About TFI Local Link Laois Offaly
TFI Local Link Laois Offaly is a nonprofit company and one of 15 Transport Coordination Units (TCU) operating nationally under the remit of the National Transport Authority (NTA), funded by the Rural Transport Programme (RTP).
TFI Local Link is a network of public transport TCU’s across the country operating public bus services in local areas.
All services under the TFI Local Link Laois Offaly remit are undertaken by a panel of approved operators through the NTA Procurement Portal.
Background of TFI Local Link Laois Offaly
TFI Local Link is a development of the Rural Transport Programme (RTP) which was launched in 2007 to build on the success of its predecessor, the Rural Transport Initiative (RTI). The RTI was established as a pilot project in 2002 to address issues of unmet transport needs from a social inclusion and community-based perspective. The RTI and RTP specifically focused on responding to rural isolation and enhancing the mobility, accessibility and community participation of local people, particularly those at risk of social exclusion.
2019 to 2023 Passengers Travelled
In 2023, 218,459 passengers used TFI Local Link Laois Offaly services.
Nationally the Rural Transport Program saw 3.2 million passenger journeys in total.
TFI Local Link and the National Transport Authority (NTA)
The RTI and RTP, until April 2013, were managed by Pobal, however this responsibility was transferred to the National Transport Authority (NTA). The NTA, established in 2009, has the statutory responsibility to procure public transport passenger services. The placing of the responsibility for integrated local and rural transport with the NTA, including managing the RTP, has had the effect of consolidating the oversight of all State funded local and rural transport services. It enables the development of better links between local and rural transport services and scheduled bus and rail services. It also enables the NTA to identify gaps in service provision and, as funds become available, to fill those gaps gradually in the most effective way.