Disabled Bus Pass, are drivers more lenient when they don’t scan

I am aware that WY Metro know there's an issue with the companion bus passes as if you request they will issue you a duplicate normal disabled pass for use outside of the WY Metro area where a companion is not valid and these passes tend to work a lot better around the country

Metroman62 said:

I am aware that WY Metro know there's an issue with the companion bus passes as if you request they will issue you a duplicate normal disabled pass for use outside of the WY Metro area where a companion is not valid and these passes tend to work a lot better around the country

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This is how it should be everywhere to be honest. Makes life so much easier.

mayneway said:

This is how it should be everywhere to be honest. Makes life so much easier.

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So long as you always have the same companion.

My wife's grandmother had a companion pass. There were 3 of us who accompanied her as a companion when she went beyond her local bus route - that she was was fine with on her own.

Metroman62 said:

I am aware that WY Metro know there's an issue with the companion bus passes as if you request they will issue you a duplicate normal disabled pass for use outside of the WY Metro area where a companion is not valid and these passes tend to work a lot better around the country

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Two issues with that:
1. As Deerfold says, it limits who your companion can be to a single person whereas with the normal method it can be anyone who is available (family member, friend or even professional carer depending on what you are doing or who is available) so it is more restrictive on the disabled person.
2. Issuing a separate card means you are issues a disabled pass to a person who isn't disabled without any tie to the purpose of the card (acting as a companion) meaning an able bodied person can travel for free wherever they want within the national criteria even without the person who needs assistance so the "companion" has less restrictions. The point of a companion entitlement is because a disabled person cannot travel without assistance so the disabled person is travelling for the same cost of another disabled person, not to save someone else money generally because they sometimes travel with a disabled person who needs assistance.

Companion entitlements are a local enhancement, which means they only apply within the area agreement of the local authority who issued it (which may allow cross boundary travel if there is an existing agreement between neighbouring authorities), and who qualifies (if anyone) and how they are issued varies from one authority to another. One authority trying to get around this convention by issuing a pass to people who don't qualify for one hardly seems fair. You may feel that companion entitlements should be standardised and made available nationally but that doesn't seem the way to do it - many years ago I knew of a bus driver who had a companion entitled bus pass and was caught using it to give their friends free travel as their "companion" whilst they were on duty driving the bus (it would be easy to see someone selling the companion entitlement if it was a separate card untied to their travel on the basis that the value to someone who travelled regularly could be higher than what their companion would pay in bus fares for their own occasional use so they would make a profit selling the card and paying fares when needed).

markymark2000 said:

And right he was. It's fraud at the end of the day and good on that driver for confiscating passes and doing exactly the right thing.

Same managers probably whinge and whine if he let people on for free, but are more than happy for him to say nothing and encourage fraud (by permitting it to continue and not saying/doing anything, only encourages it, as we have seen with most of the behaviours in recent years).

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Going way off topic here but there’s a local gentlemen who’s been getting on board in our local town with a typed note stating ‘awaiting TFGM DISABLED pass’. He’s been using this note for over 6 months now and when challenged by me he simply walks away very quickly. I know for a fact most of my colleagues will just wave him on.
Just another example of how the system is open to fraud.

mayneway said:

Going way off topic here but there’s a local gentlemen who’s been getting on board in our local town with a typed note stating ‘awaiting TFGM DISABLED pass’. He’s been using this note for over 6 months now and when challenged by me he simply walks away very quickly. I know for a fact most of my colleagues will just wave him on.
Just another example of how the system is open to fraud.

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If there is CCTV on the bus, I'd look at formally reporting it as he should have well and truly got his pass by now, he needs stopping.

To clarify- WY Metro issue the normal disabled card to the same person who has the companion pass. Thus, that person has 2 cards. The companion pass is used in the WY Metro area and allows any companion to travel with them. The normal pass is used by the disabled person outside the WY Metro where they are not entitled to a companion, but hopefully the pass will be accepted on the ticket machine and reduce errors and issues.

Ballyheigue said:

If there is CCTV on the bus, I'd look at formally reporting it as he should have well and truly got his pass by now, he needs stopping.

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I’m mention it when I see a manager. We were always told when someone is awaiting a pass or replacement pass they have to pay until the pass arrives so he shouldn’t be using the note anyway.

mayneway said:

Going way off topic here but there’s a local gentlemen who’s been getting on board in our local town with a typed note stating ‘awaiting TFGM DISABLED pass’. He’s been using this note for over 6 months now and when challenged by me he simply walks away very quickly. I know for a fact most of my colleagues will just wave him on.
Just another example of how the system is open to fraud.

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Apart from in London when you need show a non TFL pass, ive noticed most drivers dont check the cards to see if the photo matches the card, as the just place a card in the machine

kijeta said:

Unfortunately, just like how they think we would all be home by 2300, the statutory minimum is much lower than other countries in the UK. For instance, London does not offer companion passes at all - not even for residents who are so severely disabled that they require a high enough level of care to justify needing a carer 24/7...

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The Scottish NEC card is valid 24/7 on all buses in Scotland except Lothian Night Buses, McGill's night buses and Open Top Tours around the Cities etc, First Glasgow night buses take NEC cards as well, including the 77 service that runs 24/7, The English Concessionary scheme seems rather limited

AndrewTaylor95 said:

The English Concessionary scheme seems rather limited

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You also get coaches in Scotland... we don't...

Can't quite believe that some people on here are getting something for free and moaning about it's limits lol, be greatful it happened in the first place.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Jun 2026 ==

Metroman62 said:

To clarify- WY Metro issue the normal disabled card to the same person who has the companion pass. Thus, that person has 2 cards. The companion pass is used in the WY Metro area and allows any companion to travel with them. The normal pass is used by the disabled person outside the WY Metro where they are not entitled to a companion, but hopefully the pass will be accepted on the ticket machine and reduce errors and issues.

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Just to add that the companion part of a Metro issued pass also applies to North/South Yorkshire council areas so long as you're travelling to/from West Yorkshire and not wholly around those counties. Just to further add to the confusion, I've never seen the duplicate non companion version of a disabled pass issued when I've been sorting them out on behalf of people, although to be fair I don't see them delivered in the post when I've checked it's arrived.

You always have to state one or two when travelling on a companion pass, and I know they've been valid for travel for the user on the machine when using them from Rochdale to Halifax and Burnley to Hebden Bridge when they've stated 'one' with myself paying as the companion so I wonder why there's trouble with them on machines in other areas? Must admit though I can't really complain too much about the validity for companions as you get to get out and about all over the shop in this job so the odd bit of personal cost shouldn't harm too much, and it's likely my fault anyway suggesting we visit Burnley for a trip through the hills lol.

Simon75 said:

Apart from in London when you need show a non TFL pass, ive noticed most drivers dont check the cards to see if the photo matches the card, as the just place a card in the machine

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As I’ve said previously in this thread, a colleague used to check every card and would confiscate 2-3 cards a day. Suddenly he was pulled in by management and told to stop.