Fuel prices may have knock-on effect on school tours and matches, say coach operators
Louise Walsh
Two coach operators say rising fuel prices will have knock-on effects on schools who may no longer be able to afford buses for football matches or tours if the industry is forced to pass on costs.
Rory McCullough, who runs six coaches from his base in Clogherhead, Co. Louth, has been forced to pay an extra €1400 on diesel for his transport since pump prices began rising a week ago.
"The struggle is real," said Rory who has been running his coach business for the last 24 years for private hire as well as school runs.
"It's only a few months ago that I could buy diesel at a garage in Drogheda for €1.59, and now it is up to €2.28 a litre on some fuel cards," he said. That is a rise of 70c a litre, and I buy 2000 litres a week. So already, it has cost me €1400 extra. And unlike hauliers, we don't get VAT back.
"Many coach operators are tied to contracts and can't walk away, but how long can you maintain running a contract that has been locked in at a fixed price. Most contracts are for five years, so you try to quote to cover increased costs during those years, but no one could have foreseen this.
"The Government has been too slow on this. They should've capped prices last week and got brownie points. Now, I can't ever see these prices coming down.
"People are already struggling and many have to save for a bus ticket to go to a concert. Some parents even struggle to pay the fare for their child to get to school each week. The last thing I want to do is have to raise my prices to see people struggle more.
"If the prices continue to rise, coach operators will have to decide if a contract is worth it or pull a coach off a route which means one less driver.
"It'll be like Teresa Mannion said of the weather - don't make unnecessary journeys."
Halpenny Travel in Dundalk is one of Ireland's oldest private coach companies, operating over 100 years.
Standing at the helm of 32 coaches which run private hire as well as school buses and Local Link buses in parts of Louth, Meath and Monaghan, is John Halpenny.
A member of the Coach Tourism and Transport Council of Ireland, he believes that the Government should cut excise duty on fuel and increase the rebate given to coach operators to 60c a litre, to return fuel costs to January prices.
"If we ran a coach for a GAA club, the price would be about €600. Today, the cost would be €690 if we have to pass on our costs. Coaches don't like looking for more money, especially from local community groups and sporting organisations but we will have to, if these price hikes continue.
"Costs of coaches for school tours or GAA matches would rise by up to 40%. Schools don't like asking parents for more money and the schools are stretched as it is because the capitation grants don't cover their bills so what do they do? Cancel the matches or the trips or ask the parents.
"Most of the coach operators I know are paying between €5000 and €50,000 extra in diesel last week. In four weeks, the cost of diesel has increased by up to 70c a litre and will probably rise another 10c this week.
"I myself use 20,000 litres of fuel per week so that's an extra €14000. No-one can absorb those costs long-term. People may possibly decide to give back a contract, which could mean students having no transport to school or there could be fewer buses to bring commuters to Dublin."
