Flybus closing down

Vahevala

It seems from looking at their facebook, they are closing down.

What a shame.

LXFlyer

Very sad news. It was a very well run operation and leaves a large gap in the market on the west side of Dublin.

The_Wrecker

Things must be bad closing during the peak season.

dublinbusdude

God!!! I have used their service a good few times and enjoyed it. From Tallaght to Airport in 45mins or the other way for €9....its going to be sad to see it go

miller50841

Aircoach must have got the licence if the route made money there will be another on it soon.

dublinbusdude

Aircoach in Tallaght, mmm it would be odd seeing a coach in the Square, Tallaght doing a airport service

AlekSmart

Loadings for quite some time now have been poor.

The fare increases did'nt help either,particularly when the Airport Car Parks began to lower their tariff's.

It's still a great shame to see the service go,as it once again sees West Tallaght disconnected from the Airport (Unless you have private transport and are therefore Tollable...;) )

That last realignment of their route was a bit OTT as well....the need to virtually call to the Clarion Hotels front desk was always frustrating on early morning journeys when parked/abandoned cars tended to exasperate the poor oul Flybus drivers....:(

L1011

I've never seen more than 2 or 3 people on it when I've passed one. Pity to lose any service like this though.

n97 mini

They also appear to have had a license for Maynooth/Leixlip to Dublin airport.

Ironic that it's easer and cheaper to get from Moate to Dublin airport than it is from Mayooth.

Stark

**** Always get that when I'm going to the airport. It does be deserted though, had a feeling the service wasn't sustainable.

howiya

A few times when I was getting the circa 4am departure from Tallaght there would be a taxi driver driving a people carrier/minibus type vehicle driving ahead of the bus picking up at the bus stops and charging €9.

Wonder did it happen with other departures or is the market just not there? Any time I used the service it was deserted as other posters have said

starviewadams

Ah terrible news,only used the Flybus on Monday night.There were 13 passengers on board from the Airport-Tallaght 11pm or therabouts service.Back to paying €30 in a taxi to get to the airport then so

AlekSmart

howiya wrote: »

A few times when I was getting the circa 4am departure from Tallaght there would be a taxi driver driving a people carrier/minibus type vehicle driving ahead of the bus picking up at the bus stops and charging €9.

Wonder did it happen with other departures or is the market just not there? Any time I used the service it was deserted as other posters have said

Yes indeed Howiya,this was a regular feature of their operations and a glaring example of just how useless the Taxi Regulatory Directorate actually is,as they blunder through their area of responsibility throwing coloured stickers and first-aid kits about the place.

Make no mistake but First Aircoach are also hurting big-time due to scavenging by ever more desperate Taxidrivers.

The only difference is the First Group pockets are somewhat deeper than the Dualway/Flybus ones.

Yet again,an Irish company observing the rules,doing things properly and above board are fed to the savage hoards.

Will we see any response from the NTA ?...to paraphrase poor oul Jim Gogarty...."Will we F**K !"

Going Forward

AlekSmart wrote: »

Yes indeed Howiya,this was a regular feature of their operations and a glaring example of just how useless the Taxi Regulatory Directorate actually is,as they blunder through their area of responsibility throwing coloured stickers and first-aid kits about the place.

Make no mistake but First Aircoach are also hurting big-time due to scavenging by ever more desperate Taxidrivers.

The only difference is the First Group pockets are somewhat deeper than the Dualway/Flybus ones.

Yet again,an Irish company observing the rules,doing things properly and above board are fed to the savage hoards.

Will we see any response from the NTA ?...to paraphrase poor oul Jim Gogarty...."Will we F**K !"

That sort of behaviour by the taxi drivers involved is despicable, tantamount to theft and damaging to free enterprise.

Taxi inspectors are knee deep in bureacracy.
Again, I cant understand how a blind eye is being turned to this sort of thing.

Spook_ie

Yawn...

So why not fix the problems instead of the symptoms..

Too many taxis chasing too few fares, result too many taxis trying to scavenge a living...


