No transport at night in Dublin except expensive taxis

saaaaakkkkeee

just feel like having a little rant about the lack of transport at night in dublin. its a joke. i live near a luas line and all they had for chrimbo was 5 bleedin nights of luas, the last one being at 3.30 on new years eve. now by the time i have my schnack box and ive slapped a few joles its about 4. its a joke.

the nightlinks dont even run during the week. if i want to have a few brewskis on a tuesday what do i do? the taxi would cost me bout 40 blips a pop. and ive been stranded in town now without taxis on the 22nd, the 26th and new years eve when i couldnt even get home and ended up walkin to the gaff. its a bleedin joke.

there should be nightluas and nightlinks every night of the week if u want to get people out

howiya

The cost of these would far outweigh the revenue the transport company earns. This is why nightlink services have been cut

Victor

Hang on, you walked from the city centre to Tallaght (€40 implies 20+km) in the snow on New Year's Eve?

Is it possible that you have judgement / exaggeration issues?

There is a recession on and its snowing. They don't want people out.

saaaaakkkkeee

well as regards revenue, that doesnt account for the luas which is privately run and with the prices they charge (which are by all accounts far too expensive) they should be compelled to provide a more extensive nighttime service.

as regards nightlinks there should at least be a service running after the pubs and clubs close during the week. students alone would cover costs of a driver petrol. it could all be worked out easily. im fact i dont buy the lack of revenue issue at all. thats a lazy cop out.

it could be win win for everyone.

and let me tell you what the problem is. the people that dont sort it out are politicians who get off work, have 5 pints at 7 oclock and are in bed snoring at 12. they dont want the clubs open later. they dont care about late night transport.

T-Square

Victor wrote: »

Hang on, you walked from the city centre to Tallaght (€40 implies 20+km) in the snow on New Year's Eve?

Is it possible that you have judgement / exaggeration issues?

There is a recession on and its snowing. They don't want people out.

That would be about 9km, an easy walk.

T-Square

saaaaakkkkeee wrote: »

im fact i dont buy the lack of revenue issue at all. thats a lazy cop out.

it could be win win for everyone.

and let me tell you what the problem is. the people that dont sort it out are politicians who get off work, have 5 pints at 7 oclock and are in bed snoring at 12. they dont want the clubs open later. they dont care about late night transport.

You are correct, it has nothing to do with revenue, it is after all a public service, and is supposed to be running at all times.

Your second paragraph is also spot on.

howiya

T-Square wrote: »

That would be about 9km, an easy walk.

You might want to extend that somewhat. Don't know many people who would have arrived at their destination in Tallaght when they reach the M50 roundabout

Taxipete29

saaaaakkkkeee wrote: »

well as regards revenue, that doesnt account for the luas which is privately run and with the prices they charge (which are by all accounts far too expensive) they should be compelled to provide a more extensive nighttime service.

as regards nightlinks there should at least be a service running after the pubs and clubs close during the week. students alone would cover costs of a driver petrol. it could all be worked out easily. im fact i dont buy the lack of revenue issue at all. thats a lazy cop out.

it could be win win for everyone.

and let me tell you what the problem is. the people that dont sort it out are politicians who get off work, have 5 pints at 7 oclock and are in bed snoring at 12. they dont want the clubs open later. they dont care about late night transport.

Many students dont live that far from city centre. Its more economical for them to share a taxi or walk than to all get the Nitelink. There was a limited Nitelink service midweek a few years back if I remember correctly. It didnt work. That was during the better economic times. How do you expect it to work in a recession???

howiya

T-Square wrote: »

You are correct, it has nothing to do with revenue, it is after all a public service, and is supposed to be running at all times.

