The Dublin Coach Experience

embraer170

belfast stephen wrote: »

New Double decker coaches should start to arrive with the first 4 at the end of February

How many are they expecting in total?

Old diesel

Quackster wrote: »

At least they're running decent busses. If you're looking for a clusterfuçk of horse manure, check out the 'Tralee People's Bus Service'! :eek:

Please tell me they aren't still running the old boneshaker Mercs 😯🧐🧐🧐

Muller1991

I collected my brother from Dublin airport on Saturday afternoon around 5pm. As i was coming onto the M50 heading southbound , I noticed a black Mercedes Sprinter with a route number on the LED Screenit said Dundrum on it too.

The speed at which it was going was laughable I was doing 90-100 kmph I'd say the bus was at leats doing 120-140kmph at times and then breaking sharply enough in the outer lane all the way to the Red Cow. He over took myself at least 4 times must have changed lanes at least 8 times from the airport as far as the Red Cow.

When the bus was exiting at the Red Cow he jumped from the outer lane and moved across three lanes to get into the slip road for the Red Cow.

Not the first time I've come across DC's Erratic driving.

road_high

Muller1991 wrote: »

I collected my brother from Dublin airport on Saturday afternoon around 5pm. As i was coming onto the M50 heading southbound , I noticed a black Mercedes Sprinter with a route number on the LED Screenit said Dundrum on it too.

The speed at which it was going was laughable I was doing 90-100 kmph I'd say the bus was at leats doing 120-140kmph at times and then breaking sharply enough in the outer lane all the way to the Red Cow. He over took myself at least 4 times must have changed lanes at least 8 times from the airport as far as the Red Cow.

When the bus was exiting at the Red Cow he jumped from the outer lane and moved across three lanes to get into the slip road for the Red Cow.

Not the first time I've come across DC's Erratic driving.

I was on one last year (double decker 6 wheeler) that the driver missed the N7 exit off the M50, tore on southbound and then suddenly realised at the Ballymount exit he'd made a mistake and jumped across to the exit lanes narrowly missing cars behind that he pulled out in front of (horns blaring and lights flashing!) ended up skidding onto the loose stones and stopping the bus. Heart in the mouth experience, I was certain someone would collide with us. Apologised to the passengers ann back onto the road over the flyover and back up to the N7/Red Cow. We all make mistakes but jesus christ on a busy motorway- keep going and come off at the next junction safely (Tallaght/Firhouse I guess)- I'd rather be late a few minutes than be dead or injured! The training their staff get must be very questionable.

AndrewJRenko

road_high wrote: »

The training their staff get must be very questionable.

Is it a training issue, or is it down to incentives/punishments for drivers for not keeping to schedule?

Jamie2k9

What routes are new buses going on?

Rumour has it BE plan some expressway changes for 4/40 to compete on M9 route among other changes.

belfast stephen

Some of them are going on the belfast route but it being Dublin coach I would wait and see

road_high

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

What routes are new buses going on?

Rumour has it BE plan some expressway changes for 4/40 to compete on M9 route among other changes.

Like what? BE already chopped the X7 giving DB a free hand to Kilkenny and the DC route seems to be doing very well now. I would like to see some of the X/4 's serve Kilkenny but appreciate people in Waterford like a direct run up the M9 if possible.

road_high

Wasn't there a 2.00am service from the Airport that went via Kilkenny- is that gone now as well, can't see it on the timetable.

EDIT- Sorry that was JJ Kavannagh I was thinking of!

road_high

How's Clonmel fairing since the X7 was chopped? Must have meant a big increas in JJ Kavanagh numbers. I think that was a very unfair and severe cut to services (I appreciate Expressway is not subsidised) but had it been an area with much stronger political repreentation, I doubt that a blanket cut like that would have happened.
I thought DB might run a spur off the M9 service to it but needs to make money.

bk

Vic_08 wrote: »

Sadly there is no oversight of commercial services in Ireland. Once an operator has got their foot in the door the NTA just rubber stamp the licences renewals and allow the companies to operate however they please, no maintenance standards, no accessibility requirements, no bus stop marking, timetable or fare publishing requirements, no complaints procedure or independent regulator to ensure they are acting correctly.

To balance that, GoBus, Aircoach and Citylink * all operate fantastic services to Cork, Galway and Belfast IME. VASTLY superior to BE, like night and day difference in quality.

* I've also never heard anything but good things about JJK too, but I've yet to have the pleasure to use that service.

DC are the weird odd man out amongst private operators. They somehow seem to have gotten away with a monopoly on some of their routes and the resulting lack of quality shows. Monopoly IME is never good, doesn't matter if public or private, the customer always ends up suffering.

belfast stephen

bk wrote: »

To balance that, GoBus, Aircoach and Citylink * all operate fantastic services to Cork, Galway and Belfast IME. VASTLY superior to BE, like night and day difference in quality.

