Dublin Coach Experience Discussion Thread

devnull · 24-12-2018 4:58pm

Old diesel wrote: »

All the reg checker shows is that the reg checked has been through a test.

It tells us nothing about how deligently the test was done.

I think experience shows us that the likes of Callinan Coaches for Citylink, Gobus and Gobe under Jim Burke - and the Kavanagh outfits - JJ Kavanagh, Pierce Kavanagh, Bernard Kavanagh run coaches to a superior standard.

Youve also go Bus Fada, McGuinley in Donegal, Collins from up around Monaghan and Matthews who are north East based - all running regional routes into main citys from the area they are based

Apart from GoBe - NONE of the above have a Bus Eireann connection.

Bernard Kavanagh and Callinan's reputation especially speak for themselves. Those two operators are the go to people for charter vehicles, hire in work, and relief coach contracting. You don't get a customer book as big as they have, without being a quality operator. They also purchase well spec'd vehicles as well.

Dublin Coach would tend to buy second hand vehicles mostly on the used market and would therefore maintain them in-house, where the other bigger privates, such as Aircoach, Bernard Kavanagh and others, would only do minor stuff on their vehicles and as part of the lease or purchase price, they would take out a maintenance and spares contract with Volvo, Mercedes etc.

Maintenance and spares does cost more, obviously, but the good thing about it is that you are getting the best quality work done from the people who built the vehicle and obviously it reduces the temptation to try and skimp on things to save a bit of cash, since every time you have an issue you send it off to a dealer who takes cares of it to the highest standards.

Irish Commercials didn't open a new centre in Santry for nothing, it was picked deliberately because of the fact you have Eirebus and Aircoach up there, both of which are big Volvo customers as well as the obvious Dublin Bus and HGV trade.

embraer170 · 25-12-2018 1:26am

devnull wrote: »

I'm guessing you've used the Belfast route only?

The M7 Express service is not bad either, except for a totally unrealistic timetable (especially after Limerick).

Quackster · 25-12-2018 11:51am

embraer170 wrote: »

The M7 Express service is not bad either, except for a totally unrealistic timetable (especially after Limerick).

I use this service semi-regularly and generally it's fine. But some of the coaches operating it are pretty ****e and, yeah, the timetable takes absolutely no account of normal traffic variations during the course of the day.

Truckermal · 17-01-2019 8:27pm

A mate passed one on the M7 yesterday crawling along in lane 1 obviously in limp mode...

WishUWereHere · 20-01-2019 12:47pm

Quackster wrote: »

I use this service semi-regularly and generally it's fine. But some of the coaches operating it are pretty ****e and, yeah, the timetable takes absolutely no account of normal traffic variations during the course of the day.

This could explain why I saw one the other day belting down the M50 southbound, and at the very last moment shot across from the 2nd from outside lane to go onto the N7, where he shot onto the N7 on the outside lane...and then caused many to jam on their brakes to get over to the far left to go to the RC Luas Stop.

They really think they own the road.:rolleyes:

Quackster · 20-01-2019 2:40pm

Saw a 142 KE reg broken down around half four Friday afternoon on the roundabout on the Limerick side of Newcastle West. Didn't exactly help the traffic! The driver seemed to be enjoying himself directing the traffic though...

Grandad99 · 20-01-2019 6:36pm

Truckermal wrote: »

A mate passed one on the M7 yesterday crawling along in lane 1 obviously in limp mode...

Yeah, I passed that to, usually they pass me.

I was thinking at the time, this is the first time ever that I have passed a moving Dublin Coach, up till now I have only been able to pass broken down or on fire Dublin Coaches.

_Kaiser_ · 20-01-2019 6:56pm

I dunno. I have yet to see one broken down, but they are mostly in very poor condition (although the newer Mercedes look OK) and the driving standards are very poor for sure.

Eric Cartman · 20-01-2019 7:00pm

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

I dunno. I have yet to see one broken down, but they are mostly in very poor condition (although the newer Mercedes look OK) and the driving standards are very poor for sure.

