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Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2014 11:27:06 GMT
Quite funny that they use stock footage of Bendy bus and AEC Regent on Route 29 on their report. Just one quick interview with Mike Weston of London Buses.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2014 15:23:38 GMT
Probably been mentioned already but noticed that there is now an announcement from the same man stating that cash is no longer accepted visit tfl.gov.uk etc.... Sounds cropped to me
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Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2014 18:44:01 GMT
And regarding your last point, I remember being on a bus where one passenger actually got annoyed when hearing the announcement because they heard it so many times. So I'm sure people would have heard it at some point. I was travelling on the X68, and I must have heard the announcement about 4 times. I began to hear groans from the other passengers by the last couple of announcements What a moron that bloke is. Hate having to share buses with people like that. Nice to hear another passenger sticking up for the driver though!
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Post by rambo on Jul 7, 2014 22:36:07 GMT
Well done to the lady for standing up for the driver. But, the driver should of stayed firm and not driven off with him on the bus.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2014 6:16:25 GMT
I think the topic title needs to be edited. Buses gone cashless, get over it.
Regarding having info in other languages. I disagree. This is England and English should be the only language required. Also for at least the last 3 years I've returned from holiday from quite a few places and on each occasion on the flight into the uk there has always been info regarding Oyster cards explained by the flight attendants.
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Post by Steve80 on Jul 8, 2014 17:36:59 GMT
But it only tops up automatically if you scan your card on the Tube/DLR/Tram or the Overground. So, if you got on a bus and scan your oyster then it will simply take your fare without topping up automatically. You have to collect the "top up" instruction at a rail gate or validator *the first time* after you've set up the instruction on a card you already hold or buy at a station or Ticket Stop. After that the card will top up at any reader if the minimum balance level is reached. Clearly for some people who never make rail journeys of any sort this is a pain and inconvenient. However I am sure that if you order a new Oyster Card on line you can ask for the auto top up to be set on the card and you *don't* have to do the first "activate" transaction at a rail mode gate / validator. This option may be more convenient for some people who live away from the rail network and who need an Oyster card. I did just go on to Oyster Online and it does ask if you want auto top up set - the only stipulation is you add a minimum of £10 PAYG as the first transaction. You then choose how much to top up by. Personally, I think the system needs looking at. Last year, I lost my Staff Pass and waited over 6 months to get a new one In the meantime, I decided to get an Oyster Card. I tried to top up my Oyster Card but it was telling me that I had to nominate a station before it tops it up. This was annoying as the sole reason why I wanted to top up online was so I leave my house the next day without delay, and use it to get on a bus to the station So, the only other option was to activate the Auto Top up and again was a bit miffed when I found out that I had to validate it at a Station. But like you said, once you validate it then the card will top up at any reader once it reaches the minimum balance. Sorry for the slight rant, but if TFL are going to force passengers not to use cash then they should make it easy for everyone to use and top up whenever they like. As a bus driver, I'm now having to deal with passengers coming on saying they have no money or they lost their Oyster Card at work. I like to add that these passengers are not malicious - looking but well dressed, smart looking passengers boarding my 157 bus at 10pm onwards to about midnight
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Post by snoggle on Jul 8, 2014 18:03:55 GMT
Personally, I think the system needs looking at. Last year, I lost my Staff Pass and waited over 6 months to get a new one In the meantime, I decided to get an Oyster Card. I tried to top up my Oyster Card but it was telling me that I had to nominate a station before it tops it up. This was annoying as the sole reason why I wanted to top up online was so I leave my house the next day without delay, and use it to get on a bus to the station So, the only other option was to activate the Auto Top up and again was a bit miffed when I found out that I had to validate it at a Station. But like you said, once you validate it then the card will top up at any reader once it reaches the minimum balance. Sorry for the slight rant, but if TFL are going to force passengers not to use cash then they should make it easy for everyone to use and top up whenever they like. As a bus driver, I'm now having to deal with passengers coming on saying they have no money or they lost their Oyster Card at work. I like to add that these passengers are not malicious - looking but well dressed, smart looking passengers boarding my 157 bus at 10pm onwards to about midnight 6 months for a staff pass renewal is bizarre. I've only ever needed 1 replacement pass and it didn't that sort of time but then I was able to deal with Staff Travel directly. I wonder if the process is more involved / prone to delay for bus driver passes given you deal with your bus company and they have to deal with TfL? (I'm guessing that's how it works). I know a lot of people get narked by the "validate at a station" rule to set auto top up on an existing card. That's because the instructions can only be sent to a known device that is at a fixed location. This rules out the data being sent to buses given you can't be certain what bus will run where thus every bus would need to carry instructions which is wasteful. I don't disagree with your general comment about Oyster being made more user friendly and that might happen in 4-5 years time when TfL replace the existing Oyster cards and infrastructure (assuming it gets funding). All the effort at the moment is going in to the bank card scheme. TfL are also due to let a new contract (called Electra) for the supply of their ticketing service so that could bring its own set of changes if Cubic lose the contract or a large share of the work. TfL have tried to chop the system into chunks so there is more scope for competition in supplying the machines, central system, maintenance, comms networks, card supply, card fulfillment, agent network management etc.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2014 18:09:22 GMT
I think the topic title needs to be edited. Buses gone cashless, get over it. Regarding having info in other languages. I disagree. This is England and English should be the only language required. Also for at least the last 3 years I've returned from holiday from quite a few places and on each occasion on the flight into the uk there has always been info regarding Oyster cards explained by the flight attendants. Well a mixture of people speak over 250 languages in London, yes English is more of a widely recognised language because I talk to my online friends from around the world they are fluent in English. I don't mind if the information like Cashless is bi-lingal like English, French, Russian, Arabic...etc but using Google translator tends to make errors on the text you wanted to Translate. Well good on the flight attendants as it's their duty to give out travel information to passengers. I do hope many tourist companies put out information to make people aware about the cashless on London buses.
