News

• Newly published annual report shows 107 million passenger journeys in 2023
• Almost 20% growth in passenger numbers on previous year (19.5%)
• Up to 162,500 students transported each school day
• Conclusion of five-year strategy Destination 2023, with major achievements in all five key strategic pillars, raising Customer Satisfaction Scores to 93%
• The company now employs almost 3,000 people from 51 nations and is committed to delivering a more sustainable future for public transport

Bus Éireann, Ireland’s national bus company, has today published its Annual Report for 2023, a year in which the company delivered over 100 million passenger journeys for the first time ever.

Bus Éireann carried out 107 million passenger journeys in 2023 representing growth of 19.5% over the previous year. This growth reflects the conclusion of the company’s five-year strategy Destination 2023 and operation in the first full year free from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sustainability

The company marked a landmark achievement with the delivery of over half a million emissions-free kilometres in 2023, launching Ireland’s first fully electric town bus service in Athlone. This National Transport Authority funded transition helped to eliminate over 400,000 kilograms of tailpipe emissions throughout the year when compared with those of a diesel vehicle. In November, Bus Éireann was awarded the SEAI award in the Transport category for the Athlone EV project.

Expanding on this success Bus Éireann has continued investment into the communities and people it serves. Bus Éireann launched the first all-electric regional city bus service in Limerick in April this year. The Limerick Roxboro depot will see 55 state-of-the-art double-deck battery-electric buses, operated by Bus Éireann, servicing the city with over 2.1 million emission-free kilometres each year. The new charging infrastructure at Roxboro supports 35 charging stations, equipped with a total of 70 charging guns. In preparation for the launch Bus Éireann conducted a comprehensive training program, amounting to over 500 hours, for its drivers and mechanics on the driving, maintenance, and operation of the new fleet.

In 2023, Bus Éireann made substantial progress on its sustainability agenda including achieving a key milestone when it was awarded the prestigious Business Working Responsibly sustainability mark from Business in the Community Ireland, the only bus company in Ireland to do so.

Continued Growth

As Ireland’s national bus company, Bus Éireann operates the most extensive public transport network in the nation. In 2023 the company won an open market tender for services on the Eastern Commuter Corridor and Carlow Town, launching the first-ever town bus service in Carlow and its surrounding areas.

To deliver on this rapid growth in services the company has had to grow itself, recruiting 338 new drivers and 17 new mechanics among a total of some 450 new employees across the organisation, with Bus Éireann’s total workforce rising to 2,932 in 2023. As the company works to expand the network, demand for drivers and mechanics will continue. Bus Éireann offers a rewarding career with a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits package, and a career path with opportunities for growth. More information on how to apply can be found online the Bus Éireann careers website.

The School Transport Scheme, the largest such scheme in Europe, is operated by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. Operating across 9,765 routes and over 7,300 vehicles in 2023, the scheme carried unprecedented numbers of pupils, carrying up to 162,500 per school day, an increase of 8% on the year before, totaling 55 million journeys throughout the year.

Earnings before Interest, Depreciation and Amortisation (EBIDTA) for the year were €1.5m. A loss after exceptional of -€0.7m was posted in 2023 but this compares with -€1.5m in the previous year. The company also achieved 72% employee engagement, developing leadership at every level and building a culture of performance becoming a great place to work.

Future Plans

A new strategy which continues to align to government policy initiatives for sustainable mobility growth and climate action has been agreed and sets the foundations from which Bus Éireann’s latest corporate strategy can succeed. “Horizon 28 – Our Vision for Green Growth” aims to double passenger journeys and drive a transition to net zero.  It also sets out a vision to become a global leader in sustainable transport which incorporates a target of 51% emissions reduction by 2030, doubling female representation at the company and increasing accessibility across the country.

The Chair of Bus Éireann, Miriam Hughes welcomed the publication of the report. ‘In 2023, we delivered accelerated and unprecedented passenger growth for all Bus Éireann services with very tangible progress achieved on our mission to increase sustainable journeys across Ireland. Our goals are strongly aligned to supporting  government policies and initiatives to help achieve climate action targets, support economic growth, and facilitate social inclusion, all of which are intrinsic to our purpose as an organisation. We look forward to continuing on this strong trajectory of growth and building on the great success of what has been achieved in public transport over the past few years for our country and for generations to come.’

Speaking on publication of the Annual Report, Bus Éireann CEO Stephen Kent said:

“Bus Éireann’s record-breaking performance in 2023 underlines what we can achieve when we focus on delivering on our core values as an organisation. At Bus Éireann, our purpose is to sustainably connect people and communities, helping to make life better. Our vision is to double passenger journeys and drive a transition to net zero and in our new five-year strategy, ‘Horizon 28 – Our Vision for Green Growth’, we have outlined how we can turn this vision into reality. With our customers and our people at the very heart of our strategy, we need to continue building the capacity and skills needed for the growth which is underway to unlock the true potential of Bus Éireann into the future. We have grown to become a business delivering 107 million passengers by almost 3,000 people and in many ways, our new journey has just begun.”

For access to the full annual report, please visit: buseireann.ie/annualreport