Ah but sure it's all free enterprise isn't it

end of the road

ah but shur begarra begosh we can't stop the taxis from picking up people from the bus stops and undercutting the busses god love them they wouldn't be able to make a living shur the bus companies can take the hit in revenue oh wait poor fly bus has now gone to the wall what are we going to do ted? this is exactly the mentality that has got this country where it is, free enterprise is all well and good but if theirs no regulation and what regulation is there is being broken and no enforcement of such regulation then what does one expect?

AlekSmart

The Flybus saga also highlights why the NTA needed to prioritize stuff such as RTPI for the appropriate Service Providers.

Currently,in Dublin,Aircoach REALLY need to get on to the screens ASAP,as they are losing literally hundreds of customers daily to rapacious Taxidrivers who will happily lie about broken down coaches and accidents to get the Aircoach customer.


Flybus would also have benefitted greatly from an RTPI presence to reassure THEIR customers in the we small hours...:)

Spook_ie

AlekSmart wrote: »

The Flybus saga also highlights why the NTA needed to prioritize stuff such as RTPI for the appropriate Service Providers.

Currently,in Dublin,Aircoach REALLY need to get on to the screens ASAP,as they are losing literally hundreds of customers daily to rapacious Taxidrivers who will happily lie about broken down coaches and accidents to get the Aircoach customer.


Flybus would also have benefitted greatly from an RTPI presence to reassure THEIR customers in the we small hours...:)

but it's free enterprise why should the NTA be expected to pay for a private enterprise to benefit? Surely the companies concerned should pay.

But then I forget, the NTA has the €20+ million subsumed from the old taxi reg authority to spend on anything but taxis......


and still proposals to cure symptoms rather than the root cause anyway

ordinary_girl

This is such a shame. I've used Flybus a few times, I always found the service reliable and the drivers were really helpful and hard-working. Looks like I've to go back to getting two buses to get out to the airport, then.

Losty Dublin

Spook_ie wrote: »

but it's free enterprise why should the NTA be expected to pay for a private enterprise to benefit? Surely the companies concerned should pay.

But then I forget, the NTA has the €20+ million subsumed from the old taxi reg authority to spend on anything but taxis......


and still proposals to cure symptoms rather than the root cause anyway

Ah but Spookie, when the shoe is on the other foot

foggy_lad

Spook_ie wrote: »

Yawn...

So why not fix the problems instead of the symptoms..

Too many taxis chasing too few fares, result too many taxis trying to scavenge a living...


Ah but sure it's all free enterprise isn't it

Taxi drivers acting illegally is the problem not a symptom!

howiya

Possibly slightly off topic but in the city centre it is common to see fixed fares to the airport but this isn't the case at the rank in Tallaght beside the Flybus stop in the Square car park.

Where do these fixed fares originate from and will they be coming to a rank near me in the future?

Spook_ie

foggy_lad wrote: »

Taxi drivers acting illegally is the problem not a symptom!

Well there we'll have to disagree, I say it's a symptom because it wasn't there before

bk

But how do we fix the root cause of the taxi problem?

Reintroduce limited licensing and kick three quarters of taxi drivers out? There would be war.

What should have happened was the slow but steady and reasonable increase in taxi licenses, plus the introduction of 24/7 regular bus service.

However ironically the taxi industry fought that tooth and nail and we have ended up with our current mess.

LeftBlank

howiya wrote: »

Possibly slightly off topic but in the city centre it is common to see fixed fares to the airport but this isn't the case at the rank in Tallaght beside the Flybus stop in the Square car park.

Where do these fixed fares originate from and will they be coming to a rank near me in the future?

Actually the fares are quoted as "approx 20 euro".

The Idyll Race

Are taxi drivers permitted under their licence to hawk for business that way, thought they were limited to hail, rank and hackney work?

bk

LeftBlank wrote: »

howiya wrote: »

Actually the fares are quoted as "approx 20 euro".

