Staff travel on other TOC's

[LemonGrove]

Hi all, I can't seem to get any sense on this through the official channels! I work on the Underground, including at the stations on the Metropolitan Line which are shared with Chiltern Railways to Aylesbury.

On a couple of occasions, I've had a member of CrossCountry staff show me their photo ID (not a PTAC, staff travel card etc) and expect to be allowed entry. Are they permitted to do this or is he trying his luck? I know it isn't valid for the Underground, but when it comes to ticket validity on the National Rail services we are given very little or no information.

We let through a number of Chiltern staff who understandably travel just using their photo ID, but I would have thought some sort of ticket is required to travel with other operators? But as I say, I don't know enough to argue!

 

[Qwerty133]

Some TOCs (normally between those of the same ownership but not all TOCs owned by each company always have deals with every other TOC owned by the same company) have reciprocal deals allowing staff to travel on each others services for free. Whether XC and Chiltern have such a deal I do not know but as they are both owned by Arriva it is certainly as possibility.

 

[Anvil1984]

Yes Crosscountry staff are able to use Chiltern as part of the reciprocal arrangement. There's reciprocal travel between Chiltern, Crosscountry, Northern, Arriva Trains Wales, Arriva Rail London (London Overground) and Grand Central. Other Arriva Rail staff (bid teams, Arriva Train Care) are also entitled to this

 

[Westcoast-ting]

Most rail staff just flash the id when I check tickets, most staff are more than happy to carry other tocs staff mine included.

If you think your boss will frown just say they asked to speak to the guard on the train.

 

[LemonGrove]

Thanks for this. Like I thought, much more sense being spoken and much quicker than trying to go through the proper means! I did not realise that was the case but it sounds like a very generous benefit.

For what it's worth, when it comes to National Rail (customers or staff) if someone believes they have a valid means to travel I always let them through, we aren't NR staff and don't have enough training to say for sure.

 

[Gerald Fiennes]

But even where intra-Group TOC to TOC arrangements for staff travel exist, I would still expect them to have a staff travel permit (ie. a 'ticket') issued by their employing TOC and not just rely on a staff ID card. For example, to benefit from new entrant privilege travel, staff must have been employed for a month and in principle it is possible for staff travel to be withdrawn (through misuse) although this is totally exceptional: ie, the logic is that you have to be an employee to get staff travel but not every employee necessarily has staff travel at all times.

 

[AlterEgo]

But even where intra-Group TOC to TOC arrangements for staff travel exist, I would still expect them to have a staff travel permit (ie. a 'ticket') issued by their employing TOC and not just rely on a staff ID card. For example, to benefit from new entrant privilege travel, staff must have been employed for a month and in principle it is possible for staff travel to be withdrawn (through misuse) although this is totally exceptional: ie, the logic is that you have to be an employee to get staff travel but not every employee necessarily has staff travel at all times.

Yep.

XC staff will have a travel card which states their authority to travel on reciprocal TOCs. It’s different to the staff ID card. Not all staff (eg contractors) will be entitled to free travel, as you correctly point out.

 

[matt_world2004]

I would contact your supervisor amd ask what staff travel tickets are valid on chiltern railways. Tfl also produce a dedicated ticketing and revenue bulletin that deals with these questions, I will see if I can get you the emaiil address

 

[tiptoptaff]

Arriva Trains Wales do NOT have a separate Staff Travel Card and Staff ID card - they are one and the same. I don't know if this carries over to other Arriva Group TOCs however. If ATW staff show you their ID card, that is also their travel pass. They do get separate PRIV cards and BR Boxes

 

[High Dyke]

Interestingly enough there is a reciprocal arrangement between EMT and VTEC. The entitlement changed when the new passes were issued this year. Previously non-safeguarded EMT staff travel holders were allowed five standard class boxes to use on VTEC, but this has now changed to unlimited on VTEC and a two 1st class boxes. I had to explain this to a VTEC guard the other day, who admitted he didn't know the entitlement had changed.

I suppose if you are in doubt it be worth asking your employer; as you say 'official channels' aren't much help.

 

[jon0844]

Interestingly enough there is a reciprocal arrangement between EMT and VTEC. The entitlement changed when the new passes were issued this year. Previously non-safeguarded EMT staff travel holders were allowed five standard class boxes to use on VTEC, but this has now changed to unlimited on VTEC and a two 1st class boxes. I had to explain this to a VTEC guard the other day, who admitted he didn't know the entitlement had changed.

I suppose if you are in doubt it be worth asking your employer; as you say 'official channels' aren't much help.

Are you sure you read things right? I think VTEC gives you free travel but on two occasions you need to provide a trolley service in first class. Check the small print.

 

[High Dyke]

Are you sure you read things right? I think VTEC gives you free travel but on two occasions you need to provide a trolley service in first class. Check the small print.

I have... Having had a few issues with EMT staff in the past I get a bit paranoid about not having the correct pass entitlement or a valid ticket where required. I don't have my pass with me to confirm the wording though.

 

[LemonGrove]

I would contact your supervisor amd ask what staff travel tickets are valid on chiltern railways. Tfl also produce a dedicated ticketing and revenue bulletin that deals with these questions, I will see if I can get you the emaiil address

TfL provide us with bulletins and rule books with details of various tickets, passes etc with validity on the Underground. They don't however cover travel authorities that are solely valid on TOC's, after all it's nothing really to do with them anyway.

 

[matt_world2004]

TfL provide us with bulletins and rule books with details of various tickets, passes etc with validity on the Underground. They don't however cover travel authorities that are solely valid on TOC's, after all it's nothing really to do with them anyway.

The T and R bulletin has an ask ollie page. Where you can email ticketing quieries it has covered tickets valid on other TOCs before at tfl served stations for example chiltern were incorrectly issuing e tickets to Amersham and it was covered about how to handle that

 

[LemonGrove]

The T and R bulletin has an ask ollie page. Where you can email ticketing quieries it has covered tickets valid on other TOCs before at tfl served stations for example chiltern were incorrectly issuing e tickets to Amersham and it was covered about how to handle that

This example relates to customer tickets though, tickets which could also be valid on LU and which should have been issued in a form recognised by the ticket gates.

 

[matt_world2004]

This example relates to customer tickets though, tickets which could also be valid on LU and which should have been issued in a form recognised by the ticket gates.

Ask ollie should deal with any t and r ticketing issues encountered by tfl staff including issues with tickets encountered at tfl operated stations

 

[Starmill]

If you think your boss will frown just say they asked to speak to the guard on the train.

There are no guards on trains from Amersham

 

[Anvil1984]

Arriva Trains Wales do NOT have a separate Staff Travel Card and Staff ID card - they are one and the same. I don't know if this carries over to other Arriva Group TOCs however. If ATW staff show you their ID card, that is also their travel pass. They do get separate PRIV cards and BR Boxes

Same at Northern, the staff transec ID pass doubles as the Staff Privilege Travel ID card.

 

[trentside]

Check ID cards very carefully if they don’t present an actual travel pass (or aren’t a TOC who include it on their ID card). Recently discovered that at least one TOC issue an ID card to people who work in concessions on their stations, which does not entitle them to any travel benefits whatsoever, as they’re not TOC employees. The less scrupulous are happy to present them to try it on for a free ride though.