Home › Forums › Louth Chat › Bus Eireann school transport….
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September 2, 2010 at 4:09 pm #9161AnonymousInactive
Do other parents use the school buses that are run by Bus Eireann and how do you find them. Just started using them for the first time this year. Seems it has all changed this year and school buses don’t go into the depot in Drogheda but go straight to the schools, which is good. But how early do your children leave for school.
We got our tickets, checked it all out and the bus left at 8.05 and kids got into school about 8.25am. School starts at 9.05am. Now this morning no bus was there at the time but when I rang the private contractor who runs the bus for Bus Eireann he said he was off the run from the day before…..like only the 4th day back for the secondary school. A new private contractor was doing the run but he had been at the stop aprox. 15 mins before the actual pick up time and didn’t wait. Fair enough, someone did ring me back from Bus Eireann but now the bus is leaving at 7.50, 15 minutes earlier with a different private bus company contracted by Bus Eireann. Seems they will be even earlier in school now. I was told their is a huge demand on school buses this year and this is why is a bit all over the place today but surely when we applied for our places way way back when our children got offered places in secondary school they should have known how many needed transport…….seems some buses were too full and they are trying to jig it around.Maybe I’m too fussy but leaving at 7.50am for a bus going directly to the school that starts at 9.05am seems crazy. But these ‘private’ contractors have other primary school runs to do also so thats why apparently.
Just mad at it all…….doesnt seem organised at all.
September 2, 2010 at 5:48 pm #99010Taylor5Memberno your not fussy. i was on to them (bus Eireann depot) in Dundalk, was told ds didnt have a ticket, never got paperwork, rang school paper work sent in March!!!
Rang back 3 times, got one girl as thick as mud, nice girl twice, who sorted the issue in a flash.
I was told 2 new buses on in Drogheda such is the demand. First i was told the bus ds was on very very early 8.20am collection for a junior infant starting at 9.20am, no way was i going to put him on that bus at that time, far too young to be left on a bus for nearly an hour….
Then she rang back after ringing Drogheda to say he was on a different bus and the collection time is 8.40 or 8.50 outside the estate, this time is fine… tbh i dont think they have a clueSeptember 2, 2010 at 5:53 pm #99013scole1Memberthere has been alot of mix ups with everywhere over the past few days, even throughout the summer some places that provide transport had contracts changed and this was also messed up, but seems to have followed through to both primary and secondary schools this week, hopefully they will get sorted sooner rather than later, as many people rely on the bus and this sort of messing about is dangerous as you may have kids left by themselves and afraid and at risk, or even older children panicking and walking where it is too dangerous for them to walk…
hate to say it though typical irish
September 2, 2010 at 5:54 pm #99014JedtKeymasterWe have a great set up for the Gaelscoil in Donacarney. Our son gets the bus at 8.30 and school starts at 8.50am. He is picked up at the top of our estate and dropped back after school, 20 mins after he finishes.
We are really happy with the service, it is a private contractor but its organised through bus eireann.
Our daughter started school this week and her starting time for the first 2 weeks is 9.30am so we have to battle through the really annoying traffic at Doncarney school to get there. (seriously, why can’t the parents use the roundabout instead of doing illegal, dangerous u-turns??!!)
Today I was stuck at Donacarney schoolfor 10 minutes because of the way the parents were stopping in the middle of the road and doing u-turns and all sorts of crazy maneuvers without using any indicators whatsoever.
My stress levels were through the roof as I thought we were going to be late and the only thought getting me through was knowing in another week she will be on the school bus too and I won’t have to pass that nightmare area at that school.
For us, its great. If you have worries, talk to your school about it, maybe there is something they can do to make it better for your children?
September 2, 2010 at 5:57 pm #99021scole1Memberi hate that area in the morning, i know why though people don’t send their kids on the bus to that particualr school as it’s 17e a week or 24e reduced for 2 kids a week from the same family…expensive for this climate…but that’s why people don’t send their kids on the bus, if there was a bus provided free of charge that would help them reduce the traffic in that area….
