide a fairly reliable comfortable frequent service to/from Dublin airport..

Here's to private entreprise..

Maybe they can do the same with Dublin Bus when they start privatising that..

DadaKopf

No.

John R

Originally posted by ToxicPaddy
Yup it sure does, passed it twice last week out that way..

Excellent service i must admit, they did what Dublin Bus was unable to do.. provide a fairly reliable comfortable frequent service to/from Dublin airport..

Here's to private entreprise..

Maybe they can do the same with Dublin Bus when they start privatising that..

I'm sure they could - AT €6 PER SINGLE JOURNEY!
It's very easy to cream off the profitable routes, DB have to run services to every part of the city all day.

Dublin Bus 747/748
first bus 05.15
last bus 22.50
10 minute frequency 7am-7pm approx 15/20 min after 7pm

also 16a, 41, 41a/b/c 746 at normal fares

Victor

There are some wonderfully useless links at http://www.dublinairport.ie/AR_Dublin/Live/Lv_pres_GenTemplate.asp?strPage_Name=DN_GetThere

Originally posted by John R
also 16a, 41, 41a/b/c 746 at normal fares

Also 46X, 58X, 230.

Aerdart http://www.aerdart.ie/bus_timetable.html

ToxicPaddy

Originally posted by John R
I'm sure they could - AT €6 PER SINGLE JOURNEY!
It's very easy to cream off the profitable routes, DB have to run services to every part of the city all day.

Dublin Bus 747/748
first bus 05.15
last bus 22.50
10 minute frequency 7am-7pm approx 15/20 min after 7pm

also 16a, 41, 41a/b/c 746 at normal fares

I do understand what you're saying, but lets face it, when it comes to standing on your own two feet without being able to go running back to the government for hand outs everytime you make a balls of it, the private entreprise attitude will make a lot of people sit up and take note and stop the whole half arsed attitude about things..

A lot (but not all, may I add) of people working for government backed companies and semi state bodies dont exactly have what could be classed as an exceptional work rate.. most know they have a handy number and do the bare minimum required to get by and with no initiative whatsoever.. so this may give them the kick up the arse they need...

Sure there will be some routes less profitable than others, and there will be some routes that will have the money rolling in, but if properly regulated and managed Dublin Bus could be a complete gold mine.

If their own statistics are to be believed then they move something crazy like 50000 people a day on the stillorgan QBC's everyday.. (not sure of exact figures)

Now thats an example of a goldmine, so something like that will easily compensate for a less profitable route and over all I think they will come out with a fairly health profit margin.

So yes I still believe that privatising it will be a good thing...

It hasnt done any harm for Bus Eireann around the country where private bus companies are knocking them into shape on their more profitable routes, so they've had to to get their act together but getting better more comfortable buses, better time keeping and expanding their bus timetables.. and start offering a better service overall..

Long may it last..

John R

Originally posted by ToxicPaddy
I do understand what you're saying, but lets face it, when it comes to standing on your own two feet without being able to go running back to the government for hand outs everytime you make a balls of it, the private entreprise attitude will make a lot of people sit up and take note and stop the whole half arsed attitude about things..

Those are lovely sweeping generalisations about the public sector, have you got any facts to back them up?
As far as Dublin Bus goes, I see no handouts to cover a "balls up" If you check their financial statements you will see that in 2002 Dublin Bus had a surplus of over €3m.

A lot (but not all, may I add) of people working for government backed companies and semi state bodies dont exactly have what could be classed as an exceptional work rate.. most know they have a handy number and do the bare minimum required to get by and with no initiative whatsoever.. so this may give them the kick up the arse they need...

Seing as bus drivers are by far the largest employees in DB I assume you must be referring to them in the main. Not being a DB driver myself I have no personal knowledge of how "handy" a number it is. Driving a car without schedules or passengers to worry about in Dublin is not exactly an easy task so I can't imagine threading a bus through those streets every day whilst dealing with sometimes abusive members of the public, as well as the frequent attacks by the scumbags who see buses as easy targets is "handy".

Sure there will be some routes less profitable than others, and there will be some routes that will have the money rolling in, but if properly regulated and managed Dublin Bus could be a complete gold mine.

If their own statistics are to be believed then they move something crazy like 50000 people a day on the stillorgan QBC's everyday.. (not sure of exact figures)

Now thats an example of a goldmine, so something like that will easily compensate for a less profitable route and over all I think they will come out with a fairly health profit margin.
.
So yes I still believe that privatising it will be a good thing...

