South Yorkshire Bus Service Needs Improvement

[RollingJ]

1 minute ago, Resident said:

They are on buses. Seen them mainly on X1/X10/X5. 

I happen to know those routes are regularly plagued by fare evaders, usually passengers with "student" cards (people who look like they've never seen the inside of a University) over travelling on student tickets.

Rumour has it that they've issued fines to over 2000 passengers. 

Cheers, @Resident - confirms my suspicions.

[spilldig]

8 hours ago, Resident said:

It's not doxxing if you're posting your own info. 

Also if you were an expert on public transport then you'd know that almost all evening/weekend operations are funded by SYMCA, who have chosen no to fund appropriately as they, like most of the people of Sheffield, think it's still the 1970s. 

The issue in SY is one of costs. There's no money in SY to run the buses because almost 80% of service users don't pay for it. 

OAPs, Disabled & Free TravelMaster Day/Week tickets (given to fresh off the dinghy migrants) are these 80% which leaves 20% of the service users putting their hands in their pockets to pay the running costs. 

Whilst it's true that SYMCA pays when any of these are scanned, it's literally pennies. 

From friends in the industry, between all the operators, it costs almost £2 million a day to run all the services from 4am-1am, with the average cost per bus being around £87/hour. 

There's also the fact that the people of SY, unless they're making it, seem to think that profit is a dirty word. Without profit there can be no further investment.  Vehicles are expensive, the average being around £350,000 for a basic spec. 

From reports online one SY operator made just over £700,000 profit in 22/23. Not even enough to cover a day's operation. 

Also if you think SY buses are expensive then once the cap ends I invite you to dip a toe outside of South Yorkshire. Take some smelling salts as you're gonna get a shock. 

As for the topic I'm going to say this: 

Until ALL services users pay then there will be no improvements. This would mean removing the freebies & we all know that's not going to happen. 

Please bear in mind that as far as the OAP bus pass, with strings  attached,  is just a gimmick by the government in lieu of paying the lowest basic state pension in the civilised world at £156.20 per week when the minum wage is 416.80 for a standard 40 hour week,  and that is per person. 

[RollingJ]

9 minutes ago, spilldig said:

Please bear in mind that as far as the OAP bus pass, with strings  attached,  is just a gimmick by the government in lieu of paying the lowest basic state pension in the civilised world at £156.20 per week when the minum wage is 416.80 for a standard 40 hour week,  and that is per person. 

What strings - apart from the period of validity?

[Resident]

1 minute ago, RollingJ said:

What strings - apart from the period of validity?

Of which were introduced because of the selfishness of the OAPs.

When they were first introduced there were no restrictions to time of use. Complaints followed that workers who were using the buses were being crowded out by OAPs travelling during peak times in the morning for no real need. 

[HeHasRisen]

15 minutes ago, spilldig said:

Please bear in mind that as far as the OAP bus pass, with strings  attached,  is just a gimmick by the government in lieu of paying the lowest basic state pension in the civilised world at £156.20 per week when the minum wage is 416.80 for a standard 40 hour week,  and that is per person. 

Erm, isnt is £203.25 per week?

 

EDIT - ah, thats on the new system. Anyway, if people havent made extra provision and fully expected to rely on the State pension, more fool them. Thats an argument for another thread though.

Edited November 1, 2023 by HeHasRisen

[RollingJ]

Just now, Resident said:

Of which were introduced because of the selfishness of the OAPs.

When they were first introduced there were no restrictions to time of use. Complaints followed that workers who were using the buses were being crowded out by OAPs travelling during peak times in the morning for no real need. 

I wasn't aware of that - don't know how old I was at the time - but a perfectly good and valid restriction IMO -  and I speak as an ENTCS pass-holder.

[Resident]

2 minutes ago, HeHasRisen said:

Erm, isnt is £203.25 per week?

Cash term yes. But then there's free prescription, council tax reductions, rent assistance (if renting) and various other benefits. 

So in all, it's more that £203/week

 

[RollingJ]

Just now, Resident said:

Cash term yes. But then there's free prescription, council tax reductions, rent assistance (if renting) and various other benefits. 

So in all, it's more that £203/week

 

All conveniently forgotten by the moaners.

[Resident]

Just now, RollingJ said:

I wasn't aware of that - don't know how old I was at the time - but a perfectly good and valid restriction IMO -  and I speak as an ENTCS pass-holder.

During COVID it was decided that the restrictions would be suspended and you would often see buses at 7-9am with multiple OAPs ignoring the 'stay home' mandate. Some travelling to town just for a newspaper, available at their local shop, and then back.

Personally it was a bad decision. ALL free passes should have been suspended. Free travel encourages unnecessary travel. 

 

[RollingJ]

1 minute ago, Resident said:

During COVID it was decided that the restrictions would be suspended and you would often see buses at 7-9am with multiple OAPs ignoring the 'stay home' mandate. Some travelling to town just for a newspaper, available at their local shop, and then back.

Personally it was a bad decision. ALL free passes should have been suspended. Free travel encourages unnecessary travel. 

 

Didn't know that - but I've only had mine for 18 months, and have not used buses that early for quite a while, except out of pure necessity, and then been perfectly happy to pay the full fare.