Due to changes in the parking at work I've been using the bus to get to and from work with good value 4.10 day ticket. The bus i get when i do a late shift is due to leave at 920 and I'm amazed at how many CPH get on the bus saying " is it to early to use my pass".. In fact I've seen the same ones try it again and again. Then on a afternoon they can use there pass between 4 and 6pm? I though this was a " peak time".
But to top it off a person tired this morning, got the Beep to say it was to early. Go off. The driver, obviously feeling sorry for her told them to get on and when it hit 930 to come and put there pass in then!!! Is it not enough that they travel for free? I'm sure the next step will be making fare paying passages wait in one queue whilst all the CPH get on first with the choice of seats!!!
(11 May 2022, 9:48 am)Rob44 wrote [ -> ]Due to changes in the parking at work I've been using the bus to get to and from work with good value 4.10 day ticket. The bus i get when i do a late shift is due to leave at 920 and I'm amazed at how many CPH get on the bus saying " is it to early to use my pass".. In fact I've seen the same ones try it again and again. Then on a afternoon they can use there pass between 4 and 6pm? I though this was a " peak time".
But to top it off a person tired this morning, got the Beep to say it was to early. Go off. The driver, obviously feeling sorry for her told them to get on and when it hit 930 to come and put there pass in then!!! Is it not enough that they travel for free? I'm sure the next step will be making fare paying passages wait in one queue whilst all the CPH get on first with the choice of seats!!!
I think your second paragraph sums up why the highlighted section keeps happening.
But, with the cost of living crisis and heating bills going up, these people are hopefully keeping warm on the bus. Saves them having the heating on at home!
Tob be fair i never though of that, although we are all feeling the crunch.....I just think they could wait for the next on thats due at 940 ish....
(11 May 2022, 11:37 am)Rob44 wrote [ -> ]Tob be fair i never though of that, although we are all feeling the crunch.....I just think they could wait for the next on thats due at 940 ish....
To be honest, I remember similar years ago even when the heating wasn't as expensive as now.
The old dears would get on the bus and then sit for hours on shopping centre benches and it would mean they didn't have to heat their homes.
They might also get to chat to people - again something they might not get to do at home.
We need an old age pensioner to share their thoughts. Eezypeazy? You reading this?
Not just pensioners though..... I once saw a young lad, maybe late teens early twenties rung from the GYm ( now farm foods) on durham road, hope over the barrier with his sports bag on his back, get out his CPH and run up the stairs........ I remember thinking i wish i could do that then get on the bus for nowt after just paying £3 plus for a single to town!
You sure it wasn't a key card?
got issued a ticket so wouldn't have thought so
Got nothing to do with the cost of living but with the unknown reason why they always (even pre-covid) go to the bus stop for the bus really early (from 0900 in some cases) to sit in the cold knowing fine well what time they can use it just to be front of the Q and on the hope of the 0925 bus running a few mins late so they can get into town before the metro papers have all gone from the buses, they really should do what county durham do and allow them to travel for 50p, would save the Q's and them sitting out in the cold
(11 May 2022, 7:56 pm)N1cholas wrote [ -> ]Got nothing to do with the cost of living but with the unknown reason why they always (even pre-covid) go to the bus stop for the bus really early (from 0900 in some cases) to sit in the cold knowing fine well what time they can use it just to be front of the Q and on the hope of the 0925 bus running a few mins late so they can get into town before the metro papers have all gone from the buses, they really should do what county durham do and allow them to travel for 50p, would save the Q's and them sitting out in the cold
I remember loads of older people complaining about the old X35 it used to leave at 9:29, which was the worst timings. But I have been on buses around 9:15-9:30 where the drivers just let them on and scan their pass later, mostly when its cold and rainy.
