BusConnects Dublin - Big changes to Bus Network

The Dublin Bus brand is our identifying mark for customers and a symbol of unity for our employees. It is a major component of Dublin Bus and an iconic brand, widely recognised throughout the greater Dublin area, GDA, and further afield. The brand is a notable part of the GDA and illustrates the unified mission of Dublin Bus of providing an effective public service with an enhanced customer experience that drives its purpose as a brand and an organisation. The company’s most recent independent tracker research illustrates that satisfaction with Dublin Bus as a brand is increasing continually among its customers. The continued growth in customer satisfaction and journeys is testament to the quality of the brand. The Dublin Bus brand unites employees internally under a common goal of serving our customers and underpins the company’s corporate social responsibility activity and community initiatives.

The Senator asked a very interesting question about the NTA, buses and branding and so on. It is a very important question because it comes down to the whole idea of what kind of bus company we want in Dublin. Dublin Bus will be there for some considerable time regardless of what policy changes are made. The question always arises about the nature of it. The Dublin Bus brand is very important to us and we use it in all our marketing. People talk about livery but we never do. Instead we talk about branding, marketing and positioning. It is very important to us to protect that brand and it is very important it is there into the future. What happened in London is often cited.

They had different operators but kept the red buses. My humble submission is that whatever changes happen, please keep the Dublin Bus colours. They are very important to the company, and are also a very valuable asset to the State. It is valued at €28 million and could go up over the next few years, depending on expansion, to €33 million.

We are talking about the efficient use of assets. An asset of the State cannot just be given away. It is important to protect the brand, and one of the principal duties of the board is to protect the assets of the State and get the maximum value for them. Notwithstanding that, we have been engaged with the NTA. Dublin Bus has been driving this, because it has the expertise in branding. It set up a brand room, which everyone, including Ministers and officials from the Department, wanted to see, showing what a new branding concept for Dublin Bus, which would protect the brand and the value that it has, would look like, and presented the idea of a new, innovative and modern service. Dublin Bus is not afraid of change or of looking at branding, but it is going to protect its assets.

Stephen15 wrote: »

TFL allow individual bus operators display their own company logos on the red livery maybe the NTA could allow DB, BE or GA display their logos secondary to the NTA logos

Also back when First bus were in the London bus market they seemed to tailor the 'generic' red livery considerably I wonder will DB or GA try similar.

Stephen15 wrote: »

I wonder will the NTA also be taking control of staff uniforms for the various different transport companies contracted to them. Apparently the were looking at generic uniforms for taxi drivers a number of years ago I don't if this is still the case but maybe they are planning something simiar for bus workers.