City bus fares going up on Wednesday

Mrs OBumble

fyi ..

Details of 2012 Bus Éireann fare increases for Galway city have been released by the National Transport Authority.

Quick summary:

• Adult city fares increase by 10c to €1.70.
• Child city fare increases by 5c to €1.05
• School-child city fare increases by 5c to €0.80.

Full details:
See Galway city bus fares for full details, including weekly and monthly fares

NB they haven't actually announced the day-pass or student and child monthly fares yet, but I'll be updating the page as soon as they do.


Happy New Year!

ChunkyLover54

JustMary wrote: »

Happy New Year!

Whoopdeedoo

Panthro

That €1.05 price seems a bit silly, it would be handier if it was €1.

lobes

“The increase will apply on all single fares on all City Services in Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford.“


On Sunday 1st January 2012 all Dublin Bus cash fares increased by an average of 15%.


In December following the Budget, The National Transport Authority announced fare increases for Dublin Bus, Iarnród Éireann, Bus Éireann and the Luas services.


“The new prices will come into effect in January and are as a result of the cut in funds to subsidise public transport announced in Monday's Budget.”
http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/1209/transport-business.html


Further increases on other fares are expected later in January.
http://www.aaireland.ie/AA/AA-Roadwatch/Buses.aspx?Id=5680




Guess the IMF have to be thanked for this?
But hey thats ok

cos like the Fatima Mansions sang - “Only Losers Take The Bus”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaSi2Z74Ou8

ChunkyLover54

lobes wrote: »

Guess the IMF have to be thanked for this?

I'm pretty sure public transport fares were increasing yearly even during the boom years.

The problem is with CIE that increasing fares don't equate to improved service

The Cool

Only to be expected with the increase in petrol costs I suppose. Their costs go up, then their charges have to as well.
Can see that €1.05 craic being very annoying for all concerned though.

lobes

“The new prices will come into effect in January and are as a result of the cut in funds to subsidise public transport announced in Monday's Budget.”
http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/1209/tra...-business.html

On Budget day Finance Minister Michael Noonan talked about Ireland having lost its "economic sovereignty".

So who calls the cuts on public spending these days?

Mrs OBumble

lobes wrote: »

“....
On Sunday 1st January 2012 all Dublin Bus cash fares increased by an average of 15%.
....”

Worth noting that the Leap Card is being rolled out for Dublin Bus, so while cash fares there are up 15%, smart-card fares are only a 5% increase.

Worth finding out more about it (https://www.leapcard.ie/) if you're using public transport up there regularly.

Doc Ruby

lobes wrote: »

So who calls the cuts on public spending these days?

Whoever it is they are some kind of genius - increase taxes and costs simultaneously, we'll be out of this recession in no time! And don't forget to cut wages while you're at it!

lobes

lobes wrote: »

Further increases on other fares are expected later in January.
http://www.aaireland.ie/AA/AA-Roadwatch/Buses.aspx?Id=5680

Guess the IMF have to be thanked for this?
But hey thats ok
cos like the Fatima Mansions sang - “Only Losers Take The Bus”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaSi2Z74Ou8

“Bus Éireann wishes to advise customers that increased fares will apply on Expressway, Commuter and Stage Carriage services from Wednesday, 18 January 2012.”
http://www.buseireann.ie/news.php?id=1057&month=Jan

beardybrewer

Screw em! Parking fares are going down. Down with public transport. This was the last straw!

what_traffic

Adult Day Ticket - 20c increase to €3.70.

lobes

lobes wrote: »

In December following the Budget, The National Transport Authority announced fare increases for Dublin Bus, Iarnród Éireann, Bus Éireann and the Luas services.

“The new prices will come into effect in January and are as a result of the cut in funds to subsidise public transport announced in Monday's Budget.”
http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/1209/transport-business.html

Iarnród Eireann has said that 65% of its InterCity fares are to increase on the 4th February 2012.
http://www.irishrail.ie/cat_news.jsp?i=4465&p=116&n=237

Saoirse G

Does anyone get the City Direct Bus (red bus to Knocknacarra)? Not only are they more expensive than Bus Eireann (€1.80 per journey) but they dont give any change, If ya only have a €2 coin its tough luck, pay it or dont get on. I've been on similar buses in Dublin where the driver doesnt handle any money but they give you your bus ticket that states if your due a refund which you can get at their head office. I know its only 20c but it adds up for people getting the bus in and out of work 5days a week. Any thoughts?

restingpilgrim

Saoirse G wrote: »

Does anyone get the City Direct Bus (red bus to Knocknacarra)? Not only are they more expensive than Bus Eireann (€1.80 per journey) but they dont give any change, If ya only have a €2 coin its tough luck, pay it or dont get on. I've been on similar buses in Dublin where the driver doesnt handle any money but they give you your bus ticket that states if your due a refund which you can get at their head office. I know its only 20c but it adds up for people getting the bus in and out of work 5days a week. Any thoughts?

yes try having the right fare then you don't need change

GOODME

buses that run every 30 mins, if there is then you get ready to wait for an hour or so

antoobrien

JustMary wrote: »

Worth noting that the Leap Card is being rolled out for Dublin Bus, so while cash fares there are up 15%, smart-card fares are only a 5% increase.

