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(22 Jul 2019, 3:55 pm)Boggle wrote Bit of a mix up for the 16:50 X21 from Newcastle to Durham tonight. 6139 turned up from Chester (as normal for school holidays) closely followed by 6033 from Riverside (as normal on school days), both for the same run. A lack of communication somewhere there.
Most bizarrely, both buses ran the service in tandem, 6033 following 6139 entirely empty.
(22 Jul 2019, 8:09 am)Adrian wrote
I'd imagine it would be difficult because I don't think that the QR codes aren't stored centrally to validate them on scan, but merely contain an encrypted expiry date within the QR code.
It's not difficult as Arriva had the machines updated (hence why they no longer rip QRs) to make sure that reused returns got rejected, it's the same at a few other companies too.
(23 Jul 2019, 2:05 am)omnicity4659 wrote
It's not difficult as Arriva had the machines updated (hence why they no longer rip QRs) to make sure that reused returns got rejected, it's the same at a few other companies too.
I'd assume it makes it easier to identify travel patterns with the QR too. Whether this was to work out the time of the return trip or to try and identify if everyone who bought a return, ended up using the second portion and if not, why not? (there's nowt worse than missing that last bus unexpectedly and seeing the standard 'not enough demand for a later bus' trotted out).
(23 Jul 2019, 8:40 am)Rob44 wrote I asked this before and no one replied so i'll ask again. If i buy a alzone day ticket on the 28 and andreos1 buys a alzone day ticket on the 21 on the same day the QR code will be the same on both tickets? So they cant really track a ticket or am i wrong?Each QR code is unique, so even ones bought in the same bus will be different
(23 Jul 2019, 9:23 am)Rob44 wrote really? So in theory they would be able to see where i traveled with the ticket?
(23 Jul 2019, 9:23 am)Rob44 wrote really? So in theory they would be able to see where i traveled with the ticket?
In theory, aye. There's all sorts of things they can do and check. Hence my comments earlier about the removal of the QR codes from return tickets.
They're missing a trick there and potentially making a lot of assumptions.
Ditto when using a Day Rover or Explorer. They've no idea how you got from A-B when using a competitors service, the metro or ferry.
Again, missing a trick and not being able to really drill down on the travel patterns, that could ultimately make a passengers journey easier.
(23 Jul 2019, 9:30 am)cbma06 wrote GNE been doing that for years, so there can see what kinda ticket you buy and your travel patterns
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I think I've said it before, but I wonder how much damage was done with the 2006 changes (when technology wasn't as advanced) and the changes in travel patterns since then. Not necessarily natural changes either, but forced by streamlining of services.
There's nothing to find out why numbers have fallen in the intervening years or why the removal of one direct service may have impacted on the decision of someone to not bother paying the increased fare (in some cases doubled following the removal of the T&W ticket) and be inconvenienced with having to make a couple of changes.
(23 Jul 2019, 11:46 am)Rob44 wrote HMM interesting.
There's mention on the ticketer website about how quick the process can actually be.
https://www.ticketer.co.uk/case-study/re...o-the-max/
So as I said earlier, to remove the option from return tickets, doesn't (to me anyway) seem to make much sense from a data gathering perspective.
(23 Jul 2019, 2:05 am)omnicity4659 wrote
It's not difficult as Arriva had the machines updated (hence why they no longer rip QRs) to make sure that reused returns got rejected, it's the same at a few other companies too.
Is this speculation or fact? I'd assume the former, as Adrian was correct in his last post.
The loss of passenger trend data will be a big miss - but as the majority of returns are now capped at day ticket prices, drivers ought to be selling day tickets anyway (so Go North East will still have this data).
(23 Jul 2019, 6:58 pm)Rob44 wrote Dan - do passengers have a choice whether to consent to their data being used? Its fare enough if you use cash to buy it but when using a debit/credit card you (go north east) know the persons details and which areas they've visited ald day? That's why i though all purple day tickets would have the same QR code so ones personal data couldn't be tracked?
That's easily circumvented by data anonymisation. It's standard protocol for all this sort of data gathering, eg that done by traffic cameras.
(23 Jul 2019, 5:25 pm)Dan wrote
Is this speculation or fact? I'd assume the former, as Adrian was correct in his last post.
The loss of passenger trend data will be a big miss - but as the majority of returns are now capped at day ticket prices, drivers ought to be selling day tickets anyway (so Go North East will still have this data).
It is indeed fact, been many a time when I've seen people attempting to reuse their returns to be met with the rejected tone.
(24 Jul 2019, 12:46 am)omnicity4659 wrote
It is indeed fact, been many a time when I've seen people attempting to reuse their returns to be met with the rejected tone.
That's more likely to be pass back rejecting it, not the QR code itself. Trust me, it's not possible.
(23 Jul 2019, 10:00 am)Andreos1 wrote
I think I've said it before, but I wonder how much damage was done with the 2006 changes (when technology wasn't as advanced) and the changes in travel patterns since then...
Do you know where I could find information about the network in the early '00s, like a route map for example? Always been intrigued how different it was
(25 Jul 2019, 6:36 pm)MrBoyt wrote
Do you know where I could find information about the network in the early '00s, like a route map for example? Always been intrigued how different it was
Adrian had a cracking example of the before and after Washington network.
Not sure whether it is in the Bygone Era or not.
There should be some old network maps in there though and it's maybe possibly to compare then to now that way.
However, if you're wanting to know about services in a specific area, I'm sure there's enough knowledge on here to detail the before/after.
