Tickets that don't last more than one or two journeys?

[Chrius56000]

. . .On National Express West Midlands, the drivers issue tickets on thermal paper with a QR code, ticket type, stop valid to (singles) and the fare paid.

. . .For a single ticket there's no issue as it's invalid once the journey you've paid for is completed, but a day ticket is in exactly the same format and I've known the thermal printing becomes invisible by the time you're on the second or third journey!

. . .Can you ask a driver to re–print the ticket, or do you have to pay by another means?

. . .(In the days when Bus Company TOCs were printed booklets you could collect from timetable leaflet racks, most bus companies I used had a clause something like :–

. . ."Take care of, and do not deface your ticket – if it becomes illegible to the point where any material marking fades or becomes unreadable, the ticket will not be accepted as valid."

. . .In the dates of Almex machines it was quite common for bus drivers to give me totally blank slips of paper because the ink ribbons hadn't been cared for!)

. . .That is one argument for always paying contactless – your bank card (shouldn't!) suddenly become invalid on the third bus!

Comments?

 

[stadler]

. . .On National Express West Midlands, the drivers issue tickets on thermal paper with a QR code, ticket type, stop valid to (singles) and the fare paid.

. . .For a single ticket there's no issue as it's invalid once the journey you've paid for is completed, but a day ticket is in exactly the same format and I've known the thermal printing becomes invisible by the time you're on the second or third journey!

. . .Can you ask a driver to re–print the ticket, or do you have to pay by another means?

. . .(In the days when Bus Company TOCs were printed booklets you could collect from timetable leaflet racks, most bus companies I used had a clause something like :–

. . ."Take care of, and do not deface your ticket – if it becomes illegible to the point where any material marking fades or becomes unreadable, the ticket will not be accepted as valid."

. . .In the dates of Almex machines it was quite common for bus drivers to give me totally blank slips of paper because the ink ribbons hadn't been cared for!)

. . .That is one argument for always paying contactless – your bank card (shouldn't!) suddenly become invalid on the third bus!

Comments?

I have never heard of any operator reprinting tickets that have become illegible. They do not have any ability on their ticket machines to do so. If they printed a new ticket then they would get in trouble because there would be no cash for that transaction. Normally drivers are used to this and do not care if it has become illegible and will just wave you on but i am sure that you will always get the odd driver that refuses you.

I miss the old Wayfarer 3 machines. They just used normal ink printing (not thermal printing) and normal ordinary paper rolls (not the thermal paper used now) which worked so much better. I used to sell monthly tickets at an operator that i worked for and the tickets would normally still be easily readable after a month. These new ticket machines have the major downside that the ink can fade if you are not careful with your ticket.

Arriva and First both still sell monthly tickets onboard the bus in most regions. They are just issued by the bus driver on a normal paper ticket. I wonder what they look like after a month. They have stopped those plastic sealed ticket holders ages ago so it is up to the passenger to find a way to keep the ticket in good condition.

 

[duncombec]

Arriva and First both still sell monthly tickets onboard the bus in most regions. They are just issued by the bus driver on a normal paper ticket. I wonder what they look like after a month. They have stopped those plastic sealed ticket holders ages ago so it is up to the passenger to find a way to keep the ticket in good condition.

Arriva in Kent still use plastic holders for weekly and monthly tickets, but drivers are instructed not to use them for day tickets.

Never had a ticket fade after just one or two uses either - where are you keeping them (your phone, perhaps), or what ticket becomes do NXWM use?

 

[Chrius56000]

. . .I keep a paper day ticket in my wallet, and I've find sometimes the act of getting the ticket out to show the driver can smudge it or cause it to fade – can you still get clear plastic ticket holders from anywhere?

 

[The exile]

Arriva and First both still sell monthly tickets onboard the bus in most regions. They are just issued by the bus driver on a normal paper ticket. I wonder what they look like after a month. They have stopped those plastic sealed ticket holders ages ago so it is up to the passenger to find a way to keep the ticket in good condition.

First may have ceased issuing the plastic ticket wallets but clearly still have stocks as I saw 3 being applied to hold the engine compartment cover shut the other day!

