The Dublin Coach Experience

dhaughton99

KyussB wrote: »

......

Then if the response is not good enough, contact a handful of people with the worst stories to tell about Dublin Coach (should be piss easy...), find some journalists interested in paying off for a tip on the news (should be worth their while and money) and pretty much hand them a ready-made story?

It'd take effort on behalf of a person - but it'd be an effective way to try and force the hand of the authorities responsible - or publicly cover them in shite for abdicating their responsibility.

https://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057937691

friendlyfun

Never had a negative experience with them. Maybe they could get sockets and a toilet in some of their buses though.

devnull

friendlyfun wrote: »

Never had a negative experience with them. Maybe they could get sockets and a toilet in some of their buses though.

I'm guessing you've used the Belfast route only?

TallGlass

KyussB wrote: »

In principal, could a determined enough person just hang about one of their bus stops, document and picture/video all the issues with roadworthyness, and the drivers response - and then go to talk directly with an RSA official as described above, and/or an NTA official if they are responsible for the PSO, and record their response to the issues raised?

Then if the response is not good enough, contact a handful of people with the worst stories to tell about Dublin Coach (should be piss easy...), find some journalists interested in paying off for a tip on the news (should be worth their while and money) and pretty much hand them a ready-made story?

It'd take effort on behalf of a person - but it'd be an effective way to try and force the hand of the authorities responsible - or publicly cover them in shite for abdicating their responsibility.

I've a strong suspicion a blind eye is being turned - and that this is a big indication that further moves towards privatizing presently state-run services, will include a very big dose of crapification along the way, with little oversight.

It will end up of two ways, either people are killed on one of the buses or it ends up on RTE's Prime Time investigates.

If a CVRT, is been passed on some of the busses (I assume some are roadworthy), then who ever is passing the CVRT is more than likely doing it for other vehicles. If I remember, this is the entire reason the NCT system was keep under control of one body, for some reason they took that away from commercials.

I always found it bizzare too that state vechiles are not tested for faults, Garda etc..

Motorcycles should also be tested.

Old diesel

Is it possible to check the CVRT status of a vehicle reg number in the same way you can do it with NCTs??????

Old diesel

There is a reg checker on CVRT - i ran a Dublin Coach 12 KE Setra i found via flickr through it - and its tested to April 2019.

Registered as a Mercedes Benz incidentally

Heres the reg checker

https://operator.cvrt.ie/Vehicle/CRWExpiryTestReminder

Edit - ran a 2nd Dublin coach reg through that and that has a 2019 test as well

NedNew2

It's not perfect but it offers a comprehensive timetable and service at low prices.

It appears to be compliant. So I suppose if you don't like it then don't use it.

From my location I now have half hourly buses and a 24 hour service for less than half the price and twice as fast as the equivalent Bus Eireann service.

devnull

NedNew2 wrote: »

It's not perfect but it offers a comprehensive timetable and service at low prices.

It appears to be compliant. So I suppose if you don't like it then don't use it.

The RSA didn't seem to think so earlier in the year:
http://www.rsa.ie/en/Utility/News/2018/Fines-totalling-11000-for-two-road-passenger-bus-operators-for-breach-of-road-safety-regulations/

Following investigations by the Road Safety Authority (RSA), both Citi Bus Limited and Last Bus Limited of Moorhill House, Brannockstown, Co Kildare trading as Dublin Coach were before Naas District Court for breaches of tachograph and drivers’ hours regulations. Both companies operate a road passenger business.

Citi Bus Limited, on 5 February, 2018, pleaded guilty to six charges of failing to produce and handover records at the request of an RSA Transport Officer as well as charges of failing to make regular checks and failing to organise drivers’ work to ensure compliance with the regulations, failing to download vehicle units and failing to ensure the tachograph equipment was functioning correctly. The Court convicted on the six charges and fined Citi Bus Limited a total of €6,000 and also made an award of costs against the company bringing the total sanction imposed in excess of €7,700.

Last Bus Limited, on 5 March, 2018, pleaded guilty to six charges of cause and purport to authorise the driver to fail to take a daily rest period and to exceed daily driving as well as charges for failing to make regular checks. The Court convicted on the six charges and fined Last Bus Limited a total of €5,000 an award of costs was also made against the company bringing the total sanction imposed in excess of €5,500.

road_high

I think Dublin Coach are dreadful but could be a brilliant service if they actually invested in the buses and staff. I too would be worried if they were shut down as living in Kilkenny they ran BE off the Dublin route and carry a substantial number of people that would be left high and dry without them.
The buses are something to behold though- dirty, smelly, old, run down, and either cold or too hot !

