Dublin Bus dispute: Commuters reveal travel trouble

Aline Oliveira: ‘I have never experienced this . . . If I don’t get to work I don’t get paid’

Commuters speak about how they are likely to be affected as Dublin Bus workers stage a two-day strike.

Charlotte Vike

“I think it is going to be hectic because I am going to visit my friend who lives close to Ikea out near Ballymun and she has told me there are no buses after 9pm I have to try and leave before eight because if I stay any longer I won’t get home or else I will have to stay over but then I have no way of getting back into town. If I had college in the morning I wouldn’t be able to go because it’s over in Dublin 8. I usually get the 122 which goes by my house so tomorrow’s strike will be an inconvenience for me. It’s a 30 minute walk to town.”

Martha Faraday

“I’m staying in Finglas because I have just started college in DIT. I usually get the bus in so tomorrow is going to cause hassle because college starts at 9am. I suppose I’ll have to get a taxi tomorrow or I might have to ring my dad for a lift. It’s very expensive as a student to have to get a taxi just to get to college. The 140 is the bus I would usually get so it’s handy but not running tomorrow. I would have sympathy with the bus drivers because they are not getting great wages compared to Luas drivers who seem to be on bigger wages. “

Gavin Dalton

“I’m starting college next week and I’ll be affected net Thursday and Friday when I need to get into town. I live on the far end of Drumcondra so I’ll either have to walk or cycle in. It’s a bit of bother trying to get in and out of town because DIT is about a 40 minute walk from where I live. My brother broke my bike so it looks like I’ll be walking.

“I don’t have sympathy for the Dublin Bus strikers because of all the inconvenience and hassle it is going to cause for people. Between the Dublin Bus strikes now and the Luas strikes earlier this year, it’s getting out of hand.

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Paula McGlynn

“I’m in work early on Thursday morning and I even tried ringing for a taxi last night but I was told there will be no definite time for the taxi to arrive because there will be such a demand. I’ll probably leave an hour earlier than I normally would tomorrow morning because I’m living out in Santry but it is an inconvenience.

“With schools all back and students starting back at college it’s a major hassle for people . . . I have a bit of sympathy for the bus drivers but they are in the public sector and it doesn’t run smoothly all the time. But hopefully they will resolve it and work this dispute out.”

Victor Daros

“My wife and I need to travel into town from Santry on Thursday morning so I’m not sure what we’re going to do. It’s about 9km form city centre so it’s a long distance to walk. I have to get into town tomorrow for 6am and leave at 3pm so I’m just going to have to get a taxi or an Uber.

“I have no idea why they are striking, I think it is about pay but I hope it gets sorted soon.”

Aline Oliveira

“I always get the bus because it is the most convenient and affordable option. Tomorrow I’m going to have to get a taxi or an Uber beacuse I need to get to work tomorrow. I hope there are enough taxis because it is too far to walk the nine or 10km in from where I live. We don’t have a Luas or a DART going where we live so . . . we don’t have much choice.”

“I have never experienced this during my time living in Dublin since I moved here. If I don’t get work I don’t get paid, so I hope there are no more strikes because there are other people in a similar situation in my workplace.”