Dublin Bus
| File:Dublin Bus logo.png | |
 Various Dublin Bus Alexander ALX400s | |
| Parent | Coras Iompair Éireann |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1987 |
| Headquarters | Dublin |
| Locale | Republic of Ireland |
| Service area | Dublin |
| Service type | Urban |
| Fleet | 1,067 |
| Daily ridership | 500,000 (weekdays) |
| Fuel type | Diesel |
| Operator | Private limited company by shares |
| Website | www.dublinebus.ie |
Dublin Bus (Template:Lang-ga [bˠʊsˠ ˈaːhə ˈclʲiə]) 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. [citation needed]The planned Dublin Metro may also cause losses for the company.
Fares
Dublin Bus fares are generally calculated on a stage system based on distance travelled. There are several different levels of fares, which apply on most services. Certain routes (particularly Xpresso, see below) use a different fare system.
Dublin Bus follows an "exact fare - no change" policy on almost 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. The only exception are routes 747 and 748, the express routes to and from Dublin Airport, where with a minimum fare of €6, banknotes are accepted and change is given in cash.
There are several types of pre-paid tickets available, including:
- single day and multi-day tickets ("Ramblers"), some of which are sold in booklets as well as singly
- 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 (only available in booklets of 10 or a ten use smartcard)
- tickets valid on Dublin Bus and Iarnród Éireann or Luas or all three
All prepaid tickets 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 €50) is theoretically payable by those who evade payment of the full fare for the journey, but is rarely collected.
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.
There is also a unique Ghost Bus Tour through some of the supposedly haunted places in the city.
Route Network
As of August 20th, 2008:
| # | Start | End | Lowfloor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Parnell Square | Poolbeg Extension | Yes |
| 2 | Parnell Square | Sandymount (St.John's Church) / Belfield UCD | Yes |
| 3 | Larkhill | Sandymount (St.John's Church) / Belfield UCD | Yes |
| 4 | Harristown Bus Depot | Blackrock | Yes |
| 4A | Harristown Bus Depot | Stradbrook (Abbey Road) | Yes |
| 5 | O'Connell Street | Sandyford Industrial Estate | Yes |
| 7 | O'Connell Street | Loughlinstown Park / Cherrywood Business Park | Yes |
| 7A | O'Connell Street | Mackintosh Park | Yes |
| 7B | O'Connell Street | Shankill / Cherrywood Business Park | No |
| 7D | O'Connell Street | Dalkey | No |
| 7N | College Street | Shankill (Woodbrook) | Yes |
| 8 | O'Connell Street | Dalkey | Yes |
| 10 | Phoenix Park | Belfield UCD | Yes |
| 10A | Phoenix Park | Stillorgan Shopping Centre | Yes |
| 11 | Wadelai Park | Kilmacud Road | Yes |
| 11A | Wadelai Park | Mather Road North | Yes |
| 11B | Wadelai Park | Belfield UCD | Yes |
| 13 | Merrion Square | Harristown Bus Depot | No |
| 13A | Merrion Square | Harristown Bus Depot | No |
| 14 | Parnell Square | Dundrum Luas Station | No |
| 14A | Parnell Square | Dundrum Luas Station | No |
| 15 | Eden Quay | Scholarstown Road | No |
| 15A | Eden Quay | Greenhills (Limekiln Road) | No |
| 15B | Eden Quay | Whitechurch | No |
| 15E | Eden Quay | Scholarstown Road | No |
| 15F | Eden Quay | Ellensborough | Yes |
| 15N | College Street | Ellensborough | Yes |
