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+--- Thread: Ticket Inspectors (/showthread.php?tid=4574)
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Ticket Inspectors - logidoodah - 19 Sep 2024
I am lost for words!!!!
I am currently on the 11 (towards Pennywell) and a stagecoach employee also boarded the bus had a but of a confused look asking the drivers' duty number etc... and it wasn't the one he was expecting. Anyways after we left Borough Road and approached the bus stop for Vine Place the employee asked to see everyone's tickets and passes. Not sure why he didn't wait until after the stop as he was blocking everyone get on/off.
He visually looked at people's paper tickets and scanned electronic ones on the app, Stagecoach Smart Cards & concessionary passes.
It has been like 2019(?) as the latest possible time since I've seen a ticket inspection on a bus.
RE: Ticket Inspectors - F114TML - 19 Sep 2024
Yeah he was appointed in august, he's meant to be covering the whole of Busways.
RE: Ticket Inspectors - Teessider2014 - 19 Sep 2024
Trained by the Teesside Revenue Officer who seems to still spend more time driving!
RE: Ticket Inspectors - Adrian - 19 Sep 2024
(19 Sep 2024, 2:20 pm)logidoodah wrote I am lost for words!!!!
I am currently on the 11 (towards Pennywell) and a stagecoach employee also boarded the bus had a but of a confused look asking the drivers' duty number etc... and it wasn't the one he was expecting. Anyways after we left Borough Road and approached the bus stop for Vine Place the employee asked to see everyone's tickets and passes. Not sure why he didn't wait until after the stop as he was blocking everyone get on/off.
He visually looked at people's paper tickets and scanned electronic ones on the app, Stagecoach Smart Cards & concessionary passes.
It has been like 2019(?) as the latest possible time since I've seen a ticket inspection on a bus.
2019? I don't think I've had anyone check my ticket on a bus in 20 years!
RE: Ticket Inspectors - logidoodah - 23 Sep 2024
(19 Sep 2024, 6:58 pm)Adrian wrote 2019? I don't think I've had anyone check my ticket on a bus in 20 years!
I used to go to work with my Dad early mornings on weekends and every so often the ticket inspector would get on for the early trips like 06:30-8:00 ish.
Used to get the 62/63/11 from West Denton to Town...
RE: Ticket Inspectors - omnicity4659 - 24 Sep 2024
I remember having my tickets checked by Arriva and GNE inspectors within the past decade.
RE: Ticket Inspectors - F114TML - 31 Dec 2024
Think it says somethingbwhen the inspector is being issued with a stab-proof vest.
RE: Ticket Inspectors - omnicity4659 - 31 Dec 2024
(31 Dec 2024, 1:36 pm)F114TML wrote Think it says somethingbwhen the inspector is being issued with a stab-proof vest.
Doesn't surprise me... they'll soon be withdrawn for "safety"
RE: Ticket Inspectors - F114TML - 31 Dec 2024
(31 Dec 2024, 3:34 pm)omnicity4659 wrote Doesn't surprise me... they'll soon be withdrawn for "safety"
It's one of the reasons the previous one went. Allegedly someone threatened him on the 39/40 and he refused to even consider checking them again.
Not like they're among the busiest routes in the country outside London.
RE: Ticket Inspectors - Adrian - 01 Jan 2025
(31 Dec 2024, 1:36 pm)F114TML wrote Think it says somethingbwhen the inspector is being issued with a stab-proof vest.
Hardly seems worth the risk, over a maximum £2.50 fare.
I don't think you'll ever combat overriding, but there's more than enough CCTV on a bus to pass it onto the Police and let them deal.
RE: Ticket Inspectors - Madmackem22 - 01 Jan 2025
(19 Sep 2024, 6:47 pm)Teessider2014 wrote Trained by the Teesside Revenue Officer who seems to still spend more time driving!
He's transferred from Manchester Stagecoach having been down there for 10+ years I believe
RE: Ticket Inspectors - lewisparker1509 - 01 Jan 2025
(31 Dec 2024, 5:48 pm)F114TML wrote It's one of the reasons the previous one went. Allegedly someone threatened him on the 39/40 and he refused to even consider checking them again.
Not like they're among the busiest routes in the country outside London.
Outside of London, the 39/40 IS the most profitable bus route in the UK (under Stagecoach that is, not sure if any other company earns higher on anything).
RE: Ticket Inspectors - Storx - 01 Jan 2025
(01 Jan 2025, 6:20 pm)lewisparker1509 wrote Outside of London, the 39/40 IS the most profitable bus route in the UK (under Stagecoach that is, not sure if any other company earns higher on anything).
Just curious but any facts to back this up as the Stagecoach 192 in Manchester is generally common knowledge that it's the busiest route in the UK, or it used to be anyway.
RE: Ticket Inspectors - Aaron21 - 01 Jan 2025
39/40 is the 2nd most profitable route under Stagecoach in the UK. Not sure what the first one is
RE: Ticket Inspectors - Thomas12 - 01 Jan 2025
(01 Jan 2025, 9:03 pm)Storx wrote Just curious but any facts to back this up as the Stagecoach 192 in Manchester is generally common knowledge that it's the busiest route in the UK, or it used to be anyway.
