Bus Éireann to replace School Transport Scheme services previously operated by Lough Swilly Bus Co.

Bus Éireann has announced that it expects to be able to replace all of the School Transport Scheme bus services that were operated by Lough Swilly Bus Company in County Donegal prior to it ceasing to trade. The company says that it plans to have the new services in place in time for the return to school on Monday morning, 28 April.  Over 2,000 schoolchildren hold tickets issued by Bus Éireann for use on over 50 school bus routes and a number of public scheduled bus services formerly provided by Lough Swilly Bus Company. 

Bus Éireann has asked parents and guardians of schoolgoing children using the services to ensure that their children are at the normal pick-up points in good time. The vehicles providing the services from Monday, 28 April will be contracted from local private bus operators operating on behalf of Bus Éireann. Further information is available from Bus Éireann, Stranorlar at 074-9131008.

Bus Éireann operates the School Transport Scheme nationally on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills. Every school day approximately 114,000 primary and post-primary children are transported on almost 4,000 dedicated school transport vehicles across 6,000 routes serving some 3,000 schools across the country under the scheme. This includes some 10,000 children with special educational needs who are provided with services tailored to meet their individual requirements on a door-to-door basis. 

Schoolchildren travelling under the scheme make over 40 million individual journeys every year. 

Thursday, 24th April, 2014