Old diesel

NedNew2 wrote: »

It's not perfect but it offers a comprehensive timetable and service at low prices.

It appears to be compliant. So I suppose if you don't like it then don't use it.

From my location I now have half hourly buses and a 24 hour service for less than half the price and twice as fast as the equivalent Bus Eireann service.

All the reg checker shows is that the reg checked has been through a test.

It tells us nothing about how deligently the test was done.

I think experience shows us that the likes of Callinan Coaches for Citylink, Gobus and Gobe under Jim Burke - and the Kavanagh outfits - JJ Kavanagh, Pierce Kavanagh, Bernard Kavanagh run coaches to a superior standard.

Youve also go Bus Fada, McGuinley in Donegal, Collins from up around Monaghan and Matthews who are north East based - all running regional routes into main citys from the area they are based

Apart from GoBe - NONE of the above have a Bus Eireann connection.

devnull

Old diesel wrote: »

All the reg checker shows is that the reg checked has been through a test.

It tells us nothing about how deligently the test was done.

I think experience shows us that the likes of Callinan Coaches for Citylink, Gobus and Gobe under Jim Burke - and the Kavanagh outfits - JJ Kavanagh, Pierce Kavanagh, Bernard Kavanagh run coaches to a superior standard.

Youve also go Bus Fada, McGuinley in Donegal, Collins from up around Monaghan and Matthews who are north East based - all running regional routes into main citys from the area they are based

Apart from GoBe - NONE of the above have a Bus Eireann connection.

Bernard Kavanagh and Callinan's reputation especially speak for themselves. Those two operators are the go to people for charter vehicles, hire in work, and relief coach contracting. You don't get a customer book as big as they have, without being a quality operator. They also purchase well spec'd vehicles as well.

Dublin Coach would tend to buy second hand vehicles mostly on the used market and would therefore maintain them in-house, where the other bigger privates, such as Aircoach, Bernard Kavanagh and others, would only do minor stuff on their vehicles and as part of the lease or purchase price, they would take out a maintenance and spares contract with Volvo, Mercedes etc.

Maintenance and spares does cost more, obviously, but the good thing about it is that you are getting the best quality work done from the people who built the vehicle and obviously it reduces the temptation to try and skimp on things to save a bit of cash, since every time you have an issue you send it off to a dealer who takes cares of it to the highest standards.

Irish Commercials didn't open a new centre in Santry for nothing, it was picked deliberately because of the fact you have Eirebus and Aircoach up there, both of which are big Volvo customers as well as the obvious Dublin Bus and HGV trade.

embraer170

devnull wrote: »

I'm guessing you've used the Belfast route only?

The M7 Express service is not bad either, except for a totally unrealistic timetable (especially after Limerick).

Quackster

embraer170 wrote: »

The M7 Express service is not bad either, except for a totally unrealistic timetable (especially after Limerick).

I use this service semi-regularly and generally it's fine. But some of the coaches operating it are pretty ****e and, yeah, the timetable takes absolutely no account of normal traffic variations during the course of the day.

Truckermal

A mate passed one on the M7 yesterday crawling along in lane 1 obviously in limp mode...

WishUWereHere

Quackster wrote: »

I use this service semi-regularly and generally it's fine. But some of the coaches operating it are pretty ****e and, yeah, the timetable takes absolutely no account of normal traffic variations during the course of the day.

This could explain why I saw one the other day belting down the M50 southbound, and at the very last moment shot across from the 2nd from outside lane to go onto the N7, where he shot onto the N7 on the outside lane...and then caused many to jam on their brakes to get over to the far left to go to the RC Luas Stop.

They really think they own the road.:rolleyes:

Quackster

Saw a 142 KE reg broken down around half four Friday afternoon on the roundabout on the Limerick side of Newcastle West. Didn't exactly help the traffic! The driver seemed to be enjoying himself directing the traffic though...

Grandad99

Truckermal wrote: »

A mate passed one on the M7 yesterday crawling along in lane 1 obviously in limp mode...

Yeah, I passed that to, usually they pass me.

I was thinking at the time, this is the first time ever that I have passed a moving Dublin Coach, up till now I have only been able to pass broken down or on fire Dublin Coaches.

