ToD Query

[reb0118]

On saturday I came across two pax with XC only advance tickets on my train. The tickets had been ordered through the trainline and printed via a TVM. They were booked on the 05:33 departure but travelled on the 14:28 (not a XC train).

Now my point is this: their tickets were printed at 12:04 - more than six hours after they had ceased to be valid - surely this should not happen?

I would have thought that the TVM should not have printed them after the departure time of the first booked train but should instead have displayed a warning notice advising pax to contact the booking office for further advice.

 

[Clip]

On saturday I came across two pax with XC only advance tickets on my train. The tickets had been ordered through the trainline and printed via a TVM. They were booked on the 05:33 departure but travelled on the 14:28 (not a XC train).

Now my point is this: their tickets were printed at 12:04 - more than six hours after they had ceased to be valid - surely this should not happen?

I would have thought that the TVM should not have printed them after the departure time of the first booked train but should instead have displayed a warning notice advising pax to contact the booking office for further advice.

What was the date they were printed on saying though?

 

[reb0118]

What was the date they were printed on saying though?

12th March - the day of travel. That's what I thought too to begin with. It was only later when I was filling out the TI that I noticed the tickets had been printed after they were not valid.

 

[island]

*resists the urge to rant about thetrainline*

I expect this would want a TVM upgrade.

 

[John @ home]

My understanding is that the facility to print TOD tickets after the booked time of departure is not regarded by the railway industry as a mistake.

One can imagine a number of scenarios where the absence of this facility would cause more work for the railway industry. Some tickets are valid after the time of the the first booked train. Sometimes the validity depends on the cause of the delay. The decision has been taken to allow them all to be printed and to use other procedures to sort out the valid from the not valid. I think that is the correct call.

 

[reb0118]

My understanding is that the facility to print TOD tickets after the booked time of departure is not regarded by the railway industry as a mistake.

One can imagine a number of scenarios where the absence of this facility would cause more work for the railway industry. Some tickets are valid after the time of the the first booked train. Sometimes the validity depends on the cause of the delay. The decision has been taken to allow them all to be printed and to use other procedures to sort out the valid from the not valid. I think that is the correct call.

Some good points there.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

I agree with John @ Home and have myself sucessfully requested a TVM to print tickets after the date of travel on the tickets.
If the TOC or agent through which the tickets had been purchased have taken payment when the tickets were booked, then it is only reasonable that the customer should be provided with those tickets and a record of the transaction in the form of a receipt.
The fact that the tickets may no longer valid for travel makes them no less 'useful' than any other ticket whose validity has expired, and may still have some use to the traveller; if not for on-going travel, then of course as evidence of expenditure.

 

[wibble]

And don't forget that the tickets in the booking might be for different travel dates; or tickets might still be need for an expenses claim...