| 15X | Belfield UCD | Templeogue (Bridge) | Yes |
| 16 | Santry | Ballinteer (Kingston) | No |
| 16A | Dublin Airport | Rathfarnham Lower | No |
| 17 | Blackrock Station | Rialto | No |
| 17A | Kilbarrack | Finglas (Mellowes Road) | No |
| 18 | Old Lucan Road / Palmerstown Cemetery | Sandymount Green | Yes |
| 19 | Jamestown Road | Bulfin Road | Yes |
| 19A | Jamestown Road | Greenhills (Limekiln Road) | Yes |
| 20B | Eden Quay | Beaumont (Ardlea Road) | Yes |
| 25 | Pearse Street | Lucan (Dodsboro) | No |
| 25A | Pearse Street | Lucan (Superquinn, Newcastle Road) | No |
| 25N | Westmoreland Street | Lucan (Dodsboro) | Yes |
| 25X | Belfield UCD / Waterloo Road / Merrion Square | Adamstown Station / Lucan | No |
| 26 | Pearse Street | Palmerstown (Cherry Orchard) | Yes |
| 27 | Talbot Street | Clare Hall | No |
| 27B | Eden Quay | Harristown Bus Depot | Yes |
| 27C | Leeson Street Bridge | Clare Hall | No |
| 27N | D'Olier Street | Artane Roundabout | Yes |
| 27X | Belfield UCD | Clare Hall | No |
| 29A | Eden Quay | Newgrove Cross | No |
| 29N | D'Olier Street | Baldoyle Road | Yes |
| 31 | Eden Quay | Howth Summit | Yes |
| 31B | Eden Quay | Howth Summit | Yes |
| 31C | Sutton Station | Howth Station | No |
| 31N | D'Olier Street | Howth Summit | Yes |
| 32 | Eden Quay | Portmarnock | Yes |
| 32A | Eden Quay | Malahide | Yes |
| 32B | Eden Quay | Portmarnock | Yes |
| 32X | Belfield UCD | Malahide | Yes |
| 33 | Lower Abbey Street | Balbriggan | Yes |
| 33A | Swords | Balbriggan | Yes |
| 33B | Swords | Portrane | No |
| 33N | D'Olier Street | Balbriggan | Yes |
| 33X | Stephen's Green | Skerries | Yes |
| 37 | Hawkins Street | Carpenterstown | Yes |
| 37X | Belfield UCD | Carpenterstown | No |
| 38 | Hawkins Street | Damastown | Yes |
| 38A | Hawkins Street | Damastown | Yes |
| 38B | Hawkins Street | Blanchardstown IT | No |
| 38C | Hawkins Street | Tyrellstown | No |
| 39 | Hawkins Street | Ongar | Yes |
| 39A | Hawkins Street | Ongar | Yes |
| 39B | Belfield UCD | Ongar | No |
| 39C | Hawkins Street | Ongar | Yes |
| 39N | Westmoreland Street | Tyrellstown | Yes |
| 39X | Belfield UCD | Ongar | No |
| 40 | Parnell Street | Finglas (McKelvey Avenue) | No |
| 40A | Parnell Street | Finglas (St.Margarets Road) | No |
| 40B | Parnell Street | Toberburr | No |
| 40C | Parnell Street | Finglas (St.Margarets Road) | No |
| 40D | Parnell Street | Tyrellstown | No |
| 40N | Westmoreland Street | Finglas South | Yes |
| 41 | Lower Abbey Street | Swords Manor | No |
| 41A | Swords Manor | Lower Abbey Street | No |
| 41B | Lower Abbey Street | Rolestown | No |
| 41C | Lower Abbey Street | Swords Manor | No |
| 41N | D'Olier Street | Swords Manor / Portrane | Yes |
| 41X | Belfield UCD | Swords Manor | No |
| 42 | Lower Abbey Street | Malahide (Coast Road) / Portmarnock | Yes |
| 42A | Lower Abbey Street | Beaumont Hospital | No |
| 42B | Lower Abbey Street | Blunden Drive | No |
| 42N | D'Olier Street | Portmarnock | Yes |
| 43 | Lower Abbey Street | Swords Business Park | Yes |
| 44 | Townsend Street | Enniskerry | No |
| 44B | Townsend Street / Ranelagh / Dundrum | Glencullen | Yes |
| 44C | Townsend Street | Ballyogan | No |
| 44N | College Street | Cornelscourt | Yes |
| 45 | Eden Quay | Bray (Esplanade / Oldcourt) | Yes |
| 45A | Dún Laoghaire Station | Ballywaltrim | Yes |
| 46A | Mountjoy Square / Parnell Square | Dún Laoghaire Station | Yes |
