No transport at night in Dublin except expensive taxis

saaaaakkkkeee

just feel like having a little rant about the lack of transport at night in dublin. its a joke. i live near a luas line and all they had for chrimbo was 5 bleedin nights of luas, the last one being at 3.30 on new years eve. now by the time i have my schnack box and ive slapped a few joles its about 4. its a joke.

the nightlinks dont even run during the week. if i want to have a few brewskis on a tuesday what do i do? the taxi would cost me bout 40 blips a pop. and ive been stranded in town now without taxis on the 22nd, the 26th and new years eve when i couldnt even get home and ended up walkin to the gaff. its a bleedin joke.

there should be nightluas and nightlinks every night of the week if u want to get people out

howiya

The cost of these would far outweigh the revenue the transport company earns. This is why nightlink services have been cut

Victor

Hang on, you walked from the city centre to Tallaght (€40 implies 20+km) in the snow on New Year's Eve?

Is it possible that you have judgement / exaggeration issues?

There is a recession on and its snowing. They don't want people out.

saaaaakkkkeee

well as regards revenue, that doesnt account for the luas which is privately run and with the prices they charge (which are by all accounts far too expensive) they should be compelled to provide a more extensive nighttime service.

as regards nightlinks there should at least be a service running after the pubs and clubs close during the week. students alone would cover costs of a driver petrol. it could all be worked out easily. im fact i dont buy the lack of revenue issue at all. thats a lazy cop out.

it could be win win for everyone.

and let me tell you what the problem is. the people that dont sort it out are politicians who get off work, have 5 pints at 7 oclock and are in bed snoring at 12. they dont want the clubs open later. they dont care about late night transport.

T-Square

Victor wrote: »

Hang on, you walked from the city centre to Tallaght (€40 implies 20+km) in the snow on New Year's Eve?

Is it possible that you have judgement / exaggeration issues?

There is a recession on and its snowing. They don't want people out.

That would be about 9km, an easy walk.

T-Square

saaaaakkkkeee wrote: »

im fact i dont buy the lack of revenue issue at all. thats a lazy cop out.

it could be win win for everyone.

and let me tell you what the problem is. the people that dont sort it out are politicians who get off work, have 5 pints at 7 oclock and are in bed snoring at 12. they dont want the clubs open later. they dont care about late night transport.

You are correct, it has nothing to do with revenue, it is after all a public service, and is supposed to be running at all times.

Your second paragraph is also spot on.

howiya

T-Square wrote: »

That would be about 9km, an easy walk.

You might want to extend that somewhat. Don't know many people who would have arrived at their destination in Tallaght when they reach the M50 roundabout

Taxipete29

saaaaakkkkeee wrote: »

well as regards revenue, that doesnt account for the luas which is privately run and with the prices they charge (which are by all accounts far too expensive) they should be compelled to provide a more extensive nighttime service.

as regards nightlinks there should at least be a service running after the pubs and clubs close during the week. students alone would cover costs of a driver petrol. it could all be worked out easily. im fact i dont buy the lack of revenue issue at all. thats a lazy cop out.

it could be win win for everyone.

and let me tell you what the problem is. the people that dont sort it out are politicians who get off work, have 5 pints at 7 oclock and are in bed snoring at 12. they dont want the clubs open later. they dont care about late night transport.

Many students dont live that far from city centre. Its more economical for them to share a taxi or walk than to all get the Nitelink. There was a limited Nitelink service midweek a few years back if I remember correctly. It didnt work. That was during the better economic times. How do you expect it to work in a recession???

howiya

T-Square wrote: »

You are correct, it has nothing to do with revenue, it is after all a public service, and is supposed to be running at all times.