* I've also never heard anything but good things about JJK too, but I've yet to have the pleasure to use that service.

DC are the weird odd man out amongst private operators. They somehow seem to have gotten away with a monopoly on some of their routes and the resulting lack of quality shows. Monopoly IME is never good, doesn't matter if public or private, the customer always ends up suffering.

Dublin coach are provide a good service to belfast which is popular with many people and can be very busy at times

bk

belfast stephen wrote: »

Dublin coach are provide a good service to belfast which is popular with many people and can be very busy at times

And that pretty much proves the point. The reason their service to Belfast is good, is because there is loads of high quality competition on this route, Aircoach, Bus Eireann, UlsterBus all operating competing services for years.

As a result they put their best, brand new coaches on this route, while their other routes with no competition get the ancient coaches where you see tons of trouble.

Of course the danger is that eventually they will eliminate Aircoach/BE/UB from the route and end up with a monopoly and they you get to see the same cost cutting on that route too.

punisher5112

belfast stephen wrote: »

Dublin coach are provide a good service to belfast which is popular with many people and can be very busy at times

That's because they're fighting to make money on it with such competition....

It's why they're constantly putting the new coaches when they get them straight on it.

Nigel Fairservice

bk wrote: »

To balance that, GoBus, Aircoach and Citylink * all operate fantastic services to Cork, Galway and Belfast IME. VASTLY superior to BE, like night and day difference in quality.

* I've also never heard anything but good things about JJK too, but I've yet to have the pleasure to use that service.

DC are the weird odd man out amongst private operators. They somehow seem to have gotten away with a monopoly on some of their routes and the resulting lack of quality shows. Monopoly IME is never good, doesn't matter if public or private, the customer always ends up suffering.

I'm from Cork but moved to Kilkenny last year. Gobus are fantastic. Aircoach are good too (prefer Gobus though). I used Citylink a lot between Cork and Galway when I lived in Galway and again no complaints. I use JJ Kavanaghs to get from Kilkenny to Dublin (or the train). I refuse to use Dublin Coaches service from Kilkenny to Dublin. I can't drive so I'm stuck with Dublin Coach to get to and from Cork. They are the absolute pits! They're always late, there's been 3 breakdowns since August (no other inter city coach I've ever been on has broken down) and there's been some erratic driving.

road_high

Nigel Fairservice wrote: »

I'm from Cork but moved to Kilkenny last year. Gobus are fantastic. Aircoach are good too (prefer Gobus though). I used Citylink a lot between Cork and Galway when I lived in Galway and again no complaints. I use JJ Kavanaghs to get from Kilkenny to Dublin (or the train). I refuse to use Dublin Coaches service from Kilkenny to Dublin. I can't drive so I'm stuck with Dublin Coach to get to and from Cork. They are the absolute pits! They're always late, there's been 3 breakdowns since August (no other inter city coach I've ever been on has broken down) and there's been some erratic driving.

There a few things in their favour- it is reasonably quick to/from Kilkenny generally 1 hr 40 mins or so depending on the stopover at the Red Cow.
It's cheap and frequent too- I've never not got on/a seat either.
They seem to be doing well on this route, lots of passengers using it. Often queues at the Quay in Dublin and MacDonagh in Kilkenny for it.

I really would not fancy going all the way from Dublin to Cork with them- surely there's a comfort break in Waterford? Because most of the old buses on this route have no toilets (Belfast does). With better buses and slightly better timetable I think they could do extremely well.

end of the road

road_high wrote: »

There a few things in their favour- it is reasonably quick to/from Kilkenny generally 1 hr 40 mins or so depending on the stopover at the Red Cow.
It's cheap and frequent too- I've never not got on/a seat either.
They seem to be doing well on this route, lots of passengers using it. Often queues at the Quay in Dublin and MacDonagh in Kilkenny for it.

I really would not fancy going all the way from Dublin to Cork with them- surely there's a comfort break in Waterford? Because most of the old buses on this route have no toilets (Belfast does). With better buses and slightly better timetable I think they could do extremely well.

tbh i would be surprised if the dublin cork via waterford service would get any through patronage, but you never know i suppose.
i would reccan the journeys are dublin kilkenny, dublin waterford, kilkenny waterford, waterford cork.
i think and it's just a guess, that the service is just a combination of 2 services, dublin waterford and waterford cork, for whatever reason. probably to allow the usage of less vehicles and drivers, i presume dublin cork via waterford isn't a very frequent route?

bk

end of the road wrote: »

tbh i would be surprised if the dublin cork via waterford service would get any through patronage, but you never know i suppose.
i would reccan the journeys are dublin kilkenny, dublin waterford, kilkenny waterford, waterford cork.
i think and it's just a guess, that the service is just a combination of 2 services, dublin waterford and waterford cork, for whatever reason. probably to allow the usage of less vehicles and drivers, i presume dublin cork via waterford isn't a very frequent route?

