Vouchers instead of change on Sheffield busses

[999tigger]

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.

 

You must be traveling on different buses to the ones I am, then. I accept that you find it a struggle to make sure you have a bit of change to pay your bus fare, some of us dont fidn that to be too much of a problem.

 

As I said I use the bus frequently and I always see the driver giving change, so its not the situation we are talking about. How many vouchers have you actually been issued with Dave compared to how many bus journeys you have taken?

 

A driver may issue a voucher if he has no change, but those occasions are few and far between in my experience. I know it seems to cause you anxiety, but on those rare occasions it happens ans he has no change , then you always have the option of just not getting on the bus. I am not surprised the people of Sheffield forum find something so petty to moan about. If I was given a bus voucher then id just use it on my next journey or cash it in if I needed to.

[Annie Bynnol]

You are both wrong. It is a fact that the PTE could introduce Quality Contracts and it doesn't require the agreement of operators. The operators could decide not to bid but they'd be cutting their noses off to spite their face... there is always someone who will take the work.

 

West Yorkshire are going to do it. See here. Leeds (and it's surrounding region) have left Sheffield behind in terms of development and image and this is just another example of how much more forward thinking they are.

 

Avoiding the imposition of Quality Contracts is seen as an advantage by many.

PTEs don't like QC because of the direct cost of staffing, legal costs, contract writing, monitoring and dispute management. If the operator pulls out/goes bankruptcy etc the PTE would be obliged to provide that service by engaging another operator. The new operator would be free to negotiate its terms and as this would likely be less favourable it could leave the PTE and the Councils with large political, legal and (potentially massive) financial problems.

 

Bus companies do not like QC for financial and operational reasons and to avoid this they will negotiate when threatened with it. The future will tell us which is the best option.

 

Currently this area is benefiting from the Stagecoach attempt to encroach on the territory once dominated by First. This benefit would be lost on the imposition of QC as the operators would carve up the routes between them.

If voluntary agreements are made they often can be tweaked mid term by discussion.

 

A third way of licensing blocks of services, linking profitable with non-profitable routes and enforcing connectivity is illegal in England (ex London) as it would fall under the ban on cross subsidy. This is the method preferred in many European countries with much more stable and comprehensive transport systems.

[Andy C]

Change on buses is one of those things where people need to use common sense and have realistic expectations.

 

It is a fact of life a bus driver can only carry a limited amount of change and it is normal wherever in the world you are to try and have something close to the right change for your fare.

 

It isn't unreasonable to expect a driver to find 20p change if you are paying with a £2 coin for a £1.80 fare for example, however it is unreasonable to expect change for a £20 note!

 

In the past if you didn't have the right money and the driver didn't have the change you were turned away. Now you are given a credit voucher and aren't turned away - surely that is actually an improvement?

 

In other developments, for regular travellers both First and Stagecoach offer the option of buying weekly or monthly tickets online by credit/debit card avoiding the need to pay by cash on board, additionally First have just launched mobile phone ticketing again where you pay online by credit/debit card and this includes day tickets as well as weekly and monthly.

[sheffbag]

You are both wrong. It is a fact that the PTE could introduce Quality Contracts and it doesn't require the agreement of operators. The operators could decide not to bid but they'd be cutting their noses off to spite their face... there is always someone who will take the work.

 

West Yorkshire are going to do it. See here. Leeds (and it's surrounding region) have left Sheffield behind in terms of development and image and this is just another example of how much more forward thinking they are.

 

Try getting the correct news Zamo

http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/leeds/about_us/partnership/

 

Even using your own link nowhere does it state that WYCA are going to do it. The web page you have linked to says BOTH QC's and VBA's are to be considered. Not QC's will be implemented so if that is the only one you can find its a pretty weak argument considering one of the biggest operators in the area has said no.

 

If you want to use Nexus (which i assume you are referring to as they are named in the link you proivde) then Nexus have not implemented QC's at all and were met with such a backlash from operators (and the council) when they attempted it that they have had to go to a additional consultation in order to draw up a workable plan

http://www.nexus.org.uk/busstrategy

and if you want to review the revised document then its here

http://www.nexus.org.uk/partnership-proposal

please note the word voluntary in the title.

