[quote=âtallback, post: 772075, member: 1158â]Private bus companies wonât take travel passes if theyâre not recompensed for doing so or if its not part of their obligation and understandably they donât want to take on unprofitable routes either. Maybe they would if offered some of the Bus Eireann subsidy though i.e. bundle a couple of good routes with low volume routes and include obligations to take passes, certain amount of services etc and tender it to all companies (incl Bus Eireann). Why can this not be done or at least trialled? Would Bus Eireann win these tenders?
At the moment Bus Eireann is loss-making and going out of business. There are several ways this can change:
[INDENT=1]- Increase their prices: Hard to do in the face of competition and likely to reduce their passenger volumes. Like airlines they need a high load factor so an increase in price would likely drive that down[/INDENT]
[INDENT=1]-Increase their passenger volumes: Unlikely in the face of increased competition etc[/INDENT]
[INDENT=1]- Reduce their cost base/Increase efficiency: This is what the strikes are about at the moment[/INDENT]
[INDENT=1]- Increased subsidy from the government: Probably what the unions ultimately want but politically unfeasible and is just a sop anyway[/INDENT]
[INDENT=1] [/INDENT]
What do you suggest they do?
[INDENT=1] [/INDENT]
[/quote]
Can we not just cancel the recession and leave everybodyâs pay terms as they are?
Bus drivers and people who work in ticket offices. 
