Customer charter

We also have a Customer Action plan that describes how we will deliver the commitments and standards that are set out in the Customer Charter below, this can be downloaded through the following link – NTA Customer Action Plan.

  1. Our commitment to our customers

The National Transport Authority oversees the provision of bus, train, tram and taxi services in Ireland.  We also promote cycling, walking and car sharing. Our Customer Charter describes our commitments to our customers.

  • We will take a customer focused approach to everything we do. On-going operations, new projects and programmes will regularly be developed to help our customers.
  • We value feedback from our customers and endeavour to incorporate it into our operations.
  • We are committed to providing a timely, clear and full response to queries and complaints.
  • We are committed to providing a professional, efficient and friendly service in accordance with the 12 Principles of Quality Customer Service (as set out in the Quality Customer Service Initiative, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform).

Below is an outline of the services we provide directly, as well as services that are provided by transport operators that are licenced by us or that are provided under Public Service Obligation (PSO) contracts.

  1. The services we provide directly

We provide a broad range of services to customers and businesses in different ways. We are directly responsible for:

  • Taxi licencing;
  • Licencing of public bus transport services;
  • Providing the TFI Leap Card ticketing scheme;
  • Providing intermodal Journey Planning tools;
  • Managing the regional bikes schemes in Cork, Galway and Limerick;
  • Intermodal Real Time Information;
  • Developing strategic public transport investment plans and investing in infrastructure and vehicles/rolling stock;
  • Regulating the clamping industry; and
  • Managing contracts with organisations that operate public transport services.
  1. Providing a high quality service

We aim to provide a quality service to all of our customers whether they’re using a service that’s being directly provided by us, or using a service that’s being provided on our behalf by a transport operator.

We’re continuously striving to improve customer experience. In order to achieve this, we will:

  • Develop technology platforms such as TFI Leap Card, TFI Journey Planner and Real Time Passenger Information to help customers navigate the network;
  • Provide clear and accurate information on services that are delivered by service providers on our behalf;
  • Continue to enhance the accessibility of public transport services;
  • Set performance standards and targets for transport operators who deliver services on our behalf, and monitor these continually by publishing quarterly reports;
  • Treat everyone equally; regardless of gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race or ethnicity;
  • Undertake regular customer surveys, perform formal and informal consultations, where appropriate, to gain extensive, transparent stakeholder feedback;
  • Respond to your enquiries in a timely manner; and
  • Welcome any comment you may have regarding this customer charter. We will review our charter annually to ensure it is meeting our customers’ needs.

3.1 Provision of Bus and Rail Services under Public Service Contracts

We are responsible for managing Public Service Obligation (PSO) contracts with a number of Transport Operators that set out standards they are obliged to meet. Operators include:

We will ensure that each transport operator that provides PSO services on our behalf has published a detailed Customer Charter on their website and that they ensure it is central to their operating ethos. Complaints in relation to public transport operators’ services should normally be made to the operator who directly provides the service. We will investigate and respond to complaints that are made to us in relation to their services should an unsatisfactory response be given by the service provider in the first instance.

3.2 Provision of Rural Transport Bus Services (Local Link)

We are responsible for managing the Rural Transport Scheme, which is provided throughout Ireland on our behalf by 15 Transport Coordination Units (TCUs).

We will investigate and respond to complaints that are made to us in relation to their services should an unsatisfactory response be given by them in the first instance.

3.3 Provision of Taxi Licencing services

We regulate the provision of SPSV (small public service vehicle) services by taxis, hackneys and limousines in Ireland. This includes the drivers, vehicles and booking services for all hire or reward passenger services provided by mechanically propelled vehicles capable of carrying a maximum of eight passengers, in addition to the driver.

In order to operate a taxi, hackney or limousine, the vehicle must be licensed by us and registered with us while operating. Drivers are licensed by An Garda Síochána if they have passed the vetting procedure and the Driver Entry Test. The licensed driver must also register with us while operating. Taxi customers who use the TFI Driver Check App can check that the vehicle and driver they are about to use are appropriately licensed and registered. We have a team of compliance officers nationwide who ensure that SPSV regulations are adhered to by each member of the industry.  Where this is found not to be the case, on the spot fines are issued and court prosecutions are taken.

Our goal is to make SPSV services better for the travelling public, in terms of safety, accessibility, quality and affordability whilst being fair to drivers and operators.  Our promise to the industry is that we will endeavour to process all licensing and enforcement activities in a timely, transparent and equitable manner. To the public we make the same promise, all complaints within our remit will be dealt with in a timely, transparent and equitable manner.