Because lots of private companies cutting costs to the bone while dropping service and staff quality that will snap up the "goldmines" to maximise profit while still demanding ever increasing subsidies for less profitable routes (on which they will also be demanding large profit margins) is a great system. Go find one example of a private urban bus service that provides a high quality service for all users without large subsidies.

It hasnt done any harm for Bus Eireann around the country where private bus companies are knocking them into shape on their more profitable routes, so they've had to to get their act together but getting better more comfortable buses, better time keeping and expanding their bus timetables.. and start offering a better service overall..

Long may it last..

You are obviously completely ignorant of the facts and are just interested in CIE bashing. If you had the first idea of the state of public transport in this country you would be well aware that time keeping of Bus Eireann and all other operators on similar routes is far worse now than ever before thanks to the increasing problem of traffic congestion throughout the country.

That is my last post on this matter here as this is now getting very OT for this thread, I'm sure it would be more suited to the Commuting/Transport board.

ToxicPaddy

Originally posted by John R
Those are lovely sweeping generalisations about the public sector, have you got any facts to back them up?
As far as Dublin Bus goes, I see no handouts to cover a "balls up" If you check their financial statements you will see that in 2002 Dublin Bus had a surplus of over €3m.

Its easy to have surplus when you get handouts like this

You want proof, check the news papers over the past few years you will see a number of government backed companies make a complete arse things or attempted to look extort excessive amounts of money from the government funds for projects that are totally blown out of proportion cost wise.. when a cheaper or more viable option is readily available.. all because they can...

Such as the ESB who over exaggerated the cost of increasing the additional power cables to supply Cork cities future electricity supply needs just so they could get what they wanted, an independent survery proved this..

Iranroid Eireann who were talking of about closing all rail lines to Rosslare, one of the largest passenger and freight ports in Ireland... and how is the freight moved, on the roads, which again adds to the already congested roads you were raving on about...

Talking about a new Connolly - Heuston station line, costing €1.2 billion when for €85 million they can upgrade the existing connecting tunnel going under the phoenix park only used for freight services..

Seeing as bus drivers are by far the largest employees in DB I assume you must be referring to them in the main. Not being a DB driver myself I have no personal knowledge of how "handy" a number it is. Driving a car without schedules or passengers to worry about in Dublin is not exactly an easy task so I can't imagine threading a bus through those streets every day whilst dealing with sometimes abusive members of the public, as well as the frequent attacks by the scumbags who see buses as easy targets is "handy".

I neither specified Dublin Bus or Bus Drivers in this statement if you read it correctly, i said government semi state bodies government backed companies.. for someone who's raving on about generalisations and sweeping statements, you seem to be jumping to a lot of conclusions yourself..

Because lots of private companies cutting costs to the bone while dropping service and staff quality that will snap up the "goldmines" to maximise profit while still demanding ever increasing subsidies for less profitable routes (on which they will also be demanding large profit margins) is a great system. Go find one example of a private urban bus service that provides a high quality service for all users without large subsidies.

This is not true, again, making sweeping statements... I know of 3 different services down the country where private operators are matching and beating Bus Eireann on routes that Bus eireann had been operating for years and one of these operators started with just 2 scheduled trips a day, and within 2 years have 12 scheduled trips each way 7 days a week. They have offered services to the public, improved it constantly and started doing this cheaper and more efficently that Bus Eireann using more modern coaches and still make a very healthy profit from it...

Thats just a few examples and there are many more im sure..

You are obviously completely ignorant of the facts and are just interested in CIE bashing. If you had the first idea of the state of public transport in this country you would be well aware that time keeping of Bus Eireann and all other operators on similar routes is far worse now than ever before thanks to the increasing problem of traffic congestion throughout the country.

Do you know why the public transport system is why it is? Its because of the government and government backed bodies that run and manage the public transport system which has been a black hole as far as funds are concerned for years.. so you were saying????

In the 1980's when every country was building roads and ungrading infrastructure with the help of EU funds, the government of this country built just 2 roads.. one of which was the M50 which was given a completion time of 15 years.. and to this date still hasnt been finished.

As for being ignorant to the facts, I experience them in everyday life mate as does the whole population of this country. There is barely a day goes by when there is some sort of coverage about the state of the countrys transport infrastructure not in a daily newspaper or covered by the media in some sense.

I know people who work for Bus Eireann, Iranroid Eireann and the ESB who will gladly confirm what I have said about the state of the companies they work for and will even admit that they have a cushy number as their work rate is no where near what was required when they were employed in the private sector.