Spot on. No one would use it between Dublin and Cork. Why spend 4h20 mins doing that when you can do it direct in 3h's with Aircoach/Gobus! It isn't even cheaper.

As you say, it is more about being a stopping service connecting Kilkenny/Waterford with Cork/Dublin on either end.

Nigel Fairservice

bk wrote: »

Spot on. No one would use it between Dublin and Cork. Why spend 4h20 mins doing that when you can do it direct in 3h's with Aircoach/Gobus! It isn't even cheaper.

As you say, it is more about being a stopping service connecting Kilkenny/Waterford with Cork/Dublin on either end.

You'd be surprised. I've seen loads of people get on in Cork and ask for tickets to Dublin. Some of the drivers explain that they'd be better off getting the Aircoach or Gobus (I've still seen people ignore the advice) and other drivers don't bother and just sell them the ticket.

ExoPolitic

bk wrote: »

Spot on. No one would use it between Dublin and Cork. Why spend 4h20 mins doing that when you can do it direct in 3h's with Aircoach/Gobus! It isn't even cheaper.

As you say, it is more about being a stopping service connecting Kilkenny/Waterford with Cork/Dublin on either end.

I've seen some with online tickets doing Red Cow to Cork a few times. I don't envy them!

belfast stephen

punisher5112 wrote: »

That's because they're fighting to make money on it with such competition....

It's why they're constantly putting the new coaches when they get them straight on it.

The belfast route seems to be doing quiet well can be very busy at weekend's with extra coaches needed there are enough people travel between Belfast and Dublin for ulsterbus/BE/ Aircoach and D.C. to get a share of the pie

bk

Nigel Fairservice wrote: »

You'd be surprised. I've seen loads of people get on in Cork and ask for tickets to Dublin. Some of the drivers explain that they'd be better off getting the Aircoach or Gobus (I've still seen people ignore the advice) and other drivers don't bother and just sell them the ticket.

Mad people! I suppose if you were going to the Red Cow, might be handy, but still....

I do have a friend who did something similar. We invited her down to Cork for the Jazz weekend, told her to get the GoBE (as it was at the time), she says she left at x hour, so we said we would meet her when she arrived. The GoBE arrived and no sign of her, we call her and ask where she is, she said she is still on the bus! Turns out she booked the BE x8 rather then the GoBE!

She had just googled for it and the BE had popped up and she booked. No harm in the end, she booked one way back on the GoBE despite having a return on BE.

I suppose a lot of non frequent travellers could similarly end up on BE or DC, depending on how they search and not knowing the options. Poor folks. I hope no one has ever opted to go Citylink Dublin - Galway - Limerick - Cork! :eek:

road_high

Nigel Fairservice wrote: »

You'd be surprised. I've seen loads of people get on in Cork and ask for tickets to Dublin. Some of the drivers explain that they'd be better off getting the Aircoach or Gobus (I've still seen people ignore the advice) and other drivers don't bother and just sell them the ticket.

They do seem to be sticking the “good” buses on the M9 route more lately but I never seem to be lucky enough to get on one, it’s always been the old Setra boneshakers unfortunately

road_high

Nigel Fairservice wrote: »

You'd be surprised. I've seen loads of people get on in Cork and ask for tickets to Dublin. Some of the drivers explain that they'd be better off getting the Aircoach or Gobus (I've still seen people ignore the advice) and other drivers don't bother and just sell them the ticket.

Not tying to lower the tone but if they practically need a comfort break, do people do this in Waterford at whatever hotel it stops at and is there a few minutes stop off there? For four hours plus this has to be a consideration as the old Setras don’t have toilets

devnull

belfast stephen wrote: »

The belfast route seems to be doing quiet well can be very busy at weekend's with extra coaches needed there are enough people travel between Belfast and Dublin for ulsterbus/BE/ Aircoach and D.C. to get a share of the pie

Easy to get customers when you piggy back on someones elses investment running within 5 minutes of them in a way that would never be allowed by a regulator in this country if the route was fully in this country. Aircoach built the market up and they thought they'd have a slice of that now somebody else has done the investment to drum up patronage and bore start-up costs. No time for UK style bus wars.

