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The Dublin Coach Experience

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  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 11,565 Mod ✭✭✭✭devnull


    Nice! Was on the chinese import today 'Kinglong' I think, was no legroom on it and I'm not tall haha.

    The King Long has an interesting story behind it, being that Dublin Coach ordered it and stated what colour they wanted and it was delivered in completely the wrong colour so they had to re-paint it it themselves, unsure if they paid or they made King Long do it.

    Thing that always got me about that bus is the orange stripe going the whole way along the bus on the side of it that lights up in the dark, and the many needless LEDs and blue lights that are on the coach, it looks very tacky in my opinion and the leg-room is bad as you say.

    King Longs are very cheap though and generally their exterior designs are based on copying other brands exteriors quite closely, their attraction is that on the face of it at first glance, they offer a premium looking and specified coach at a very good price.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,196 ✭✭✭boardsuser1


    devnull wrote: »
    The King Long has an interesting story behind it, being that Dublin Coach ordered it and stated what colour they wanted and it was delivered in completely the wrong colour so they had to re-paint it it themselves, unsure if they paid or they made King Long do it.

    Thing that always got me about that bus is the orange stripe going the whole way along the bus on the side of it that lights up in the dark, and the many needless LEDs and blue lights that are on the coach, it looks very tacky in my opinion and the leg-room is bad as you say.

    King Longs are very cheap though and generally their exterior designs are based on copying other brands exteriors quite closely, their attraction is that on the face of it at first glance, they offer a premium looking and specified coach at a very good price.

    The power plant in them is great though, a Cummins engine.

    The same as the Former Bus Eireann Bombardier/GAC city type KC class.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,478 ✭✭✭john boye


    One of the 03 tridents on tours downed tools outside AIB on Dame Street this evening. That and the maintenance van parked in behind it brought traffic to a crawl and caused a lot of strife for DB drivers trying to access the stop there.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,907 ✭✭✭Stephen15


    I find odd that everyone complains about they're the fact that the buses are ancient 03 or 04 when DB and BE's older vehicles of a similar vintage and no one complains about them


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,196 ✭✭✭boardsuser1


    Stephen15 wrote: »
    I find odd that everyone complains about they're the fact that the buses are ancient 03 or 04 when DB and BE's older vehicles of a similar vintage and no one complains about them

    The BE ones are in better nick thanks to the tax payer. Dublin Coach aren't so fortunate to have a bottomless pit of money effectively.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 5,606 ✭✭✭schemingbohemia


    As i have a dual licence (bus and truck) it costs me €300 in cpc's alone every 5 years :mad:

    Or 16 cent a day......


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,196 ✭✭✭boardsuser1


    Or 16 cent a day......

    You actually went to the bother of working that out :eek:

    Factor in the €55 for the licence every 5 years.

    €50 for the medical.

    €45 for the digi card if online or €60 in the post which i do.

    €6 for passport photos for the cpc card.

    It's still cheap, are we up to the 20c per day mark yet :pac:


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,350 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    Stephen15 wrote: »
    I find odd that everyone complains about they're the fact that the buses are ancient 03 or 04 when DB and BE's older vehicles of a similar vintage and no one complains about them

    In fairness there are so many 03 and 04's left, DB has a pretty young fleet overall and the older coaches mostly only a few hours a day (peak times) and of course city services put on far less mileage (lots of stuck in traffic).

    These intercity coaches on the other hand work very hard lives, running intercity distances 24/7 for years on Aircoach/Stagecoach and now continue to work long distance all day long.

    I'd imagine the mileage on these is in the millions and many times higher then a DB bus. Not really an apples to oranges comparison.


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 11,565 Mod ✭✭✭✭devnull


    Stephen15 wrote: »
    I find odd that everyone complains about they're the fact that the buses are ancient 03 or 04 when DB and BE's older vehicles of a similar vintage and no one complains about them

    I don't think there is much of a comparison.

    The mileage on Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann vehicles would be quite a bit less than the vehicles of a similar age operating for private operators, and the private operators would almost fully operate the same timetable 7 days a week, 364 days a year and are operating 24 hours a day in the case of Aircoach and can be doing approx 1,000km a day.

    Compare that to Dublin Bus who would have a large number of vehicles off the road at weekends and bank holidays and don't operate at all between midnight and 6am apart from a dozen buses doing a couple of journeys a week on a nitelink and the fact that outside peak a fair percentage of their fleet is also off the road, and you have a totally different situation.


