Free Travel DfT TOCs

[185]

TUK Group - Greater Anglia, EMR, WMR/LNR, Merseyrail all get free travel on each others services.

Arriva Group - all get free travel on GC, XC, Chiltern and Overground.

(Stingy) FirstGroup have just 10 days on each others TOCs (ie Avanti, SWR & GWR)

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You'd assume all the DfT-OLR ones would reciprocate, however it seems to be very flaky. TPE is OLR but is like a pariah - very limited acceptance on other OLR TOCs.

I'd say DfT-OLR TOCs are probably the worst benefits. Perhaps this could be a union/TOC negotiation incentive - unlimited travel within owner groups.

 

[Towers]

Worth pointing out that Firstgroup do also provide heavily discounted “Friends & Family” tickets, which can be used by the employee as well as their companions; so while it might not be free for the member of staff, six quid each or whatever for a day rover on a TOC isn’t bad.

 

[Chiltern006]

Can’t complain at £6 London-Glasgow or London-Penzance haha

 

[dk1]

Why? In BR days free leisure travel was restricted to a limited number of boxes each year, so it's not unusual.

Yes I get x16 48hr BR boxes but don’t need to use them so much thanks to free TOC pass too in the last 25 years. Thankfully the BR stuff stays with me for life.

 

[Haywain]

Thankfully the BR stuff stays with me for life.

Nice for you. Meanwhile, my 20+ years results in nothing.

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(Stingy) FirstGroup have just 10 days on each others TOCs (ie Avanti, SWR & GWR)

Boxes, not days.

 

[1867Blue]

What do people mean when they refer to boxes please?

 

[Haywain]

What do people mean when they refer to boxes please?

It means a card is issued with x number of boxes to be completed for use. Each box is then dated by the holder when required and is then valid for travel on that date and the following day (ie: up to 48 hours). The card usually has a validity of 12 months but is generally issued early, so could be used over a period of 15 months. Example attached.

 

[dk1]

Nice for you. Meanwhile, my 20+ years results in nothing.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Jun 2024 ==

Ahh, you must be just a boy/girl or NR.

 

[1867Blue]

It means a card is issued with x number of boxes to be completed for use. Each box is then dated by the holder when required and is then valid for travel on that date and the following day (ie: up to 48 hours). The card usually has a validity of 12 months but is generally issued early, so could be used over a period of 15 months.

Thank you very much. Still getting used to the railway terminology

 

[dk1]

Thank you very much. Still getting used to the railway terminology

Yes as stated and also they are valid the previous evening if using Sleeper services. They are valid each year from April but are valid until June of the following year so overlap for three months.

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They also have to be presented at TfL stations each year so a member of staff can update ‘Priv’ Oysters otherwise public fares apply.

 

[Haywain]

Thank you very much. Still getting used to the railway terminology

Example now attached to my post.

 

[357]

Worth pointing out that Firstgroup do also provide heavily discounted “Friends & Family” tickets, which can be used by the employee as well as their companions; so while it might not be free for the member of staff, six quid each or whatever for a day rover on a TOC isn’t bad.

This would also be worth listing in a master thread with each TOCs travel facilities.

XC offer £10 day rover tickets for their network to staff friends and family.
GC provide free any time singles (GC only) for friends and family
C2C offer nothing.

 

[dk1]

This would also be worth listing in a master thread with each TOCs travel facilities.

XC offer 10 day rover tickets for their network to staff friends and family.
GC provide free any time singles (GC only) for friends and family
C2C offer nothing.

GA offer 12 friends&family tickets 2 adults on each for £5 each (accompanied children £2 each) valid for return within 1 month of outward specified date. Cannot be used on other Transport UK rail operators however.

Unlimited duty/leisure travel at any Transport UK rail operator for staff member/dependants.

 

[WAB]

It's something that'll probably change with GBR. The current situation is naff - Network Rail get almost nothing, some TOC staff don't even get a PRIV, and lots of agency staff/contractors doing what are core railway roles get sod all.

If I had a say in what the arrangements would be, they'd be something like:

• Free residential, duty and leisure travel on your own TOC in 1st class
• Free standard class on two other TOCs of your choosing (with 1st class/more TOCs for higher grades)
• 8 boxes for other TOCs (increasing with length of service), PRIV rate otherwise
• An annual allocation of heavily-discounted friends&family rovers

The cost really is minimal, but it would help make up for some of the stagnant salaries in the industry as well as generate some goodwill. I always thought it shameful how many of the staff, particularly at Network Rail, don't touch the trains with a bargepole. Perhaps better travel facilities would focus minds a little.

Plenty of ex-BR staff like to brag to newbies about their travel privileges and go on about putting the years in. A quick questioning of how old they'd have to be to get those perks soon puts them in their place though

 

[thelongestroad]

They could just reciprocate travel between OLR TOCs but I'm sure they'll find some way to over complicate it with boxes and thus added costs.