Bus driver without change.

Buzby

I think it is morally wrong to complain about a no-change policy (in reality, an Exact Fare policy) when the bus company states that it operates one. Your choice is then to supply the money or tender a travelcard, or chose a different bus company.

Glasgow has been using Exact Fare for at least 10 years now - so hardly a new innovation. The reason for introduction given was attacks on staff which were a common occurrence in certain areas. The locked cash vault put an end to this.

I understand London too are dispensing with cash payments and scaled the fares to make it incredibly expensive. Expecting change as a 'right' is nonsensical. Split a note, buy a paper and get change that way if you have no cash-accepting bus co you can use.

Since one man operation was introduced, I want to get to my destination relatively quickly, not watch a change machine give out money for those unable to plan ahead.

DUTR

Handsome90 wrote: »

I think it's morally wrong for some bus companies not to give out change. I do most of my shopping on card so I don't carry any change. In my view it would have been acceptable if the buses accepted debit/credit card payments, mobile payments or payment by smart cards. Apart from London in my most of the towns and cities you've to use the old fashion cash.

This will change in the nearish future, some operators in the west midlands do operate a swiftcard, some are or do consider ticketless travel like the trains, it is not often I use the bus, but I do wish they had other means of covering the fare, it's always the way when I go to get change the bus I hoped to get, has just breezed past the stop as I leave the shop, when I was without car, I popped to the bank to get loads of change as it was not economical to get a travelpass for the week.

adouglasmhor

Buzby wrote: »

I think it is morally wrong to complain about a no-change policy (in reality, an Exact Fare policy) when the bus company states that it operates one. Your choice is then to supply the money or tender a travelcard, or chose a different bus company.

Glasgow has been using Exact Fare for at least 10 years now - so hardly a new innovation. The reason for introduction given was attacks on staff which were a common occurrence in certain areas. The locked cash vault put an end to this.

I understand London too are dispensing with cash payments and scaled the fares to make it incredibly expensive. Expecting change as a 'right' is nonsensical. Split a note, buy a paper and get change that way if you have no cash-accepting bus co you can use.

Since one man operation was introduced, I want to get to my destination relatively quickly, not watch a change machine give out money for those unable to plan ahead.

I like the 3rd option as used in Amsterdam, If you are not paying exact fare (which is pricey compared to the others), or using a travel card, you have a little card for 10 journeys or 20 journeys etc. which got punched on each journey and had no time limit.

Buzby

adouglasmhor wrote: »

I like the 3rd option as used in Amsterdam, If you are not paying exact fare (which is pricey compared to the others), or using a travel card, you have a little card for 10 journeys or 20 journeys etc. which got punched on each journey and had no time limit.

Agreed - and FWIW the Glasgow Underground (Subway) used this method too, until October last year when they brought in new RFID ticket barriers (the old ones were magstripe) and used this as an excuse to end 10 journey tickets forever. They are now travel as often as you like, but expire in 28 days.

No amount of complaints changed their minds.....

adouglasmhor

Buzby wrote: »

Agreed - and FWIW the Glasgow Underground (Subway) used this method too, until October last year when they brought in new RFID ticket barriers (the old ones were magstripe) and used this as an excuse to end 10 journey tickets forever. They are now travel as often as you like, but expire in 28 days.

No amount of complaints changed their minds.....

I'm from Springburn - it wouldn't really bother me if they flooded the Underground and kept fish in it I haven't used it in about 10 years.

rev_henry

Buzby wrote: »

I think it is morally wrong to complain about a no-change policy (in reality, an Exact Fare policy) when the bus company states that it operates one. Your choice is then to supply the money or tender a travelcard, or chose a different bus company.

Glasgow has been using Exact Fare for at least 10 years now - so hardly a new innovation. The reason for introduction given was attacks on staff which were a common occurrence in certain areas. The locked cash vault put an end to this.

I understand London too are dispensing with cash payments and scaled the fares to make it incredibly expensive. Expecting change as a 'right' is nonsensical. Split a note, buy a paper and get change that way if you have no cash-accepting bus co you can use.

Since one man operation was introduced, I want to get to my destination relatively quickly, not watch a change machine give out money for those unable to plan ahead.

Oh yes for all those routes in the country where multiple operators compete.

There isn't such a policy round here and I've never had a problem giving 10ers etc. I do remember my now wife going to college using a concessionary travel pass, which entitled her to an 80p ticket. She came home a few minutes after leaving one day upset as the bus driver refused to take her £10 note for said 80p fare thus making her late for college. Ok, not massively unreasonable however given that it was Monday morning I would imagine loads of passengers would have been buying their weekly passes in cash so he would have had plenty of change and was just being awkward.

I remember her telling me the same happened to another girl another day, and a few stops later she reappeared with her father, who made damn sure the bus driver took the money and let her on!

I don't really understand how they can put up condescending signs saying 'please have correct change ready' when the fares are not clearly published or particularly easy to work out. Fine if you're local and use the bus frequently, but many people aren't. Stagecoach seem to have this attitude that they are a public service, take it or leave it, without giving a toss about customer service.

Buzby

adouglasmhor wrote: »

I'm from Springburn - it wouldn't really bother me if they flooded the Underground and kept fish in it I haven't used it in about 10 years.

Unless you live in the West End or Govan, nobody would use it. Mind you, change fish to rats and they're 50% there!

jkkne

None of the services in the North East of England are correct change only.

Either the driver will take the money and try to get you change by the time you get off or they'll tell you to send the ticket (signed by driver) to Head Office and they'll send you a cheque or you can collect it from a local office (if they have one)

The move towards smart cards should stop this

Richard53

Robin_Boone wrote: »

was it my right to ride anyway, as I had the money, or could he of told me to get off?

I think you might be confusing two different things here. A company/shop/supplier does not have a legal duty to give change, and a lot of bus companies have a well-publicised policy that they do not give change. Exact money, or walk, or find another means of transport. Their gaff, their rules, basically.

What you may be thinking of is the legal duty to accept coin of the realm in exchange for a debt. If you owe me £100 and offer to pay me in legal banknotes or coins, I am not legally able to refuse. But if you owe me £90 and only have 5 x £20, I am not legally obliged to give you £10 back.

I'm pretty sure it comes from mediaeval times. If you owed someone money, they were not able to demand that you worked unpaid for them, or send your daughter over for the weekend to pay it off, or whatever. If you could find the cash, they had to accept it.

dzug1

rev_henry wrote: »

. Ok, not massively unreasonable however given that it was Monday morning I would imagine loads of passengers would have been buying their weekly passes in cash so he would have had plenty of change

.

No doubt many of them with £10 notes......