Worth finding out more about it (https://www.leapcard.ie/) if you're using public transport up there regularly.

Yeah, dublin bus have the fare information on their website. On the dart the minimum saving is 30c and it gets higher the more stops taken (outside the the city center stations).

It's handy and if you register your card online you can view its history. The only downside is that for some reason it takes 2 days for the online payments to register, so you've to a luas stop/payzone outlet to top up immediately (the IE ticket machines don't have this facility for some reason).

Given the way its operating on buses (you've to queue with cash punters) I can't understand why NTA didn't trial this somewhere like Galway where there's a flat fare.

what_traffic

Saoirse G wrote: »

Does anyone get the City Direct Bus (red bus to Knocknacarra)? Not only are they more expensive than Bus Eireann (€1.80 per journey) but they dont give any change, If ya only have a €2 coin its tough luck, pay it or dont get on. I've been on similar buses in Dublin where the driver doesnt handle any money but they give you your bus ticket that states if your due a refund which you can get at their head office. I know its only 20c but it adds up for people getting the bus in and out of work 5days a week. Any thoughts?

I agree they should have a refund mechanisim in place - but the concept of not handling cash is a good one. It does speed up the process of taking on passengers.
Why bother's me most about all the Public Bus transport in Galway is that they dont have staged fares like in Dublin and also there is no automated ticketing in any shape or form.

Mrs OBumble

what_traffic wrote: »

Why bother's me most about all the Public Bus transport in Galway is that they dont have staged fares like in Dublin

Actually, they do - just.

CityDirect have two stages on their Barna service (though I suspect that not a lot of people actually pay the full amount, except perhaps those getting on in Barna to come into town.)

what_traffic

JustMary wrote: »

Actually, they do - just.

CityDirect have two stages on their Barna service (though I suspect that not a lot of people actually pay the full amount, except perhaps those getting on in Barna to come into town.)

Was actually referring to just the city based services. Barna is an outer suburb/town.
Buseireann also have staged fares in place for such places, Claregalway, Oranmore etc

Dublin Bus operate such a model
See: http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/Fares--Tickets/Fare-Information/Fares/
Stages 1 to 3
Stages 4 to 7
etc

antoobrien

what_traffic wrote: »

Was actually referring to just the city based services. Barna is an outer suburb/town.
Buseireann also have staged fares in place for such places, Claregalway, Oranmore etc

Dublin Bus operate such a model
See: http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/Fares--Tickets/Fare-Information/Fares/
Stages 1 to 3
Stages 4 to 7
etc

That system makes sense in Dublin seeing that it covers an area that would be covered by commuter services in Galway. It's worth noting that if you're heading towards town the 4-7 fares kick in very quickly (within 2 miles in the case of the buses going through Killester).

The #9 bus route covers 8 km of road according to google maps, for which we pay €1.70

To get from Eden Quay to Artane Roundabout (Dublin bus) costs 1.90 and is nearly 3km shorter. Do you really want o push up the cost of pt in Galway - especially on a route that's effectively subsidizing the rest of the city routes?

what_traffic

antoobrien wrote: »

That system makes sense in Dublin seeing that it covers an area that would be covered by commuter services in Galway. It's worth noting that if you're heading towards town the 4-7 fares kick in very quickly (within 2 miles in the case of the buses going through Killester).

The #9 bus route covers 8 km of road according to google maps, for which we pay €1.70

To get from Eden Quay to Artane Roundabout (Dublin bus) costs 1.90 and is nearly 3km shorter. Do you really want o push up the cost of pt in Galway - especially on a route that's effectively subsidizing the rest of the city routes?

No. Why do you think the Galway stage fare structure would be the same as Dublin?
No 9 is a good example. As it stands for example it means a fare from Parkmore to Roscam is the same as going all the way to Eyre Square. It's hardly fair?
I believe the New 5 Bus Route will be going from Rahoon to Ballybrit via Eyre Square so may even be a longer route than the No 9 Bus.

Webbs

Galway isnt really big enough to have staged fares, staging or zoning fares would probably require more administration and policing and inevitably a rise in prices.

