Buying a ticket in person

[travellinglight]

Is it true that, for a small station with only one ticket-issuing position/employee, every ticket bought in person (rather than from the ticket machine or online etc.) helps to keep the ticket issuer's job open?
Or is the policy different depending on which train company runs the station?

 

[142094]

In general they'll get some sort of commision, so you'll be helping them out. This is basically why some companies such as East Coast offer a 10% discount online. Not sure of the fine detail about it but something along those lines happens.

 

[Failed Unit]

Is it true that, for a small station with only one ticket-issuing position/employee, every ticket bought in person (rather than from the ticket machine or online etc.) helps to keep the ticket issuer's job open?
Or is the policy different depending on which train company runs the station?

I know the stations get commission on the tickets but this is pooled throughout the day as the person on Monday's shift is more likely to get season ticket renewals than the person on Wednesday's. So if a station takes £10k per month then this is what the pot is and a % goes to the staff.

What I don't know is at the many stations when a TVM and a ticket seller is present if the TVM's revenue goes into the pot. In one extent it is harsh if it doesn't as some times people can buy tickets from the clerk as they are cleaning snow off the platforms and are forced into using the TVM (or paying on the train should they want to use cash)

 

[First class]

I think you'll find that those staff working in the ticket offices get no commission! The Train Operating Company gets 2% commission for each ticket they sell, but this is not distributed to staff.

The likes of guards/conductors where their primary role is safety may get commission to 'encourage' staff to collect revenue. It is a secondary role to check tickets.

RPIs are permitted (under Penalty Fare Rules 2002) to get commission under 5% (on tickets and Penalty Fares) although I know of no TOC that actually gives them any.

 

[Greenback]

I know the stations get commission on the tickets but this is pooled throughout the day as the person on Monday's shift is more likely to get season ticket renewals than the person on Wednesday's. So if a station takes £10k per month then this is what the pot is and a % goes to the staff.

What I don't know is at the many stations when a TVM and a ticket seller is present if the TVM's revenue goes into the pot. In one extent it is harsh if it doesn't as some times people can buy tickets from the clerk as they are cleaning snow off the platforms and are forced into using the TVM (or paying on the train should they want to use cash)

There's no pot, and no % for the staff!

Obviously, if you buy ata ticke toffice it helps to keep that office open. All TOC's regularly look at the number of tickets issued, and the office can be on shaky ground with soem companies if the number for any given hour falls below an average of 12. I don't know what period they work from, but is a key method of aligning opening hours to demand.

 

[Failed Unit]

There's no pot, and no % for the staff!

Obviously, if you buy ata ticke toffice it helps to keep that office open. All TOC's regularly look at the number of tickets issued, and the office can be on shaky ground with soem companies if the number for any given hour falls below an average of 12. I don't know what period they work from, but is a key method of aligning opening hours to demand.

I must have misunderstood what my mate was saying, I am sure he said he was on commision..

 

[wibble]

Is it true that, for a small station with only one ticket-issuing position/employee, every ticket bought in person (rather than from the ticket machine or online etc.) helps to keep the ticket issuer's job open?
Or is the policy different depending on which train company runs the station?

The TOC selling the rail ticket will receive 9% commission, except for season tickets which is only 2%. This will apply even if the ticket is purchased from a TVM.

Unfortunately, TVMs cannot sell the full range of rail products (e.g. railcards, Advance tickets (except through ToD), GroupSave etc) so a ticket office is likely to remain open for at least part of the day. Where there is no demand for the ticket office, there seems to be little point in keeping it open.

 

[John @ home]

commission for online sales is actually 5.5% for train operators, not 9%.

The Train Operating Company gets 2% commission for each ticket they sell

The TOC selling the rail ticket will receive 9% commission, except for season tickets which is only 2%.

An interesting collection of opinions!

 

[wibble]

An interesting collection of opinions!

With internet sales, the rate of commission is unlikely to be 9% as they are acting as an agent rather than a TOC. The rate would be less than 9%.

ToD tickets are different as the TOC issuing the ticket will receive a fixed amount, regardless of the ticket cost.

 

[Z12XE]

ToD tickets are different as the TOC issuing the ticket will receive a fixed amount, regardless of the ticket cost.

With Ticket on Departure, does the TOC who provide the machine get anything?

For example I book tickets from Virgin's website and collect them from an NXEA machine, that surely costs NX something in ticket stock wear and tear on the machine etc.

 

[wibble]

With Ticket on Departure, does the TOC who provide the machine get anything?

For example I book tickets from Virgin's website and collect them from an NXEA machine, that surely costs NX something in ticket stock wear and tear on the machine etc.

Virgin and trainline.com will recive commission for the sale, NXEA will receive a small amount for providing the ToD facility at their station. I think a different rate applies depending on whether the station is staffed or unstaffed (although it could depend on whether it's issued by the TVM or ticket office - can't remember which!)

 

[Greenback]

An interesting collection of opinions!

I believe wibble and London Midland are correct.

It's 9% for ticket office sales and 5.5% for online sales.

 

[yorkie]

An interesting collection of opinions!

The 9% commission is the overall commission figure, this will go to the TOC entirely if they sell it using their own systems and not paying commission (e.g. from a ticket office). On a train, it varies, but guards often get 5%, this would leave the TOC with 4%.

For online bookings, both the 5.5% and 2% figures for the TOCs could be correct. The LM figure will be using Atos Origin, so we can ascertain that Atos Origin are retaining 3.5% for themselves and passing on 5.5% to LM. The 2% figure could be correct if another company is only passing on 2% and retaining 7% for themselves, the person who made the claim may be able to confirm if this is the case which company that refers to. I wonder what Thetrainline charge? For several years they effectively had a monopoly for online sales, this is no longer the case.

 

[0B00]

From the ATOC Agency website:

Q. What level of Commission will my agency earn?

A. Currently the basic rate of commission is 5%. From 25th July 2010 the commission rate will be 4% until 31st March 2011. With effect from 1st April 2011, the commission level will be 3%. Licensees are required to provide a bond or financial guarantee. Any incentives over and above the basic rate of commission must be negotiated with individual Train Operating Companies who may agree a specific proposal based on their company’s level of sales at your agency.

Some TOC's such as ATW have station booking offices that are agencies such as Gobowen and Newtown who receive between 5% and 9% commission.