 

So who are you holding up as the beacon of QC's in the area. And why the drag down of sheffield. As i have pointed out before, you cannot QC Sheffield without the whole of the region unless you want to do a service like Optio.........................................now what happened to that.

 

QC's also do not stop a commercial operator running a service along a very similar route at the same time. As someone else pointed out the PTE (or combined authority) would have to take the financial risk of an operator going under or withdrawing plus a QC is not subject to funding such as BBAF money which has helped the increase of smart buses in the West Yorkshire area.

 

And seeing as you think that Sheffield / SYPTE is behind the times with its bus partnership agreement (implented because the operatros told the PTEs to do one) you might want to consider what the industry thinks of the agreement

http://www.ukbusawards.org.uk/content/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=799&Itemid=479

 

Now im no fan of the PTE but when its gets the national award for best project and best putting buses first then gets runner up for best innovation then i think you may need to take the view of the industry as well into account.

 

or are they all wrong and you are right?

Edited September 23, 2014 by sheffbag

[onewheeldave]

You must be traveling on different buses to the ones I am, then. I accept that you find it a struggle to make sure you have a bit of change to pay your bus fare, some of us dont fidn that to be too much of a problem.

 

As I said I use the bus frequently and I always see the driver giving change, so its not the situation we are talking about. How many vouchers have you actually been issued with Dave compared to how many bus journeys you have taken?

 

A driver may issue a voucher if he has no change, but those occasions are few and far between in my experience. I know it seems to cause you anxiety, but on those rare occasions it happens ans he has no change , then you always have the option of just not getting on the bus. I am not surprised the people of Sheffield forum find something so petty to moan about. If I was given a bus voucher then id just use it on my next journey or cash it in if I needed to.

 

Are you aware that you're moaning about the moaners? You've done quite a lot of moaning on this thread yourself.

 

You didn't answer my question-

 

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.

 

 

[999tigger]

Are you aware that you're moaning about the moaners? You've done quite a lot of moaning on this thread yourself.

 

You didn't answer my question-

 

Ive already old you that doesnt happen except on the rare occasions he runs out of money.

How often do you catch the bus dave?

How many times have you been issued with a voucher?

How many times have you been given change?

 

Moaning? Just commening how pathetic and challeneged some of you are that you are unable to cope with having soem change for the bus and that your world falls apart becayse you camt deal with the prospect of getting a voucher. Poor you. You have a tough life.

[onewheeldave]

Ive already old you that doesnt happen except on the rare occasions he runs out of money.

 

 

Might be rare for you dude- clearly it's not rare for others travelling on different buses. But, don't answer the question if the fact that it relates to people who aren't you makes it difficult

 

 

 

Moaning? Just commening how pathetic and challeneged some of you are that you are unable to cope with having soem change for the bus and that your world falls apart becayse you camt deal with the prospect of getting a voucher. Poor you. You have a tough life.

 

Sounds like you've got a tougher one by the amount of malice you're putting out. Hope things improve for you.

[999tigger]

Might be rare for you dude- clearly it's not rare for others travelling on different buses. But, don't answer the question if the fact that it relates to people who aren't you makes it difficult

 

Clearly it is rare for others since you have a few examples out of the many millions of journeys that must have been taken. If you cant manage to organise yourself so you have change and he says he will issue a voucher, then dont get on the bus and you wont have to suffer the voucher.

 

If I was presented with a voucher then I'd just deal with it and get on with things.

 

How many bus journeys do you take?

How many times have you been given change?

How many times have you actually been given a voucher?

 

Its not hard to see how it manifests itself.

[alchemist]

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?

 

I very rarely use the bus as I use the tram with a pass. But it is this very rarity that does raise the point of not knowing what is even roughly the "right change" and unlike you I do not routinely carry around with me vast quantities of change "just case"

Edited September 23, 2014 by alchemist

[999tigger]

I very rarely use the bus as I use the tram with a pass. But it is this very rarity that does raise the point of not knowing what is even roughly the "right change" and unlike you I do not routinely carry around with me vast quantities of change "just case"

 

Yes a few pound coins is your idea of vast quantities of change. Bit dramatic. How do you cope.