  • Registered Users Posts: 309 ✭✭soundman45


    I applied for a job as a driver with them months ago. Heard nothing back for a few weeks then got a call one afternoon looking for me to attend an interview at 9am next day. I said I couldn't make it due to commitments in my current job, they guy lost the plot with me and slammed down the phone and I never heard from them again, can only imagine how they treat guys that work there and they have adds on jobs website almost every day looking for drivers.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,196 ✭✭✭boardsuser1


    soundman45 wrote: »
    I applied for a job as a driver with them months ago. Heard nothing back for a few weeks then got a call one afternoon looking for me to attend an interview at 9am next day. I said I couldn't make it due to commitments in my current job, they guy lost the plot with me and slammed down the phone and I never heard from them again, can only imagine how they treat guys that work there and they have adds on jobs website almost every day looking for drivers.

    Yes Stephen isn't a nice person.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,175 ✭✭✭dense


    Are people standing? That's illegal on those buses as far as i'm aware.

    They're not licensed for standing passengers.
    Sounds like maintenance is an issue too.
    And adherence to route licensing criteria sounds woeful.

    The RSA is supposed to audit their maintenance regime and vehicle servic history and the NTA their route obligations. Doesn't look like any of it's being done from the reports here.


  • Registered Users Posts: 24,647 ✭✭✭✭punisher5112


    I wish they would turn off their engines when sitting at terminus anything up to 40 minutes early.

    I'm actually surprised with a company on the big for cost savings that they don't have them make sure its off to save on fuel....


    Quite possible if they do turn them off though it would be an inevitable break down maybe.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,196 ✭✭✭boardsuser1


    I wish they would turn off their engines when sitting at terminus anything up to 40 minutes early.

    I'm actually surprised with a company on the big for cost savings that they don't have them make sure its off to save on fuel....


    Quite possible if they do turn them off though it would be an inevitable break down maybe.

    When i worked in the buses that was a big issue with my employer.

    If i went as much as a mile off route on a private hire i'd be asked questions and told pay for the diesel.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,812 ✭✭✭thelad95


    I wish they would turn off their engines when sitting at terminus anything up to 40 minutes early.

    I'm actually surprised with a company on the big for cost savings that they don't have them make sure its off to save on fuel....


    Quite possible if they do turn them off though it would be an inevitable break down maybe.

    In Kilkenny, one of the stops is right in front of a secondary school. Last summer, the bus arrived too this stop and after passengers got on and off, the poor driver couldn't get the bus going again. Sat there for about fifteen minutes with the engine chugging away hoping to get it going again, when the principal of the school came out. In classrooms about thirty feet away from the bus, there was students sitting leaving cert exams.

    Driver rang whoever in Dublin coach too explain the situation and after getting an earful from the principal, he then got an earful from whoever was on the phone (loudspeaker) saying to leave the engine running. At this point, the driver hung up on your man mid sentence and went outside and had a fag. I really do pity the poor drivers!

    Eventually a replacement bus was sent after waiting for about another hour. By this stage, many had just given up and gotten on the kavanaghs bus to Dublin which leaves from the same stop.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,175 ✭✭✭dense


    I wish they would turn off their engines when sitting at terminus anything up to 40 minutes early.

    I'm actually surprised with a company on the big for cost savings that they don't have them make sure its off to save on fuel....


    Quite possible if they do turn them off though it would be an inevitable break down maybe.

    Yes it may save some fuel but multiple start ups during the day can be stressful on engine and electrical components.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,196 ✭✭✭boardsuser1


    Shut downs and restarts can actually use up more fuel than letting it run idle, depending on how long of course.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,175 ✭✭✭dense


    Shut downs and restarts can actually use up more fuel than letting it run idle, depending on how long of course.

    And if you've a bus (or truck) with a million miles in it, regularly switching it on and off is looking for trouble IMO.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,196 ✭✭✭boardsuser1


    dense wrote: »
    And if you've a bus (or truck) with a million miles in it, regularly switching it on and off is looking for trouble IMO.

    110%

    I did it one day in a king long, took me an eternity and nearly a flat battery to get it going.


  • Registered Users Posts: 24,647 ✭✭✭✭punisher5112


    dense wrote: »
    Yes it may save some fuel but multiple start ups during the day can be stressful on engine and electrical components.

    Not so unless from yonks ago as set up on them they use capacitor system to get the kick for the start in a lot of newer stuff.

    No reason for engine to be left running and if its a case they won't start again and that's given as a reason that's ridiculous.

    Its now a safety and a maintenance issue and if that's their stance I would worry how bad the vehicles maintenance really is as from what I see they are in bits.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 201 ✭✭mickmmc


    Who is winning the bus war between Aircoach and Dublin Coach on Dublin Belfast route? What are passengers numbers like on the Dublin-Belfast route for Dublin Coach?

