Dublin Coach Experience Discussion Thread

AX612

Them sprinter vans should not be on the Dundrum to Airport service what so ever!

The only route they are suitable for is the Kildare to Portarlington service which funny enough gets Citaros more often than not and they have luggage racks and standing passengers space!

Good luck to that person tagging them on Twitter, they barley use it but it still doesn't change the fact that it's a disgrace!

Chun the Unavoidable

saw a dublin coach on the M7 pulling in on the down sliproad at the Kildare Junction southbound not looking very well, this was about 22.00-22.30 time it was on the 300 service. as i approached it started up again then pulled in again.

TheWonderLlama

New fleet for dublin coach landed.

https://imgur.com/GdVmadb

p_haugh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122180070#Comment_122180070

Passed one of the Scania Avayats double decker coaches on the 750 towards the airport yesterday evening.

More than likely pure coincidence, but I'm hoping it's the start of them giving the 750 more attention 🤞

TravelCounty

Is there anything the NTA can do about DC?

I understand most of its routes aren’t PSO but I speculate that it’s likely the existence of the “24hr every hour 726” dissuades the NTA at looking at expanding in the areas it operates in. On paper, it looks like these areas have a regular and dependable bus service.

The route to the airport and Red Cow is very useful but to be honest, in its current state, the 726 can never be relied upon and is a terrible commuter service.

Jameslee23

this is on the 181

soundman45

For one thing it stops Kildare getting a 24hr service on the 126

bureau2009

It's not astonishing that a public transport service can be so bad.

What is astonishing is that nothing is done about it. Where are the NTA? Are they afraid of Dublin Coach?

Jameslee23

I wouldn’t say they’re afraid probably just don’t want to be bothered with all the paperwork

AX612

They're using a 12 reg Setra on the 726 the last few days that's an upgrade in my eyes! 🤣

They've put two of the newer Scania deckers on the 726 last night and this morning, yeno they're getting bad when they put them on the 726! they were strictly for the 300 and 600 when new

With all that said - the Vanhool has been missing the last couple of days.. is the Vanhool era coming to an end?

Jameslee23

maybe if so there going to need to replace them this summer I hope

AX612

The NTA have advised that the 310 Limerick City Service is out for tender...

p_haugh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122203859#Comment_122203859

That lines up, they only gave it to Dublin Coach as a "temporary" 2 year tender back in 2022

Jameslee23

I can’t find any pictures of depo anywhere much got taken down

AX612

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122204364#Comment_122204364

Plus I doubt Dublin Coach will bother trying to improve the service or buy new buses for the service ect as they know they're going to loose it anyways

dublinman1990

Do Bus Eireann have an interest in applying for the tender of the 310 in Limerick or not?

devnull

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122208756#Comment_122208756

I would suggest that they are in a very good position to do so, can't see there being a lot of bidders.

Jameslee23

I really hope go ahead. He’s also going to start coming on the 726 route as well.

Jamie2k9

Is there evidence that 310 has operational issues with under DC in Limerick?

I can't see BE investing heaivily in such a route either if they win the tender.

AX612

Story time for you all

So, I got the 20:30 726 from Portlaoise to Red Cow tonight - it was a brown Setra which had 2 + 1 seating, it was basically a tour spec. Anyways, overall this particular Setra was grand, driver was good and friendly and the bus itself didn't give much trouble - if only it was all like this!

Anyways, I got to Red Cow and there was another usual green Setra sitting there presumably on the 726 (08-KE reg). It started making this crackling sound shortly after I got off the other bus and it turned out to be the fan belt which had been torn to absolutely shreds and was practically useless! it also started leaking oil too. There was a few staff members around the interchange from Dublin Coach and one of them went down and opened the engine cover to revel the absolute state that this heap of junk is in!

I've traveled on this particular Setra before on the 726 and the gearbox is essentially finished in it - resulting in drivers having to shift the gears manually!

But yea - nothing new from Dublin Coach there 😅 the King Long also broke down earlier today surprise surprise 🙃

Jameslee23

the 08 should’ve been taken off the road years ago i’m hoping it’s gonna be gone like what’s happened to the double-deckers

devnull

There's no reason a vehicle from 2008 still can't be on the road if it has had TLC.

AX612

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122213591#Comment_122213591

Exactly. Sure Kearns have a 2001 coach still on the road in great condition and Collins Tours still have a 99 Vanhool still knocking about on service work too!

Jameslee23

the road was closed tonight at Junction 14 due to head on collision and the bus had to go the back way into Monasterevin by the secondary school to get to the bus stop

Jameslee23

I asked one of the drivers and ask what’s the story with the double-deckers as they haven’t been on the road in a few weeks and the response was they fucked and I was asking is there going to be any replacements and they said they’re just gonna keep using the coaches instead

devnull

Are we talking about the almost new Scania Ayat deckers or the older ones?

Jameslee23

the older ones cause the 2022 ones are mostly for the 300 and 600

AX612

Yea I'd imagine he means the ex Stagecoach Vanhools. The remaining 4 are all sitting up around the depot with bits missing off them and what not. I've said this before but I think it's safe to say - they're finished using them now. They'll probably stick the Ayats on the 726 more and more at some stage knowing them 🤣

AX612

Got a 12-KE Setra on the 726 this afternoon. Interior was filthy and in very bad shape and the air conditioning was just non existent. It was very warm and stuffy with the smell of the toilet eventually adding to the heat 🤢

Jameslee23

from next year the oldest buses they have is the 132 sprinter van