Theyve a yard just off the long mile road where they have all their busses and half a scrap yard of parts for them. Mechanics working all day to just about keep the busses running, i think their idea of maintenance is 'as cheap as possible' approach.

AndrewJRenko · 20-01-2019 10:03pm

WishUWereHere wrote: »

This could explain why I saw one the other day belting down the M50 southbound, and at the very last moment shot across from the 2nd from outside lane to go onto the N7, where he shot onto the N7 on the outside lane...and then caused many to jam on their brakes to get over to the far left to go to the RC Luas Stop.

They really think they own the road.:rolleyes:

I was coming southbound on the M50 at 7.15pm this evening, behind one of their buses 04D reg. He indicated to pull off at Knocklyon, which confused me a little. At the last minute, he pulled back into the carriageway crossing the hatched area in the process. I moved past him in traffic.

As we approached the Ballinteer junction, he came up behind me. At the 500m warning sign, he seemed frustrated that I was only doing the speed limit, so he pulled out, moved past me and 3 or 4 other cars and cut back into the line.

Just seemed like fairly crap driving for a professional driver.

colm_mcm · 23-01-2019 2:39pm

Another day, another breakdown. This time approaching a busy roundabout in Limerick.

Old diesel · 23-01-2019 6:57pm

Is that one of the modern Mercs????

colm_mcm · 23-01-2019 8:38pm

Old diesel wrote: »

Is that one of the modern Mercs????

I’m not a bus person, but as far as I know it’s a Mercedes Tourismo pre 2014

Drifter50 · 23-01-2019 8:55pm

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

I was coming southbound on the M50 at 7.15pm this evening, behind one of their buses 04D reg. He indicated to pull off at Knocklyon, which confused me a little. At the last minute, he pulled back into the carriageway crossing the hatched area in the process. I moved past him in traffic.

As we approached the Ballinteer junction, he came up behind me. At the 500m warning sign, he seemed frustrated that I was only doing the speed limit, so he pulled out, moved past me and 3 or 4 other cars and cut back into the line.

Just seemed like fairly crap driving for a professional driver.

Not unusual for DC, Im afraid. They continually rattle along the M50 fast lane

punisher5112 · 23-01-2019 9:21pm

Old diesel wrote: »

Is that one of the modern Mercs????

Yes it's 2014 model up to date.

Eric Cartman · 23-01-2019 9:37pm

punisher5112 wrote: »

Yes it's 2014 model up to date.

I wouldnt go by reg plate personally. Ive yet to hear of them having a bus with less than 500,000km on it.

punisher5112 · 23-01-2019 9:48pm

Eric Cartman wrote: »

I wouldnt go by reg plate personally. Ive yet to hear of them having a bus with less than 500,000km on it.

But they got these new in 2014,2016,2017 and 2018.

They also have a Chinese nearly sure it's Chinese ...coach they bought new

Eric Cartman · 23-01-2019 9:58pm

punisher5112 wrote: »

But they got these new in 2014,2016,2017 and 2018.

They also have a Chinese nearly sure it's Chinese ...coach they bought new

I saw 2017 ones creeping in in 2018 but Id imagine they were touring coaches that went from the UK to europe back and forth and then were sold off after a year or 2, possibly repaired damaged ones.

I wouldnt have any faith in new chinese busses and reliability.

punisher5112 · 23-01-2019 10:00pm

Eric Cartman wrote: »

I saw 2017 ones creeping in in 2018 but Id imagine they were touring coaches that went from the UK to europe back and forth and then were sold off after a year or 2, possibly repaired damaged ones.

I wouldnt have any faith in new chinese busses and reliability.

All the tourismo ones they got new with.

The 1st batch were used for city tours and this brought a huge tax break with using them this way.

They have since been getting a number of new ones and putting them on the Belfast run as they are in a huge war with the first group Aircoach.

colm_mcm · 23-01-2019 10:16pm

Eric Cartman wrote: »

I saw 2017 ones creeping in in 2018 but Id imagine they were touring coaches that went from the UK to europe back and forth and then were sold off after a year or 2, possibly repaired damaged ones.

I wouldnt have any faith in new chinese busses and reliability.