It's everything to do with revenue. Revenue can be used to gauge the demand for such a service

Ham'nd'egger

saaaaakkkkeee wrote: »

well as regards revenue, that doesnt account for the luas which is privately run and with the prices they charge (which are by all accounts far too expensive) they should be compelled to provide a more extensive nighttime service.

as regards nightlinks there should at least be a service running after the pubs and clubs close during the week. students alone would cover costs of a driver petrol. it could all be worked out easily. im fact i dont buy the lack of revenue issue at all. thats a lazy cop out.

it could be win win for everyone.

and let me tell you what the problem is. the people that dont sort it out are politicians who get off work, have 5 pints at 7 oclock and are in bed snoring at 12. they dont want the clubs open later. they dont care about late night transport.

LUAS still costs money to run and often runs almost empty at night, especially on the Tallaght line; in fact it costs more to run late on due to overtime costs late on, security crews and low fare revenues late on. While nobody disagrees that there should be some level of service late on, the pudding proof is that of people not using the late services when they were there. If price is the issue and you want to get home cheaply on a night out, either go home earlier or go out closer to home.

That or don't buy your blessed over priced snack boxes, which I am happy to say, I wouldn't let you into my taxi with, not even for €40

T-Square

howiya wrote: »

You might want to extend that somewhat. Don't know many people who would have arrived at their destination in Tallaght when they reach the M50 roundabout

Dear pedant, As average starting points and average end points go, the link is perfect.

T-Square

howiya wrote: »

It's everything to do with revenue. Revenue can be used to gauge the demand for such a service

Oh so based upon revenue, buses should only from from 7am till 9am,
then from 5pm to 7pm, and damn the rest of the people?

Cop yourself on

Taxipete29

T-Square wrote: »

Dear pedant, As average starting points and average end points go, the link is perfect.

The Square would be a better average end point.

Taxipete29

T-Square wrote: »

Oh so based upon revenue, buses should only from from 7am till 9am,
then from 5pm to 7pm, and damn the rest of the people?

Cop yourself on

Its far more expensive to operate public transport late at night than it is during the day.

howiya

T-Square wrote: »

Dear pedant, As average starting points and average end points go, the link is perfect.

I am not a pedant. I live in Tallaght and happen to know that my journey to the city centre is more than 9km

Victor

T-Square wrote: »

Oh so based upon revenue, buses should only from from 7am till 9am, then from 5pm to 7pm, and damn the rest of the people?

No, public transport works best when there is some demand. Some routes actually make less money at peak time than they do during the day due to congestion, while being nearly as busy.

If there is very little demand, it is very difficult to make money. I was on a few nitelinks before the last cut backs and typical loadings were 3-7 people. Once, I was the last person off - at Rathmines. If there was money to be made from night services during the week, surely private operators would be jumping at the opportunity.

Cop yourself on

**cough** The point stand that the OP appears to be prone to exaggeration.

Taxipete29

sugarman wrote: »

Cost me and 2 others just under €40 on St.Stephens day back to Tallaght too. Absolute joke.

Remember it's at a premium rate on public holidays, so Initial Charge is €4.45 first 1km/170Sec's and then Tariff C applies which is €1.77/0.63c per/min. Then take into account aditional passengers (If any) and how slow the taxi's driving with the bad condtions aswell.

I posted in R&R about the Nightlink service already, i understand the weather was bad on NYE but to pull the whole service without warning was a ****ing joke. Everyone spilled out of all the pubs/clubs at 3 or so to head for a ticket only for there to be no ticket box nor any message saying it had been canceled.

Literally hundreds where left stranded, not a single taxi to be seen and if there was it was mobbed regaurdless if it's light was on or off.

Along with a couple of hundred other people id no option but to walk home, a good 12KM to the backarse of Tallaght. Took forever with the snow/ice aswell.

Anyway, it's a national disgrace we dont have a bus or luas service's operating past 11.30PM Weekday's. We're one of the major city's in Europe FFS.

So you want Bus drivers and Taxi drivers to operate in dangerous conditions like it was New Years Eve just so you can get home after a night out?? get real will you.

