Once-weekly rural buses

danm14

There are many Bus Eireann PSO services which run only once weekly. They provide a valuable transport link to the people of rural communities, like the many Local Link services.

One of the problems with running a service once weekly is that without altering the timetable, several services each year will not operate due to holidays. This obviously has much more of an impact than where a route runs daily or several times weekly.

For example, any service which operates only on Mondays loses at least five services per year to bank holidays. Most significantly, services which operate on the same day as Christmas Day (Tuesday this year) see two consecutive weeks with no service due to Christmas Day and New Year's Day - a 21 day gap between services.

Like in most areas served by Local Link buses, these once-weekly Bus Eireann services are often the only public transport available, and many rely on them. Considering this, should the NTA alter the PSO contract so that where possible, once-weekly services should either run on holidays or run on an alternative day (depending on what is appropriate for the particular holiday)?

Isambard

running them on another day is probably not possible as the vehicle and driver will be operating another route that day. Would there actually be any passengers if it ran on the Bank Holiday?

Losty Dublin

Quite a few of those one day a week routes were to bring passengers to and from marts and markets and other local events. Perhaps these events don't take place on public holidays and won't require a service.

GM228

Isambard wrote: »

running them on another day is probably not possible as the vehicle and driver will be operating another route that day. Would there actually be any passengers if it ran on the Bank Holiday?

Most of the once a week services are operated by the schools fleet and the non BE drivers who work the schools services, it's part of their contract.

There would be no issue at this time of the year for bus availability, as for driver availability, that could be an issue.

Isambard

i was under the impression that BE school buses were driven by BE drivers.

L1011

Isambard wrote: »

i was under the impression that BE school buses were driven by BE drivers.

A huge amount of the BE schools services are contracted out entirely

GM228

Isambard wrote: »

i was under the impression that BE school buses were driven by BE drivers.

To clarify, as L1011 pointed out most (around 90%) of services are contracted. The remaining are operated by BE staff who are temporary and only contracted to operate the schools services (and the weekly services), they are not regular BE staff who operate other services.

Isambard

L1011 wrote: »

A huge amount of the BE schools services are contracted out entirely

yes I know that's why I said BE school buses. Obviously private run buses aren't driven by BE staff, but their own buses are driven by their own staff. I'd call them part-time rather than temporary, but I haven't seen their contracts

Victor

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Quite a few of those one day a week routes were to bring passengers to and from marts and markets and other local events. Perhaps these events don't take place on public holidays and won't require a service.

And local courts.