The Transport for Ireland (TFI) Local Link service is now being used around 100,000 times a week across rural Ireland.
This is a five-fold national increase in weekly customers since the rollout of the Connecting Ireland plan in January 2022.
The service is provided for the National Transport Authority (NTA) by 15 Local link offices around the country.
There were 105,986 passenger journeys on TFI Local Link services in the week ending October 13. In January 2022, the weekly numbers stood at under 20,000.
This reflects an increasing trend on the average weekly numbers in each year.
The average weekly figure was 36,664 in 2022, 78,892 in 2023, and so far this year is over 100,000.
Since the rollout of Connecting Ireland, over 110 Local Link routes have been introduced, covering every county.
2024 is the third year of the five-year implementation programme of the Connecting Ireland plan. Some 60% of the proposed services are now in place, with the remainder to be introduced in the coming years.
Commenting on the 100,000 weekly passenger milestone, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said: “We have seen a transformation in public transport across rural Ireland and going by the numbers, people really like it.
“Reaching this milestone…is incredible but I’d like to think of it as just the beginning. We need to have buses crisscrossing this country and reaching into towns and villages everywhere,” Minister Ryan added.
“The exponential growth we’re seeing…highlights the importance of the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan in delivering improved access and inclusion for rural Ireland.”
Anne Graham, the CEO of the NTA, said: “This achievement is a direct result of the dedication and hard work by a whole range of people and the continued support from passengers who have embraced the service.
“I was always optimistic that Connecting Ireland would prove to be a transformative programme for rural communities, but honestly I’m completely blown away by the success story that it has become across the country,” Graham added.