Depends on the rank, some say exactly €20. In which case it is a pre agreed fare and the driver should ask you to sign a waiver.

veryangryman

starviewadams wrote: »

Ah terrible news,only used the Flybus on Monday night.There were 13 passengers on board from the Airport-Tallaght 11pm or therabouts service.Back to paying €30 in a taxi to get to the airport then so

Whats wrong with Luas+Airlink from Heuston i ask?

markpb

veryangryman wrote: »

Whats wrong with Luas+Airlink from Heuston i ask?

Presumably it would be much slower?

starviewadams

veryangryman wrote: »

Whats wrong with Luas+Airlink from Heuston i ask?

Last time I used Flybus I had to be at the airport for 5am.Luas + Airlink not available at that time obviously,plus I don't live beside a Luas stop,Red Cow would be closest stop to me and would be a 30 min walk,which with luggage is not very appealing.

AlekSmart

starviewadams wrote: »

Last time I used Flybus I had to be at the airport for 5am.Luas + Airlink not available at that time obviously,plus I don't live beside a Luas stop,Red Cow would be closest stop to me and would be a 30 min walk,which with luggage is not very appealing.

For the vast majority of morning departures from Collinstown the Veolia/Dublin Bus option is unavailable.

This does in fact reveal Dublin Bus's very poor dedicated Airport Service.

Yet again,one only needs to take a peek at Edinburgh's appropriately named site.....

http://www.flybybus.com/

It's particularly worth noting how Lothian Buses manages to combine it's dedicated Airport service with one of it's 24 hour routes,the N22.

Read and weep...:o

howiya

LeftBlank wrote: »

Actually the fares are quoted as "approx 20 euro".

Doesn't really answer the question but thanks...

I suppose what I want to know is will taxi drivers still offer to bring people from tallaght to the airport for €9 or will they join Flybus in removing their service?

starviewadams

If the taxi's have no competition when Flybus ceases operation they will sure as hell revert back to their normal €25/30 rip off price.

Spook_ie

starviewadams wrote: »

If the taxi's have no competition when Flybus ceases operation they will sure as hell revert back to their normal €25/30 rip off price.

The taxis will be competing with each other, that's what people wanted initialy, 1000's of taxis competing against each other for 100's of customers :rolleyes:

Del2005

veryangryman wrote: »

Whats wrong with Luas?

FYP, but there's a separate thread on that.


It was quicker to get the Flybus to the airport than the Luas to train station, where you still have to get another bus to the airport.

starviewadams

Spook_ie wrote: »

The taxis will be competing with each other, that's what people wanted initialy, 1000's of taxis competing against each other for 100's of customers :rolleyes:

Yeah but they'll all be competing with each other for €25/30 fares to the airport again once the Flybus is gone,they're hardly going to reduce the fare after a significant competitor is gone out of business like,would make no sense.

petronius

This is a pity, means less options, less competition. More business for aircoach no doubt.
I have noticed taxi drivers scalping at airport bus stops as well
It annoys me that the stimulus plan ignore either a dart line spur to the airport, or the Metro North, or any joined up thinking on public transport...

was just in berlin and while the train is a walk away from the airport it gets you bang into the middle of berlin for 3euro

howiya

petronius wrote: »

This is a pity, means less options, less competition. More business for aircoach no doubt.

Aircoach wouldn't be great for those on the Flybus route. If you're in Tallaght or near the Luas line the Adult 1 Day Bus/Luas €7.80 ticket would be the best option. Luas to either Heuston or Busaras and then take the Airlink which this ticket is valid for.

Takes more time but beats spending a fortune on a taxi. Only problem is a taxi isn't avoidable if you've to be in the airport for the crack of dawn

CIE

foggy_lad wrote: »

Taxi drivers acting illegally is the problem not a symptom

Sounds like a law enforcement problem rather than the need for more regulation.

AlekSmart

CIE wrote: »

Sounds like a law enforcement problem rather than the need for more regulation.

Recent days in and around College Green/Grafton/Nassau Streets has provided ample evidence of some form of official collusion in regard to An Garda Siochana and the Taxi fraternity.

The Garda Commissioner now appears to have decided that The Road Traffic Act does not apply to Taxi Drivers in this area.

This is the only possible interpretation I can take from this small Grouping being allowed,facilitated and thereby encouraged to bring the City Centre's already fractious traffic flow to a complete halt.