I was talking to a local bus operator last year through work, he bought a few King Longs a few years ago and has mostly good stuff to say about them, he wouldn’t be nearly as demanding on buses with his line of work as Dublin Coach, but apart from some issues with exterior lights he said they’d been fine.

devnull · 23-01-2019 10:18pm

punisher5112 wrote: »

They have since been getting a number of new ones and putting them on the Belfast run as they are in a huge war with the first group Aircoach.

Indeed, they put brand new Tourismos on the Belfast route in 2017 when they launched against Aircoach and then replaced them with newer ones in 2018 and there is already talk of replacements soon.

The kind of timetable and competition they are running against Aircoach, 5 minutes behind them from Belfast from the same stop, the same time from Dublin City, would not be allowed on a domestic Irish route.

devnull · 23-01-2019 10:22pm

colm_mcm wrote: »

I was talking to a local bus operator last year through work, he bought a few King Longs a few years ago and has mostly good stuff to say about them, he wouldn’t be nearly as demanding on buses with his line of work as Dublin Coach, but apart from some issues with exterior lights he said they’d been fine.

The ones I have been on, have been shocking from a passenger point of view.

Seats clearly designed with short Chinese people in mind with terrible seat pitch, lots of tacky looking lights and leds that just look naff.

punisher5112 · 23-01-2019 10:23pm

colm_mcm wrote: »

I was talking to a local bus operator last year through work, he bought a few King Longs a few years ago and has mostly good stuff to say about them, he wouldn’t be nearly as demanding on buses with his line of work as Dublin Coach, but apart from some issues with exterior lights he said they’d been fine.

The one DC has is in bits.

Stephen15 · 23-01-2019 11:13pm

punisher5112 wrote: »

The 1st batch were used for city tours and this brought a huge tax break with using them this way.

They were fairly quickly taken off their tour work and replaced with 03 open tops. So much for "Luxury Sightseeing"

punisher5112 · 23-01-2019 11:15pm

Stephen15 wrote: »

They were fairly quickly taken off their tour work and replaced with 03 open tops. So much for "Luxury Sightseeing"

After 12 months this was the tax break I mentioned.

He was able to get them on the cheap then of course.

They ran empty most of the time.

Kamili · 24-01-2019 1:28pm

Was this these guys?

https://www.dublinlive.ie/live-updates-bus-bursts-huge-15723947?fbclid=IwAR2pwG96ULBF9c2j0M83nNnQkHTRgu-ckL7NPdt9HWbwFvRjBvG5vqFYeno

Emergency services have rushed to the scene just outside the Halfway House pub a video shows huge flames engulfing the bus.

The bus is reported to be a coach and not a Dublin Bus or Go-Ahead vehicle.

punisher5112 · 24-01-2019 7:44pm

It was a swords express coach.

BlackandGreen · 24-01-2019 10:03pm

spotted another one broken down on the m9 hard shoulder the other day.
Never travelled with them but this thread has convinced me to not consider them an option ever.

finnharpsboy · 25-01-2019 12:49pm

Another day another breakdown.... Nangor Road, just yards from the base

Old diesel · 25-01-2019 1:02pm

BlackandGreen wrote: »

spotted another one broken down on the m9 hard shoulder the other day.
Never travelled with them but this thread has convinced me to not consider them an option ever.

THIS.....

Someone whose only experience of private operator public transport is this crowd and a clapped out 2004 Setra will likely be anti privatisation of public bus/coach travel.

They are unlikely to buy into the idea that a different company like Callinan, or Bernard Kavanagh could deliver quality transport options.

Edit - going forward the challenge for public transport is showing it can be an attractive travel option for the people currently travelling in their cars.

In this regard - Dublin Coach are not really delivering

WishUWereHere · 26-01-2019 9:57pm

finnharpsboy wrote: »

Another day another breakdown.... Nangor Road, just yards from the base

Appears this breakdown is outside Diaggio, am I right? If so, litwerally on their own doorstep.

DC are both a joke and an embarassment to public transport in Ireland.

patrickc · 02-02-2019 12:35am

This was on their facebook page earlier, has anyone an idea what was going on?