I would so love to have a single unified weekly/monthly ticket and extended bus services to within say a 10k distance from the city centre to include Barna Oranmore Claregalway. Commuting from these areas for example would then be a possibility

antoobrien

what_traffic wrote: »

No. Why do you think the Galway stage fare structure would be the same as Dublin?

BE have to be one of the least imaginative entities in this country. NTA or whomever agree to fares will probably see the DB rates as easy to role out and BE can get their software updates from the existing DB systems.

what_traffic wrote: »

No 9 is a good example. As it stands for example it means a fare from Parkmore to Roscam is the same as going all the way to Eyre Square. It's hardly fair?

Sounds about right. From Artane RAB to Fairview (about 2 miles) costs the same as it does to get into Dublin City center.

what_traffic wrote: »

I believe the New 5 Bus Route will be going from Rahoon to Ballybrit via Eyre Square so may even be a longer route than the No 9 Bus.

your point being?

what_traffic

antoobrien wrote: »

BE have to be one of the least imaginative entities in this country. NTA or whomever agree to fares will probably see the DB rates as easy to role out and BE can get their software updates from the existing DB systems.
.
..
your point being?

Would include the NTA/DTO with your description of BE as well.

Same point again as the NO 5 will possibly be the longest cross city route it means a fare from Ballybrit to Fort Lorenzo is the same as going from Ballybrit to Eyre Square. Is that fair?

antoobrien

what_traffic wrote: »

Would include the NTA/DTO with your description of BE as well.

Same point again as the NO 5 will possibly be the longest cross city route it means a fare from Ballybrit to Fort Lorenzo is the same as going from Ballybrit to Eyre Square. Is that fair?

Yes becuse you're charged by the route not the distance - what I'd be more worried about in Knocknacara to Ballybrit is two fares,

what_traffic

antoobrien wrote: »

Yes becuse you're charged by the route not the distance - what I'd be more worried about in Knocknacara to Ballybrit is two fares,

Yes everybody knows one is charged in Galway by the route not the distance - that still does not make it fair. One should pay more based on the distance travelled/time spent using the service(excluding traffic jams) rather than on the route. Your example of going from Knocknacara to Ballybrit shows the unfairness of a route charge only model.

Mrs OBumble

Fairness is almost impossible to achieve.

Even if there was a stage-break at Eyre Square, so that Fort Lorenzo to Ballybrit was two stages - it would hardly be fair for someone only going from Liosban to NUIG (or any other two points on opposite sides of the stage-break).

And the day-pass, which costs a tiny bit more than two fares, evens out the unfairness a lot.

IMHO the simplicity of the fare structure if one of the absolute selling points of public transport in Galway.

The only change I'd support would be a metro two stage fare (the area enclosed by Barna, Moycullen, Claregalway and Oranmore ... I could almost be persuaded to put Athenry into the list too).

what_traffic

JustMary wrote: »

And the day-pass, which costs a tiny bit more than two fares, evens out the unfairness a lot.

Very good point. These tickets should be strongly promoted; plus we really need to have automation of boarding with such tickets. Its very slow getting a bus in the city because of all the interaction with Bus Drivers (on top of the traffic congestion). I cycle 99% of the time around the city as it is far faster mode of getting around.

lobes

Wed 25th July:
Leo "not another cent" Varadker
the Transport Minister cannot rule out CIÉ bus or rail fare increases.
"Fares had already gone up this year and there were increases planned for next year and the year after"
http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0725/bus-rail-fares-varadkar.html

ilovesleep

lobes wrote: »

Wed 25th July:
Leo "not another cent" Varadker
the Transport Minister cannot rule out CIÉ bus or rail fare increases.
"Fares had already gone up this year and there were increases planned for next year and the year after"
http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0725/bus-rail-fares-varadkar.html

Reported on politics.ie, CIE needed a 36million bailout.

Ah, of course thats what going to happen if you jack up the prices in a recession. People will stay at home instead of travelling or travel less. Or find alternative transport. Or walk. Or cycle. Or thumb.

Stevolende

Thinking of bus fares, isn't it about time they came up with a way of paying for a pass from elsewhere than the bus station. Just seems a major inconvenience that if you live on the outskirts of town you have to pay for a bus fare into town to buy a pass if you've somehow let renewal date pass . Must be some means of selling monthly/weekly passes remotely from the office mustn't there?
The Centra on Forster street started selling passes a couple of xmases back, you'd think it might be possible to expand the franchise to other similar shops inoutlying areas.

I guess the way places like London go about it is to have an electronic ticket system like the Oyster card, which just needs to be tapped on the place where you pay's electronic outlet to top up. Could see electrification being an expensive way to go though.
& before the Oyster card you had the possibility of buying day travel cards from newsagents around that city.
Must be some simple way of selling a standing ticket from outlying areas though, surely? Is the problem the ease of duplication/fraud or something?

