"The best day of my life" - 111X review

Conway635

So the first of the new M3 corridor services, the 111X, launched yesterday. A small start, providing two peak trips a day, with flow, from Clonmellon, and giving Delvin and Athboy an express option.

The 111X is the first of the several proposed services using the Finglas corridor.

I travelled on the 1800 outbound from Wilton Terrace yesterday evening all the way to Clonmellon (I live about 2km away, so this is more convenient for me than either 111 or 109 which I am equidistant from, about 7km each).

Traffic was light in town, and the driver had to wait for time at a couple of the stops.

I found the Finglas option much quicker than the Navan Road.

He was bang on time arriving into Athboy, and a couple of minutes late at Delvin & Clonmellon.

He carried 5 passengers in total - bear in mind this was the first day of a new service the start date of which was only announced last week. Traffic should grow over time. (3 on at Wilton Tce, 1 at Beresford Place, 1 at Blanch slip road).

He said he'd had four or five boarding at Clonmellon in the morning.

The journey via motorway and N51 was noticeably quicker.

One young woman, who boarded at Blanchardstown Slip Road, and was unaware of the new service, was stunned to hear it was going to be express via motorway.

"Oh my God, it's the best day of my life" she said.

I wouldn't go quite that far myself, but a promising start nonetheless.

Services currently run by hired in coaches, not displaying route number, so easy to miss - that needs to be corrected, even if just with a printed sticker.

C635

AlekSmart

Conway635 wrote: »

So the first of the new M3 corridor services, the 111X, launched yesterday. A small start, providing two peak trips a day, with flow, from Clonmellon, and giving Delvin and Athboy an express option.

The 111X is the first of the several proposed services using the Finglas corridor.

I travelled on the 1800 outbound from Wilton Terrace yesterday evening all the way to Clonmellon (I live about 2km away, so this is more convenient for me than either 111 or 109 which I am equidistant from, about 7km each).

Traffic was light in town, and the driver had to wait for time at a couple of the stops.

I found the Finglas option much quicker than the Navan Road.

He was bang on time arriving into Athboy, and a couple of minutes late at Delvin & Clonmellon.

He carried 5 passengers in total - bear in mind this was the first day of a new service the start date of which was only announced last week. Traffic should grow over time. (3 on at Wilton Tce, 1 at Beresford Place, 1 at Blanch slip road).

He said he'd had four or five boarding at Clonmellon in the morning.

The journey via motorway and N51 was noticeably quicker.

One young woman, who boarded at Blanchardstown Slip Road, and was unaware of the new service, was stunned to hear it was going to be express via motorway.

"Oh my God, it's the best day of my life" she said.

I wouldn't go quite that far myself, but a promising start nonetheless.

Services currently run by hired in coaches, not displaying route number, so easy to miss - that needs to be corrected, even if just with a printed sticker.

C635

Shamier then Shameful....with Bus Eireann now mounting a significant PR campaign centreing around it's precarious position etc etc....:mad:

There is NO WAY that BE should have launched this service without FULL destination displays being in place,either Printed or Digital...this is the A of A,B,C.....how in hell's name do managers expect Custom to grow ????

There are no SO many options available for Printing and Display that it beggars belief !!!!! :mad:

schemingbohemia

If they're hired in then presumably no Leap Validators so free journeys for Leap Card holders?

January

What route does it take from Finglas to Blanchardstown? The M50?

LXFlyer

January wrote: »

What route does it take from Finglas to Blanchardstown? The M50?

Yes it does.

Conway635

schemingbohemia wrote: »

If they're hired in then presumably no Leap Validators so free journeys for Leap Card holders?

That's correct!

C635

Conway635

Tried the service again this evening - same fast journey time, and an increase in the number using it.

Bus now full dressed with route number and destination stickers in both English and Irish.

This is going to be a very useful service!

C635