3.4 Provision of Bus Licencing services

We are responsible for regulation, licensing and monitoring the compliance of all public bus passenger services within the State. We are also responsible for the regulation of cross-border services.

We endeavour to process all queries, complaints,and applications in a fair, impartial and timely manner.

3.5 Provision of Ticketing, Real Time and Journey Planning services

We will make every effort to operate and maintain the services that we provide to the highest standard. There may be some situations beyond our control that will affect the operation of these services, but we will always work to resolve issues in a timely manner.

3.6 Developing strategic public transport investment plans

We are responsible for developing public transport infrastructure plans that are then implemented directly by ourselves, as well as by a range of partners including transport operators, local councils and other agencies of the state. We will continually advocate for improved levels of investment on behalf of our customers. We will consult customers while developing plans and incorporate the feedback that is received where possible.

3.7 Clamping Regulation

We are the statutory regulator for clamping in Ireland. The Vehicle Clamping Act 2015 came into full effect on 1st October 2017. The Act provides for the regulation by the NTA of vehicle clamping activities in both statutory and non-statutory (privately-owned) clamping places throughout the State and also contains some other legislative provisions relating to clamping.

  1. Treating all customers equally and accommodating diversity

We are committed to providing a quality service that suits all of our customers as well as promoting equality, accommodating diversity and ensuring non-discrimination for both our employees and our customers. We will not tolerate any discrimination based on gender, age, disability, race, religion, civil status, family status, sexual orientation or ethnicity.

  1. Safety, security and accessibility

We are committed to continually improving the safety, security and accessibility of public transport services. We will incorporate this commitment into our capital investment plans by:

  • Procuring safe, accessible new vehicles;
  • Improving the quality of CCTV on the public transport network;
  • Continuing to regulate the taxi and private bus industries;
  • Maintaining the TFI Driver Check App;
  • Ensuring drivers are appropriately licenced and trained; and
  • Continuing to develop our safety and security procedures.
  1. Helping the environment

Public transport produces significantly less emissions per customer kilometre compared to cars. We are committed to reducing its emissions by ensuring our vehicles comply with European emissions standards and by continuing to keep pace with new technologies. We are committed to encouraging modal shift to public transport on a national basis and procurement of new lower emission vehicles to further reduce the environmental impact of public transport.

  1. Paying for your journey

7.1 TFI Leap Card

We are committed to ensuring that the TFI Leap Card is the best value for money. We are continually upgrading the TFI Leap Card system to improve customer experience through additional features such as Capping, Leap 90 and Auto Top-Up, and also by developing digital platforms such as the TFI Leap Top-Up App. We will maintain a contact centre for customer queries and keep our website up to date with the latest information. We will develop new technology to continually improve user experience.

7.2 Providing value for money

We regulate PSO fares by reviewing fare change submissions by each PSO operator annually. We issue “fares determinations” each year, which outline the exact fare changes and the reasoning behind the granting of these changes. We are continually correcting legacy based fare anomalies to help achieve a fairer fare structure.

7.3 Free Travel Scheme

If you are aged 66 or over and you permanently live in the state, the Free Travel Scheme allows you to travel for free on all Iarnród Éireann and Luas services, some Local Link services and most Dublin Bus, Go-Ahead Ireland and Bus Éireann services. It is also available on some public transport services offered by a large number of private operators in various parts of the country.

Free Travel Pass Holders must be able to produce their pass at all times during their journey.

7.4 Standard fares

If you do not have a valid ticket on a state subsidised service, you will be issued with a standard fare by the transport operator, which means you must pay a penalty or face the possibility of a court appearance and a €1000 fine.

  1. Public Consultations

We will run formal and informal public consultations regularly to seek public feedback on important initiatives. We will ensure that respondents’ answers are thoroughly analysed and incorporated to the development of the initiative where practicable.

  1. Keeping you informed

We will ensure that websites under our control are continually developed and kept up to date.

We will ensure that customers are kept informed of our infrastructure development plans and regulatory changes, and consulted where appropriate.

We will continue to maintain and upgrade our systems that provide multi-modal real time information and journey planning capability.

We will ensure that each PSO operator has a customer charter in place that outlines their obligations to keep customers informed of alterations, diversions and delays to their services.

  1. Your comments and enquiries

We value your comments and enquiries as feedback helps us make the service better for all of our customers. If you have a suggestion or wish to raise an issue about how we can improve our service, we would like you to let us know through any of the following means:

All suggestions, queries and issues (complaints) will be acknowledged. We aim to issue a full response in a timely manner.

We use independent market research providers to audit and offer suggested improvements to our services. We will continue to research customers’ views on our services and use them to implement continual improvements.

Our customer charter does not affect your or our legal rights or duties.