Bus Éireann route 73

foggy_lad

Just wondered if this route is expressway as stated in the timetables or if somehow it is also a PSO subsidised route? Maybe someone with knowledge of the PSO system or of the specific routes can answer?

The reason I ask is that lately the buses used on this over 3 hours long route have been the transport for Ireland commuter coaches instead of the larger expressway coaches which had been used up to now and which some might consider unsuitable for this long expressway route?

LXFlyer

It's a PSO service.

Geog1234

Route 73 is one of the former Expressway routes that became PSO a few years ago. Others include route 66 (Sligo-Manorhamilton-Enniskillen).


On the occasions I’ve travelled on route 73 I’ve found the number of passengers to be in single digits. In my view a few additional stops would make this service available to more localities and more useful.


For instance the route passes through several places without serving them: the Graiguecullen area of Carlow town; Jerpoint Abbey a few kms south of Thomastown is a popular visitor attraction.


The 73 also passes through the villages of Arless and Ballickmoyler without serving them (there is a J.J. Kavanagh route serving these places but it doesn’t run when the students are off in the summer).


A minor diversion to the route would enable the 73 to serve the Midlands Regional Hospital in Portlaoise.

LXFlyer

Just to point out that route 73 is correctly listed as a PSO service and not as an Expressway service on the BE website.

Several routes which were previously classed as Expressway are now correctly shown as PSO services (and have been for several years) since the legal need to distinguish between the two arose:

65 - Athlone-Longford-Cavan-Monaghan
66 - Sligo-Manorhamilton-Enniskillen
70 - Athlone-Mullingar
72 - Limerick-Birr-Athlone
73 - Waterford-Kilkenny-Carlow-Portlaoise-Athlone