Dear customers

Due a serious incident at Red Cow, all our services are being delayed at the moment.
Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

punisher5112 · 02-02-2019 12:37am

patrickc wrote: »

This was on their facebook page earlier, has anyone an idea what was going on?

Dear customers

Due a serious incident at Red Cow, all our services are being delayed at the moment.
Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

There was a truck that lost its load which was scaffolding poles.

Them there were crashes in places too.

dhaughton99 · 02-02-2019 1:00am

patrickc wrote: »

This was on their facebook page earlier, has anyone an idea what was going on?

Dear customers

Due a serious incident at Red Cow, all our services are being delayed at the moment.
Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

What time was that at? I walked past their depot at 10 and the Luas depot at 10:30 pm and didn’t notice anything.

punisher5112 · 02-02-2019 1:14am

dhaughton99 wrote: »

What time was that at? I walked past their depot at 10 and the Luas depot at 10:30 pm and didn’t notice anything.

See my post above, traffic was absolutely nuts, lanes closed etc..... This time it wasn't one of their buses on fire.

TheQuietFella · 02-02-2019 1:30am

punisher5112 wrote: »

There was a truck that lost its load which was scaffolding poles.

Them there were crashes in places too.

These guys should be severely fined for this!

soundman45 · 02-02-2019 11:39am

Talking to drivers that have worked for them it seems as a driver for Dublin Coach if you have an accident they will charge the driver €1000 to cover for damage. How on earth they get drivers to work for them I have no idea.

WishUWereHere · 02-02-2019 11:59am

soundman45 wrote: »

Talking to drivers that have worked for them it seems as a driver for Dublin Coach if you have an accident they will charge the driver €1000 to cover for damage. How on earth they get drivers to work for them I have no idea.

IF the 'company' does fine their drivers a grand ( & I have no reason to doubt You OP ), this makes me wonder how the 'drivers' drive the way they do with this '€1,000 umbrella' hanging over their heads.

...__... · 04-02-2019 3:22pm

141 KE King long arrived Friday all in clean white.
Just waiting for the cans of spray paint to come through ebay before they strip it down and paint it on the road

dhaughton99 · 04-02-2019 3:27pm

...__... wrote: »

141 KE King long arrived Friday all in clean white.
Just waiting for the cans of spray paint to come through ebay before they strip it down and paint it on the road

They seem to have two of these white ones. There’s one sitting outside the depot with it’s panels all open for the past week and another is doing the rounds from outside the Luas station. Also have a navy one doing the rounds. Not sure if they have it hired from someone.

Joegriffin2019 · 06-02-2019 11:27am

Competition from JJ Kavanagh on the way, all be it from Naas to Dublin.... hopefully this will force Dublin Coach to up their game.

https://www.kildarenow.com/news/new-24-hour-bus-service-go-head-head-naas-green-bus/267192?fbclid=IwAR2UGJWeAdV0NCLWMxbqR6QZzhe9IttcnJSaR9BndMtnBKufhyS2CIlWlfY

Timetable below, on the hour with coaches every half hour during peak periods, 10 euro one way Naas-Airport and 5 Euro Naas to Dublin City.

https://ticketbooking.jjkavanagh.ie/PromoPDF/Naas.pdf

devnull · 06-02-2019 11:36am

Joegriffin2019 wrote: »

Competition from JJ Kavanagh on the way, all be it from Naas to Dublin.... hopefully this will force Dublin Coach to up their game.

https://www.kildarenow.com/news/new-24-hour-bus-service-go-head-head-naas-green-bus/267192?fbclid=IwAR2UGJWeAdV0NCLWMxbqR6QZzhe9IttcnJSaR9BndMtnBKufhyS2CIlWlfY

Timetable below, on the hour with coaches every half hour during peak periods, 10 euro one way Naas-Airport and 5 Euro Naas to Dublin City.

https://ticketbooking.jjkavanagh.ie/PromoPDF/Naas.pdf

You will most likely see them throw resources at the route now, special offers and suchlike, and also newer vehicles, which they haven't done in years.