It's everything to do with revenue. Revenue can be used to gauge the demand for such a service

Ham'nd'egger

saaaaakkkkeee wrote: »

well as regards revenue, that doesnt account for the luas which is privately run and with the prices they charge (which are by all accounts far too expensive) they should be compelled to provide a more extensive nighttime service.

as regards nightlinks there should at least be a service running after the pubs and clubs close during the week. students alone would cover costs of a driver petrol. it could all be worked out easily. im fact i dont buy the lack of revenue issue at all. thats a lazy cop out.

it could be win win for everyone.

and let me tell you what the problem is. the people that dont sort it out are politicians who get off work, have 5 pints at 7 oclock and are in bed snoring at 12. they dont want the clubs open later. they dont care about late night transport.

LUAS still costs money to run and often runs almost empty at night, especially on the Tallaght line; in fact it costs more to run late on due to overtime costs late on, security crews and low fare revenues late on. While nobody disagrees that there should be some level of service late on, the pudding proof is that of people not using the late services when they were there. If price is the issue and you want to get home cheaply on a night out, either go home earlier or go out closer to home.

That or don't buy your blessed over priced snack boxes, which I am happy to say, I wouldn't let you into my taxi with, not even for €40

T-Square

howiya wrote: »

You might want to extend that somewhat. Don't know many people who would have arrived at their destination in Tallaght when they reach the M50 roundabout

Dear pedant, As average starting points and average end points go, the link is perfect.

T-Square

howiya wrote: »

It's everything to do with revenue. Revenue can be used to gauge the demand for such a service

Oh so based upon revenue, buses should only from from 7am till 9am,
then from 5pm to 7pm, and damn the rest of the people?

Cop yourself on

Taxipete29

T-Square wrote: »

Dear pedant, As average starting points and average end points go, the link is perfect.

The Square would be a better average end point.

Taxipete29

T-Square wrote: »

Oh so based upon revenue, buses should only from from 7am till 9am,
then from 5pm to 7pm, and damn the rest of the people?

Cop yourself on

Its far more expensive to operate public transport late at night than it is during the day.

howiya

T-Square wrote: »

Dear pedant, As average starting points and average end points go, the link is perfect.

I am not a pedant. I live in Tallaght and happen to know that my journey to the city centre is more than 9km

Victor

T-Square wrote: »

Oh so based upon revenue, buses should only from from 7am till 9am, then from 5pm to 7pm, and damn the rest of the people?

No, public transport works best when there is some demand. Some routes actually make less money at peak time than they do during the day due to congestion, while being nearly as busy.

If there is very little demand, it is very difficult to make money. I was on a few nitelinks before the last cut backs and typical loadings were 3-7 people. Once, I was the last person off - at Rathmines. If there was money to be made from night services during the week, surely private operators would be jumping at the opportunity.

Cop yourself on

**cough** The point stand that the OP appears to be prone to exaggeration.

Taxipete29

sugarman wrote: »

Cost me and 2 others just under €40 on St.Stephens day back to Tallaght too. Absolute joke.

Remember it's at a premium rate on public holidays, so Initial Charge is €4.45 first 1km/170Sec's and then Tariff C applies which is €1.77/0.63c per/min. Then take into account aditional passengers (If any) and how slow the taxi's driving with the bad condtions aswell.

I posted in R&R about the Nightlink service already, i understand the weather was bad on NYE but to pull the whole service without warning was a ****ing joke. Everyone spilled out of all the pubs/clubs at 3 or so to head for a ticket only for there to be no ticket box nor any message saying it had been canceled.

Literally hundreds where left stranded, not a single taxi to be seen and if there was it was mobbed regaurdless if it's light was on or off.

Along with a couple of hundred other people id no option but to walk home, a good 12KM to the backarse of Tallaght. Took forever with the snow/ice aswell.

Anyway, it's a national disgrace we dont have a bus or luas service's operating past 11.30PM Weekday's. We're one of the major city's in Europe FFS.

So you want Bus drivers and Taxi drivers to operate in dangerous conditions like it was New Years Eve just so you can get home after a night out?? get real will you.

I agree we need to have a better public transport system, but at present we dont have a 24hr culture and therefore have little need for a 24hr transport system. Maybe a late night service could be licenced out to a private firm. I for one would not be happy subsidising Dublin Bus further to provide late night buses for people who are out on the piss.

howiya

Victor wrote: »

I was on a few nitelinks before the last cut backs and typical loadings were 3-7 people. Once, I was the last person off - at Rathmines. If there was money to be made from night services during the week, surely private operators would be jumping at the opportunity.

