Dublin Bus and Go Ahead have been fined almost €2.4million by the NTA (National Transport Authority) for failing to meet route and timetable targets.
Phantom buses that never show up, cancelled services and buses that ‘disappear’ from real time passenger information were all among the complaints levelled at the bus operators.
Company bosses were before the Oireachtas transport committee in the Dáil on Tuesday where TDs and Senators slammed them over their companies’ performances.
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In response, the transport chiefs said that they are facing a staff shortage crisis, with Go Ahead, who operate 30 routes, saying they will be 45 drivers short until February, while Dublin Bus need an extra 150 drivers for their 130 routes which they predict they won’t have onboard until next March.
Labour’s transport spokesman, Duncan Smith, described the fines as “eye-watering” and said the fines underscore “systemic failures” across the public transport system.
The NTA told the Dublin Fingal TD that Dublin Bus has been fined €1.5million and Go Ahead have been fined €885,000 for failing to meet route and timetable targets.
Mr Smith said: "These figures are particularly large for Go Ahead which operated 30 routes, compared to the 130 routes operated by Dublin Bus.
“The service providers admitted that 2022 has been an exceptional year for failing to meet targets."
“This will come as no surprise to commuters across Dublin who have been experiencing poor service, including buses not turning up, cancelled services and inconsistent real time passenger information through Apps and Bus Stop signs.
“Both Dublin Bus and Go Ahead have stated that driver recruitment and retention is at the core of their failures in meeting targets this year and both have stated that new driving staff are in the pipeline.
“Dublin Bus, Go Ahead and the National Transport Authority (NTA) have all acknowledged that public transport services have fallen well below acceptable levels.
“We need to see faster recruitment of bus drivers across all services.
“We cannot tolerate a situation where we are looking to cut down emissions on one hand and not provide adequate public transport services on the other.
“Priority must be given to recruit and retain bus drivers across the service. Bus services are the lifeblood of our public transport system.
“When it breaks down, people miss health appointments, are late for work, late for school and college. If service is not improved drastically, then the NTA must look at sustainable measures beyond fines such as contract non-renewal.”
Andrea Keane, acting chief executive of Dublin Bus said: “Our employee recruitment campaigns are continuing at pace, and we continue to welcome new drivers to the company each month.
“However, it is going to take time before driver numbers are restored to the level needed to meet the needs of our current and expanding network of services.
“We are confident that the very significant programme of work being carried out will restore our customer experience to the standards our customers expect.”
Go Ahead’s managing director, Andrew Edwards, said: “We understand that there is a need to rebuild trust in our services, and we are determined to do that.”
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