Vouchers instead of change on Sheffield busses

[Plain Talker]

That is a very selfish and undeveloped system. A system like that would be illegal in other developed countries I knew of in those days. Even on a holiday in India we got change on the bus.

 

I think it was not so much a selfish and undeveloped system as a means of protecting the drivers from being robbed, as a result of handling money, if the money went into a secure hopper that no-one but the staff back at the depot had access to, they'd be safer.

 

My late, Bus-driving uncle was beaten up and robbed at an isolated bus terminus in the middle of nowhere, (outside Sheffield)by a gang of thugs who saw his fare takings and the isolated location and cover of darkness, as making him a very easy target to rob.

[Mr Bloom]

If they are going to insist on vouchers, at least then, they should have a charity box on the bus, where you can put your unused (and even expired) vouchers and the bus company donates that amount to a local charity - maybe a different one every month - Bluebell Wood, Childrens Hospital, St Oswalds, etc

[Mecky]

That is a very selfish and undeveloped system.

 

I suspect it is illegal in this country too and the only reason it isn't is because someone hasn't dragged it through the courts yet. The good old British don't like to complain

[Jon26]

At the end of the day these bus companies are businesses. First Group being listed. So I assume they choose their business strategy. I'm a customer and choose not to use buses mostly because I don't know the ticket prices. i might do if they started using oyster but only if it was the same as the London one. Otherwise I'll stick with my bike, driving because the petrol station tell me the price up front, or as last resort a taxi who again tell me the price and give change.

 

Now I've not checked but is there a single website which gives all bus ticket prices for every journey?

[alchemist]

 

Now I've not checked but is there a single website which gives all bus ticket prices for every journey?

 

Im not aware of one but Im sure sure tigger will set us right

[onewheeldave]

I think that the fundemental question surrounding this has still not been answered. At least one poster as well as myself have asked the question, how do you know what the exact change is for the journey you are about to undertake? Does it tell you on the bus stop? Unless you know that vital bit of information you are never going to know if you have the correct change.

 

That's a very good question.

 

1. You can ask the bus driver/ conductor.

2. Regulars are likely to know what their fare is.

3. You can contact the bus company.

4. You can look at their website where the prices are.

 

Drama Queen much.

 

Are Sheffield people so challenged they cant have the common sense to take a bit of change with them so they have there or thereabouts the corrct money for a bus fare? People managed in the past.

 

and that's a very bad answer

 

1. You can ask the bus driver/ conductor.

it's a bit late to find out what the fare is by the time you're on the bus if you're wanting to bring the correct change!

 

2. Regulars are likely to know what their fare is.

Unless, like many, memorising figures ain't a strong point. What about non-regulars?

 

3. You can contact the bus company.

Cos their customer service is so great and you're guaranteed not to be spending 10 minutes in an automated queue listening to 'music' and messages about their website. And the person you speak to will know the answer and not have to transfer you multiple times to different departments each with it's own user friendly queue system

 

4. You can look at their website where the prices are.

 

 

Then gooling with the terms, 'mainline sheffield buses fares' would surely take us quickly to a page with fares on then?

 

https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#safe=off&q=mainline%20sheffield%20buses%20fares

 

http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/south_yorkshire/tickets/

 

No, not looking good

 

 

Are Sheffield people so challenged they cant have the common sense to take a bit of change with them so they have there or thereabouts the corrct money for a bus fare? People managed in the past.

No, in the past dude, we didn't have this b*llsh*t: sanity prevailed and buses carried change

[Nipplefish]

It strikes me as crazy that we are allowing vouchers to be given instead of change on public transport. Sheffield is the statistically the safest city in the country so using safety concerns as a reason is a stuff of none sense. Last time I checked we have a monetary system in place called sterling to use for transactions. What happens next? If you don't have the right change for your bread and milk at the local shop will you accept a voucher as change? I bet not the bus companies take the Michael. They should respect there customers.

 

---------- Post added 23-09-2014 at 09:02 ----------

 

We don't live in Glasgow pal

[999tigger]

It never ceases to amaze me how people on this forum like to make things difficult for themselves and are challenged over very small things.

 

I caught First buses this week and last week.

 

Sometimes I had the correct money and other times not. At the times I had roughly the correct money I got change just as many other people did on the bus.

 

When I am going soemwhere new, then I make sure I have enough money, but I tend not to be so inconsiderate to get the driver to change large denomination notes, because it causes the driver problems and im able to organise myself to try and have roughly the correct money.

 

Always worked for me perfectly fine. Shock horror ive even caught buses where I didnt know the fare and just asked the driver what the fare was. Sometimes ive had the exact money and other times ive had more or less the amount but been given change.

 

Very few of you have been issued with one of these vouchers. Have you alchemist, onewheeldave or nipplefish? How often do you catch the bus?

[Alcoblog]

It never ceases to amaze me how people on this forum like to make things difficult for themselves and are challenged over very small things.

 

I caught First buses this week and last week.

 

Sometimes I had the correct money and other times not. At the times I had roughly the correct money I got change just as many other people did on the bus.

 

When I am going soemwhere new, then I make sure I have enough money, but I tend not to be so inconsiderate to get the driver to change large denomination notes, because it causes the driver problems and im able to organise myself to try and have roughly the correct money.

 

Always worked for me perfectly fine. Shock horror ive even caught buses where I didnt know the fare and just asked the driver what the fare was. Sometimes ive had the exact money and other times ive had more or less the amount but been given change.

 

Very few of you have been issued with one of these vouchers. Have you alchemist, onewheeldave or nipplefish? How often do you catch the bus?

Reading this, I can see where your confusion comes from. I don't think people are talking about the driver not having change for large denomination notes, but merely the change for 'roughly the correct money' as you say you yourself (twice in the above) tender and get change for.

 

In my instance, the driver didn't have 30p which struck me as pretty remiss, considering he's driving a vehicle which relies on people paying to use (as it happened, he did have the correct change but chose not to give it to me).

 

Other businesses seem to be able to cope fairly well with transactions relying on the giving of change (my newsagent and the local Sainsbury's for example) ... I'd not use them if they gave me tokens for my next purchase as it'd mean they were basically starting some kind of account with me ... something I eschew, as it takes away my freewill ... 'Come back, or you won't get your money' sort of thing.

 

That's what people are getting at, not large denomination notes, which'd be more understandable. Basically, I think the bus companies are using this 'token' system as a sneaky ploy to increase their business.

[onewheeldave]

It never ceases to amaze me how people on this forum like to make things difficult for themselves and are challenged over very small things.

 

I caught First buses this week and last week.

 

Sometimes I had the correct money and other times not. At the times I had roughly the correct money I got change just as many other people did on the bus.

 

When I am going soemwhere new, then I make sure I have enough money, but I tend not to be so inconsiderate to get the driver to change large denomination notes, because it causes the driver problems and im able to organise myself to try and have roughly the correct money.

 

Always worked for me perfectly fine. Shock horror ive even caught buses where I didnt know the fare and just asked the driver what the fare was. Sometimes ive had the exact money and other times ive had more or less the amount but been given change.

 

Very few of you have been issued with one of these vouchers. Have you alchemist, onewheeldave or nipplefish? How often do you catch the bus?

 

Just to clarify then, cos no-ones saying that drivers should have to deal with £50 notes (or £20/£10's for that matter)-

 

would you agree that it's reasonable to expect to get, for example, 50p change for a £1.50 fare when a person has only got pound coins to give to the driver? and that it's cash, not some type of voucher.

 

Cos that's the kind of situation we're talking about here, and, it's not uncommon for drivers to not be able to deal with that on Sheffield buses.