That would be typical of my experiences too. €5 a head makes that somewhere between €15 and €35. Is also possible that all passengers could have had an annual bus ticket and therefore pay nothing for the nightlink

Ham'nd'egger

sugarman wrote: »

Cost me and 2 others just under €40 on St.Stephens day back to Tallaght too. Absolute joke.

Remember it's at a premium rate on public holidays, so Initial Charge is €4.45 first 1km/170Sec's and then Tariff C applies which is €1.77/0.63c per/min. Then take into account aditional passengers (If any) and how slow the taxi's driving with the bad condtions aswell.

Incorrect save for two specified occasions. Tariff C only applies on journeys over 30KM/85 minutes save for 8PM Xmas Eve-8AM St Stephens Day and 8PM New Years Eve-8AM New Years Day. Time only comes into the trip if we fall below 21 KMH; even in the ice of the last few days this doesn't tend to happen.

Where were you coming to and from that your fare came to "almost" €40, can I ask?

faceman

saaaaakkkkeee wrote: »

just feel like having a little rant about the lack of transport at night in dublin. its a joke. i live near a luas line and all they had for chrimbo was 5 bleedin nights of luas, the last one being at 3.30 on new years eve. now by the time i have my schnack box and ive slapped a few joles its about 4. its a joke.

the nightlinks dont even run during the week. if i want to have a few brewskis on a tuesday what do i do? the taxi would cost me bout 40 blips a pop. and ive been stranded in town now without taxis on the 22nd, the 26th and new years eve when i couldnt even get home and ended up walkin to the gaff. its a bleedin joke.

there should be nightluas and nightlinks every night of the week if u want to get people out

With all due respect, if you can afford to go out on the lash so oftenover Christmas you can afford the taxi home. And a €40 taxi fare? Where do you live? Naas??

Terrontress

Nightlink buses should be charged at the normal rate and run at a minimum every hour from town.

Lack of demand is very easy to engineer when you put forward an overpriced and awkward system for a few weeks and look for a reason to cancel it.

If they were to start from the perspective of how they can provide a service and, if it were to be undersubscribed, how to get more on instead of the defeatist cancel everything attitude then it might be more successful.

Ham'nd'egger

sugarman wrote: »

Tarrif C applies straight after the premium rate initial charge on the dates and times you mentioned above and i know when time comes into effect. The aul lads a taximan himself and said it was about right.

I was coming from Mountjoy Sq. area to the Top of Tallaght. Normally costs €20-25.

I would be dubious about a €25 fare became close to €40 solely on Tariff C as the difference between A and C is about 15 cent per KM and just 8 cent between B and C. I can only assume your including the tip;)

Run_to_da_hills

sugarman wrote: »

I do yeah, an inch of snow and the country goes to a complete halt. Doesn't happen in any other country that all services are canceled, maybe in extreme conditions of a few inces of snow and ice etc.. but the roads were'nt that bad at all. How do other countries that are completely covered in snow/ice for the winter months ever cope?

The difference is other countries are prepared as it is usually a regular occurance, they have all the equipment and resources ready to deal with it we don't.

Do you honestly think Bus Eireann should risk the safety of their staff and vehicles so that someone can enjoy a night out on the town. Bus Eireann do not pay danger money to their drivers.

BTW you can get 10 cans of Becks in Tesco for €7.20 and a fire log for €2.50

Spook_ie

sugarman wrote: »

Cost me and 2 others just under €40 on St.Stephens day back to Tallaght too. Absolute joke.

Remember it's at a premium rate on public holidays, so Initial Charge is €4.45 first 1km/170Sec's and then Tariff C applies which is €1.77/0.63c per/min. Then take into account aditional passengers (If any) and how slow the taxi's driving with the bad condtions aswell.