I agree we need to have a better public transport system, but at present we dont have a 24hr culture and therefore have little need for a 24hr transport system. Maybe a late night service could be licenced out to a private firm. I for one would not be happy subsidising Dublin Bus further to provide late night buses for people who are out on the piss.

howiya

Victor wrote: »

I was on a few nitelinks before the last cut backs and typical loadings were 3-7 people. Once, I was the last person off - at Rathmines. If there was money to be made from night services during the week, surely private operators would be jumping at the opportunity.

That would be typical of my experiences too. €5 a head makes that somewhere between €15 and €35. Is also possible that all passengers could have had an annual bus ticket and therefore pay nothing for the nightlink

Ham'nd'egger

sugarman wrote: »

Cost me and 2 others just under €40 on St.Stephens day back to Tallaght too. Absolute joke.

Remember it's at a premium rate on public holidays, so Initial Charge is €4.45 first 1km/170Sec's and then Tariff C applies which is €1.77/0.63c per/min. Then take into account aditional passengers (If any) and how slow the taxi's driving with the bad condtions aswell.

Incorrect save for two specified occasions. Tariff C only applies on journeys over 30KM/85 minutes save for 8PM Xmas Eve-8AM St Stephens Day and 8PM New Years Eve-8AM New Years Day. Time only comes into the trip if we fall below 21 KMH; even in the ice of the last few days this doesn't tend to happen.

Where were you coming to and from that your fare came to "almost" €40, can I ask?

faceman

saaaaakkkkeee wrote: »

just feel like having a little rant about the lack of transport at night in dublin. its a joke. i live near a luas line and all they had for chrimbo was 5 bleedin nights of luas, the last one being at 3.30 on new years eve. now by the time i have my schnack box and ive slapped a few joles its about 4. its a joke.

the nightlinks dont even run during the week. if i want to have a few brewskis on a tuesday what do i do? the taxi would cost me bout 40 blips a pop. and ive been stranded in town now without taxis on the 22nd, the 26th and new years eve when i couldnt even get home and ended up walkin to the gaff. its a bleedin joke.

there should be nightluas and nightlinks every night of the week if u want to get people out

With all due respect, if you can afford to go out on the lash so oftenover Christmas you can afford the taxi home. And a €40 taxi fare? Where do you live? Naas??

Terrontress

Nightlink buses should be charged at the normal rate and run at a minimum every hour from town.

Lack of demand is very easy to engineer when you put forward an overpriced and awkward system for a few weeks and look for a reason to cancel it.

If they were to start from the perspective of how they can provide a service and, if it were to be undersubscribed, how to get more on instead of the defeatist cancel everything attitude then it might be more successful.

Ham'nd'egger

sugarman wrote: »

Tarrif C applies straight after the premium rate initial charge on the dates and times you mentioned above and i know when time comes into effect. The aul lads a taximan himself and said it was about right.

I was coming from Mountjoy Sq. area to the Top of Tallaght. Normally costs €20-25.

I would be dubious about a €25 fare became close to €40 solely on Tariff C as the difference between A and C is about 15 cent per KM and just 8 cent between B and C. I can only assume your including the tip;)

Run_to_da_hills

sugarman wrote: »

I do yeah, an inch of snow and the country goes to a complete halt. Doesn't happen in any other country that all services are canceled, maybe in extreme conditions of a few inces of snow and ice etc.. but the roads were'nt that bad at all. How do other countries that are completely covered in snow/ice for the winter months ever cope?

The difference is other countries are prepared as it is usually a regular occurance, they have all the equipment and resources ready to deal with it we don't.

Do you honestly think Bus Eireann should risk the safety of their staff and vehicles so that someone can enjoy a night out on the town. Bus Eireann do not pay danger money to their drivers.

BTW you can get 10 cans of Becks in Tesco for €7.20 and a fire log for €2.50

Spook_ie

sugarman wrote: »

Cost me and 2 others just under €40 on St.Stephens day back to Tallaght too. Absolute joke.

