Petrol Prices Mean Car Commuters Can Save Thousands of Euro by Switching to Bus Éireann

Car commuters could potentially save themselves thousands of euro in fuel costs by switching to the bus for some or all of their journeys, according to the latest Cost of Commuting Survey from Bus Éireann.

With the average price of petrol at the €1.49 per litre mark, commuters who travel to work by car could be adding hundreds or thousands of euro to their annual household bills.

This doesn’t even include other savings to be made by switching to the bus including reduced parking charges, toll charges, and operating costs (servicing, oil, tyres and other repairs). A recent AA Ireland survey found that the cost of running a small family car has increased by €646 in the last year alone.  

For instance, the annual cost of petrol for travelling by car between Kells and Dublin is an estimated €4,374.68 excluding additional charges, according to the Cost of Commuting Survey by Bus Éireann.

However, if that person was to take the bus between Kells and Dublin using a Bus Éireann weekly ticket it would cost them €2,448 a year – a saving of over €1,926.68. Even further savings of up to 52 per cent off the monthly or yearly cost of the fare could be achieved depending on a person’s tax status by signing up to the Taxsaver Scheme as these tickets are not subject to tax, PRSI or the Universal Social Charge.

The survey also found that someone travelling by car between Galway and Ballinasloe will spend €19.07 on petrol for every round-trip compared to just €10.50 for a return journey between these destinations on Bus Éireann. Over a year, this equates to a saving of €2,056.80. Even if you left the car behind for just two days a week and got the bus instead you could save €822.72 per annum.

Car users could also have a month’s worth of travel on Bus Éireann’s City services for less than the cost of a tank of petrol. Galway, Limerick and Waterford city services offer an unlimited monthly city commuter adult ticket at just €55.00. Cork’s monthly adult ticket is good value at €62.00 for unlimited travel on its extensive city network. This compares with the potential cost of a tank of petrol of €67.45.

When it comes to longer journeys, a couple could take a day trip such as Dublin-Athlone or Galway-Clifden with Bus Éireann for potentially half the cost of a tank of petrol. For example, two day return trips Dublin-Athlone cost €31.00 in total or (€15.50 each), a Day Return trip between Galway-Clifden costs €13.00 (€26.00 for two), or a Day Return on the Waterford-Kilkenny route is €10.50 (€21.00 for two).

“Using the car to commute is getting more and more expensive. Switching to the bus saves you money and also takes the hassle and stress out of getting to work. Even leaving the car behind once or twice a week and taking the bus instead could cut your bills by hundreds of euro a year,” said Andrew McLindon, PR Manager, Bus Eireann.

Car users intending to switch to the bus can view up-to-the-second bus arrival times for stops across the country via the Web or text at www.whensmybus.ie, which uses GPS technology to track the Bus Éireann fleet of vehicles.

Thursday, 15th September, 2011