I posted in R&R about the Nightlink service already, i understand the weather was bad on NYE but to pull the whole service without warning was a ****ing joke. Everyone spilled out of all the pubs/clubs at 3 or so to head for a ticket only for there to be no ticket box nor any message saying it had been canceled.

Literally hundreds where left stranded, not a single taxi to be seen and if there was it was mobbed regaurdless if it's light was on or off.

Along with a couple of hundred other people id no option but to walk home, a good 12KM to the backarse of Tallaght. Took forever with the snow/ice aswell.

Anyway, it's a national disgrace we dont have a bus or luas service's operating past 11.30PM Weekday's. We're one of the major city's in Europe FFS.

Oh dear must be a lot of people in Dublin and Ireland in general ) who just couldn't be arsed to check the weather forecast, I knew the forecast was bad, I stayed out until 3.30am before I gave up trying to drive in those bloody awful conditions and all for the princly premium of an extra 10% or so.

You realy do sound like one of the meanest moaniest bastards one could ever get in a taxi, not wishing to sound too insulting but get a cop on, you want a service that runs 24x365 then pay the prices or STFU

Terrontress

Spook_ie wrote: »

Oh dear must be a lot of people in Dublin and Ireland in general ) who just couldn't be arsed to check the weather forecast, I knew the forecast was bad, I stayed out until 3.30am before I gave up trying to drive in those bloody awful conditions and all for the princly premium of an extra 10% or so.

You realy do sound like one of the meanest moaniest bastards one could ever get in a taxi, not wishing to sound too insulting but get a cop on, you want a service that runs 24x365 then pay the prices or STFU

I was in a taxi in the ice and it had a little star on the meter which when complete puts the meter up. When the car is wheelspinning in the ice that thing goes flying round but the car is barely moving. The meter thinks the car is travelling at 100km/h! You should have stayed out working as you would have earned much more than 10% in the ice.

byhookorbycrook

pppppppffffffffffffffffffffffffff, at least you have the taxi option, try living OUTSIDE of Dubin.

Victor

Terrontress wrote: »

I was in a taxi in the ice and it had a little star on the meter which when complete puts the meter up. When the car is wheelspinning in the ice that thing goes flying round but the car is barely moving. The meter thinks the car is travelling at 100km/h! You should have stayed out working as you would have earned much more than 10% in the ice.

Hmm, I saw a taxi stopped at the traffic lights (red) at Crumlin Hospital doing this and I just thought he was an idiot.

sugarman wrote: »

I pay €80 or so a month for a monthly pass for a terrible service and on top of that nitelinks are'nt even included whenever i do opt for one.

Consider an annual ticket that does include Nitelinks.

howiya

sugarman wrote: »

I only need one for 8 months of the year but that was'nt my point. The point is i already pay for a ****e service and will continue to do so because i've no other options.

I know its not your point but even if you are unhappy with the service you should try and get the best possible value for yourself.

If you are spending €80 a month for 8 months. That's €640. You would be better off buying an annual tax saver bus and luas ticket which if paying 41% tax would cost you less than this.

Even if you don't want an annual ticket you can save on your monthly ticket by buying them this way too

Victor

howiya, monthly ticket holders are also entitled to the Taxsaver scheme.

howiya

Victor wrote: »

howiya, monthly ticket holders are also entitled to the Taxsaver scheme.

I did say that. Just wanted to use the annual example to show that he could get a full years service for what he's paying now and save money in the process. And also get the nightlink added in

Ham'nd'egger

sugarman wrote: »

Think you must mean per minute? It's 42c per/km;)

Either way it did come to about €37/38 inc. 3 other lads. So an extra tenner say than normal.

I've nothing to pick with taxi's anyway, it's Dublin Bus and the Luas that pisses me off!

Apologies, I got the figures mixed up; too used to days and sitting in traffic

jahalpin

Terrontress wrote: »

Nightlink buses should be charged at the normal rate and run at a minimum every hour from town.

Lack of demand is very easy to engineer when you put forward an overpriced and awkward system for a few weeks and look for a reason to cancel it.

