Dublin Bus
| File:Dublin Bus.gif | |
| Company type | Private limited company by shares |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transport |
| Founded | 1987 |
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | Republic of Ireland |
| Parent | Coras Iompair Éireann |
| Website | Official site Dublin Bus |
Dublin Bus (Irish: Bus Átha Cliath [bʷʊs̪ˠ aːhə kʲl̥iːə] or [bʷʊs̪ˠ ɑːə kʲliː̥əɸ]) is a public transport operator in the Republic of Ireland. It operates an extensive bus network of nearly 200 radial, cross-city and peripheral routes in the city of Dublin and the Greater Dublin Area. The company, established in 1987, is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann which is owned by the Irish Government. Dublin Bus operates the vast majority of bus services in Dublin but in recent years an increasing number of other bus companies have received licences to operate in Dublin from the Department of Transport.
Background
Dublin Bus has 3,408 staff and 1,067 buses travelling nearly 60 million kilometres per annum (Source: "Dublin Bus Annual Report, 2004"). In 2004, Dublin Bus provided passengers with over 500,000 journeys per weekday, with the majority of these journeys occurring during rush hour.
Since the opening of the Luas tram system, Dublin Bus has lost approximately 30% of its passengers to the Tallaght (Red Line) and Sandyford (Green Line) Luas routes to the city centre, as the tram system is widely seen as a more effective option to buses.[citation needed] The planned Dublin Metro may also cause losses for the company.
Fares
Dublin Bus follows an "exact fare - no change" policy on all buses for passengers who pay cash fares - to minimise the risk of staff being robbed, passengers must place the exact fare in coins (notes are not accepted as the counting machines in the garages cannot process them) in the fare box before the ticket is issued; in the case of overpayment a "change ticket" is issued which can only be exchanged for cash at the company's head office on O'Connell Street. There are several types of pre-paid tickets available, including:
- booklets of single day and multi-day tickets ("Ramblers")
- tickets corresponding to cash fares
- 90 Minute tickets which allow unlimited travel (or more precisely the right to board as many buses as required) for 90 minutes which can be bought from newsagents or Dublin Bus outlets and which must be validated in a machine by the door of the bus at the start of each journey.
Old age pensioners and certain other people are allow to travel free of charge; this is part of the national "Free Travel Pass"[1] system operated by the Department of Social and Family Affairs.
Minimum fares are payable on some services in order to discourage passengers wishing to travel short distances from using seats which could be used by those who wish to travel longer distances. A standard fare (currently €40) is payable by those who evade payment of the full fare for the journey.
Routes
The main radial routes are focused upon Dublin's 15 Quality Bus Corridors which provide buses with daytime access to the city centre, often bringing commuters into the city faster than they could travel in cars (excluding walking time to bus stops and time waiting for buses).
Express buses (branded "Xpresso") operate on similar routes, but have a limited number of stops and a higher minimum fare.
Dublin Bus operates a "Nitelink" service of approximately 24 routes overnight between Monday and Saturday, with the greatest service frequency being on Friday and Saturday nights - special (higher) fares apply on Nitelink buses.
No "Park and Ride" services are available.
Fleet
Double decker
| Class name | Body | Chassis | Introduced | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "RA" | Alexander R-type | Volvo Olympian | 1994–1996 | 133 |
| "RV" | Alexander R-type | Volvo Olympian | 1997–1999 | 315 |
| "AV" | Alexander ALX400 | Volvo B7TL | 2000–2005 | 447 |
| "AX" | Alexander ALX400 | Volvo B7TL | 2006 | 200 |
| "VT" | Alexander Dennis Enviro 500 | Volvo B9TL | 2005 | 20 |
| "DT" | Alexander ALX400 | Dennis Trident 2 | 2003 | 10 |
| "EV" | Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 | Volvo B9TL | 2007 | 50 due. Deliverys Pending |
Articulated buses
| Class name | Body | Chassis | Introduced | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "AW" | Wrightbus | Volvo B7LA | 2000 | 20 |
Single deckers
| Class name | Body | Chassis | Introduced | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "VL" | Alexander | Volvo B10L | 1997 | 4 |
Midibuses
| Class name | Body | Chassis | Introduced | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "WV" | Wrightbus Crusader 2 | Volvo B6BLE | 1999–2000 | 50 |
Notes
| DT9, WV9/11 are withdrawn due to fire damage |
| There are still many RH class Olympians, in service on the Tours and School fleets. |
History and Preservation
As the vehicles become of age they have been withdrawn to make way for newer technology. Types of significance such as the Bombardier/GAC (Irish built) have been preserved by the National Transport Museum of Howth who house R1 (the first double decker service bus in Ireland).
Many ex-CIE types have been acquired for preservation by private preservationists, some of whom associated with the Transport Enthusiasts Club (TEC). The vehicles are garaged, restored and run by the owners without state funds and take part in films, television programs and in vintage rallys. One event was CIE60th. The 30th of October 2005 saw Dublin Bus host CIE60th in the new Harristown depot. This event was done in co-ordination with the Transport Enthusiasts Club. Buses new and old were on display showing the contrast and how far the company had come.
Dublin's main bus operator was formerly the Dublin United Transport Company. This company was incorporated into CIÉ in 1945, but regained partial autonomy in 1987 when Dublin Bus was created as a wholly-owned subsidiary company of CIÉ.
Wellington Quay Tragedy
On 21 February 2004 at Wellington Quay, Dublin, a bus mounted on a pavement and ploughed into a queue of 30 people, killing five and injuring 14. The driver was charged with dangerous driving, his trial began in February 2007 at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.[1] He has since been found not guilty of any misdoings.
Comfort
Most services are on double-decker buses. The conditions on Dublin Bus vehicles can be described as basic, however these conditions of comfort are comparable to city buses in many cities.
- Seats are configured together tightly, this can cause discomfort to taller passengers.
- Standing is not allowed upstairs or on the stairs but this rule is often not enforced and it is not uncommon to see passengers seated on the staircase.
- On many rush hour services, some passengers must stand downstairs.
- There is no air conditioning, however heating is provided during the winter.
- Smoking has been forbidden on all services since the 1980s. This rule is largely respected by passengers.
- Specified seats must be conceded to the elderly or disabled.
- Most buses can accommodate (only) one wheelchair passenger, or one pram.
- It is unclear as to whether the transport of bicycles is permitted on buses. Understandably it is down to the drivers discretion at the moment of boarding on issues of (a) space in the saloon and (b) the comfort of passengers onboard.
See also
References
External links