_Kaiser_

I dunno. I have yet to see one broken down, but they are mostly in very poor condition (although the newer Mercedes look OK) and the driving standards are very poor for sure.

Eric Cartman

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

I dunno. I have yet to see one broken down, but they are mostly in very poor condition (although the newer Mercedes look OK) and the driving standards are very poor for sure.

Theyve a yard just off the long mile road where they have all their busses and half a scrap yard of parts for them. Mechanics working all day to just about keep the busses running, i think their idea of maintenance is 'as cheap as possible' approach.

AndrewJRenko

WishUWereHere wrote: »

This could explain why I saw one the other day belting down the M50 southbound, and at the very last moment shot across from the 2nd from outside lane to go onto the N7, where he shot onto the N7 on the outside lane...and then caused many to jam on their brakes to get over to the far left to go to the RC Luas Stop.

They really think they own the road.:rolleyes:

I was coming southbound on the M50 at 7.15pm this evening, behind one of their buses 04D reg. He indicated to pull off at Knocklyon, which confused me a little. At the last minute, he pulled back into the carriageway crossing the hatched area in the process. I moved past him in traffic.


As we approached the Ballinteer junction, he came up behind me. At the 500m warning sign, he seemed frustrated that I was only doing the speed limit, so he pulled out, moved past me and 3 or 4 other cars and cut back into the line.


Just seemed like fairly crap driving for a professional driver.

colm_mcm

Another day, another breakdown. This time approaching a busy roundabout in Limerick.

Old diesel

Is that one of the modern Mercs????

colm_mcm

Old diesel wrote: »

Is that one of the modern Mercs????

I’m not a bus person, but as far as I know it’s a Mercedes Tourismo pre 2014

Drifter50

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

I was coming southbound on the M50 at 7.15pm this evening, behind one of their buses 04D reg. He indicated to pull off at Knocklyon, which confused me a little. At the last minute, he pulled back into the carriageway crossing the hatched area in the process. I moved past him in traffic.


As we approached the Ballinteer junction, he came up behind me. At the 500m warning sign, he seemed frustrated that I was only doing the speed limit, so he pulled out, moved past me and 3 or 4 other cars and cut back into the line.


Just seemed like fairly crap driving for a professional driver.

Not unusual for DC, Im afraid. They continually rattle along the M50 fast lane

punisher5112

Old diesel wrote: »

Is that one of the modern Mercs????

Yes it's 2014 model up to date.

Eric Cartman

punisher5112 wrote: »

Yes it's 2014 model up to date.

I wouldnt go by reg plate personally. Ive yet to hear of them having a bus with less than 500,000km on it.

punisher5112

Eric Cartman wrote: »

I wouldnt go by reg plate personally. Ive yet to hear of them having a bus with less than 500,000km on it.

But they got these new in 2014,2016,2017 and 2018.

They also have a Chinese nearly sure it's Chinese ...coach they bought new

Eric Cartman

punisher5112 wrote: »

But they got these new in 2014,2016,2017 and 2018.

They also have a Chinese nearly sure it's Chinese ...coach they bought new

I saw 2017 ones creeping in in 2018 but Id imagine they were touring coaches that went from the UK to europe back and forth and then were sold off after a year or 2, possibly repaired damaged ones.

I wouldnt have any faith in new chinese busses and reliability.

punisher5112

Eric Cartman wrote: »

I saw 2017 ones creeping in in 2018 but Id imagine they were touring coaches that went from the UK to europe back and forth and then were sold off after a year or 2, possibly repaired damaged ones.

I wouldnt have any faith in new chinese busses and reliability.

All the tourismo ones they got new with.

The 1st batch were used for city tours and this brought a huge tax break with using them this way.

They have since been getting a number of new ones and putting them on the Belfast run as they are in a huge war with the first group Aircoach.

colm_mcm

Eric Cartman wrote: »

I saw 2017 ones creeping in in 2018 but Id imagine they were touring coaches that went from the UK to europe back and forth and then were sold off after a year or 2, possibly repaired damaged ones.

I wouldnt have any faith in new chinese busses and reliability.

I was talking to a local bus operator last year through work, he bought a few King Longs a few years ago and has mostly good stuff to say about them, he wouldn’t be nearly as demanding on buses with his line of work as Dublin Coach, but apart from some issues with exterior lights he said they’d been fine.