Bus Eireann has reported a return to pre-pandemic levels of passenger activity in 2022.
The bus company is the largest public transport network in the country, spanning an estimated 225 million kilometres over the past year. Its passenger hub declined over the course of the pandemic but has since made a strong return.
Its Route 115 service between Mullingar and Dublin is in high demand, having experienced one of the biggest increases in passengers of any Bus Eireann service since 2019. Figures suggest that this route has between 40-60% more passengers when compared to service use three years ago.
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Bus Eireann chief executive Stephen Kent said: “2022 has been an exciting year for bus transport in Ireland and we are happy to see so many passengers returning in numbers not seen since the pre-Covid period, with a new generation of bus passengers coming on-board for the first time.
“With 89.5 million passenger journeys across our services in 2022, covering over 225 million passenger kilometres – Bus Eireann remains Ireland’s leading provider of transport services for our cities, towns and rural communities, with a 91% customer satisfaction level.”
The transport provider is currently running a recruitment campaign to keep up with the high demand for its services. It hired 215 new drivers in 2022, with its recruitment drive continuing on into the New Year.
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