ToD collection receipts

[ess]

What is the point of pre-paid ticket collection receipts? I must have thrown thousands in the bin and never one found them used

 

[yorkie]

It's becoming a moot point as TOD is being phased out in place of e-tickets.

I'm not quite sure what "never one found them used" means, but I suspect the purpose is to enable customers to be sure that the TOD collection was successful and enable the customer to check that all coupons were printed; there have been instances where not all coupons have been printed/dispensed, due to machine faults.

I'd also guess perhaps some people used them as a means to record which TOD references they had already collected; back in the days before e-tickets I used to have to keep track of it, which was quite a big task in itself (one that I am glad is now redundant!)

 

[1D54]

I had no idea they were being phased out which is a shame for the people that prefer paper tickets but that is a well worn subject.

These machines should give people the option on whether they want a receipt or not like the self service tills in supermarkets etc.

 

[Tazi Hupefi]

Can be used as proof of purchase for the purposes of delay repay etc - when ticket barriers have retained the tickets and so on.

 

[Tetchytyke]

What is the point of pre-paid ticket collection receipts

They serve as confirmation that the machine has correctly issued all the coupons in the booking.

 

[OscarH]

Can be used as proof of purchase for the purposes of delay repay etc - when ticket barriers have retained the tickets and so on.

I'm not sure it proves any more than the confirmation email does

 

[Tazi Hupefi]

I'm not sure it proves any more than the confirmation email does

Those confirmation/ booking emails are generally rejected by most delay repay systems, especially Trainline ones that seem to use a booking reference that is wholly internal.

The actual receipt can be reverse engineered to get the ticket records.

 

[infobleep]

It's becoming a moot point as TOD is being phased out in place of e-tickets.

I'm not quite sure what "never one found them used" means

I reckon the opening poster meant "never once found them useful" and either typed in the wrong words or they were autocorrected to the wrong words.

I also have never found them useful but then I don't recall ever having any collection or printing errors. I've been lucky.

As for them being phased out, I accept it's happening but it will be sometime before TOD is redundant completely, I suspect. So collection receipts will live on for a time.

For example, recently I booked three journeys on the forum's ticketing site in one go. London Bridge to Margate. A SouthEastern advance and then for the next day, a journey from Margate to Bath Spa, which was also an advance. The final ticket for 2 days later was an advance from Bath Spa to Guildford via Salisbury.

The first and last tickets did not involve any cross London travel but because the middle one did, everything had to be issued on CCST.

I hadn't even considered that this would be the case prior to booking, as they were three separate distinct journeys. Once at this stage I just left it as it was, rather than go back and book them separately, so I could get eTickets for two of the three journeys.

 

[OscarH]

Those confirmation/ booking emails are generally rejected by most delay repay systems, especially Trainline ones that seem to use a booking reference that is wholly internal.

The actual receipt can be reverse engineered to get the ticket records.

I've luckily never ended in the position of not having the ticket, so don't have any experience there. But that does seem baffling provided the confirmation email has the ToD collection reference (which it seems problematic if it doesn't!), because that's the only really useful thing on the receipt too.

 

[BongoStar]

I have to attach some evidence that I bought the ticket with expense claims at work. A bank statement is not sufficient. Absent the tickets themselves - which get swallowed at exit - the only valid proof I can attach is the collection receipt.

 

[Haywain]

the only valid proof I can attach is the collection receipt.

Why isn't the email confirmation proof of purchase? And, beside that, some online retailers will offer a proper receipt when you purchase.

 

[skyhigh]

I have to attach some evidence that I bought the ticket with expense claims at work. A bank statement is not sufficient. Absent the tickets themselves - which get swallowed at exit - the only valid proof I can attach is the collection receipt.

Can't you just submit a photo of the ticket?

 

[Geml246]

The last three collections I have made at Chelmsford have not produced the Collection Receipt already.

 

[BongoStar]

Why isn't the email confirmation proof of purchase? And, beside that, some online retailers will offer a proper receipt when you purchase.

Can't you just submit a photo of the ticket?

Some organisations are too archaic and err on the safe side of HMRC tax rules that you need to prove the expense. Having the actual ticket and/or receipt or collection receipt is more acceptable than just a bank statement. I do send the ticket if not retained at the barrier.

I know some might say that the email is sufficient proof or the receipt is etc, but just as TOC RPI will (geberally) refuse to accept anything other than the actual ticket/pass as a valid permission to travel. We have a few cases on the forum where the user has lost ticket after boarding or boarded with just email receipt, but still got penalised.

Not saying that either approach is right or wrong, just answering OP on why people might need the collection receipt.

 

[Haywain]

err on the safe side of HMRC tax rules

A.k.a. they make up their own rules.

just as TOC RPI will (geberally) refuse to accept anything other than the actual ticket/pass as a valid permission to travel. We have a few cases on the forum where the user has lost ticket after boarding or boarded with just email receipt, but still got penalised.

That is completely irrelevant to claiming expenses!

 

[father_jack]

Should have gotten rid of the stupid things years ago. Always left in the machine and picked up in lieu of the next passenger's say, £350 first class travelcard. Which is then picked up by the subsequent passenger in lieu of their return portion of a £3.50 cheap day return. And different TVMs do different things- print the receipt first saying "X" coupons but that "X" doesn't mean including the collection receipt so they'll probably have "X" number of coupons yeah.

 

[BongoStar]

A.k.a. they make up their own rules.

That is completely irrelevant to claiming expenses!

Lol, true. I have learnt best to just go with made up rules, probably keeps some staff in their job at head office or HMRC. A bit of inconvenience for me, but saves the hassle of a rejected/queried expense.

 

[sheff1]

Should have gotten rid of the stupid things years ago. Always left in the machine

I have collected thousands of TOD tickets over the years and doubt the number of times I found a previous person's collection receipt in the machine has reached double figures.

As for the OP's question, I use them when checking my bank statements. Experience of grandchild behaviour suggests youngsters no longer do such things, but when credit cards were first introduced I was taught to always check and have continued to do so.

 

[cool110]

I use them when checking my bank statements. Experience of grandchild behaviour suggests youngsters no longer do such things, but when credit cards were first introduced I was taught to always check and have continued to do so.

A lot of banks now send app notifications for every transaction, so they'll be finding out about any fraudulent transactions long before the statement arrives.