 

[dgl]

Pretty sure First Wessex still issue the sticky ticket wallets for weekly/monthly tickets, though most now just use the app.

 

[ejstubbs]

. . .On National Express West Midlands, the drivers issue tickets on thermal paper with a QR code, ticket type, stop valid to (singles) and the fare paid.

. . .For a single ticket there's no issue as it's invalid once the journey you've paid for is completed, but a day ticket is in exactly the same format and I've known the thermal printing becomes invisible by the time you're on the second or third journey!

. . .Can you ask a driver to re–print the ticket, or do you have to pay by another means?

. . .(In the days when Bus Company TOCs were printed booklets you could collect from timetable leaflet racks, most bus companies I used had a clause something like :–

. . ."Take care of, and do not deface your ticket – if it becomes illegible to the point where any material marking fades or becomes unreadable, the ticket will not be accepted as valid."

. . .In the dates of Almex machines it was quite common for bus drivers to give me totally blank slips of paper because the ink ribbons hadn't been cared for!)

. . .That is one argument for always paying contactless – your bank card (shouldn't!) suddenly become invalid on the third bus!

Comments?

You could take a photo of your ticket on your phone (assuming you are carrying one) ASAP after it being issued. Whether they would be obliged to accept the photo as proof of...well, anything, really...is another matter, of course, but it might go some way to strengthening your case. Especially if things like time & date of issue, QR code and such like were clearly visible.

You could also take a timestamped photo of it in its faded state to demonstrate how unfit for purpose their chosen ticket printing technology is!

 

[175mph]

I've seen on one occasion where someone's ticket wouldn't scan on the Ticketer machine, from a quick glimpse it looked like it was starting to fade and the driver was very rude about it, gave a look and said well, you're obviously trying to use a fake ticket.

 

[Chrius56000]

. . .I'm surprised, out of all the different makes and types of ticketing machine manufactured over the decades, none have been manufactured with a "reprint ticket" facility that allowed the last ticket to be reprinted once only, before the mechanism reset to record the takings on the machine's counters on all subsequent tickets – was this omission deliberately incorporated to prevent potential fraud?

. . .I'm not sure what machines NXWM now use, but as they're electronically programmed and controlled I'd have thought a "reprint" facility could have been incorporated into them!

. . .Are there any NXWM Drivers using these machines who'd like to comment?

. . .I emphasise I've no nefarious intent in asking, the thread I started here relates to my personal experiences with these tickets!

 

[The exile]

. . .I'm surprised, out of all the different makes and types of ticketing machine manufactured over the decades, none have been manufactured with a "reprint ticket" facility that allowed the last ticket to be reprinted once only, before the mechanism reset to record the takings on the machine's counters on all subsequent tickets – was this omission deliberately incorporated to prevent potential fraud?

. . .I'm not sure what machines NXWM now use, but as they're electronically programmed and controlled I'd have thought a "reprint" facility could have been incorporated into them!

. . .Are there any NXWM Drivers using these machines who'd like to comment?

. . .I emphasise I've no nefarious intent in asking, the thread I started here relates to my personal experiences with these tickets!

But how would a machine being able to reissue the last ticket help when you’re trying to get your faded ticket accepted 14 days later on a different bus!

 

[BuhSnarf]

I've never had a thermal ticket degrade within the space of a day, but certainly over time if you keep using it they will fade just like any receipt.

Back when I used to use Stagecoach daily for the commute I'd buy a mega rider and the driver would always put this in a sticky wallet that kept the ticket pristine. I'd imagine most people now a days who have a weekly or longer ticket would have the ticket on their mobile. I certainly do this if I've got a ticket longer than a day as it means that I've not got to remember the ticket everyday.

 

[Deerfold]

You could take a photo of your ticket on your phone (assuming you are carrying one) ASAP after it being issued. Whether they would be obliged to accept the photo as proof of...well, anything, really...is another matter, of course, but it might go some way to strengthening your case. Especially if things like time & date of issue, QR code and such like were clearly visible.

You could also take a timestamped photo of it in its faded state to demonstrate how unfit for purpose their chosen ticket printing technology is!

If you're going to do that, you might as well buy the ticket on the app.