Bus Éireann wins contract to run new eco-friendly f leet

BUS Éireann has won the contract to run the bus service in Waterford City, it was announced yesterday.

The National Transport Authority said the State company was the preferred bidder for the contract following a competitive process involving five bids from Irish and international companies.

Bus Éireann will operate five city bus routes in the city from next year, with a new fleet of 17 eco-friendly vehicles, with USB chargers installed at every seat and Wi-Fi available throughout.

Acting Chief Executive Ray Hernan said the announcement was ‘an important win that endorsed the company’. He said: ‘Bus Éireann celebrates 30 years of service to Waterford this year, and it is great for us to be able to mark this occasion by winning a new contract to continue to provide and enhance Waterford City bus services.’

Siptu welcomed the decision but said its members employed in Waterford had suffered anxiety in the past number of years over the decision by the NTA to tender out work that was ‘carried out efficiently and economically by them for decades’.

Sector Organiser for the union, Willie Noone, said: ‘The decision by the NTA to continue with Bus Éireann reaffirms that the provision of public transport services in Waterford is been delivered safely, efficiently and economically by the current provider.

‘The decision to tender the services only caused unnecessary stress and worry to all Bus Éireann employees in that location, as the whole viability of the local depot was been undermined.’ But the body representing private bus operators, Coach Tourism and Transport Council, said the decision was a missed opportunity.