Kilkenny bus queue is 'survival of the fittest' - passengers left at side of road despite booking in advance
No way to college in transport nightmare
Students trying to get from Kilkenny to Waterford to start their college education are being left on the side of the road because of overcrowding on commuter buses.
One local student described the morning rush for a seat this week as ‘survival of the fittest’ after she was one of many left behind by the bus — on her very first day in college.
Kelly O’Shea was due to begin her first day at SETU on Monday, studying psychology, but missed out because there was no seat on the bus for her — even though she had booked in advance.
Along with about 25 others, Kelly was waiting for the bus at the Ormonde Street stop, in Kilkenny City, at 7.40am on Monday.
“The bus driver left his seat to inform us that the bus was nearly full and he would not be able to take on all of us. The majority of us had booked a seat in advance and showed the driver this. He explained there was nothing he could do, and our only option was to contact Dublin Coach (who do not open ’til 9am, at this point a second bus would be too late). He proceeded to let five people on board and shut the door.”
On Tuesday morning Kelly took the precaution of going to the earlier city bus stop, at MacDonagh Junction. However the rush wasn’t much better.
“I got up earlier to get to the bus stop at the other side of town. There was about 45-50 people waiting for the bus. I was lucky enough to get on; eight people that booked were left at this first stop.”
“We still have to go to the second stop in Kilkenny where I usually get on.
“At the second stop a handful of people exited the bus, there is 22 people outside waiting to get on. Four people were allowed on the bus, everyone else left stranded on the side of the road AGAIN.”
Kelly is not looking forward to the coming days. “For the next few mornings, people who gather at Ormonde will now gather at MacDonagh and it’ll be survival of the fittest for a seat on this bus.”
“Public transport is glorified but this is how students are left, missing out on education daily. When and how will this change? If it even does.”
Having missed out on her important first day in college, and facing the stress of a race for a bus seat in the coming days, Kelly is calling on the company she has tickets with, or others, to put on more buses. She is calling for “either Dublin Coach (to) prioritise their customers with a second bus, or other local companies step forward to help students commute.”
Of her experience on Monday Kelly said: “It is extremely disheartening that I am now missing out on my first day, as I only have two lectures this morning it would not be likely for me to arrive on a later bus as my lectures would be finished by then.”
Kelly is driven into the city from Ballyragget, by her mother, to catch the bus. Before it stops in Kilkenny the bus comes from Dublin city centre, via the Red Cow Luas stop. It continues on to SETU and then on to Dungarvan and Cork.
Having spoken to other people who didn’t make it onto the bus on Monday Kelly says it seems to be an issue for the last two years.
She told the Kilkenny People that buying tickets and using the app for Dublin Coach, the company she is using, was very easy, and tickets are very good value. It’s just getting on a bus that is an issue. “Although there are other bus companies like JJ Kavanagh, he does not run the same route or time for commuters. Dublin Coach, I presumed, would have been extremely accessible and handy as the app allows you to track your bus, pre-book your ticket, etc. With the app, I purchased a multi-journey ticket, allowing me 10 commutes from the 18th to the 23rd. This cost me €20 which is extremely low-cost but now I miss out on two journeys.
“This is extremely disappointing from Irish public transport, although Irish Rail is available, the first train does not depart until 9.07am and arrives in Waterford at 9.44am. This makes it impossible to reach SETU Waterford Campus on the Cork Road in time for the first class at 9.15am.”
The first Bus Eireann bus from MacDonagh train station leaves Kilkenny for Waterford just after noon each weekday. The only JJ Kavanagh’s bus that stops in Kilkenny City is at 3.45am, with the company’s 11 other daily services from the airport to Waterford city stopping at Paulstown only.
This in the context of a time when it has never been more difficult for students to find affordable accommodation close to colleges, and every third level institution is seeing more students opt for the daily commute option. And, as Kelly points out, people are encouraged more than ever to use public transport.
Dublin Coach were contacted for comment, but had not replied at time of going to press.
The company website says that ‘tickets booked online guarantee a seat on the service you have booked for. Your online ticket can be used to board another service on the same calendar day, provided there is room on that coach’.
Dublin Coach accepts the Young Adult and Student Leap Cards which give 50% off travel.