Update on timetable changes
February 27th, 2008
Timetable changes are working OK. We still have a problem in the peak with capacity. We will add an extra bus either Friday or Monday. Certain buses were full, as follows.
The 7.30, 7.45 and 8.15 were full. There were 14 seats free on the 8am bus
and there were 13 on the 8.30. The 6.34 and the 7.06 both had plenty of free seats. (over 20).
Any feedback on the best time for the extra bus is welcome We think that 7.55 might be the best time, with the 8pm deferred a few minutes.
Feedback on other times of the day helps too. We discontinued the 1751 from swords to the city in favour of a 1736 and 18.07, but this is not convenient for some people who finish work at 1730. We may move the 1807 back to 1751.
February 27th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Hey there,
I was wondering if you would consider adding a later bus from town (say 9pm). There are a number of workers like myself in town who may go for one drink or just work late.
Also would you consider putting on a latish bus on Fri and Sat late evenings at around 9pm from Swords to town. You are sure to get a load of people from Wrights and the Old Boro going to town and at that stage there would little chance of drunkeness. You could even charge more maybe €4?
Great service by the way!
David
February 27th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
A bus from town at 16.15 or so would suit. 4pm is too early for most people. Also, a timetable on your bus stops would be a great help and indeed some bus stops themselves would also help.
February 27th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
i was wondering if you could put a bus in place between 4.30 and 5.15. a bus inbetween this time would be very convient as i finish work at approx. 4.40 every evening and have to wait 35 minutes for the next service. there was two buses running in between these times before the timetable change
February 27th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
sorry i was referring from swords to the city centre at weekdays
February 27th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
One other question for you all. What would the effect of a fare increase be? Would you be happy with that if it meant you always got a seat (the problem we have at the moment is that the peak services don’t generate enough cash in themselves to cover the cost of a getting a bus and driver to do only one run on the peak).
February 27th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
In that case if everyone had a monthly ticket you would be in real trouble would you not?
Tough question 4 euro is a fine price I think although you could scale it for the more profitable lines to be 3.
Any thoughts on my suggestions in the first post? Even a 5/6 price to town might work.
February 28th, 2008 at 12:16 am
I’d have no probs with a slightly increased fare at peak times. I don’t know how you’d do it though. Any bus that cost more would still have everybody going up to it with their €3 coins and I’d imagine they’d be a bit annoyed to be turned away.
As to Davids point above about the monthly / yearly ticket holders I don’t think that would be a problem. If a customer supports you enough by buying a long term ticket then they should probably be exempt from a fare increase.
What a disaster today. Excellent service by the way for putting on extra coaches. I only wish I didn’t have to sit in it for an hour and a half
The North Dublin papers constantly have letters complaining about the port tunnel being underused. It just goes to show how much it is being used if having it out of comission can shag up all of the northside for the evening.
February 28th, 2008 at 10:13 am
admin - so in general are you seening increased numbers using the service ? I’m guessing so otherwise you wouldn’t be broaching the question of extra busses….
I guess there are a number of factors to take into consideration, firstly what happens should your Applewood application come through quickly - I know there should be the same numbers of people around at rush hour, but the split in the routes may require an extra bus or two anyway……but you’ll cross that bridge when you come to it……
I get the 7:06 in and the 16:45 out, so I’m slightly outside what’s considered rush hour, but I do this because the next bus up each way was full and I don’t want to risk having full buses pass me and then hoping the next one isn’t full….
On yesterdays Port Tunnel fiasco - I can understand that if they have problems with sensor equipment they have to close the tunnel, I just don’t understand how they didn’t test the systems properly prior to opening the Tunnel, what I’d like to know from Swords Express is as a license holder for the Tunnel do the Tunnel operators actually inform you of upcoming issues and possible problems, I would imagine not ???
The issues must have gotten worse as the evening went on, I managed to get on a bus at 17:10 and it only took 55 minutes to get home, which was great.
February 28th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
a bus from town between the 4.06 and 4.45. some folk finish work at 4 but cannot get across town to catch the 4.06 and have to wait half hour or so for the next bus
February 28th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
A bus leaving town at 08:00 would be must better due to the 08:06 {normally comes at 08:10-08:12} get into Swords ~ 08:40, a bus at 08:00 would hopefull get most people into work for 08:30.
Also the return of a bus between 17:03 and 17:50 is a god send, I loved the 17:20 due to getting into town before 18:00 but was cancelled over X-Mas.
February 29th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Antoin,
You never told us the first stop is now the pavilions instead of penny’s….the buses are getting half full before they get to the “first stop” at penny’s???i am sure there is more than myself were surprised that after waiting in the cold to find the bus with passengers already on it and there is big enough q’s waiting at the first stop!!!
February 29th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Hi
Just saw in one of the comments about an application for a route through Applewood. Could you update me please on this as it would be very beneficial to me and I’m sure many others. I have used the service a few times and it is great but getting to Swords town is difficult and also adds cost in terms of getting another bus.
Thanks
Alan
February 29th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
I dont think I would be prepared to pay any extra for the bus. I walk every morning from Applewood to get your bus and if the fare was increased I think i would just have to revert back to travelling with Dublin Bus
February 29th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
I recently downloaded the new timetable from your website which came into effect Monday 25 February. It states that in the mornings from 730 until 915 there is a bus every 15 minutes leaving from the entrance to the Pavilions. The last three morning I had planned to get the 745 and get on at Pinnock Hill. The bus has arrived early every morning at 7.43. I do not understand how the bus can leave the Pavilions at 745 and arrive at Pinnock hill at 743. The swords express is a great service, however the timetable needs to clarified as it can be very frustration especially in the mornings.
It seems that from 730 to 830 in the mornings and 5.30 to 630 is the busiest time yet the buses still only run every 15 minutes. A bus every 10 minutes at these times would be much more effective and would not leave groups of people standing at bus stops only to be told the bus is full.
On Tuesday I got the 5.30 back to Swords from IFSC house. A group of people were aloud stand which I think is great. Other times I have waited 10 minutes in line to get the bus and was told it was full and nobody was aloud stand. What is the policy with standing on the bus? I have no problem standing and it is far better that standing at a bus stop hoping to get a place on the next bus.
I really look forward to hearing back from you.
Thanks again for providing such a service to Dublin as we desperately needed it.
March 3rd, 2008 at 5:09 pm
I get the bus too every morning David. It’s probably that the 7:30 took 13 minutes to get to you rather than the 7:45 going too early.
I got the 8AM bus this morning. It left Pennys at 8:09 after everybody got on. I didn’t check the time at Pinnock Hill but it was probably about 8:12 or so which would be similar to your experience with the earlier bus.
March 6th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
With a fare increase, I would probably use the bus less. €40 a week is quite steep. Why don’t people adjust their time, if the bus is full at their relevant stop. They are still getting into town quicker even by leaving Swords 15mins later. Any update on ten journey tickets
March 30th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
€3 return or €30 per week or €100 per month or €1000 per year to use your bus to and from town without having any other bus routes to avail of is too expensive as it is.
If the tickets were integrated with Dublin Bus so you could use other routes then i would say it is value. My tax saver Dublin Bus ticket is far more valuable that the price to be paid to Swords express - Though your service is good, when you can get on the bus, but only really at rush hours.
Be very careful about increasing your fare because when Dublin Bus get permission to use the tunnel from Swords you will be in trouble. Already they are planning on increasin the frequenct of the 142 bus through the tunnel.