Schoolkids latest victims of public transport stealth taxes

orbital83

http://www.longfordleader.ie/news/School-transport-hikes-slammed.4295895.jp

School bus fees per term are increasing as follows with effect from September:
Junior Cycle €46 => €56 (21.7%)
Senior Cycle €71 => €79 (11.3%)

This follows increases just four months ago of 39.3% for both Junior and Senior Cycle students.

A motion should be passed for the resignation of Gormless and Ryan with immediate effect. Of course, this is Ireland, and no-one can see the sheer hypocrisy of our "Green-tinged" government.

You can't have it every way lads. Either get used to us using our cars, or provide incentives for us not to use them.

Stark

Madness.

AlekSmart

+1 on this.
A cohesive and well thought out response to the current energy and financial crisis would be to immediately declare the School Transport scheme as a FREE one.

The only way to launch and maintain meaningful change is to start at the beginning.
The option of using a derivative of a large Military or Agricultural vehicle for Social and Domestic motoring needs simply HAS to be made prohibitively expensive.

At the same time as making the School Transport service FREE,it also needs to be expanded and extended in its scope to attract the widest possible usership.
The vehicles and Drivers should also in out of term periods be utilized in a Social Transport role to provide basic local transport for Rural communities to connect to the Bus Eireann national Expressway and Irish Rail Mainlines.

This type of planning is not Rocket science and can be seen in the more civilized parts of mainland Europe such as Auatria,Germany and on the fringes,Switzerland.

What is it that makes Ireland and its people so complex that such public centred solutions are viewed as black magic ??? :eek:

jahalpin

If you lived in Dublin you would be paying more than this for journeys are probably much shorter.

If we assume 90 days a term and 2 buses a day that is 108euro a term

For senior cycle students, the cost is even greater as they cannot pay schoolchild fares.

Victor

Why should people who choose (whatever about the others) to live in the middle of nowhere have a subsidised transport system?

Jip

Why is this a 'stealth tax' ? It's simply an increase in fares.

Run_to_da_hills

You also have to consider the substantial investment that has been put into School busses in recent years following the outcome of several tragedies. i.e. seat belts, 1 seat per student, Stringent mechanical requirements.. Many of these bus companies had to foot the bill for all this without any subsidy.

As it is CIE is providing an excellent service and is far cheaper per mile of what our Dublin students are paying.

I would prefer to pay a little extra and be assured of my kids safety rather than compromising and sending them to school in a 25 year old banger.

orbital83

Victor wrote: »

Why should people who choose (whatever about the others) to live in the middle of nowhere have a subsidised transport system?

Public transport should be subsidised, wherever it operates, and be of sufficient quality to attract users.
Otherwise, dismay should not be expressed if people don't use it. This is rational consumer behaviour.

jimmycrackcorm

Victor wrote: »

Why should people who choose (whatever about the others) to live in the middle of nowhere have a subsidised transport system?

Why should public transport in a city be subsidised either? Car drivers make huge contributions to public coffers compared to bus or train users for example.

Ham'nd'egger

John J wrote: »

Public transport should be subsidised, wherever it operates, and be of sufficient quality to attract users.
Otherwise, dismay should not be expressed if people don't use it. This is rational consumer behaviour.

At the current rates for hiring and running a private bus, one is looking at €400-€500 depending on the age of the bus and the seating capacity. The charges asked of each schoolchild on these buses is minimal in comparison to operating costs for the service and is already heavily subsidized.

Victor

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

Why should public transport in a city be subsidised either?

To reduce traffic congestion and overall get people to where they are going quicker. So they can then pay taxes.

Car drivers make huge contributions to public coffers compared to bus or train users for example.

Because the exchequer views cars as a luxury and a nuisance that should be discouraged.

Victor

http://www.buseireann.ie/index.php

School Transport Scheme

Please click here to view the "Bus Eireann School Transport Online Payment Site"

Seaswimmer

The maximum term charge per family is €165. I have 3 kids using it which works out about €10 per week for all 3 for sep-dec term. It is great value and also does away with the need to look for change for bus every morning. Also as someone else pointed out, the over 16's would have to pay adult fares normally. Which leads me on to another point. Students in 3rd level get a student card which entitles them to subsidised transport while 16- 18 year olds in 2nd level have to pay full adult fares across all public transport services. Is this not very unfair??

Victor

Seaswimmer wrote: »

Students in 3rd level get a student card which entitles them to subsidised transport while 16- 18 year olds in 2nd level have to pay full adult fares across all public transport services.

On Dublin Bus, I think they are entitled to Scholar Fares and I think they can also get student cards.

http://www.dublinbus.ie/fares_and_tickets/other.asp#2
http://www.dublinbus.ie/fares_and_tickets/photo_cards.asp
http://www.dublinbus.ie/fares_and_tickets/fares.asp

markpb

Seaswimmer wrote: »

Students in 3rd level get a student card which entitles them to subsidised transport while 16- 18 year olds in 2nd level have to pay full adult fares across all public transport services. Is this not very unfair??

When ISIT were issuing student cards, they had one for secondary school students too. I'm not sure of the arrangement now that someone else is looking after it.

Claire121

Those prices seem totally reasonable to me - I had to pay full fare on the bus when I was at school. My parents were paying about 35 quid a week for the three of us to get to school and back!