Ranking up ON a functioning Pedestrian Crossing (Grafton Street-Suffolk Street),is but one of the glaring challenges to Garda authority being happily ignored by the force.

Garda Foot patrols,mobile units and in-house CCTV are monitoring this area constantly but NO action is being taken.....In the absence of any Garda statement or action,one therefore must consider the possibility of some form of inducement being made to the force ?

It is certainly not conducive to maintaining any form of civic respect for Law and Order .

Spook_ie

Yeah sure, on the basis of that post Victor you should move this to the conspiracies forum

AlekSmart

Spook_ie wrote: »

Yeah sure, on the basis of that post Victor you should move this to the conspiracies forum

You may well mock Spookie,but perhaps that particular forum might be monitored somewhat closer ....;)

Try parking your private car broadside across the end of Grafton Street and await the response......;)

Bazzer2

One must assume that private motorists are somehow backing up the taxi-driver inducements, seeing the amount of non-public transport vehicles swanning daily through the so-called College Green Bus Gate without fear of hindrance from several uniformed officers standing around in the area, looking the other way.

Yes, I know, "Back on Topic"! ;-)

Spook_ie

AlekSmart wrote: »

You may well mock Spookie,but perhaps that particular forum might be monitored somewhat closer ....;)

Try parking your private car broadside across the end of Grafton Street and await the response......;)

yeah, well I'm not the one that reckons there's collusion or bribery between the Garda and taxi drivers

In the absence of any Garda statement or action,one therefore must consider the possibility of some form of inducement being made to the force ?

AlekSmart

Spook_ie wrote: »

yeah, well I'm not the one that reckons there's collusion or bribery between the Garda and taxi drivers

And until somebody,your goodself or the Garda Commissioner can demonstrate otherwise I'm afriad I'll just havta maintain that reckoning....:)

Mind you,I'm buoyed by the stridency of the response all the same....it certainly beats the silence coming from the remainder of those involved

AlekSmart

Bazzer2 wrote: »

One must assume that private motorists are somehow backing up the taxi-driver inducements, seeing the amount of non-public transport vehicles swanning daily through the so-called College Green Bus Gate without fear of hindrance from several uniformed officers standing around in the area, looking the other way.

Yes, I know, "Back on Topic"! ;-)

Until the moderating Axe falls Bazzer2,this is ON-Topic I should think ?

I'd have to challenge the assertion that no private motorists are booked at College Green.

I regularly encounter Gardai writing-up confuzelled looking motorists outside Trinners...however the same Gardai tend to veer off before they have to beat their way through the nose2tail Taxis stretched down along from Grafton St to College Green itself...;)

Mind you,it's not ALL about the Taxidrivers either.

Surely some highly qualified PROFFESSIONAL in DCC or the NTA or NASA could switch on their oul CCTV and observe the impossibility of a Taxi Rank/Delivery Bay on one side coexisting in any safe way with Long Dwell Coach Stops/City Tour Terminus and assorted other Coach service set-downs.

It is just about possible for "ordinary" stage-carriage short-dwell services to mix it here,but the current arrangement is NOT working because it CANNOT work...It's impossible to cater for the opposite polarities of the types of Public Transport being forced together here...

Unless......there's inducements involved here also !!!

dublinbusdude

A new company is doing the Flybus route now: http://www.airport-hopper.com/index.html

L1011

Any chance they'll start the never-started Maynooth route Flybus were meant to have been licenced for?

Happy to see that the timetable mentions it being NTA approved and not another Patton anyway!

Stark

dublinbusdude wrote: »

A new company is doing the Flybus route now: http://www.airport-hopper.com/index.html

Positive news. Pity it's only every 2 hours though.

LXFlyer

Stark wrote: »

Positive news. Pity it's only every 2 hours though.

I suspect that is what's viable economically. One bus for most of the day rather than two all day.

Losty Dublin

MYOB wrote: »

Happy to see that the timetable mentions it being NTA approved and not another Patton anyway!

Not having a route licence didn't stop Patton from pretending that he had one.

Just saying, loike