DonabatePortrane.net

Hi DCC parents - particularly Portrane Parents

I'd like to try and gage whether there would be enough interest in organising a school bus from Donabate Community College to Portrane in the afternoon. The current only option is for parents to collect or students to wait for the bus which leaves Swords at 3.30 and so doesn't arrive until about 3.50 - a 40 min wait.
If it could be organised for a bus to do a pick up around 3.15 /3.20 the Portrane student would be home by 3.30.
What do folk think? Does anyone know is there a precedent for Dublin bus to schedule a bus to accommodate a school run or would parents have to approach a private company? I'm happy to make some calls if there was enough interest.
Let me hear your thoughts

This could be a very tricky one. The current timetable is clockface and this was set up this way following a lot of local pressure in the nearly 2000's. Our bus service then was utterly abysmal.

If that timetable was varied to suit the genuine cases arguing for it, it could potentially discomode others in the process who can just about connect with that bus at 3:30 in Swords. So a positive change to suit Portrane may have adverse consequences for others in Swords. Plus it may not be operationally possible if rosters or turn around times do not permit advancing the times.

Finally, you would need to have the numbers to justify and add weight to your proposal.

i can't imagine Dublin Bus being very accommodating, but then again I'm open to being surprised.

if you gauged interest and came up with numbers, you could probably contact a private company. there are a few localish ones I believe.

Genuine question.....what's wrong with walking and/or cycling? It's not too far at all.

I can see how in depths of winter on a cold wet day most kids would like a lift but it's only about a mile or less to portrane on a straight road , surely most kids could walk or cycle for most of the school year? They,d be home in less than 10 mins on a bike , plus it,d be a bit of fresh air before they get down to home work etc, ?

I agree with others re: can't they just walk the 1 mile home?? Seems like a non-issue.

When I was a lad, etc.

hi did a little bit of research last year into this but apparently we do not live far enough away from school for a designated school bus service to be put on and a private company is too expensive and from what i recall there are rules regarding private busses running alongside dublin bus. and i seem to see people from all over village collecting their kids daily so with the weight of their bags dont really see a problem with parents trying to organise a bus to portrane !!

Forgive me for going a bit off topic, but I believe iPads are compulsory - does this not result in smaller schoolbags? (...one of the claimed advantages of tablets, included in the school's presentation here: http://www.donabatecc.ie/wp-content/upl ... vening.pdf).

Pat Mustard Jnr is in 2nd Year with the IPad, school bag still as heavy. full of mandatory hardbacked a4 sized copies and.....books!

Bizarre thing is he had to get a Spanish Dictionary and his English Novel in 'old school' paper format which is mighty odd considering all the Apps and Kindle availability.

has anyone questioned why after spending €800 or so on an iPad with e-books, parents also have to fork out for physical books as well?

Because not all of the required texts are available as eBooks!