If they were to start from the perspective of how they can provide a service and, if it were to be undersubscribed, how to get more on instead of the defeatist cancel everything attitude then it might be more successful.

That might work if the drivers were working for standard rate, however, they are working for overtime rates which are at least twice the standard rate.

I believe that the current fare system for the Nightlink is actually quite cheap considering the costs of running the service ie buses, staff on overtime, security etc.

As another poster has said, if you afford to buy drink after drink you should be able to afford to get home. The 5euro fare is less than 1 pint in most pubs and is far less than a pint in a nightclub after 11pm.

I dislike taxis and get the Nitelink when I go out late in town and I have always found the system to be very good. Perhaps they should re-introduce an hourly weekday service on the main routes, but the usage must have been too low to make this financially viable.

Dublin is a small city compared to most of the other European cities such as London. The larger cities can run night buses at the standard fare due to the exceptionally high population densities in the city and surrounding areas.

Victor

jahalpin wrote: »

That might work if the drivers were working for standard rate, however, they are working for overtime rates which are at least twice the standard rate.

This was the position, but most Nitelink drivers are rostered for the work at normal rates (there may be a small allowance for the late work, but not double time).

Del2005

saaaaakkkkeee wrote: »

well as regards revenue, that doesnt account for the luas which is privately run and with the prices they charge (which are by all accounts far too expensive) they should be compelled to provide a more extensive nighttime service.

So you want the already busy staff to be forced to do night work. What time during the day do you want them to not run trams? The Luas did a night service a few years back and it didn't make any money, so now you want a private company to p!ss away money.

as regards nightlinks there should at least be a service running after the pubs and clubs close during the week. students alone would cover costs of a driver petrol. it could all be worked out easily. im fact i dont buy the lack of revenue issue at all. thats a lazy cop out.

it could be win win for everyone.

They had that up till a few years ago. Maybe the reason they stopped doing it was because they couldn't make it pay for itself.

sugarman wrote: »

But thats the thing, why don't we? It's going to happen a handfull of days every year and it's predicted via forecasts weeks/months in advanced. There' s not that much involved, a plow or 2 on major routes in and out of the city and plenty of grit to be placed along said routes.

I know London or Paris has a much greater population than Dublin obv but they have simular weather where it is'nt a regular occurance and yet they can deal with it.

London doesn't do snow, just look at last Feb.

We have maybe 2-3 weeks of bad weather every couple of years. If we bought the equipment needed to keep our roads open in the current conditions they would most likely have rusted away by the time we get to use them again. There's also the cost of this equipment, by it's nature it has to be tough that means expensive. Are you willing to pay even more tax for millions of Euro worth of heavy plant that will be rarely used.

And no, i dont think the likes of Bus Eireann should risk the safety of their staff and vehicles so that someone can enjoy a night out on the town of course. But in the likes of Dublin City they should be able to Cope with the weather, both Dublin Bus/Luas and the Government/Councils together to even operate limited services for those stranded.

BTW not everyone travels in and out for a night on the piss;) Just so happens on this occasion i was:P

What type of service can they offer. If the roads are dangerous then loading a hundred people onto a bus is asking for a major incident.

JHMEG

Victor wrote: »

If there is very little demand, it is very difficult to make money. I was on a few nitelinks before the last cut backs and typical loadings were 3-7 people

I think that's an indication that the Nitelinks are flawed. I never understood why they had to invent new routes for the Nitelinks, and then not pick up outside of the city centre (they do a small number, but no-one knows where), at odd times on some nights and not others. Run established routes, at regular times, with all the stops and then everyone knows where they stand.

The OP has a very good point, and the problem of a lack of late night public transport in Dublin was solved in a very Irish, and very unfair way: complete deregulation of the taxi industry. We never needed more taxis, we needed just a small number of late night buses and trains.

Chucky the tree

JHMEG wrote: »

I think that's an indication that the Nitelinks are flawed. I never understood why they had to invent new routes for the Nitelinks, and then not pick up outside of the city centre (they do a small number, but no-one knows where), at odd times on some nights and not others. Run established routes, at regular times, with all the stops and then everyone knows where they stand.

