Buying seasons from a TVM

[CNash]

I've tried several times to renew my monthly season ticket at the TVM at my local station (Welling - run by Southeastern), but my photocard number and postcode are always rejected as "unknown". I have bought my ticket from the ticket office at Welling before, but the last time I renewed it, I did so at the South West Trains ticket office at Waterloo. Is this the problem?

 

[CyrusWuff]

The most likely scenario is that the TVM at Welling doesn't have access to the Season Ticket Database used in the Ticket Office, so would be unable to sell you anything longer than a weekly.

I believe that it's possible to renew monthlyies via TVMs at stations using Shere Smart in the Ticket Office coupled with Shere FAST TVMs. (And conversely possible to do Non-Issues of tickets purchased from the TVMs at same via Smart).

 

[CNash]

But surely if there's an option on the screen labelled "Renew adult monthly season ticket", this should do exactly as it says, or else not be available to select?

 

[island]

The TVM is set to only renew a monthly season ticket if that TOC's database shows one as active or recently expired. You'll need to renew at a booking office this time around.

 

[CNash]

Would an SWT TVM work, as my previous month's renewal should be on their database?

Forgive me for stating the obvious, of course, but wouldn't a TOC-independent database be better for customers?

 

[CyrusWuff]

Forgive me for stating the obvious, of course, but wouldn't a TOC-independent database be better for customers?

Possibly, but it would also cause issues under the Data Protection Act because TOCs you've never had any dealings with would almost certainly be able to mine such a database for marketing purposes...

Say, for example, you ran a TOC that ran trains from Anytown to Newtown via one route and you had competition running via a different route. Being able to contact all of their customers with a view to getting them to switch to using your service would be a godsend.

 

[CNash]

Ah, I hadn't thought of it like that. I'm too used to only one TOC running services along a given route, as it is in much of London and the South.

 

[bb21]

Would an SWT TVM work, as my previous month's renewal should be on their database?

Do S&B machines (which SWT use) even offer monthly renewals? AFAIK they don't.

 

[Mojo]

Southeastern's machines are S&B as well. I think it depends on the type of software and I know SWT machines have been upgraded in the past few months.

 

[CNash]

The TVMs at Waterloo do have the "Renew adult monthly season ticket" button. I gave it a go this morning, and was told (paraphrasing) "No fares available for this season ticket, please enquire at the ticket office". This is odd, as SWT is the fare setter for my ticket (Slade Green - Guildford).

 

[island]

Just about nobody should be buying monthly seasons anyway

 

[andrewkeith5]

Possibly, but it would also cause issues under the Data Protection Act because TOCs you've never had any dealings with would almost certainly be able to mine such a database for marketing purposes...

Say, for example, you ran a TOC that ran trains from Anytown to Newtown via one route and you had competition running via a different route. Being able to contact all of their customers with a view to getting them to switch to using your service would be a godsend.

Forgive me, but surely all that's necessary is a database of active photocards? All that is really necessary is the photocard number and expiry date and maybe a password of some sort, none of which would count as personal data?

That should be all a TVM needs in order to sell a season ticket, surely?

Just about nobody should be buying monthly seasons anyway

Why not!? What about those who simply can't afford to buy an annual ticket in one go, or people like me who work in different places for a few months at a time?

 

[bb21]

Why not!? What about those who simply can't afford to buy an annual ticket in one go, or people like me who work in different places for a few months at a time?

I think island's point is that people should buy odd-period seasons (eg. 1 month 2 days) to take advantage of proportional pricing and not pay for weekends unnecessarily.

This should work out better value than monthlies.

 

[andrewkeith5]

I think island's point is that people should buy odd-period seasons (eg. 1 month 2 days) to take advantage of proportional pricing and not pay for weekends unnecessarily.

This should work out better value than monthlies.

Ah, I see...I suppose I was/am pretty unique in using my season tickets at weekends too!

 

[island]

I think island's point is that people should buy odd-period seasons (eg. 1 month 2 days) to take advantage of proportional pricing and not pay for weekends unnecessarily.

This should work out better value than monthlies.

Yes that was my intended meaning

 

[CyrusWuff]

Forgive me, but surely all that's necessary is a database of active photocards? All that is really necessary is the photocard number and expiry date and maybe a password of some sort, none of which would count as personal data?

Name, address and contact details are recorded as well. Primarily so that, should you need to apply for a duplicate, the TOC can find you in the database given most people can't/don't remember their photocard number.

 

[andrewkeith5]

Name, address and contact details are recorded as well. Primarily so that, should you need to apply for a duplicate, the TOC can find you in the database given most people can't/don't remember their photocard number.

I understand why the TOC you acquired your photocard from would know that, but I don't understand why it needs to be made centrally available?

You have to know your railcard number to buy a season ticket from a TVM anyway.

The duplicate point is reasonably valid, but I'm sure there could be a way of a TOC requesting that information or even something like saying that only National Rail operated stations can process duplicates for tickets not purchased from the photocard-originating TOC.

I suppose the real reason why nobody has done such a thing is because not many people move around very often so it isn't really a problem

In fact - why aren't season photocards managed by ATOC in the same way as Railcards?

 

[CNash]

I suppose the real reason why nobody has done such a thing is because not many people move around very often so it isn't really a problem

That might be true where there are only one or two TOCs operating services, but down here in the southeast, I can travel on routes served by Southeastern, SWT, FCC, Southern, FGW and London Overground using my season ticket. Granted, I don't often have cause to renew my season ticket at anywhere other than Waterloo, but wouldn't it be nice if I could nip to a TVM at any station along any of my possible routes?

 

[John @ home]

I'm sure there could be a way of a TOC requesting that information or even something like saying that only National Rail operated stations can process duplicates for tickets not purchased from the photocard-originating TOC.

What's a "National Rail operated station"?