Sorry maybe this needed a different thread.

antoobrien

Stevolende wrote: »

Thinking of bus fares, isn't it about time they came up with a way of paying for a pass from elsewhere than the bus station. Just seems a major inconvenience that if you live on the outskirts of town you have to pay for a bus fare into town to buy a pass if you've somehow let renewal date pass . Must be some means of selling monthly/weekly passes remotely from the office mustn't there?
The Centra on Forster street started selling passes a couple of xmases back, you'd think it might be possible to expand the franchise to other similar shops inoutlying areas.

I guess the way places like London go about it is to have an electronic ticket system like the Oyster card, which just needs to be tapped on the place where you pay's electronic outlet to top up. Could see electrification being an expensive way to go though.
& before the Oyster card you had the possibility of buying day travel cards from newsagents around that city.
Must be some simple way of selling a standing ticket from outlying areas though, surely? Is the problem the ease of duplication/fraud or something?

Sorry maybe this needed a different thread.

They should roll out the leap cards nationwide. For most towns with bus services the cost would be negligible, between getting the terminals for shops and fitting the card readers to buses it should cost very little. And since there are three operators using it in Dublin (Luas, DB & IE) there should be no problem in places like Galway with two bus systems.

Mrs OBumble

antoobrien wrote: »

They should roll out the leap cards nationwide. For most towns with bus services the cost would be negligible, between getting the terminals for shops and fitting the card readers to buses it should cost very little. And since there are three operators using it in Dublin (Luas, DB & IE) there should be no problem in places like Galway with two bus systems.

Leap cards don't solve the problem which Stevolende mentions, though, because they cannot (currently anyway) be loaded with weekly and monthly tickets - they are simply for single journeys.

The Centra in Forster St was doing tickets for a while (though they had limitations that the station didn't have, eg only able to sell weekly tix starting from the day of purchase). But they stopped, and I think that Henchey's Daybreak at the diagonal corner of Eyre Square started doing tickets instead.

Another non-bus-station option is tax-saver tickets: this only works for monthly and annual tickets, you need to be working for a company that offers the scheme (because employers do the purchasing, not you), and you need to be seriously organised re applying early the month before. (my current payroll folks email out a few days before the cut-off date, asking if we want to other). But if it you can use them it's worth is, because you pay no PRSI or PAYE on the cost of the ticket.

Apart from that, the bus station during opening hours is the only option ... and I agree, it's not a good one.

thesandeman

Contact FHE/A. She seems to know how things are done.

antoobrien

JustMary wrote: »

Leap cards don't solve the problem which Stevolende mentions, though, because they cannot (currently anyway) be loaded with weekly and monthly tickets - they are simply for single journeys.

The Centra in Forster St was doing tickets for a while (though they had limitations that the station didn't have, eg only able to sell weekly tix starting from the day of purchase). But they stopped, and I think that Henchey's Daybreak at the diagonal corner of Eyre Square started doing tickets instead.

Another non-bus-station option is tax-saver tickets: this only works for monthly and annual tickets, you need to be working for a company that offers the scheme (because employers do the purchasing, not you), and you need to be seriously organised re applying early the month before. (my current payroll folks email out a few days before the cut-off date, asking if we want to other). But if it you can use them it's worth is, because you pay no PRSI or PAYE on the cost of the ticket.

Apart from that, the bus station during opening hours is the only option ... and I agree, it's not a good one.

The leap card readers can be used for all of the above, it'd just be a matter of making the right adjustments to the software. Put a leap card (reader gets a certain signal) reduce fair by amount x. Put up commuter/daily/weekly ticket - validate expiry vs date.

Mrs OBumble

antoobrien wrote: »

The leap card readers can could be used for all of the above, it'd just be a matter of making the right adjustments to the software. Once that is done (probably for Dublin to start with), then put a leap card (reader gets a certain signal) reduce fair by amount x. Put up commuter/daily/weekly ticket - validate expiry vs date.

fixed that for ya


I'm not holding my breath.

antoobrien

JustMary wrote: »

fixed that for ya


I'm not holding my breath.

Neither am I.

It'd be much cheaper to prove it here as well (less equipment etc).

snubbleste

BÉ are increasing their fares again from 1 December.
City services:
Adult was 1.70 now 1.80
Child was 1.05 now 1.10

Mrs OBumble

fyi, regional bus fares and train fares are also going up, by approx 6% and 3% respectively.

Merry Christmas.

BhoscaCapall

They can basically charge what they wish, since the only reason you'd ever use their joke of a service is if you absolutely needed to.