This member isn't known for posting facts. It's usually things heard from Stagecoach 'drivers'.
RE: Ticket Inspectors - F114TML - 01 Jan 2025
(01 Jan 2025, 2:47 pm)Adrian wrote Hardly seems worth the risk, over a maximum £2.50 fare.
I don't think you'll ever combat overriding, but there's more than enough CCTV on a bus to pass it onto the Police and let them deal.
Overriding isn't what they're going for. They're trying to crack down on people riding with invalid or non-existant tickets.
RE: Ticket Inspectors - omnicity4659 - 01 Jan 2025
(01 Jan 2025, 6:20 pm)lewisparker1509 wrote Outside of London, the 39/40 IS the most profitable bus route in the UK (under Stagecoach that is, not sure if any other company earns higher on anything).
This is Walkergate depot wibble. I know this because it was a “fact” shared between drivers and told to new starters!
It’s the most profitable route at Stagecoach North East, I believe. And that’s based on how much money I’d cash in at the end of the day…
(01 Jan 2025, 9:16 pm)Aaron21 wrote 39/40 is the 2nd most profitable route under Stagecoach in the UK. Not sure what the first one is
I heard it’s the seventh* most profitable route behind other more profitable routes.
There’s no way of knowing what routes are the most profitable as Stagecoach does not publicly release this data, nor will the people in charge of such data be silly enough to share it.
*random number generated.
(31 Dec 2024, 5:48 pm)F114TML wrote It's one of the reasons the previous one went. Allegedly someone threatened him on the 39/40 and he refused to even consider checking them again.
Not like they're among the busiest routes in the country outside London.
The 39/40 is exactly what I imagine for issues such as this.
Very high levels of fraudulent travel and activity, including Megariders bought with stolen/empty bank cards (until they get blocked), forged tickets, etc.
Not worth trying to question people on there.
RE: Ticket Inspectors - Storx - 01 Jan 2025
(01 Jan 2025, 9:29 pm)Thomas12 wrote This member isn't known for posting facts. It's usually things heard from Stagecoach 'drivers'.
Had a feeling that wasn't true. The 192 in Manchester has to be up there, it's used to be the busiest route and is crazily frequent. Believe it's currently timetabled for a bus every 3.5 minutes at peak times - believe it's done like London routes though where it's regulated and there's no real timetable though.
The thing was even every 5 minutes on Boxing Day.
The Oxford Road / Wilmslow Road (41-43/142/143) corridor is mad busy aswell. Believe there's like 40 buses an hour or something stupid along there but it serves the hospital and university.
Be very surprised if either or those aren't top of the list personally.
RE: Ticket Inspectors - omnicity4659 - 01 Jan 2025
(01 Jan 2025, 2:47 pm)Adrian wrote Hardly seems worth the risk, over a maximum £2.50 fare.
I don't think you'll ever combat overriding, but there's more than enough CCTV on a bus to pass it onto the Police and let them deal.
Overriding isn’t the biggest issue.
There is a lot of serious and organised fraud involving weekly tickets, stolen bank cards, etc, which was also an issue in Manchester.
It also follows calls from drivers for someone visible to return to inspecting tickets, to seemingly take the edge off the severe abuse that drivers face every day.
RE: Ticket Inspectors - PH - BQA - 01 Jan 2025
(01 Jan 2025, 11:25 pm)omnicity4659 wrote Overriding isn’t the biggest issue.
There is a lot of serious and organised fraud involving weekly tickets, stolen bank cards, etc, which was also an issue in Manchester.
It also follows calls from drivers for someone visible to return to inspecting tickets, to seemingly take the edge off the severe abuse that drivers face every day.
Is this not a sign that Stagecoach need to update their ticket machines to ones which are able to read QR codes to validate tickets that way?
I've seen extremely few attempts to fare dodge on Arriva, First, or GNE services since their moves to Ticketer.
RE: Ticket Inspectors - Storx - 02 Jan 2025
(01 Jan 2025, 11:34 pm)PH - BQA wrote Is this not a sign that Stagecoach need to update their ticket machines to ones which are able to read QR codes to validate tickets that way?
I've seen extremely few attempts to fare dodge on Arriva, First, or GNE services since their moves to Ticketer.
Not sure whether Ticketer have a fix, but I believe the issue is with people picking up pre paid cards, ie Monzo etc and then using contactless and getting tickets but then the bus company never getting the funds as the bank declines it when they eventually take the money (can't take it on board due to lack of connection). The QR code wouldn't fix that.
See: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-66300786
RE: Ticket Inspectors - F114TML - 02 Jan 2025
(02 Jan 2025, 12:18 am)Storx wrote Not sure whether Ticketer have a fix, but I believe the issue is with people picking up pre paid cards, ie Monzo etc and then using contactless and getting tickets but then the bus company never getting the funds as the bank declines it when they eventually take the money (can't take it on board due to lack of connection). The QR code wouldn't fix that.