| 46B | Mountjoy Square / Parnell Square | Sandyford Industrial Estate / Belarmine | No |
| 46C | Mountjoy Square / Parnell Square | Cherrywood Business Park | No |
| 46D | Mountjoy Square / Parnell Square | Carrickmines Cross | No |
| 46E | Mountjoy Square / Parnell Square | Blackrock Station | No |
| 46N | College Street | Dalkey | Yes |
| 46X | Dublin Airport | Dún Laoghaire Station | No |
| 48A | Parnell Square | Ballinteer | No |
| 48N | College Street | Rathfarnham (Yellow House) | Yes |
| 49 | Eden Quay | The Square (Tallaght) | Yes |
| 49A | Eden Quay | Belgard Road | Yes |
| 49N | College Street | Kilnamanagh | Yes |
| 49X | Belfield UCD | Ellensborough | Yes |
| 50 | Ringsend Road | Citywest | Yes |
| 50X | Belfield UCD | Killinarden | Yes |
| 51 | Neilstown | Aston Quay | No |
| 51A | Lower Abbey Street | Beaumont Hospital | No |
| 51B | Aston Quay | Grange Castle Business Park | Yes |
| 51C | Aston Quay | Grange Castle Business Park | Yes |
| 51D | Aston Quay / Waterloo Road | Woodford (Watery Lane) | No |
| 51N | Westmoreland Street | Woodford | Yes |
| 51X | Belfield UCD | Dunawley | No |
| 53 | Eden Quay | East Wall Road | Yes |
| 53A | Eden Quay | Alexandra Road | No |
| 54A | Eden Quay | Ellensborough (Kiltipper Way) | Yes |
| 54N | College Street | Cheeverstown Road | Yes |
| 56A | Ringsend Road | The Square (Tallaght) | Yes |
| 58C | Parnell Square | Dún Laoghaire Station | No |
| 58X | Dublin Airport | Shankill (Woodbrook) | No |
| 59 | Dún Laoghaire Station | Mackintosh Park | Yes |
| 63 | Mountjoy Square / Parnell Square | Kilternan | Yes |
| 65 | Eden Quay | Blessington / Ballymore / Ballyknockan | Yes |
| 65B | Eden Quay | Citywest | Yes |
| 65X | Belfield UCD | Killinarden | No |
| 66 | Pearse Street | Maynooth / Kilcock | Yes |
| 66A | Pearse Street | Leixlip (River Forest) | Yes |
| 66B | Pearse Street | Leixlip (Castletown) | Yes |
| 66D | Waterloo Road | Leixlip (Easton Road) | Yes |
| 66N | Westmoreland Street | Leixlip | Yes |
| 66X | Belfield UCD / Waterloo Road / Stephen's Green | Maynooth / Leixlip | Yes |
| 67 | Pearse Street | Celbridge | Yes |
| 67A | Pearse Street | Maynooth | Yes |
| 67N | Westmoreland Street | Maynooth | Yes |
| 67X | Belfield UCD / Waterloo Road / Stephen's Green | Celbridge | Yes |
| 68 | Aston Quay | Newcastle / Greenogue Business Park | Yes |
| 69 | Aston Quay | Rathcoole | Yes |
| 69N | Westmoreland Street | Saggart | Yes |
| 69X | Aston Quay | Rathcoole | Yes |
| 70 | Hawkins Street | Dunboyne | Yes |
| 70A | Hawkins Street | Dunboyne | Yes |
| 70B | Belfield UCD | New Ongar Road | No |
| 70N | Westmoreland Street | Dunboyne | Yes |
| 70X | Belfield UCD | Dunboyne | No |
| 74 | Pearse Street | Stocking Avenue | Yes |
| 74A | Pearse Street | Stocking Avenue | Yes |
| 75 | Dún Laoghaire Station | The Square (Tallaght) | Yes |
| 76 | Ballyfermot (Old Lucan Road) | Fettercairn | No |
| 76A | The Blanchardstown Centre | The Square (Tallaght) / Fettercairn / Balrothery | No |
| 76B | Ballyfermot (Old Lucan Road) | Balrothery | No |
| 77 | Ringsend Road | Jobstown | No |
| 77A | Ringsend Road | The Square (Tallaght) | No |
| 77N | College Street | Westbrook Estate | Yes |
| 77X | Belfield UCD | Citywest / Ellensborough | Yes |
| 78 | Aston Quay | Liffey Valley Centre | No |
| 78A | Aston Quay | Liffey Valley Centre | No |
| 79 | Aston Quay | Ballyfermot (Spiddal Park) | Yes |
