Rail Replacement Taxi Driver Instructed To Call At All Stations Even When Full?

[Kath123]

Hi

This morning I had planned to catch and booked assistance for the 07:35 service from Yeovil Pen Mill to Bristol Temple Meads but it was cancelled (due to shortage of train crew I believe).

I called the automated Traintracker service just after 6am and found out the train was cancelled so I contacted the GWR social media team who said taxis may be available to take people to Westbury and then connecting trains could be caught there.

When I arrived and spoke to a staff member at Yeovil Pen Mill they weren’t sure about the taxis but one did arrive a little while after and I was offered to go in it so I obviously did.

The taxi was a 5 seater taxi (including the driver) and after picking me up at Yeovil Pen Mill it was full as 3 other passengers had already been picked up at other stations. All of us passengers were destined for Westbury so we could get trains there.

The taxi driver however insisted that he had been told that even if the taxi was full which it now was he still had to call at Castle Cary, Bruton and Frome (which are stations the train usually calls at) rather than take us directly to Westbury. In the end he didn’t stop at those stations but instead drove past them all on the way (I couldn’t see this for myself as I’m visually impaired but the other Customers and the driver were discussing it as we went along).

I just wondered if it is normal for rail replacement taxi drivers to be told to do this even if the taxi is full? I’ve never experienced this happening before.

Also just to add I was disappointed the Ticket Office at Westbury was closed when we arrived just after 8:40am and this panicked me a bit due to being severely visually impaired and not knowing the station well but the taxi driver was great and didn’t leave me on my own - they escorted me up in the lift to a platform where they found staff for me.

Westbury staff were also lovely and very helpful to me this morning especially considering I was an unplanned extra assist for them.

Thanks in advance for any responses to this.

 

[Trainguy34]

How odd, looks to add on around 20 minutes according to Google maps. Unsure why they would do this when everyone wants one destination.

 

[greatkingrat]

Maybe he wanted to bump up the fare he would claim back from GWR?

 

[Rover]

I'm pleased you had a pleasant experience at Westbury, you hear of so many bad experiences in the media, the good ones are rarely heard of.

 

[sheff1]

Never known this.
Maybe miscommuncation / misunderstanding somewhere along the line .

 

[Kath123]

Maybe he wanted to bump up the fare he would claim back from GWR?

I did wonder……

Never known this.
Maybe miscommuncation / misunderstanding somewhere along the line .

Probably. I guess this is probably fairest conclusion to come to. I just wanted to check out other people’s thoughts/experiences.

 

[canary fan]

I had an interesting variation of this in reverse. The train from London to Ascot arrived late and we missed the last connection to Camberley ( Farnham train). Via the help point southwest trains arranged a taxi which took 3 of us to Camberley. However, the driver insisted on stopping at Bagshot on the way, but more bizarrely after he dropped us off he said he was going to go on to all stations to Farnham in case there was anyone to pick up, even though the train from Ascot to Farnham had left on time!

 

[Kath123]

I'm pleased you had a pleasant experience at Westbury, you hear of so many bad experiences in the media, the good ones are rarely heard of.

My experience of assistance at all 3 stations (Yeovil Pen Mill, Westbury and Bristol Temple Meads) were positive today and I’m grateful to them. I’ve had many positive experiences with using assistance over the years. Long live assisted travel!

I know it goes wrong on occasion (like most things do in life) but I do think it’s important the good experiences are highlighted too and so I’m trying to remember to do that more myself.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Might have misinterpreted "you can only drop people at stations" as "you have to go to all stations" perhaps?

 

[D6130]

I did wonder……



Probably. I guess this is probably fairest conclusion to come to. I just wanted to check out other people’s thoughts/experiences.

How did you get on with your trip to Bath/Bristol the previous weekend and the replacement buses? You never came back to tell us.

 

[Kath123]

How did you get on with your trip to Bath/Bristol the previous weekend and the replacement buses? You never came back to tell us.

Hi yes sorry about that - I felt in a dilemma about whether to feedback because I worried that perhaps I shouldn’t bump the thread again if I didn’t need further help?

But I was very grateful for all the help given on that thread. That day travelling was also a really positive experience for me. Everyone went the extra mile to help me - guards, staff at stations, rail replacement bus co-ordinators and bus drivers.

I did make sure I arrived at Bristol Temple Meads early for the rail replacement bus back to Bath on the return though as I wasn’t comfortable with the 10 minute connection time Passenger Assist had given for changing from rail replacement bus to train at Bath and I took advice from Bath Spa station and a guard that morning and they agreed it was unlikely to be enough.

The replacement bus in the morning went from Bath Bus Station (which is pretty much next door to the train station for those who don’t know). On the way back from Bristol it dropped us opposite Bath Spa train station as it’s bay at Bath Bus Station was already occupied by another bus. But I was provided with sighted guidance from trains to buses and vice versa so all good. I didn’t know where to get the bus from at Temple Meads on the return as I’m not familiar with all the station so I checked in as normal for assistance and they kindly took me to the bus.

Thank you for asking.

 

[LittleRedTrain]

I have been put in rail replacement taxis a couple of times, where the driver has insisted he must take the exact route to the station given by his sat-nav, otherwise he wouldn't get paid by the TOC. (In both cases, my wife and I were the only ones in the taxi, and we'd asked if he'd be willing to take the 2min longer alternative route and drop us within a short walk of our house).

Once we'd reached the end of the station approach road, and he'd 'checked in' on his app, he was then more than happy to take us directly home, albeit on the meter!

I wonder if this is something similar, if the driver can't demonstrate that he's visited every single stop he's assigned, there's a risk that the TOC wouldn't pay up.

 

[800001]

My thoughts, taxi driver was booked to go via all stations, incase people were at those stations needing picking up.

How ever at starting station taxi is all ready full, but instruction is stuck in taxi drivers head and off they go.

 

[Towers]

Or there was an assumption that upon encountering additional passengers somebody would have advised GWR that further transport was needed, perhaps?

 

[Ken X]

My experience of assistance at all 3 stations (Yeovil Pen Mill, Westbury and Bristol Temple Meads) were positive today and I’m grateful to them. I’ve had many positive experiences with using assistance over the years. Long live assisted travel!

I know it goes wrong on occasion (like most things do in life) but I do think it’s important the good experiences are highlighted too and so I’m trying to remember to do that more myself.

Really pleased to hear that you were looked after well. It definitely boosts the confidence when you achieve a good result.

There are lots of people who will willingly help others so don't be afraid to ask.

Looking forward to hearing about more of your journeys.

 

[TUC]

I suspect literalism at work.

 

[The exile]

That’s fair enough as it raises the question of “where do you draw the line?” (And possibly also has insurance/legal implications)

 

[Surreytraveller]

I suspect literalism at work.

Trouble is, everything's tracked and recorded by computer. Computers only work on literalism.