I’m very disappointed with Bus Eireann. I sent a complaint over a week ago and have not received a reply so I’ve decided to write a post about it.
Lucy, my daughter, had to travel from Galway to Ballinacarrow in Sligo ten days ago. She had her ticket and told the driver that she was getting off at Ballinacarrow, which for those of you who don’t know is a village on the main N17 Galway – Sligo road.
The N17 is a really busy road and very dangerous for pedestrians due to the volume and speed of cars. I was waiting near the bus stop for Lucy and as I saw the bus approach it just drove right by the stop! Luckily I followed the bus and was horrified when I just saw it stop at the side of the road and let Lucy off. At this part of the road there was no pavement!
Lucy was very shaken as she is suffering from anxiety and doesn’t really like getting the bus anyway. She had to tell the driver that he’d missed the stop. He said he as in a world of his own and had forgotten! I know we all make mistakes but to leave someone off at the side of a busy road is just so dangerous. He didn’t know I was waiting for her, she might have had to make her own way back to the village along that very busy road.
I worry that now Lucy will no longer get on a bus. I also worry that this might have happened at night or to another vulnerable person, or to a tourist who might not have been aware as to their location. At €17 for a one way student ticket you’d at least expect to be let off at an official bus stop. As yet I have had no reply to my official complaint to Bus Eireann which was sent over a week ago.
Magnumlady Blog 
I am disappointed that you would report a driver for sush a minor mistake. I travel on the Sigo – Galway bus regularly and have never seen the driver miss a stop. I do understand your issue but think you should have spoken to the driver not his boss…
Peter
My daughter spoke to the driver Peter – he just shrugged his shoulders.
This is really bad, i so feel for you all, and Thank God you were there to meet her .
These bus drivers are hopeless and are wanting more and more money, also very few of them smile!!! Get your act together Eireann. We could do with someone else coming into the transport system and pushing Eireann off the map…
I’m so pleased I was there to meet her, it really is a dangerous road.
They are a disgrace in general. I know you can get lucky with some drivers but it is a total lottery. You are expected to feel gratitude when your scheduled bus turns up and graciously accept the driver’s lacklustre attitude. I reckon they get more reliable public transport service in Aleppo!
Some of the drivers are lovely, in fact most I have come across are – but there’s always one.
Oh sorry to hear about that Val… I a flight because the one am bus left at 2am, I complained but Nada. I was going to ballyhaunis and told the driver from Sligo but he swapped with a colleague on the way who left me at knock by the road with no shelter or clue of where I was and the next bus in abt 3hours. I also complained then but… Nada. I always complained but got the machine reply. After that, I went on cucumber for months saving up to get a car. Now I will not lose on any work deals because I relied on bus Eireann
Sorry to read that Mabel, that must have been awful.
I’ve never forgotten waiting for the last bus to Sligo at Dublin airport about five years ago. About a half hour after it was scheduled to arrive, I talked to a Bus Eireann driver, who checked on the situation. He was told an unmarked bus had stopped briefly near the stop. Another lady and I never saw such a bus.
I asked the driver what we were supposed to do? “I don’t know, I’m just a driver.” I ended up trying to sleep overnight at the airport amidst very loud announcements over the pa system.
Oh no, how awful Dale.
Was waiting at Knock airport for a bus on a stormy cold day.driver had his tea and sandwiches but kept us all inc young children outside until he was finished. Total jackass unfit for purpose.
That’s awful Michael 😦