| 79A | Aston Quay | Park West | Yes |
| 79X | Neilstown Road | Bachelor's Walk | Yes |
| 83 | Harristown Bus Depot | Kimmage | No |
| 84 | Eden Quay | Kilcoole / Newcastle | Yes |
| 84N | College Street | Greystones | Yes |
| 84X | Eden Quay | Kilcoole / Newcastle / Newtownmountkennedy | Yes |
| 86 | Shankill | Sandyford Industrial Estate | No |
| 88N | Westmoreland Street | Ashbourne | Yes |
| 90 | Heuston Rail Station | International Financial Services Centre | Yes |
| 91 | Heuston Rail Station | O'Connell Bridge | Yes |
| 92 | Heuston Rail Station | Wilton Terrace | Yes |
| 102 | Dublin Airport | Sutton Station | Yes |
| 103 | Clontarf Station | Omni Park | Yes |
| 104 | Clontarf Station | Cappagh Hospital | Yes |
| 105 | Malahide | Dublin City University | No |
| 111 | Dún Laoghaire Station | Loughlinstown Park | Yes |
| 114 | Blackrock Station | Ticknock | No |
| 115 | Blackrock Station | Ballyogan | No |
| 116 | DCU / Parnell Square | Whitechurch / Ballinteer / Sandyford / Clonskea | No |
| 117 | D'Olier Street | Belarmine | No |
| 118 | D'Olier Street | Belarmine | No |
| 120 | Parnell Street | Ashtown Station | No |
| 121 | Drimnagh | Rathoath Road | No |
| 122 | Drimnagh | Ashington | No |
| 123 | Marino | Walkinstown (Kilnamanagh Road) | Yes |
| 128 | Rathmines | Clongriffin | Yes |
| 129 | Leeson Street Bridge | Baldoyle | Yes |
| 130 | Lower Abbey Street | Castle Avenue | Yes |
| 140 | Wilton Terrace | St.Margaret's Road (Hampton Wood) | Yes |
| 142 | Rathmines | Portmarnock | Yes |
| 145 | Mountjoy Square / Parnell Square | Kilmacanogue | Yes |
| 150 | Fleet Street | Rossmore | Yes |
| 151 | Docklands (Castleforbes Road) | Adamstown Station | Yes |
| 161 | Rockbrook | Nutgrove Shopping Centre | Yes |
| 172 | Kildare Street | Dunard | No |
| 184 | Bray Station | Kilpedder / Newtownmountkennedy | No |
| 185 | Bray Station | Palermo / Shop River | No |
| 201 | Citywest | Bohernabreena | Yes |
| 202 | Citywest | Kilnamanagh | Yes |
| 206 | Ballyfermot (Old Lucan Road) | Ballyfermot (Drumfinn Road) | No |
| 210 | Dolphin's Barn | Liffey Valley Centre | Yes |
| 220 | Ballymun | Ladys Well Road | Yes |
| 236 | The Blanchardstown Centre | Tyrellstown / Ballycoolin Industrial Estate | No |
| 237 | The Blanchardstown Centre (Circular) | via Carpenterstown | No |
| 238 | The Blanchardstown Centre (Circular) | via Corduff | No |
| 239 | The Blanchardstown Centre | Liffey Valley Centre | No |
| 270 | The Blanchardstown Centre | Dunboyne | No |
| 746 | Dún Laoghaire Station | Dublin Airport | Yes |
| 747 | O'Connell Street | Dublin Airport | Yes |
| 748 | Heuston Station | Dublin Airport | Yes |
Fleet
Double decker
| Class name | Body | Chassis | Introduced | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "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, 2007 | 70 |
| "DT" | Alexander ALX400 | Dennis Trident 2 | 2003 | 10 |
| "EV" | Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 | Volvo B9TL | 2007 | 50 |
50 more EV's are to be delivered in 2008.
Withdrawals of RV's are underway, to be completed by 2011.
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" | Wright Crusader 2 | Volvo B6BLE | 1999–2000 | 50 |
Notes
| DT9, WV9/11 are withdrawn due to fire damage |
| There are still many RA and 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. He has since been found not guilty of any misdoings[citation needed].
See also
References