See: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-66300786
Another issue is how do you communicate this to the passenger who flatly refuses to accept even some responsibility without saying or implying that they have insufficient funds?
I had someone with a dodgy concessionary pass which wouldn't scan. He blamed the ETM. When I challenged him and asked why it was scanning everyone else's just fine, he said it's the machine.
RE: Ticket Inspectors - PH - BQA - 02 Jan 2025
(02 Jan 2025, 12:25 am)F114TML wrote Another issue is how do you communicate this to the passenger who flatly refuses to accept even some responsibility without saying or implying that they have insufficient funds?
I had someone with a dodgy concessionary pass which wouldn't scan. He blamed the ETM. When I challenged him and asked why it was scanning everyone else's just fine, he said it's the machine.
Engine off and paper out o’clock.
(02 Jan 2025, 12:18 am)Storx wrote Not sure whether Ticketer have a fix, but I believe the issue is with people picking up pre paid cards, ie Monzo etc and then using contactless and getting tickets but then the bus company never getting the funds as the bank declines it when they eventually take the money (can't take it on board due to lack of connection). The QR code wouldn't fix that.
See: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-66300786
QR codes fix the weekly ticket issue which was listed.
In terms of the payment collection from banks, I’m assuming that issue has been sorted as the last reporting I can find anywhere is from 2023 (and only seemed to impact specific operators). From what I can tell online, companies now just instantly blacklist the card if payment can’t be taken. FWIW, Monzo isn’t a pre-paid card.
RE: Ticket Inspectors - F114TML - 02 Jan 2025
(02 Jan 2025, 1:05 am)PH - BQA wrote Engine off and paper out o’clock.
That doesn't explain to them what the issue is and why the card isn't working.
RE: Ticket Inspectors - Rob44 - 02 Jan 2025
(02 Jan 2025, 9:12 am)F114TML wrote That doesn't explain to them what the issue is and why the card isn't working.
Surely its up to the customer to have a working pass though. I couldn't go in to Morrison, get 1k worth of stuff , go to pay for it and it gets declined and then just say " well it worked in Greggs" and walk out of the store with my ill-gotten gains?
RE: Ticket Inspectors - omnicity4659 - 02 Jan 2025
(02 Jan 2025, 9:12 am)F114TML wrote That doesn't explain to them what the issue is and why the card isn't working.
Ask them to pay/draw cash from a cash machine, or get your B175s out
Or point them to the website - https://www.stagecoachbus.com/help-and-contact/faqs/what-happens-if-my-contactless-card-is-declined
RE: Ticket Inspectors - F114TML - 02 Jan 2025
(02 Jan 2025, 10:14 am)omnicity4659 wrote Ask them to pay/draw cash from a cash machine, or get your B175s out
Or point them to the website - https://www.stagecoachbus.com/help-and-contact/faqs/what-happens-if-my-contactless-card-is-declined
Genuinely never knew that existed on the website.
Also B175s are the biggest waste of time I've ever seen. These people quite quickly cottoned on.
RE: Ticket Inspectors - Jimmi - 02 Jan 2025
There's all sorts of chancers on buses now, I've heard from Stagecoach drivers of passengers regularly attempting to use out of zone or other operators day/weekly tickets and it's always the same offenders week in, week out trying their luck and plead ignorance when driver says no and make excuses saying they didn't know, or I'm normally allowed to etc.
RE: Ticket Inspectors - Andreos1 - 02 Jan 2025
(01 Jan 2025, 2:47 pm)Adrian wrote Hardly seems worth the risk, over a maximum £2.50 fare.
I don't think you'll ever combat overriding, but there's more than enough CCTV on a bus to pass it onto the Police and let them deal.
Warm cell and free food.
More than they're often getting elsewhere. Often safer too.
CCTV and the police isn't really a deterrent for some.
Watched a lad in an urban supermarket walk past the security guard, grab something and walk straight back out the other day.
The security guard knew exactly what the lad was doing. Wasn't worth his time, energy or safety stopping him.
RE: Ticket Inspectors - Adrian - 02 Jan 2025
(01 Jan 2025, 11:25 pm)omnicity4659 wrote Overriding isn’t the biggest issue.
There is a lot of serious and organised fraud involving weekly tickets, stolen bank cards, etc, which was also an issue in Manchester.
It also follows calls from drivers for someone visible to return to inspecting tickets, to seemingly take the edge off the severe abuse that drivers face every day.
It sounds like they need more than a ticket inspector then, but more a whole gang of them? Similar to the Metro or Metrolink approach, where they randomly swarm on an unsuspecting train, and with that many of them, people don't have time to think or try and make an escape.
I can completely understand why drivers want someone visible doing it, but I think having solo ticket inspectors is just shifting the problem; and to someone with even less protection than a driver.
I do maintain that some of this is a policing issue though, especially the fraud elements. Too often nowadays we expect frontline workers to plug the gaps of Police.