Gobus not taking Travel pass customers anymore

They take pride in advertising "Fully Irish Owned" over its competitors but won't accept Irish citizens based on Ageism or Disability? The Department will still pay bus companies for the allowing them so it not like they are loosing out

Thats where you are wrong as they will lose out as social welfare pay buttons to operators that accept passes.

rita1980 wrote: »

But that is not very nice to the customers that have been going to them for years...like my mom and dad... and my mother has to go to Dublin for doctor appointments..they cant be doing bad if they are going to be starting new services and now just forgetting about there regular customers

DSP passengers are not "customers", as such - the regularity or not of how often they use the service does not impact on the operators income at all.

bmaxi wrote: »

At the same time, with the exception of those new routes, private operators shouldn't be able to cherrypick which routes they will accept DSP passes on, they're either in or out; otherwise it would amount to taxpayer subvention.
To use a well loved political cliché, "in the greater scheme of things", the free travel scheme doesn't cost much to administer compared to the benefit it returns, buses and trains would still run and cost the same. There is a case for better policing of the scheme but to cut it altogether when other EU countries operate one would be political suicide.

It,s not cherry-picking as I see it.

The reality is the DSP's Free Travel Scheme has for a long time now been in freefall.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=76403523

As long as it was easily concealable within the fiscal relationship between the CIE Group and the Government,all was well.

However,given the new-reality of increased Private Sector involvement in a new liberalized PT market,the game was up.

The old methodology of an annual meeting between a Government Department and a State Sponsored Body to divvy out the Free Travel monies simply could not work any longer.

This latest development is but the first public manifestation of the new Irish reality.

The era of Free-Stuff is rapidly ending,and it's replacement will in Public Transport terms most likely be a "Concessionary" arrangement,with only the most deserving recieving FREE travel,and ALL others being required to mmake a contribution.

It is well worth noting that the Irish Free Travel scheme is somewhat unique in the scale of FREE useage available to it's 726,000 members.

Referring to other EU countries and political suicide is in fact exactly what's neded IF our National Scheme is to actually survive at all.

Most other EU countries tend to operate Concession schemes funded in a variety of ways,with few having the Totally Free at Point of Use scheme operated by the DSP.

The DSP is between a rock and a hard place,it's funding is almost totally coming now from outside sources,whom are now asking questions about the use their monies are being put to.

In a State of approximately 3,000,000 Adults,the paymasters are curious as to how 726,000 of these are entitled to completely Free use of ALL State sponsored Public Transport.

A ratio of approximately 25% is VERY high to Europeans used to only their War Vetrans having a similar entitlement to our masses.

It's interesting to note the relative surprise being expressed here,because the Free Travel Scheme has been steadily and quite obviously in freefall for some time now.

It will simultaneously cause some degree of reflection amongst those who perhaps see unrestricted privatization and competition as the prime method of Improving public transport in Ireland.

Interesting times ahead

foggy_lad wrote: »

726,000 issued passes includes all passes issued to children and adults as well as all passes issued to persons now deceased. and passes issued to carers.

Add to this the number of "homemade/forged" passes which could easily be removed with the proper participation of staff of the transport companies who should be made more familiar with the pass so as to be better able to spot fakes.

Is there no end to it.....:o

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Policy/ResearchSurveysAndStatistics/Documents/2011stats.pdf

The figure of 726,000.....

Refers to the number of persons in respect of whom travel passes have been issued.

So presumably,it covers all individuals for whom the DSP picks up the tab including Spouses,Partners and Companions.

The Free Travel Scheme is a Department of Social Protection initiative.
The Document was designed by the DSP and is the property of the DSP.
I am unaware of what resources the DSP put into monitoring the use and security of THEIR OWN system,however it does not appear to come remotely near the resources being deployed by Dublin Bus to deal with Free Travel Pass misuse.

As a Busdriver,I apply as much time and effort as I can reasonably allocate to this task,however,in order to comply withy Foggy_Lads definition of "proper participation" I would then have to significantly discommode the travel arrangements of my Ticket Purchasing pasengers,something which I feel would be counterproductive to retaining THEIR business.

Whilst Foggy_Lad continues to amble along humming a seemingly endless tune about Public Transport staff and their equally endles shortcomings,he appears to be blind to what is now going to happen with the DSP Free Travel Scheme.

The Aircoach/GoBE move represents the first major contraction of the DSP's Free Travel Scheme and if it passes uneventfully we can expect further rapid withdrawals from it.

However,sad though it may be for Foggy_Lad,the responsibility lies with the proprietors of the scheme......;)

JustMary wrote: »

On the Galway-Dublin route, they will continue to get free rides - even if they happen to be receiving substantial occupational pension, state pension and income from private investments.

I was wrong.

GoBus have not announced it in the media or their website, but there are signs on the front of the buses saying that their participation in the free-travel scheme is under review, and that they will cease accepting it on 1 September 2012.

I tried taking a pic, but only had the phone and a difficult angle, so it did not come out well.

The T&C on their website delicately says (boldness mine):

Concessionary Travel Scheme
Where a Evobus and Coach Ltd. T/A GoBus service is part of a Free Travel Scheme, on presentation of a valid Department of Social and Family Affairs Free Travel Pass, the holder, and companion where appropriate, will be entitled to travel free of charge.

Despite this unwillingness to accept free-passes, the bus I was on yesterday was pretty close to full, and the passengers included a number of older people.