Although saying that it only goes head to head with them for some of the route so maybe they won't. Better stop locations in Dublin though.

However wasn't the route 123 part of the Go-Ahead contract for Naas routes?

Vic_08 · 06-02-2019 4:58pm

123 is the number used for the relatively infrequent BE service to Newbridge via Clane, Robertstown and Kilmeague. It should not be duplicated with another route, especially not one that will have pick-up stops on the same roads.

The NTA really are a bunch of incompetent clowns.

This route is going to primarily be abstractive to the BE 126 City-Naas route which is a PSO route, what possible justification is there in licencing it?

devnull · 06-02-2019 5:17pm

Vic_08 wrote: »

123 is the number used for the relatively infrequent BE service to Newbridge via Clane, Robertstown and Kilmeague. It should not be duplicated with another route, especially not one that will have pick-up stops on the same roads.

The NTA really are a bunch of incompetent clowns.

This route is going to primarily be abstractive to the BE 126 City-Naas route which is a PSO route, what possible justification is there in licencing it?

Interestingly the 123 is one of the routes that is supposed to be transferring to Go-Ahead as well and that is supposed to be a Dublin to Naas route under the proposals of what the tender involved, so that raises more questions.

The idea of having two routes with the same numbers covering almost identical areas is a bit stupid though, but maybe there is something that we are missing here, I guess we will have to wait and see.

In other news, Dublin Coach are set to start operating on a new route between Dublin Airport and Clongriffin according to what I have heard - although one has to wonder if they will cancel those plans now if they're about to get some competition on their Naas route.

Odyssey 2005 · 06-02-2019 5:35pm

Joegriffin2019 wrote: »

Competition from JJ Kavanagh on the way, all be it from Naas to Dublin.... hopefully this will force Dublin Coach to up their game.

https://www.kildarenow.com/news/new-24-hour-bus-service-go-head-head-naas-green-bus/267192?fbclid=IwAR2UGJWeAdV0NCLWMxbqR6QZzhe9IttcnJSaR9BndMtnBKufhyS2CIlWlfY

Timetable below, on the hour with coaches every half hour during peak periods, 10 euro one way Naas-Airport and 5 Euro Naas to Dublin City.

https://ticketbooking.jjkavanagh.ie/PromoPDF/Naas.pdf

I travelling from outside kk to DAP tomorrow. JJ K are charging €18 from the village to DAP. New clean and on time coach. DC are charging €15 in a clapped out xmilliin miles 04 rattle box Setra ,and I have to change busses and wait in the red cow Lucas stop. Guess who I'm travelling with.

Odyssey 2005 · 07-02-2019 1:28pm

soundman45 wrote: »

Talking to drivers that have worked for them it seems as a driver for Dublin Coach if you have an accident they will charge the driver €1000 to cover for damage. How on earth they get drivers to work for them I have no idea.

That's bonkers. Who's work under those conditions ?. Travelling on a jjk coach right now. We ore in the 60kph zone on the m8 works. Dublin coach just passed everyone,he was doing at least 90.

punisher5112 · 07-02-2019 1:54pm

A Dublin coach hit a 44 in Dundrum yesterday and destroyed the side including doors and windows.

...__... · 07-02-2019 5:22pm

dhaughton99 wrote: »

They seem to have two of these white ones. There’s one sitting outside the depot with it’s panels all open for the past week and another is doing the rounds from outside the Luas station. Also have a navy one doing the rounds. Not sure if they have it hired from someone.

I had a closer look at this one really falling apart already and not even in service yet lights hanging off panels loose ya wouldnt waste the petrol to burn it out for insurance.

Odyssey 2005 · 07-02-2019 5:31pm

punisher5112 wrote: »

A Dublin coach hit a 44 in Dundrum yesterday and destroyed the side including doors and windows.

He will be driving for nothing for a while so

testarossa40 · 09-02-2019 10:30pm

punisher5112 wrote: »

A Dublin coach hit a 44 in Dundrum yesterday and destroyed the side including doors and windows.

Any pics?

Dublin Coach Experience Discussion Thread

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