Maybe some of these fat cats politicians and directors and board members of government backed companies should experience the problems that an everyday joe soap has to deal with from trying to get into town on a bus to getting a train down the country that feeling like you're been transported in a cattle truck instead of being shuttled around in their chauffeur driven cars.

That is my last post on this matter here as this is now getting very OT for this thread, I'm sure it would be more suited to the Commuting/Transport board.

Im sure it would.. but these boards are for expressing an opinion, and thats what im doing.. whether you like it or lump it is of no concern to me..

Victor

Originally posted by ToxicPaddy
Its easy to have surplus when you get handouts like this

Wahoo! Drag up 3 year old news stories. Tell me what are these subsidies for? Would it be for free social welfare bus passes? Operating unprofitable services which they are mandated to do? Investement in the future? Maintaining under-maintained railway infrastructure?

Originally posted by ToxicPaddy
Such as the ESB who over exaggerated the cost of increasing the additional power cables to supply Cork cities future electricity supply needs just so they could get what they wanted, an independent survery proved this..

Which is now no longer needed - as Ipsat Irish Steel is gone.

Originally posted by ToxicPaddy
Iranroid Eireann who were talking of about closing all rail lines to Rosslare

No they weren't, do you have some link or reference for this?

Originally posted by ToxicPaddy
Talking about a new Connolly - Heuston station line, costing €1.2 billion when for €85 million they can upgrade the existing connecting tunnel going under the phoenix park only used for freight services..

€75m actually. However, it won't serve Stephens Green and the Luas line B, which the other route would.

Originally posted by ToxicPaddy
This is not true, again, making sweeping statements

I though it was you were making the sweeping statements.

Originally posted by ToxicPaddy
I know of 3 different services down the country where private operators

Who?

Originally posted by ToxicPaddy
Do you know why the public transport system is why[???? - Victor] it is? Its because of the government and government backed bodies that run and manage the public transport system which has been a black hole

Few public transport systems work at a profit, however by getting people to work, they pay for themselves through taxation.

Originally posted by ToxicPaddy
I know people who work for Bus Eireann, Iranroid Eireann and the ESB who will gladly confirm what I have said about the state of the companies they work for and will even admit that they have a cushy number as their work rate is no where near what was required when they were employed in the private sector.

So how does the ESB get contracts from private developers to do non-statutory wiring work if they are so inefficient and over priced?

ToxicPaddy

Originally posted by Victor

No they weren't, do you have some link or reference for this?

[URL=http://www.oireachtas-debates.gov.ie/index.html?http://www.oireachtas-debates.gov.ie/D/0555/D.0555.200210160031.html]Yes.. here as discussed in the Dail..[/URL]

See item 132..

I dont know how you missed that one, it was on most national newspapers and TV news coverage.

I think the term used is closing the gate after the horse has bolted comes to mind

here

Victor

Originally posted by ToxicPaddy
[URL=http://www.oireachtas-debates.gov.ie/index.html?http://www.oireachtas-debates.gov.ie/D/0555/D.0555.200210160031.html]Yes.. here as discussed in the Dail..[/URL]

Linky brokey

Furthermore, I have not received any report from Iarnród Éireann recommending the closure of either the Rosslare to Gorey or the Rosslare to Waterford rail line or the closure of any railway line. Exchequer funds are being allocated in the current year to upgrade the Dublin to Rosslare rail link.

Your link disproves your statement.

SteM

For anyone that does a lot of trips to the airport by bus but still wants to use the 747/748s - you can pick up a pack of 5 one day rambler tickets for €15 and these can be used on these services. Even if you use them once that works out @ €3 per journey V €5 if you pay the driver.

parsi

This is off-topic but it does gall me to hear about private sector magnificence:

eg how many private sector companies want to run buses from Ballygobackwards to Ballygoforwards on pension day so that the OAPS can get to the remaining Bank that hasn't been closed down ? What sort of pay and conditions have these drivers ? All the private buses (except for community buses) want is the creamy routes eg students at weekends.

Lets face it - if a private operator wasn't filling the buses they'd cancel. Bus Eireann/Bus Atha Cliath run half-empty buses on a public service basis.

Does anyone here remember that when AIB took over ICI Insurance and it went bust we all had to pay for the private company to be bailed out and we are still paying the Insurance levy.

(and no I don't work for the transport industry)

Victor

Originally posted by parsi
Lets face it - if a private operator wasn't filling the buses they'd cancel. Bus Eireann/Bus Atha Cliath run half-empty buses on a public service basis.

half-empty, also known as half-full busses, can still make a profit.