It would be extremely bad for the industry if Dublin Coach won the war on that particular route because unlike the other operators on the route, Dublin Coach has pretty much threw everything at that corridor whilst having neglected it's patrons on other routes for years with vehicles that are well past their best. Aircoach and most other operators tend to invest in their service as a whole rather than concentrating on one route.

Also lets not forget that Dublin Coach have been prosecuted by the Road Safety Authority in the past which revealed serious and systematic non-compliance with the European Communities (Road Transport)( Working Conditions and Road Safety) Regulations 2008. The RSA also said that Operators in breach of drivers’ hours requirements are also profiting from undercutting compliant operators, which I'm sure you will agree, is not a good thing.

Their staff are happy too, apparently.
https://ie.indeed.com/cmp/Dublin-Coach/reviews

wetoutside19

devnull wrote: »

Easy to get customers when you piggy back on someones elses investment running within 5 minutes of them in a way that would never be allowed by a regulator in this country if the route was fully in this country. Aircoach built the market up and they thought they'd have a slice of that now somebody else has done the investment to drum up patronage and bore start-up costs. No time for UK style bus wars.

It would be extremely bad for the industry if Dublin Coach won the war on that particular route because unlike the other operators on the route, Dublin Coach has pretty much threw everything at that corridor whilst having neglected it's patrons on other routes for years with vehicles that are well past their best. Aircoach and most other operators tend to invest in their service as a whole rather than concentrating on one route.

Also lets not forget that Dublin Coach have been prosecuted by the Road Safety Authority in the past which revealed serious and systematic non-compliance with the European Communities (Road Transport)( Working Conditions and Road Safety) Regulations 2008. The RSA also said that Operators in breach of drivers’ hours requirements are also profiting from undercutting compliant operators, which I'm sure you will agree, is not a good thing.

Their staff are happy too, apparently.
https://ie.indeed.com/cmp/Dublin-Coach/reviews

While I agree that some if their fleet should simply not be on the road I say fair play to Dublin coach on this one. Aircoach are more than happy to play in the unregulated field by using UK registered buses and UK bus drivers on the Dublin Belfast route so it’s a bit rich tacking Dublin coach on their behaviour.

I rather my spending money benefits the Irish state and Irish bus drivers rather than London’s coffers.

punisher5112

wetoutside19 wrote: »

While I agree that some if their fleet should simply not be on the road I say fair play to Dublin coach on this one. Aircoach are more than happy to play in the unregulated field by using UK registered buses and UK bus drivers on the Dublin Belfast route so it’s a bit rich tacking Dublin coach on their behaviour.

I rather my spending money benefits the Irish state and Irish bus drivers rather than London’s coffers.

But Ulster bus runs a service too.
There are trains also...

I wouldn't give DC a cent of my money....

How they are passing cvrt I'd love to know.

Drifter50

punisher5112 wrote: »

But Ulster bus runs a service too.
There are trains also...

I wouldn't give DC a cent of my money....

How they are passing cvrt I'd love to know.

DOE inspections are quite regulated and approach a vehicle from the safety perspective,not from whether its gleaming shiny or new. So long as the safety boxes are ticked, the age or clean condition does`nt count. Not really relevant to the inspector / mechanic

So the Aircoach`s get a daily wash, might be disguising an underlying issue

devnull

wetoutside19 wrote: »

While I agree that some if their fleet should simply not be on the road I say fair play to Dublin coach on this one. Aircoach are more than happy to play in the unregulated field by using UK registered buses and UK bus drivers on the Dublin Belfast route so it’s a bit rich tacking Dublin coach on their behaviour.

I rather my spending money benefits the Irish state and Irish bus drivers rather than London’s coffers.

The route is a cross border route. If your having that argument then people in Belfast could have same argument about not using Dublin coach.

Having depot and drivers based on both sides of the border is very sensible in terms of service recovery and dealing with disruption and you'll find all the revenue if you book a ticket with them is going to the ROI arm.

The Bus Eireann and Ulsterbus route is also a joint operation which is also operationally far easier than having whole service based in one country. With Brexit on the horizon that will be even more the case.

If country of some of vehicles is more important to you than other factors then fair enough. Personally the Road Safety Authority's judgement and other factors would worry me more than that.

devnull

Drifter50 wrote: »

DOE inspections are quite regulated and approach a vehicle from the safety perspective,not from whether its gleaming shiny or new. So long as the safety boxes are ticked, the age or clean condition does`nt count. Not really relevant to the inspector / mechanic

So the Aircoach`s get a daily wash, might be disguising an underlying issue

Who are Dublin Coach vehicles maintained by? Most of the work on aircoach vehicles is done by Irish commercials like most Volvo customers in Ireland. Aircoach only do minor stuff themselves.