Public Transport in your particular part of the region

JAS84
Posts: 585
Joined: Fri 12 Aug, 2011 10.23
Location: Hull, UK

thegeek wrote: Sun 05 Jun, 2022 07.00
Jonwo wrote: Sat 04 Jun, 2022 14.01 I find the payment system for tickets outside of London so confusing. The Oyster system is so simple to use, I'm surprised TfL haven't tried licensing it to the other parts of England as it would earn them some much needed dosh.
It gets complicated where there are multiple operators involved. We went to Pollok Park, and could get either First or McGills buses - in theory I could have got a Glasgow Tripper ticket (if I had a suitable ITSO card) but it's 50p more than a FirstDay and also less cost effective than the family ticket I bought. But then that meant we were locked into getting a First bus back.

If I wanted to make a journey by bus then train then that's two separate tickets, going by subway would mean a third. It's possible to put it all on the same smartcard but that's not what's causing the friction here, it's thinking about the simplest way to make my journey (and how much flexibility I have in coming back the same way or by a different mode without it costing me more).

The joy of Oyster (and contactless) is not having to think about any of that, and knowing that I can take whatever route I want and the system will sort it out. But that only works when you've got a TfL sorting out revenue allocations, and your Firsts, Stagecoaches and assorted rail operators aren't going to do it voluntarily if it means less money for them.
Stagecoach won't do it voluntarily? I disagree. Hull has two operators, Stagecoach and East Yorkshire. Back when Stagecoach Hull was called KHCT, they had a Bee Smart Bus Card valid on both their buses and EY's (which I believe had replaced a KHCT-only Crown Card). That stopped at some point after the rebrand to Stagecoach, and they launched a replacement scheme, MegaRider (the same as exists on their services in other towns) only valid on their buses (for a week), and a single day version, the DayRider.

But now they're co-operating with EY again and also offer something called a Hull Card, valid on both operators. Most of the routes don't overlap, there's only really places on the main roads where you can use either operator (for example, an EY bus coming from Beverley or another town and just passing through part of Hull en-route to the transport interchange, the last part of the route overlapping one of Stagecoach's inner city routes). The DayRider is £4, the MegaRider is £15, and their Hull Card counterparts are £5 and £14.90 - so more expensive for the one day version, but actually cheaper for the weekly - I suspect most passengers don't know that you can get a better travel card for 10p less! Certainly the Stagecoach website downplays it, but the co-operative offer exists.

https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-an ... anges-hull
Jonwo
Posts: 252
Joined: Sat 26 Apr, 2008 02.05

In regards to the strikes, it is interesting that you don't see other unions vilified by the press in the same way as the RMT and I wonder if the RMT has an image problem to a degree.
all new Phil
Posts: 1965
Joined: Sun 13 Feb, 2005 00.04
Location: Next door to Hell

Jonwo wrote: Wed 27 Jul, 2022 15.38 In regards to the strikes, it is interesting that you don't see other unions vilified by the press in the same way as the RMT and I wonder if the RMT has an image problem to a degree.
I think the often-quoted train driver salaries have much to do with that (even though train drivers aren’t even in RMT) - the impression being given though is that it’s people who are already paid well wanting even more when others are more deserving.
Jonwo
Posts: 252
Joined: Sat 26 Apr, 2008 02.05

all new Phil wrote: Wed 27 Jul, 2022 18.53 I think the often-quoted train driver salaries have much to do with that (even though train drivers aren’t even in RMT) - the impression being given though is that it’s people who are already paid well wanting even more when others are more deserving.
IIRC the majority of train drivers are with ASLEF who ironically in the past where the more militant union but now seem to be more pragmatic compared to the RMT.
Martin Phillp
Posts: 1469
Joined: Wed 11 May, 2011 01.28

What I like about Mick Lynch is his ability to go on broadcast media and actually manage to explain the issues his members are striking about clearly and deflect ridiculous questions.
TVF's London Lite.
Jonwo
Posts: 252
Joined: Sat 26 Apr, 2008 02.05

Martin Phillp wrote: Thu 28 Jul, 2022 22.09 What I like about Mick Lynch is his ability to go on broadcast media and actually manage to explain the issues his members are striking about clearly and deflect ridiculous questions.
Compared to Bob Crow who was a much easier target for the media, Lynch comes across well media wise.
thegeek
Posts: 858
Joined: Sat 04 Jun, 2005 12.35

Can anyone work out what's going on here? Ensignbus of Essex are stopping taking contactless over £10 and Apple Pay/Google Pay because of fraud:
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Pete
Posts: 7589
Joined: Fri 15 Aug, 2003 13.36
Location: Dundee

I saw a slightly vague TikTok the other day but it seemed to imply that people were using the disposable cards that come with some accounts to trick oyster from doing it’d end of day charge

Not sure if some other companies use an end of day batch charge like that?
"He has to be larger than bacon"
Jonwo
Posts: 252
Joined: Sat 26 Apr, 2008 02.05

I'm confuse how you can have non payment via Apple Pay or Google Pay. On TfL services, it's pretty straight forward
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WillPS
Posts: 2456
Joined: Tue 22 Apr, 2008 18.32
Location: Carlton
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Pete wrote: Sat 30 Jul, 2022 09.14 I saw a slightly vague TikTok the other day but it seemed to imply that people were using the disposable cards that come with some accounts to trick oyster from doing it’d end of day charge

Not sure if some other companies use an end of day batch charge like that?
Pretty much every bus company who takes cards does this, in my experience.
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dosxuk
Posts: 673
Joined: Thu 07 Feb, 2008 21.37
Location: Sheffield

Jonwo wrote: Sat 30 Jul, 2022 10.14 I'm confuse how you can have non payment via Apple Pay or Google Pay. On TfL services, it's pretty straight forward
I'm guessing it's to do with the Mass Transit mode of these systems, where the authorisation to allow you to board is done entirely locally, so if your device believes you should be able to pay, it will allow the transaction, even if actually you don't have funds for it. This is done so that these transactions happen quickly and even if there is poor connectivity - it's not much different to the "offline transaction" mode that most credit/debit cards allow.

The Oyster system has the ability to blocklist devices, so people who don't end up paying will lose the ability to do so once detected, but I imagine for a small operator this could be a big issue.
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