    I travelled with Aircoach from Dublin Airport to Belfast recently.

    Aircoach leave Glengall street at 17:30 and Dublin Coach leave at 17:35, for example. I observed that Dublin Coach arrived 10mins ahead of departure and the coach pulled in ahead of Aircoach at the Europa stop. They can then pick up the walk ups ahead of Aircoach. It really is an aggressive approach by Dublin Coach.

    Aircoach have a customer service employee at the bus stop now. Things could heated at that bus stop.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,196 ✭✭✭boardsuser1


    mickmmc wrote: »
    Who is winning the bus war between Aircoach and Dublin Coach on Dublin Belfast route? What are passengers numbers like on the Dublin-Belfast route for Dublin Coach?

    I travelled with Aircoach from Dublin Airport to Belfast recently.

    Aircoach leave Glengall street at 17:30 and Dublin Coach leave at 17:35, for example. I observed that Dublin Coach arrived 10mins ahead of departure and the coach pulled in ahead of Aircoach at the Europa stop. They can then pick up the walk ups ahead of Aircoach. It really is an aggressive approach by Dublin Coach.

    Aircoach have a customer service employee at the bus stop now. Things could heated at that bus stop.
    In my experience they always have them at the stops.


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 11,565 Mod ✭✭✭✭devnull


    mickmmc wrote: »
    Who is winning the bus war between Aircoach and Dublin Coach on Dublin Belfast route? What are passengers numbers like on the Dublin-Belfast route for Dublin Coach?

    I travelled with Aircoach from Dublin Airport to Belfast recently.

    Aircoach leave Glengall street at 17:30 and Dublin Coach leave at 17:35, for example. I observed that Dublin Coach arrived 10mins ahead of departure and the coach pulled in ahead of Aircoach at the Europa stop. They can then pick up the walk ups ahead of Aircoach. It really is an aggressive approach by Dublin Coach.

    Aircoach have a customer service employee at the bus stop now. Things could heated at that bus stop.

    It was pretty predictable that it would happen like that though.

    Soon as they announced the service I guessed it would be the case such things are commonplace in similar style bus wars in the UK where competing services are arriving around about the same time as each other at the same bus stops.


  • Registered Users Posts: 24,647 ✭✭✭✭punisher5112


    So many said privately run services would be better but not from my experience and what I see.


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 11,565 Mod ✭✭✭✭devnull


    So many said privately run services would be better but not from my experience and what I see.

    But one company and peoples opinions of it are not necessarily representative of the whole private sector.


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,350 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    So many said privately run services would be better but not from my experience and what I see.

    From my experience of private operators they are VASTLY superior to BE.

    I'm sorry but there simply is no comparison between Aircoach/GoBE to Cork and the crappy old x8.

    Citylink to Galway was also a pleasure to use.

    BE couldn't even bother operating a bus between Cork and Dulin after 6pm and it use to take 4.5 hours! Now we have aircoach operating hourly almost 24/7 with a 3 hour journey time and goes to the airport and toilets on board.

    They are so much better then BE's service it isn't even funny!


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,387 ✭✭✭brokenarms


    mickmmc wrote: »
    Who is winning the bus war between Aircoach and Dublin Coach on Dublin Belfast route? What are passengers numbers like on the Dublin-Belfast route for Dublin Coach?

    I travelled with Aircoach from Dublin Airport to Belfast recently.

    Aircoach leave Glengall street at 17:30 and Dublin Coach leave at 17:35, for example. I observed that Dublin Coach arrived 10mins ahead of departure and the coach pulled in ahead of Aircoach at the Europa stop. They can then pick up the walk ups ahead of Aircoach. It really is an aggressive approach by Dublin Coach.

    Aircoach have a customer service employee at the bus stop now. Things could heated at that bus stop.

    There is no coach and busman comradely from those Aircoach lads. They are absolute savages on the road. Which utilmatley holds them up.

    I have stopped trying a accommodate them in the buslanes on my bus runs as they will cut me up and box me in given any chance at all.


  • Registered Users Posts: 18,079 ✭✭✭✭JCX BXC


    Dublin coach are not much better, points given for being a little more direct on some routes (unless you want to go from Cork to Dublin, via Waterford (shudder)) but for reliability they're shocking.


  • Registered Users Posts: 166 ✭✭Tockman


    I find them a lot better service then bus Eireann, the most arrogant bus drivers who care not for the general public.


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  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 11,565 Mod ✭✭✭✭devnull


    All - please do not feed the trolls - Thanks! :)

    - Moderator


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