Dublin Bus chief executive Ray Coyne has announced that he will leave the company when his seven-year term ends in June. He joined the State-owned transport company as a clerical officer in 1989.
In a note posted on LinkedIn, Mr Coyne said it had been a “real privilege” to work for the company and to lead it as chief executive.
“From the moment I set foot in Donnybrook depot I knew this was a special company,” he said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve as chief executive and I know that the company will continue to go from strength to strength.
“Dublin Bus is a real force for good in our city and it will be central to the post-pandemic recovery.”
He added that from July 1st, he would be “pursuing opportunities that may arise in the market”.
Market changes
Mr Coyne’s time in charge encompassed significant change in how the business operates and is funded, and included the major impact of Covid-19 restrictions on public transport.
In 2019, the company carried 141.8 million passengers but this dropped to just 69.4 million in 2020, the first year of the pandemic. Dublin Bus also began moving its fleet over to more sustainable fuels and in 2017 it lost 10 per cent of its routes to British operator Go Ahead under a tender process run by the National Transport Authority.
Mr Coyne said the board of Dublin Bus would now take the “necessary steps to commence the recruitment process for a chief executive”.