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Post by Nortube on Mar 5, 2013 20:42:05 GMT
Apparently passengers moved from a bus terminating short (e.g. due to a changeover etc.) can request a tranport voucher from the driver that is effectively a free bus journey anywhere during the next sixty minutes. This will allow them to use an alternative service if it's more convenient for them. London reconnections has the details: www.londonreconnections.com/2013/tfl-make-changes-to-bus-transfer-tickets/ |
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Post by MonkFish on Mar 5, 2013 23:19:32 GMT
To show they paid on the previous bus.
I believe when a bus broke down and another took the punters it would just be accepted. But if it turfed people out weren't we told to use our tickets as proof for the new one? Now tickets are a thing of the past an alternative must be found.
I suspect its so rare that happens its worth the risk it's abused.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 5, 2013 23:23:45 GMT
This is a good idea, it's about time they did something about this scheme. Would have thought it would be covered by the oyster automated refund system though.
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Post by MonkFish on Mar 5, 2013 23:33:40 GMT
This is a good idea, it's about time they did something about this scheme. Would have thought it would be covered by the oyster automated refund system though. Only if you use a Lobster card, if you use the bus token thingies you've got no proof. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 5, 2013 23:54:47 GMT
Lobster card? Thats what we call PRIV rate! Haha!
Would have thought that everyone in London had an Oyster card now days. Honestly thought paperless ticketing on the tube happened months ago!
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Post by MonkFish on Mar 6, 2013 0:10:39 GMT
Lobster card? Thats what we call PRIV rate! Haha! Would have thought that everyone in London had an Oyster card now days. Honestly thought paperless ticketing on the tube happened months ago! |
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Post by Weak Field on Mar 6, 2013 1:17:03 GMT
Bus Transfer tickets are only issued when the bus has been curtailed after you got on, I assume any new scheme will be the same, the passenger is expected to look at the destination on the front. The problem was the driver of the short tripped bus was supposed to hand the ticket to the driver of the following bus, but that usually defeated the object of turning the bus short!! In practice the tickets were issued to anyone who didn't have a travel card and told to give them to the driver of the bus they next get on. Didn't have to be same route, so long as it would complete the trip the original bus should have. Sounds like this new scheme is a sensible formalisation of what happens in practice anyway.
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Post by Nortube on Mar 6, 2013 10:56:24 GMT
One of the problems has always been where a bus starts off going to X but then turns short at Y. I've been on a bus where the destination has been changed three different times since starting it's trip. Each destination change shorter than the last.
Using the Northern line stations as an example, a bus travelling from Morden could be going to Edgware, then get cut back to Colindale, then to Golders Green, then to Camden Town. It's OK if you get on the bus that is showing the (final) amended destination because you know that you will have to get off at that point. However, if you wanted Edgware and the bus showed Edgware when you got on but then turned short at Golders Green, you're stuffed. I don't know if drivers will issue tickets in these circumstances.
It's simpler when passengers are swapped due to a bus changeover, because it's usually a case of "you've got to get the bus in front". Everyone gets off the bus and piles onto the new one and the Oyster reader isn't used. However passengers being turfed off a bus that's been turned short of its destination that have to wait for the next bus usually end up using their Oyster when getting on the next bus and in these circumstances (unless capped etc.) will end up being charged for a new trip.
If the voucher can be issued in this situation, then that's good as long as passengers are made aware that they can get the voucher. A decent driver should announce that when terminating short. Mind you, can you imagine thirty people queuing up for the driver to issue them vouchers?
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Post by Weak Field on Mar 6, 2013 21:29:51 GMT
I would think that the issue is exactly for that circumstance, when a bus is turned short, having been showing a more distant destination. However I shall ask about!
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Post by BusSpotter on Mar 7, 2013 20:03:24 GMT
I admit to being one of those who has in the past used the transfer ticket. Some drivers either don't know how to issue one, or more likely don't want to issue one. It is the same as an inspectors ticket, either "9999" (or once it was "3333") as the code used. This then gives a ticket that contains the number of each type of "ticket" used for that journey.
Whilst it should be that the driver of the vehicle being turned waits until ALL the passengers are safely on subsequent vehicles (it could take more than one if they are coming along full, or if the route being turned has parallel routes on that stretch of road).
The new driver accepts the transfer ticket, and keeps it for the rest of the journey to cover him/her should the revenue squad board the bus. The ticket gives revenue details of the previous ticket machine, and therefore they know that when scanning an oyster ticket, or being shown the paper ticket bought on the previous vehicle, it is valid on this vehicle.
However, in practice, the driver of the vehicle being turned short needs to get going back the other way to allow the service to be regulated, and therefore doesn't have the time to wait. Most passengers do not know about transfer tickets, and drivers are more than happy to dump them off and drive off quickly.
This new scheme ensures that anyone on PAYG Oyster, with a paper ticket (RTM or driver issued), or with a Saver Ticket (no longer sold, but still valid if people have them), does not lose out by having to pay again, as each person should be issued with one on request. However, those with Travelcards and Oysters that have capped will not need them.
I do wonder how many that don't need them will still request them, and then pass them on, as they are a valid ticket for the next bus that comes. I would have thought that Revenue would soon pick up on this, and London Buses will change the policy to saying that you need both the transfer ticket and your original "ticket" to prove you are the person transferring.
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Post by PoshTubeBloke on Mar 8, 2013 13:10:08 GMT
I've watched many people get off a bus that's been curtailed get on the next one and just touch their Oyster without thinking. Obviously they might have season tickets loaded on, but I suspect many don't. The few who do make the driver aware are usually waved away because they don't understand or made to touch again...
As for revenue, they have no way of telling what the bus is other than the route number. Their readers show nothing more than that and the time, so if it's not a suspicious amount of time difference or a different route, there should be no reason to suspect an offence has been committed.
Now I'd like to know what they do in the case of Wave & Pay cards?!
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