Remember it's at a premium rate on public holidays, so Initial Charge is €4.45 first 1km/170Sec's and then Tariff C applies which is €1.77/0.63c per/min. Then take into account aditional passengers (If any) and how slow the taxi's driving with the bad condtions aswell.

I posted in R&R about the Nightlink service already, i understand the weather was bad on NYE but to pull the whole service without warning was a ****ing joke. Everyone spilled out of all the pubs/clubs at 3 or so to head for a ticket only for there to be no ticket box nor any message saying it had been canceled.

Literally hundreds where left stranded, not a single taxi to be seen and if there was it was mobbed regaurdless if it's light was on or off.

Along with a couple of hundred other people id no option but to walk home, a good 12KM to the backarse of Tallaght. Took forever with the snow/ice aswell.

Anyway, it's a national disgrace we dont have a bus or luas service's operating past 11.30PM Weekday's. We're one of the major city's in Europe FFS.

Oh dear must be a lot of people in Dublin and Ireland in general ) who just couldn't be arsed to check the weather forecast, I knew the forecast was bad, I stayed out until 3.30am before I gave up trying to drive in those bloody awful conditions and all for the princly premium of an extra 10% or so.

You realy do sound like one of the meanest moaniest bastards one could ever get in a taxi, not wishing to sound too insulting but get a cop on, you want a service that runs 24x365 then pay the prices or STFU

Terrontress

Spook_ie wrote: »

Oh dear must be a lot of people in Dublin and Ireland in general ) who just couldn't be arsed to check the weather forecast, I knew the forecast was bad, I stayed out until 3.30am before I gave up trying to drive in those bloody awful conditions and all for the princly premium of an extra 10% or so.

You realy do sound like one of the meanest moaniest bastards one could ever get in a taxi, not wishing to sound too insulting but get a cop on, you want a service that runs 24x365 then pay the prices or STFU

I was in a taxi in the ice and it had a little star on the meter which when complete puts the meter up. When the car is wheelspinning in the ice that thing goes flying round but the car is barely moving. The meter thinks the car is travelling at 100km/h! You should have stayed out working as you would have earned much more than 10% in the ice.

byhookorbycrook

pppppppffffffffffffffffffffffffff, at least you have the taxi option, try living OUTSIDE of Dubin.

Victor

Terrontress wrote: »

I was in a taxi in the ice and it had a little star on the meter which when complete puts the meter up. When the car is wheelspinning in the ice that thing goes flying round but the car is barely moving. The meter thinks the car is travelling at 100km/h! You should have stayed out working as you would have earned much more than 10% in the ice.

Hmm, I saw a taxi stopped at the traffic lights (red) at Crumlin Hospital doing this and I just thought he was an idiot.

sugarman wrote: »

I pay €80 or so a month for a monthly pass for a terrible service and on top of that nitelinks are'nt even included whenever i do opt for one.

Consider an annual ticket that does include Nitelinks.

howiya

sugarman wrote: »

I only need one for 8 months of the year but that was'nt my point. The point is i already pay for a ****e service and will continue to do so because i've no other options.

I know its not your point but even if you are unhappy with the service you should try and get the best possible value for yourself.

If you are spending €80 a month for 8 months. That's €640. You would be better off buying an annual tax saver bus and luas ticket which if paying 41% tax would cost you less than this.

Even if you don't want an annual ticket you can save on your monthly ticket by buying them this way too

Victor

howiya, monthly ticket holders are also entitled to the Taxsaver scheme.

howiya

Victor wrote: »

howiya, monthly ticket holders are also entitled to the Taxsaver scheme.

I did say that. Just wanted to use the annual example to show that he could get a full years service for what he's paying now and save money in the process. And also get the nightlink added in

Ham'nd'egger

sugarman wrote: »

Think you must mean per minute? It's 42c per/km;)

Either way it did come to about €37/38 inc. 3 other lads. So an extra tenner say than normal.

I've nothing to pick with taxi's anyway, it's Dublin Bus and the Luas that pisses me off!

Apologies, I got the figures mixed up; too used to days and sitting in traffic