September 2, 2010 at 9:29 pm #99058MartinaParticipantThis is my teenager’s 4th year on school buses in Dundalk and they’ve been delivered directly and collected from their schools since she started.
We are lucky because we’re on route so she’s picked up outside the door at 7.55 am, she’s in school at 8.20, she starts at 9.00 am, they finish at 3.30 and she’s not home until 4.45 approx.
Its a very long day, I haven’t had any problem’s with Bus Passes or anything like that so far, but I make sure I have the forms filled in and fee paid by end of June. I have friends who’ve left it till end of July and have all sorts of problems for the first couple of weeks each year.
My main problem at the minute is the 3 yr old who started at the Playschool across the road, because we’re so close, we walk and your dicing with death trying to get up the avenue to the school…. some parents are very inconsiderate with their driving and don’t seem to realise at all that the pedestrian’s around them are children!
September 3, 2010 at 8:49 am #99066AnonymousInactiveWell the bus came at 7.50 today and got a phonecall at 8.10am to say she was in school 🙁 but school doesnt start until 9.05, 55mins early for school. I think this is crazy. Seems they are the first of 5 secondary schools being serviced by this bus???? Will be interesting to see what time they are collected from school at…school finishes at 3.55.
Suppose I’m so angry because I can afford to send 2 on private buses this year so I’m really relying on Bus Eireann transport. Last year I used a private bus for one and it picked up at 8.30 dropping direct to school too. This one is 40 mins earlier.
September 3, 2010 at 9:00 am #99068Maria30MemberMummy5,
I can understand your frustration at this. Its very early to be in school and makes it such a long day. Is the school open at that time? Hopefully bus gets moved to a later time. The only good thing about them going directly to the school is that the kids arent hanging around the bus depot in all weathers.
September 3, 2010 at 9:53 am #99078yummymummyMemberBut surely the school isnt opened at that hour…or is it?? that is crazy to be left there so early!!!
September 3, 2010 at 1:18 pm #99098AnonymousInactiveI checked with the school and there is a ‘breakfast club’ where kids can pay for tea/toast but the school is open at 8.15???? Not sure how many adults/teachers about at that time and would wonder about who is actually responsible for the kids until 9.05am. I can’t be responsible for my own children as the school bus picks them up at this time and brings them to school. If the school had issues they should get onto the Dept of Education who organise Bus Eireann to do the school runs. A bit of a grey area I think, until something happens as usual.
September 3, 2010 at 1:20 pm #99099JedtKeymasterMummy,
Check with the school, they have to have the children supervised, some schools get members of the parents committee to go to the school and watch them until the teachers are in
is there no way they can do it a bit later, its a very early start for them?
September 3, 2010 at 1:39 pm #99107Taylor5MemberI did hear that they are using the same buses for secondary and primary school runs, they are getting the bigger kids earlier to fit in a later bus run to the primary schools, its working in favour of the primary kids as they will be dropped off to school with only minutes to spare
September 4, 2010 at 1:42 pm #99161AnonymousInactivewell after phone calls yesterday to the Dept of Education and their school transport section was told up to 1hr30mins pick up before school starts and collection up to 1hr30mins after school finishes is acceptable under their guidelines 😯 😯 😯 She also told me nicely that I didn’t have to use the service and had the choice of using a private operator when I said I felt it was so early. But as I told her we have a school ticket now and I need to use it this year as money is tight and I have 2 to get to secondary school. Didn’t think much of her suggestions.
September 4, 2010 at 1:59 pm #99164Taylor5MemberI did hear that 1.30 hours is a very long time, snotty bitch!!! No need for that, would kids not be open to getting bullied on the bus that long?
September 4, 2010 at 5:24 pm #99175yummymummyMemberIm sure if they run a breakfast club then they have adequate supervision for the kids who are there, plus extra insurance due to the extended opening hours of the school!!
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