The OP has a very good point, and the problem of a lack of late night public transport in Dublin was solved in a very Irish, and very unfair way: complete deregulation of the taxi industry. We never needed more taxis, we needed just a small number of late night buses and trains.

It's more of an indication of how much of a mess drunken Irish people are. The reason buses don't stop at every stop and let people on is because it would be a mess. People wouldn't have the money, would then shout and abuse the driver and refuse to get off until the police arrived. Every bus would be delayed hugely and would take ages to get home. As for not knowing where the different pick up points are, DB can't be blamed because people are to thick/lazy to log to their website and look it up there or give DB a ring.


There's a reason the private company who run the Luas don't do night services during the year is because it's pissing money down the drain. I certainly don't want DB to be doing the exact same thing.

dearg lady

Terrontress wrote: »

Lack of demand is very easy to engineer when you put forward an overpriced and awkward system for a few weeks and look for a reason to cancel it.

Nitelinks (including midweek nitelinks) have been running for years, not a few weeks. They only withdrew midweek nitelinks in the middle of 09 due to lack of demand, I used to take them, I miss them, but if people don't use them what are Dublin Bus supposed to do?

Terrontress wrote: »

If they were to start from the perspective of how they can provide a service and, if it were to be undersubscribed, how to get more on instead of the defeatist cancel everything attitude then it might be more successful.

While providing a service, Dublin Bus does have to make enough money to cover costs, otherwise we would have no service at all. And in fairness to them, they first scaled back nitelinks and as less and less people used them, they eventually cancelled midweek ones.

New Years Eve was a total disaster in terms of getting out of town but I can't blame Dublin Bus for stopping Nitelinks or taxis for headin on home, the roads were awful they really were, it's a lousy situation but it's not anybodys fault. Sometimes you just got to suck it up and deal with it.

Del2005

JHMEG wrote: »

We never needed more taxis, we needed just a small number of late night buses and trains.

So you think 2,500 taxis where enough for a city of over 1 million people:eek: There was a reason that taxi plates used to cost more then a house.

You must never have had to walk 3+ miles just for the chance to see a taxi with it's light on never mind getting one to stop. And there where night links then.

Spook_ie

Terrontress wrote: »

I was in a taxi in the ice and it had a little star on the meter which when complete puts the meter up. When the car is wheelspinning in the ice that thing goes flying round but the car is barely moving. The meter thinks the car is travelling at 100km/h! You should have stayed out working as you would have earned much more than 10% in the ice.

Would rather be still working well into 2010 rather than having to get the car fixed back up, saw quite a few taxis that the drivers would probably have prefered to have gone home earlier given hindsight :cool:

Spook_ie

sugarman wrote: »

I only need one for 8 months of the year but that was'nt my point. The point is i already pay for a ****e service and will continue to do so because i've no other options.

Get a bike and fit some stabilisers and knobbly tyres to it, for chris' sake do we have to come up with all the answers here . You can even get one of them trailers and take yer mates home when they're buckled

Spook_ie

Del2005 wrote: »

So you think 2,500 taxis where enough for a city of over 1 million people:eek: There was a reason that taxi plates used to cost more then a house.

You must never have had to walk 3+ miles just for the chance to see a taxi with it's light on never mind getting one to stop. And there where night links then.

There were also some 5000 or so hackneys but people would persist on waiting at ranks instead of walking/ringing a base

GerardKeating

JHMEG wrote: »

I think that's an indication that the Nitelinks are flawed. I never understood why they had to invent new routes for the Nitelinks,

Well there are 80/90 bus routes but only 25/30 nitelink routes. Some nitelink routes cover several day routes.

The day routes could do with some reorganizing...

Terrontress

Del2005 wrote: »

So you think 2,500 taxis where enough for a city of over 1 million people:eek: There was a reason that taxi plates used to cost more then a house.

