The Dublin Coach Experience

Jamie2k9

Third new double decker has started on the M9 route.

Anyone know how many of them they have? I think the M9 need 5 coaches to operate the schedule.

mailspaining

Looking at using public transport for a Kilkenny-Cork single and looks like Dublin Coach are the only game in town. How much am I likely to regret this? Are the pick ups in Kilkenny any way punctual?

Jamie2k9

There schedule is reliable with the exception of peak traffic. Use there real time on the app to see where bus is.

devnull

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118837072#Comment_118837072

Following are the ones I am aware of

• 221KE1605
• 221KE1606
• 221KE1607
• 221KE1608
• 221KE1609
• 221KE1610
• 221KE1611
• 221KE2311
• 221KE2312
• 221KE2313

d51984

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118858640#Comment_118858640

And theres me thinking there was only one. According to a post on FB 10 in service, 2 more coming. I wonder what wrecks these will replace. How in the name of god can they afford funding for these? The owner is in the Horse racing business so maybe hes doing well there.

Nigel Fairservice

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118853219#Comment_118853219

They're never on tiime for Kilkenny to Cork!

road_high

18.00 pm M9 service over 40 minutes late this evening leaving Dublin. Not a word of apology, and just to make things even better they switch buses at the Red Cow for reasons only known to themselves.

You’d imagine 6 pm Friday you’d stick on one of the new more spacious buses too. Not Dublin coach, that would be too much like logic for them.

road_high

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118859188#Comment_118859188

If they leave Dublin or Cork actually on time and don’t piss around at the red cow they’ll be on time. That’s a big If though

Quackster

17:30 Tralee-Dublin last Friday broke down on the M7. Over twenty minutes in the hard shoulder of the motorway with passengers on board while trucks sped past mere feet away at 90kph causing the bus to shake.

All the while the driver was running in and out of the toilet filling a water bottle which he presumably was using to top up the engine coolant following instructions he was receiving over the phone.

Fortunately the bus got going again eventually... 🙄

mailspaining

Had asked here recently. Got the coach Kilkenny to Cork. 20 minutes late picking up in Kilkenny and overall arrived 45 minutes late in Cork. Coach was clean and pretty new (though the cream seats look dated already) and the driver was sound but it seems like he'd a lot to keep on top of.

road_high

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118900973#Comment_118900973

Our guy actually pulled into the hard shoulder near Avoca on the N7 too (as if we weren’t late enough)- assume to check something. Was only for a minute though but still very dangerous if non emergency. Seems to be their motto “sure take a chance”?

road_high

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118853219#Comment_118853219

They have a tracker app that works most of the time (surprisingly) and is much accurate than their timetable. You can see where your bus is

Nigel Fairservice

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118901147#Comment_118901147

I got the Kilkenny - Cork last Thursday at 5.40. The bus was only 15 minutes late picking up in Kilkenny. That wasn't a too bad of a delay by Dublin Coach standards. On Friday evenings the bus is regularly 30 minutes late.

patrickc

Saw one of the new deckers today a headlight bulb out already on it!

road_high

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118901390#Comment_118901390

I often get it from Dublin to Kilkenny and if they keep to the schedule i.e. leave on the dot and don't stop at the Red Cow for a big chat with colleagues it can run to schedule. A few times it's even been slightly ahead i.e. 1 hr 35 mins to Kilkenny.

If their timetable was more frequent it would be less of an issue, but only every two hours leaves you stuck waiting. Have they ever said they'd increase the M9 route frequency? One very early morning service and one that arrives after 9 am to Dublin is a bit rubbish.

patrickc

Was on the m9 today so couldn't get a pic as driving, but passed one of the new deckers with massive dents and scratches on the back right, also with a missing headlight

d51984

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118949462#Comment_118949462

I said a month... what do I win lol

Nick6

I wish I had seen this thread before buying a ticket for Dublin Coach. I was going from Red Cow to Limerick University yesterday but waited over 40 mins and no sign of any bus so I ended up driving because I had to be down there for an appointment. Reading the comments here this doesn't seem too unusual?! I got on to customer service looking for a refund but they refused because even though the bus was delayed, they still provided the service? I'm sorry I bought the ticket online and didn't just wait to pay on board and I'd still have my €20.

road_high

I got this to the airport this week and what a mistake that was. As the bus from cork was (of course) very late to Kilkenny it missed the connecting bus to the airport- now that there’s no Dundrum service this means the next one is only every hour. Which is useless. Better off just go into the city centre and get a connection there rather than wasting time in the wind swept car park of the red cow.

If it’s just 5 mins late you possibly miss the connecting airport bus- wasn’t a problem before as the Dundrum one was very frequent and there’d always be another along soon

Gearoidk

It seems there is a possible rebrand coming our way. Did you notice some of the new double deckers are being branded as “The Big Green Bus”

patrickc

Yes I noticed that today also

Glaceon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119233950#Comment_119233950

Probably not too surprising, most people I've dealt with call them "the green bus" anyway.

road_high

Saw one in Kilkenny yesterday with no branding at all on it.

road_high

Any sign of the dundrum service coming back?

d51984

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119257747#Comment_119257747

Driver shortage everywhere so I would not hold my breath. Most company's struggling to cover routes as it is.

devnull

Statement from Dublin Coach on suspension of routes 307/308

As a result of Routes 307/308 (Limerick City to University of Limerick and Annacotty) being excluded from the 20% Fares reduction scheme announced by Minister Eamon Ryan combined with rising fuel costs these routes will be temporarily suspended with effect from close of business on Friday July 8th. We hope to resume when normal market conditions are restored. We regret any inconvenience caused.

I assume that Dublin Coach are implying that they feel in their opinion the 20% discount on Bus Eireann services in the city are making their services unviable because of rising costs.

Citrus_8

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119280911#Comment_119280911

Very typical of Dublin Coach to blame others but being blind to their own incompetence. What's surprising that they're still managing to stay in market. Even though the way they do business is a bit shady. I wish to see someone else replacing them.

Jamie2k9

What has happened to the new double deckers. Saw 4 diagrams on M9 today and all back to the old scrap!

Hope they have not withdrawn to operate other routes. I think the route only needs 5 coaches so not a good sign if 4 were old buses.

devnull

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119283806#Comment_119283806

Honestly I think the NTA should deal with stuff like this, leaving whole populations without a bus service like some of the sections of these routes which do not have any alternatives is simply unacceptable.

If they don't want to operate the bus service on these sections, then the NTA should ensure that PSO routes are extended to service the areas in questions. Honestly I think the people of Limerick would probably be better off anyway if Dublin Coach pulled out and new services replaced them as part of the Limerick City bus network. I really don't think having commercial operators operate standard urban routes within cities is a good thing when the vast majority are part of a PSO network.

Citrus_8

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119291342#Comment_119291342

I very much agree with you on this!