(11 May 2022, 7:56 pm)N1cholas wrote [ -> ]Got nothing to do with the cost of living but with the unknown reason why they always (even pre-covid) go to the bus stop for the bus really early (from 0900 in some cases) to sit in the cold knowing fine well what time they can use it just to be front of the Q and on the hope of the 0925 bus running a few mins late so they can get into town before the metro papers have all gone from the buses, they really should do what county durham do and allow them to travel for 50p, would save the Q's and them sitting out in the cold
The 50p fare in County Durham is still enough to put them off from getting on pre 09:30, seen a few times they've turned round and got off because it wasn't 09:30 and didn't wish to pay.
Getting the buses into Darlington in the run up to 09:30 is infuriating, stopping at all the stops down North Road on the 5A the other week and they all just turn round and get off when told they can't use their pass.
I do wonder if the fact that some won't have phones with the exact time on is a factor as to why that happens so are using other measures which aren't as accurate?
I believe in some cases the concession passes can sometimes be scanned just prior to 09:30, think when GNE ran the OK1 in Darlington they could be scanned by 09:29 for a 09:30 departure.
Of course the whole rationale for enforcing a no use before 0930 rule is questionable if the operators are to be believed that serivces are so quiet they cant make a profit without government handouts. Supposedly the commuter rush hour and 9-5 is dead, so you do have to wonder, why still restrict use at all.
(11 May 2022, 11:05 pm)stagecoachbusdepot wrote [ -> ]Of course the whole rationale for enforcing a no use before 0930 rule is questionable if the operators are to be believed that serivces are so quiet they cant make a profit without government handouts. Supposedly the commuter rush hour and 9-5 is dead, so you do have to wonder, why still restrict use at all.
It's definitely not dead though. Not sure where it's come from. Buses in the morning peak are still much busier than during the day (not to mention students going to college and university aswell).
I'd go the opposite and add a restriction between 3pm - 6pm aswell as they're generally just a nuisance with their trolleys etc when buses are delayed enough as it is with increased traffic. There's 5.5 hours in between for them to do whatever they want.
(11 May 2022, 2:57 pm)Rob44 wrote [ -> ]Not just pensioners though..... I once saw a young lad, maybe late teens early twenties rung from the GYm ( now farm foods) on durham road, hope over the barrier with his sports bag on his back, get out his CPH and run up the stairs........ I remember thinking i wish i could do that then get on the bus for nowt after just paying £3 plus for a single to town!
Not everyone with a concessionary bus pass has a physical disability.
(12 May 2022, 12:04 pm)BusLoverMum wrote [ -> ]Not everyone with a concessionary bus pass has a physical disability.
Very true. Same for blue badge holders. I only recently found out that if you cant drive for a medical reason you can get a Concessionary travel ticket to allow you to get the bus for free at all times, to get you to work, shopping and leisure purposes.
I got told this years ago, when you can your concessionary pass, do the government/council give the operator a full single fare?
e.g X1 if you scan your pass from Newcastle it would charge the council all the way to Easington Lane, even if you were going to Gateshead.
Is this still the case/ever was the case when scanning the passes or do they just get on for free obvs you pay 50p or full fare before 9.30 M to F?
(27 Sep 2022, 8:25 pm)Unber43 wrote [ -> ]I got told this years ago, when you can your concessionary pass, do the government/council give the operator a full single fare?
e.g X1 if you scan your pass from Newcastle it would charge the council all the way to Easington Lane, even if you were going to Gateshead.
Is this still the case/ever was the case when scanning the passes or do they just get on for free obvs you pay 50p or full fare before 9.30 M to F?
I'm sure it was mentioned on here that operators have negotiated deals with the council to get paid a fixed amount every time a concessionary ticket is used.
I think it was also mentioned that the amount is far lower than a single fare
The amount varies by route and is calculated by various factors, including the average single fare on the route.
The reimbursement rate is usually around 35% of the average single fare.
(28 Sep 2022, 3:09 am)omnicity4659 wrote [ -> ]The amount varies by route and is calculated by various factors, including the average single fare on the route.
The reimbursement rate is usually around 35% of the average single fare.
I believe Northumberland County Council reimburses 50% of an average adult single fare with their concessionary passes.