North East Buses

Full Version: Issuing Tickets For Concessionary Fares
You're currently viewing a stripped down version of our content. View the full version with proper formatting.
Does anybody know why a ticket is still issued when a concessionary or disabled card is used?

I know for example, Stanley Travel don't issue tickets but why do the big 3 issue tickets? Surely in the age of contactless key cards there must be a way of registering a card without issuing a needless ticket?
Thats a good question, its pointless and a waste of paper
(21 Oct 2013, 8:15 pm)GTM wrote [ -> ]Does anybody know why a ticket is still issued when a concessionary or disabled card is used?

I know for example, Stanley Travel don't issue tickets but why do the big 3 issue tickets? Surely in the age of contactless key cards there must be a way of registering a card without issuing a needless ticket?

It's all based on having proof of travel given to the customer, but in the days of smartcards, it's only a matter of time before that changes
(21 Oct 2013, 8:49 pm)busman101 wrote [ -> ]It's all based on having proof of travel given to the customer, but in the days of smartcards, it's only a matter of time before that changes

A nexus diktat then?
the pensioners' smartcard doesn't record on itself that it's been used. SO, should an inspector board the bus, even if he has a handheld card reader, he'll not know if the card has been presented to the ticket machine unless the pensioner has a piece of paper.
(22 Oct 2013, 7:12 am)eezypeazy wrote [ -> ]the pensioners' smartcard doesn't record on itself that it's been used. SO, should an inspector board the bus, even if he has a handheld card reader, he'll not know if the card has been presented to the ticket machine unless the pensioner has a piece of paper.

Do Nexus (or whoever provides the old biddy passes) have any plans to update their cards so that the journeys are recorded?
(22 Oct 2013, 7:12 am)eezypeazy wrote [ -> ]the pensioners' smartcard doesn't record on itself that it's been used. SO, should an inspector board the bus, even if he has a handheld card reader, he'll not know if the card has been presented to the ticket machine unless the pensioner has a piece of paper.

When I have seen inspectors recently, I have shown just my concessionary pass and no ticket and the Inspector has been fine with that...I dont see why a paper needs to be printed, surely it would not be an impossible task to put a chip in the ticket machine that registers every concessionary pass used
(22 Oct 2013, 7:12 am)eezypeazy wrote [ -> ]the pensioners' smartcard doesn't record on itself that it's been used. SO, should an inspector board the bus, even if he has a handheld card reader, he'll not know if the card has been presented to the ticket machine unless the pensioner has a piece of paper.

Something must register as they're locked out for 5 mins from getting on another bus to stop the card being passed back to someone else to use...
Eezy, would it being used record on the system which GNE could then use as proof?

For example, you can log into keycard and view all of your recent journeys (where boarded, time etc)

And if they don't register, how do Stanley Travel get away with not issuing a ticket?
Slightly different, but got issued with a receipt today after buying two tickets.

Never happened before.

Anyone have any ideas?
Perhaps it does the adding up for the driver... saves trying to do the mental maths...???
(15 Apr 2014, 4:23 pm)AIG20 wrote [ -> ]My mam pays for both mine and her fare when getting on the bus together - which is usually a Stagecoach Bus. When doing this she always gets a receipt at the bottom of the two tickets.

I suppose a receipt is written proof of how much you are charged in total.

Aye, but the two or three tickets you have just bought have the prices on regardless.

Just seems a bit daft companies are introducing smartcard technology, reducing the paper they use - but are adding receipts to bus tickets.

Never had one last weekend - but did today.

(15 Apr 2014, 4:38 pm)eezypeazy wrote [ -> ]Perhaps it does the adding up for the driver... saves trying to do the mental maths...???

... and a receipt adds that up how?
(15 Apr 2014, 5:34 pm)Andreos Constantopolous wrote [ -> ]Aye, but the two or three tickets you have just bought have the prices on regardless.

Just seems a bit daft companies are introducing smartcard technology, reducing the paper they use - but are adding receipts to bus tickets.

Never had one last weekend - but did today.

Not sure about Go North East, but I know Stagecoach North East have had the 'receipts' for years.
(15 Apr 2014, 5:34 pm)Andreos Constantopolous wrote [ -> ]Aye, but the two or three tickets you have just bought have the prices on regardless.

Just seems a bit daft companies are introducing smartcard technology, reducing the paper they use - but are adding receipts to bus tickets.

Never had one last weekend - but did today.

(15 Apr 2014, 5:44 pm)Dan wrote [ -> ]Not sure about Go North East, but I know Stagecoach North East have had the 'receipts' for years.

Indeed - the ERG machines used by GNE and SNE both have the feature to issue receipts on multiple tickets but it all depends on how they have been input into the machine (ie issuing the tickets separately does not result in receipts for example)
(15 Apr 2014, 5:49 pm)Kuyoyo wrote [ -> ]Indeed - the ERG machines used by GNE and SNE both have the feature to issue receipts on multiple tickets but it all depends on how they have been input into the machine (ie issuing the tickets separately does not result in receipts for example)

Interesting.
The ones on the weekend, were bought together, but issued separately.
The ones today, were ran through together as one - which meant, the two fares plus the receipt came as one long ticket.
(15 Apr 2014, 6:41 pm)Andreos Constantopolous wrote [ -> ]Interesting.
The ones on the weekend, were bought together, but issued separately.
The ones today, were ran through together as one - which meant, the two fares plus the receipt came as one long ticket.

Yep can be done on the ERG machines. You can also multiply the tickets so you can (for example) put 4 singles on one ticket instead of printing out 4 tickets.
We had great fun when training on the machines finding the highest fare and doing 99 of them (the maximum it will do) on one ticket to get the highest taking lol
It's a really nifty bit of the software which I wish Wayfarer had.