Dublin Coach Experience Discussion Thread

Truckermal wrote: »

Hard to judge but that Tyre looks like a slick..

their routes are commercial routes, so aren't subject to the same system as PSO routes operated by the likes of dublin bus or bus eireann or GAI.

essentially they just apply for the license for the route and as long as there aren't more then i think 2 or 3 other operators they will be granted the license.

The NTA probably don't want to regulate private routes too much as it may cost them effort and money in return.

I've recently looked the fares for Naas to Dublin or Ashbourne to Dublin - fares are insane. 5, 6, 7 Euro for a single 1 hour trip. For commuters without a Tax Saver Ticket it's very much and I'm not surprised there are so many people using cars. Pay a fiver and struggle with poor service is a sad sad experience.

For Naas a train is probably best - around 30mins 4.90 Euro. But only to Heuston, meaning additional costs to get to the actual working place.

Ashbourne is a bit strange to me - Bus Eireann 45-50mins, I think 5 Euro. How do they manage to do to from Busaras to Ashbourne so quickly during peak hours I don't know. I suppose the actual time is closer to 1 hour.

Ashbourne Connects or how it's called, takes a tunnel and I think it's 6 or 7 Euro, taking 1 hour.

Expensive. But coaches are comfy and timetable ris more realistic, just not as frequent service as the Bus Eireann.

Apologies for OT. Dublin Coach is 1 hour to city from Naas, pricey, unreliable, busses aren't well kept. I think the NTA should regulate these private routes (operators I mean) better. Isn't there a PSO alternative, by Bus Eireann?

As per the map when you click on "Dublin Airport" on the 726 timetable:

https://www.dublincoach.ie/timetables-fares/stop-times-map-info.php?stop=15

You and the other poster seem to be quoting cash fares, rather than those offered when using a LEAP card. Why would anyone still pay cash when LEAP is substantially cheaper?

The126 is EUR 5.39 single from Naas to Dublin using LEAP, and a weekly unlimited Green Zone ticket costs EUR 49.40, which if used for five return journeys a week reduces the single fare to EUR 4.94.

Ashbourne is EUR 4 single using LEAP, and EUR 39.80 for a weekly unlimited Red Zone ticket using LEAP.

Presumably if the lower fare that you propose were to be charged on the likes of the 103, 115, 120 and 126, you would be happy for all those routes to then operate as standard bus routes, stopping at every bus stop within the greater Dublin area along their routes picking up and setting down local travellers, rather than the limited stop service that they currently operate within Dublin, thereby reducing the ability of longer distance commuters to use them?

Now what I DO think is needed is a monthly/annual ticket for the GDA regional routes that also offers travel within Dublin on the city bus services. That is long overdue.

Noted at Dublin Airport this morning. Exhaust blowing like a Harley Davidson, tail light out on the back, headlight out on the front. Would have worked to the airport in darkness this morning, a dozen years old now, time for a one way to Hammond Lane methinks.....

Ironically I travelled on 2010 JJ Kavanagh Setra. No WiFi or sockets but an incredibly smooth journey in a comfortable vehicle.

I saw a JJ driver driving on the phone 2 weeks ago in a busy town. I reported him to JJ and got an immediate response and they said they would investigate it.

They take their image seriously and a driver on the phone is not an image they want to portray, I somehow imagine if you reported same with DC they wouldn't even respond.

I see Dublin Coach got a few brand new Ayats bodied Scania double deck coaches. Surprised to see them investing in the fleet they look really nice maybe their gonna start upping their game.

How many new Ayats Scania coaches have they got in the fleet?

It was real nice to go on, I was on it on Sunday between Dublin and Waterford. We had two drivers, they both seemed very scared to drive it, taking roundabouts and corners VERY easy in it.

Saw two today on the Waterford route. Fantastic looking machines, look forward to a spin in one. Presume they get some kind of state funding for this investment

Ah here.

Mercedes coaches are very reliable for their build quality. The Turismo coach in that photo above is only 8 years old. It should have no business going through a major breakdown like that when out on the road at that age.

What’s their driver training like?

You should have a look at what happened in Naas last week. If Dublin Coach are sleeping at the wheel with these incidents. They need a rude awakening from the authorities to enforce the rules of the road.

That has to fail a CVRT test surely? They also have some neck with the "Quality in Transport" tagline given the regular breakdowns, complaints of bad driving, and the state of vehicles like this one.