Ticketer machine

[Seehof]

I have recently spent a few days on holiday in West Sussex. I went out one day with an elderly friend who is a resident who, like me, has an elderly person‘s bus pass. I did think we went out to his local bus stop a little early and when a bus came at 0925 he insisted we got on even though there are frequent buses from this stop. Our passes were accepted without question (his a West Sussex issued one and mine from over 200 miles away). When I said I thought the machine would reject them he replied”Oh No. everybody know that elderly passes are always accepted at least five minutes before the official acceptance time in the morning”. This was an ordinary weekday and not a bank holiday or weekend. Is this true with the ticketer machines generally or is this a peculiarity to West Sussex?

 

[duncombec]

I have recently spent a few days on holiday in West Sussex. I went out one day with an elderly friend who is a resident who, like me, has an elderly person‘s bus pass. I did think we went out to his local bus stop a little early and when a bus came at 0925 he insisted we got on even though there are frequent buses from this stop. Our passes were accepted without question (his a West Sussex issued one and mine from over 200 miles away). When I said I thought the machine would reject them he replied”Oh No. everybody know that elderly passes are always accepted at least five minutes before the official acceptance time in the morning”. This was an ordinary weekday and not a bank holiday or weekend. Is this true with the ticketer machines generally or is this a peculiarity to West Sussex?

It may depend on the route in question. Some councils do allow passholders on specific journeys earlier than 9:30 if it would be a long wait until the next one, whilst others allow their use before 9am.

IIRC, Medway allow Medway passholders to use the buses for free after 9am (as was the case pre-ENCTS scheme), but Kent and other passholders have to wait.

 

[Seehof]

Thank you. But the good people of West Sussex seem to think it is a general quirk of the machine. It certainly is not a localised official arrangement as I have checked. Perhaps I should try it when I get home to North Yorkshire but the buses aren’t as frequent here to do it!!

 

[Leedsbusman]

Thank you. But the good people of West Sussex seem to think it is a general quirk of the machine. It certainly is not a localised official arrangement as I have checked. Perhaps I should try it when I get home to North Yorkshire but the buses aren’t as frequent here to do it!!

Most machines will be set up to give 2 to 5 minutes grace before 0930. There's two reasons - if you board the 930 departure from the terminus at 929, it would be a pain for everyone to have to wait until 930 before scanning passes. Secondly at bus stops which aren't timing points there is more chance of a bus arriving at slightly different times each day.

 

[ChrisC]

Thank you. But the good people of West Sussex seem to think it is a general quirk of the machine. It certainly is not a localised official arrangement as I have checked. Perhaps I should try it when I get home to North Yorkshire but the buses aren’t as frequent here to do it!!

I‘m sure that passes are valid in North Yorkshire from 0900. I was certainly able to use my Nottinghamshire pass from Pickering to Scarborough between 0900 and 0930. It was the same in Essex when I was able to use my pass between Saffron Walden and Thaxted after 0900. These are exceptions as in most areas it is after 0930. An earlier time of 0900 would be useful in rural areas where buses are not so frequent. When at home my first bus from the village after 0930 is not until 1012. I have found the £2 bus fares very useful to be able to travel earlier at a reasonable price.

 

[Seehof]

Thank you. That’s the answer!

 

[dodecahedron67]

In York our machines were set up to accept pass scans from 0850. We always stopped people doing it bang on 0850 though and I certainly always made sure they got on the first bus 0900 or later

 

[YX73OUB]

At trentbarton all of our ticketers are set to accept concessions at 0925.

 

[ChrisC]

At trentbarton all of our ticketers are set to accept concessions at 0925.

Does this work in a similar way with Mango with the higher cap if you travel before 0900? If you board a bus at 0859 would you be charged £10.60 for a days travel instead of £7.10?

 

[richw]

They’re set to give a slight tolerance period to avoid delaying the bus at 0930. Where I am we’re suppose to refuse if the bus is scheduled to leave the stop before 0930.
There’s one particular 0930 service that gets queues of 20+ pass holders. The bus is on a 20 min layover before that service so it helps the driver load them up at 0925 to be ready to depart at 0930

 

[YX73OUB]

Does this work in a similar way with Mango with the higher cap if you travel before 0900? If you board a bus at 0859 would you be charged £10.60 for a days travel instead of £7.10?

I'll certainly find that out for you, the zigzag does become 'live' to be issued just before 9 so based on logic it should be similar - I'll ask for you.

 

[175mph]

In York our machines were set up to accept pass scans from 0850. We always stopped people doing it bang on 0850 though and I certainly always made sure they got on the first bus 0900 or later

If I may ask, how exactly did you stop them?

 

[dodecahedron67]

If I may ask, how exactly did you stop them?

By telling them they aren’t allowed to use their pass until 9am

 

[YX73OUB]

I'll certainly find that out for you, the zigzag does become 'live' to be issued just before 9 so based on logic it should be similar - I'll ask for you.

The only answer I got was it's slightly before 9. Sorry to not be more helpful.

 

[ChrisC]

The only answer I got was it's slightly before 9. Sorry to not be more helpful.

Thanks for trying. It doesn’t really concern me these days but I was interested to know. I used to occasionally use the old Trent Barton Amberline bus which left Hucknall at 0901. The bus used to be standing at the bus stop before 9 but I would never board early just in case I was then charged the considerably higher rate for a days travel.

 

[Eyersey468]

At EY our machines are programmed to accept them from 0925, it is loading time for when the bus is due to go at 0930, NOT for passengers to be let off when it is due somewhere then