Ex Bus Driver Again

[buswinker]

Did you know that a certain bus company has a company policy that if your card or phone won't make a contact less payment for whatever reason and you don't have cash, you can travel anyway for free? 

If the driver refuses, simply state it's company policy, that the driver can't refuse travel and tell them to ring the office to confirm it. Push the issue and you will travel for free. 

I say this not to encourage people to do this as many probably will when they read this. I say this in the hope that the company will change their policy when they see that many more people try this in order to free ride. 

The company has the view that by doing this for a passenger, the next time they travel they will have a means of paying and use this company's service as they were treated well the last time. Erm, no. If people realise this, they will take advantage every time they travel to get free rides. This company needs to grow a pair and stand up to people who want to take advantage and say no, if you can't pay, you don't travel. As drivers we use the argument that if you was to try to buy something in a shop and your card doesn't work, you don't get to walk out with the item. 

If more people use the company policy argument back, then eventually the lost revenue will result in fares increasing. So those of you who are decent people reading this will know why fares increase in the future. 

[Padders]

Bus drivers can't refuse travel.

Give the bus driver your name and address and he will issue you with an unpaid fare slip.

[buswinker]

Unpaid fares slips no longer exist. 

I should know as we used to have regular equipment checks and never had unpaid fares slips in that check. 

Even manual tickets have been discontinued for when the ticket machine went down. 

Now you just tell people to take a seat. 

[Padders]

Didn't know that Mr. ******..thanks.

 

Don't know why your name has been blocked. I didn't post owt rude.

Edited November 10, 2023 by Padders
explanation.

[bassett one]

3 minutes ago, Padders said:

Didn't know that Mr. ******..thanks.

there goes your freebies padders now,but how did you get away with mr duck padders bar london office?

[YorkieontheTyne]

National Express had a similar system years ago. If a passenger, err I mean customer complained they were sent travel vouchers valid for future travel. 
The number of complaints rocketed, and National Express “reconsidered” their policy.

[Guest busdriver1]

2 hours ago, Padders said:

Bus drivers can't refuse travel.

Very wrong, every person travelling on a bus does so at the drivers discretion. That is in the road traffic act and has survived many many rewrites. 

[onewheeldave]

19 hours ago, buswinker said:

Did you know that a certain bus company has a company policy that if your card or phone won't make a contact less payment for whatever reason and you don't have cash, you can travel anyway for free? 

If the driver refuses, simply state it's company policy, that the driver can't refuse travel and tell them to ring the office to confirm it. Push the issue and you will travel for free. 

I say this not to encourage people to do this as many probably will when they read this. I say this in the hope that the company will change their policy when they see that many more people try this in order to free ride. 

The company has the view that by doing this for a passenger, the next time they travel they will have a means of paying and use this company's service as they were treated well the last time. Erm, no. If people realise this, they will take advantage every time they travel to get free rides. This company needs to grow a pair and stand up to people who want to take advantage and say no, if you can't pay, you don't travel. As drivers we use the argument that if you was to try to buy something in a shop and your card doesn't work, you don't get to walk out with the item. 

If more people use the company policy argument back, then eventually the lost revenue will result in fares increasing. So those of you who are decent people reading this will know why fares increase in the future. 

Yes-  because you've just posted this on a public forum

 

 

[buswinker]

Well if people do then hopefully the bus company will alter their policy.

The ones who know how to play the game are laughing at the genuine passengers who are honest. 

Same reason travelmaster ended payment by card or phone fir weekly tickets.  Scammers were costing the companies thousands. So the actions of the few affected the many genuine passengers. 

If policy was changed to say no to these people, the genuine people would still use the bus. If the non genuine stop using buses no one would care.

[onewheeldave]

2 hours ago, buswinker said:

Well if people do then hopefully the bus company will alter their policy.

The ones who know how to play the game are laughing at the genuine passengers who are honest. 

Same reason travelmaster ended payment by card or phone fir weekly tickets.  Scammers were costing the companies thousands. So the actions of the few affected the many genuine passengers. 

If policy was changed to say no to these people, the genuine people would still use the bus. If the non genuine stop using buses no one would care.

Do you have access to the actual official reasoning behind this company policy? If so, what is it?