alas_alas Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 Or is it a case of publicly funded services having its customers over a barrel? Yes, though these are not public services - they are private firms making profit from the privatisation of Sheffield's once-public bus network. There's no choice available, so you can't decide to vote with your feet and move away from using First's services (in areas where, for instance, Stagecoach does not operate). This means that they have a monopoly, and from the sounds of it, they behave as they please, not as a publicly responsible institution. If they are asking for money for tickets, then they are obliged to give change, otherwise the excess money being taken by the company is a breach of consumer law. Too right - if a shopkeeper decided to keep your change you could reasonably expect the law to step in to help you recover that money, and the shopkeeper would be in a lot of trouble. 'Exact change' on buses relies on customer courtesy, not obligation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shef_Fitness Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 Too right - if a shopkeeper decided to keep your change you could reasonably expect the law to step in to help you recover that money, and the shopkeeper would be in a lot of trouble. . I don't think in this instance you would need to bother getting the authoritys involved. People simply wouldn't use the shop again, and the shopkeeper would be out of business within a month. Its the same with my business, I deal with people paying by cash and many do not have the right change. It would be a short term buck for me not to provide change, but I'm pretty certain that would create bad feeling for the customer and they wouldn't come back the following week (plus thet would tell their friends what I was doing - so I'd get a bad name) I rarely use the bus, but I've had the "sorry, no change" done on me. Luckily I do have a car, so I'm not held over a barrel by a private/publicly funded company Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest busdriver1 Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 This is just classic SF stuff. First issue drivers with a £5 float. Stagecoach as far as I know do not issue a float. TM offer their drivers a £4 float. These are not issued daily. They are issued at the commencement of employment and retained by the driver. So who is it that gets the headline on this thread? I had an instance the other day when a passenger got on at 1600 ( i had just started work) with a £20 note in one hand and a roll that he was pushing into his pocket containing £5's and £10's. He then stated that he wanted a £1.40 ticket. He catches this bus daily and obviously the drivers can never change his note so sometimes he gets a free ride. He made it quite clear that this was his intention. I offered to drop him at a shop so he could get change. He said what if they havnt got any? I told him he could then use the £5 he had just pushed in his pocket and he replied he needed that for something else. He went to the shop but unfortunately I forgot to wait for him. No doubt people with a like mind to him will say I did wrong. And people have the nerve to say that First are taking the p**. Wake up, for every one who finds themselves genuinely short of change there are a dozen like our friend here. It may be of interest that the first contactless payment system is not far away and it is being introduced by .... . . . FIRST Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest busdriver1 Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 That may be true, I don't use the busses very often but I've never been told that I would have to "claim back" my money from the company!!!!!!!! It's crazy to expect the public to have to mess about like that!!!! Don't you agree??????????????????? Yes, but you can prevent this very easily, Don't you agree? PS the plural of Bus is BUSES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 It must be 30 years since I last used a Sheffield bus and it was the norm then for us to give the right money.....the buses are STILL running aren't they Does that make it acceptable? Would you be happy if Tescos started doing this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerrangaroo Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 Does that make it acceptable? Would you be happy if Tescos started doing this? You're a bit daft sometimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanl Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 For all those who say "its the passengers responsibility to have the correct change", I'd love to know how many businesses be it Butchers Shops, Coffee Shops etc.... would stay in business if they were not able to provide change. I can see it now CUSTOMER - "I'd like 9 links of Sausages please" BUTCHER - "certainly sir, that will be £3.55" CUSTOMER - "I've only got £10 I'm afriad" BUTCHER - "No problem" Butcher takes £10 note CUSTOMER "what about my change?" BUTCHER - "you should have had correct money, come back at the weekend and I'll give you your change" I can see this Butcher lasting long in business, if that happened to me, I'd use another Butcher. Surely first have a responsibilty to provide change for customers? Or is it a case of publicly funded services having its customers over a barrel? Does that make it acceptable? Would you be happy if Tescos started doing this? I was making the point that its been a long time since they've been asking for the correct money and they are still going albeit under a different name. If I know I am going on a bus early in the morning (ok before bus pass time) then I make SURE that I have enough change for the fare the night before. Even if its bits and bats from my pockets, different bags or down the back of the sofa. I don't understand how and why its become a big deal. I would pay with my debit card in Tesco and probably get cash back for the bus home if I needed to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BHRemovals Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 never heard of that one but nowt suprises me these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamf Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 For all those who say "its the passengers responsibility to have the correct change", I'd love to know how many businesses be it Butchers Shops, Coffee Shops etc.... would stay in business if they were not able to provide change. I can see it now CUSTOMER - "I'd like 9 links of Sausages please" BUTCHER - "certainly sir, that will be £3.55" CUSTOMER - "I've only got £10 I'm afriad" BUTCHER - "No problem" Butcher takes £10 note CUSTOMER "what about my change?" BUTCHER - "you should have had correct money, come back at the weekend and I'll give you your change" I can see this Butcher lasting long in business, if that happened to me, I'd use another Butcher. Surely first have a responsibilty to provide change for customers? Or is it a case of publicly funded services having its customers over a barrel? Excellent post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laineyiow Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 The problem here of course is when you are not a regular bus customer and you get on a bus with what you think is the correct money but the costs have gone up that much that you only have a fiver for a £3 fare! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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