You must never have had to walk 3+ miles just for the chance to see a taxi with it's light on never mind getting one to stop. And there where night links then.

The number of taxis is irrelevant. People were using them as a last resort as there was no other way home.

There is without doubt a demand for a reasonably priced, safe, frequent, public transport alternative to taxis.

The contract for Luas should have been awarded on the basis that it is run 24 hours at the same price. Of course a private company is not going to run the unprofitable elements of a service if it is not forced to.

A night bus to Donabate, which there has only ever been one per week, costs €6 and takes the most roundabout route through Swords that you could imagine.

Last trains are at 11.20 from Connolly.

The government has stepped back and allowed taxis to fulfil the responsibility that they should be doing something about.

And, taxis are not cheap.

Terrontress

JHMEG wrote: »

I think that's an indication that the Nitelinks are flawed. I never understood why they had to invent new routes for the Nitelinks, and then not pick up outside of the city centre (they do a small number, but no-one knows where), at odd times on some nights and not others. Run established routes, at regular times, with all the stops and then everyone knows where they stand.

The OP has a very good point, and the problem of a lack of late night public transport in Dublin was solved in a very Irish, and very unfair way: complete deregulation of the taxi industry. We never needed more taxis, we needed just a small number of late night buses and trains.

100%. Why do people presume that people work in the city centre, take the bus to and from work yet when it comes to going out at night in the same area get a taxi home?

And to those who say that people shouldn't complain about the price of taxis as they have been swilling pints all night at €5 a pop, that argument could be extended to anything. Public toilet charging €10 to take a pee? The fact you have spent €50 on beer does not make it worth paying.

Ste.phen

I think the reason the Nitelink was stopped (as a useful, regular-ish service) is that people stopped using it. When i was first in college (2001) most of the nitelinks, even on weekday nights, had a good loading. Last time I got one (with the exception of December 19th which was madness due to all the xmas parties) there were 4 people on the bus including myself.

If i had to guess, i'd say we became stupid during the property boom and everyone started getting taxis everywhere

professore

Taxipete29 wrote: »

Its far more expensive to operate public transport late at night than it is during the day.

Why ? Facts please.

mikemac

Drivers on overtime rates.
If you are hiring extra security that costs money too

professore

At least you have night buses in Dublin. In Cork the last buses are at 11 PM typically from the city centre.

Don't tell me there's no demand - if the service was more reliable (i.e. all scheduled buses actually showed up, and on time, and you had a time for the next one similar to LUAS) then people would make more use of them. It would not be rocket science to fit GPS trackers to each bus and the ETA of the next bus could then be fed to people's mobile phone via mobile web interface.

It is a fact that you can't use a bus to dependably get to work on time in Cork city, even if you take the previous bus to the one you would normally take in any other developed Western country. Don't know if it's still like that in Dublin but used to be when I lived there. People have VERY LOW EXPECTATIONS for public transport here - that's why they use other methods of transport.

This is one issue where the Green Party should start from. An efficient, affordable bus service would be used much more regularly. We could be world leaders in this.

professore

mikemac wrote: »

Drivers on overtime rates.
If you are hiring extra security that costs money too

Agree shift allowances similar to private sector ? Charge 50% extra at night ?

howiya

professore wrote: »

Agree shift allowances similar to private sector ? Charge 50% extra at night ?

Hard to say what would be correct to charge without knowing passenger numbers

professore

Ste.phen wrote: »

I think the reason the Nitelink was stopped (as a useful, regular-ish service) is that people stopped using it. When i was first in college (2001) most of the nitelinks, even on weekday nights, had a good loading. Last time I got one (with the exception of December 19th which was madness due to all the xmas parties) there were 4 people on the bus including myself.

If i had to guess, i'd say we became stupid during the property boom and everyone started getting taxis everywhere

I think a simple advertising campaign would sort this now. People are really looking to cut costs these days. Of course would put many taxis out of business. - on second thought maybe not since that extra €20 for taxis on a night out for us on top of babysitters and a few drinks in most cases tips the scales for us going out or not.