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Post by Steve80 on Jul 8, 2014 19:00:15 GMT
Personally, I think the system needs looking at. Last year, I lost my Staff Pass and waited over 6 months to get a new one In the meantime, I decided to get an Oyster Card. I tried to top up my Oyster Card but it was telling me that I had to nominate a station before it tops it up. This was annoying as the sole reason why I wanted to top up online was so I leave my house the next day without delay, and use it to get on a bus to the station So, the only other option was to activate the Auto Top up and again was a bit miffed when I found out that I had to validate it at a Station. But like you said, once you validate it then the card will top up at any reader once it reaches the minimum balance. Sorry for the slight rant, but if TFL are going to force passengers not to use cash then they should make it easy for everyone to use and top up whenever they like. As a bus driver, I'm now having to deal with passengers coming on saying they have no money or they lost their Oyster Card at work. I like to add that these passengers are not malicious - looking but well dressed, smart looking passengers boarding my 157 bus at 10pm onwards to about midnight 6 months for a staff pass renewal is bizarre. I've only ever needed 1 replacement pass and it didn't that sort of time but then I was able to deal with Staff Travel directly. I wonder if the process is more involved / prone to delay for bus driver passes given you deal with your bus company and they have to deal with TfL? (I'm guessing that's how it works). I know a lot of people get narked by the "validate at a station" rule to set auto top up on an existing card. That's because the instructions can only be sent to a known device that is at a fixed location. This rules out the data being sent to buses given you can't be certain what bus will run where thus every bus would need to carry instructions which is wasteful. I don't disagree with your general comment about Oyster being made more user friendly and that might happen in 4-5 years time when TfL replace the existing Oyster cards and infrastructure (assuming it gets funding). All the effort at the moment is going in to the bank card scheme. TfL are also due to let a new contract (called Electra) for the supply of their ticketing service so that could bring its own set of changes if Cubic lose the contract or a large share of the work. TfL have tried to chop the system into chunks so there is more scope for competition in supplying the machines, central system, maintenance, comms networks, card supply, card fulfillment, agent network management etc. Oh yes, I waited 6 months for my staff pass due to some miscommunication or something. I applied for a new one and sent the form to one of the managers at work so she can deal with it. I then waited over a month before asking and was told to do another one as they can't find it. Unfortunately, I simply wrote on the form that I lost it. I got a reply back a month later stating that I need to tell them when, where and how I lost it. Unfortunately again, I only wrote on the form telling them when and where I lost it. Then, another month passed before I was told to tell them how I lost it so I wrote on the form again telling them when, where and how Another month and another reply asking me as to why it took so long for me to report the lost card (I lost the photocard of my staff pass over a month before reporting it) and told them when, where, how and why it took so long for me to report it Eventually, the pass finally came
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Post by sid on Jul 9, 2014 10:37:21 GMT
I was in Central London yesterday and witnessed three problems. The most amusing one was on a 94 in Bayswater Road, a group of four visitors from overseas get on with their maps and guidebooks, three walk past the driver and the forth one asks for "four to Piccadilly" in broken English with a tenner at the ready. The driver attempts to explain that he cannot take cash but the man clearly had no idea what he was talking about and holds up four fingers and points on the map to where they want to go. The driver chuckles saying he understood that bit but he cannot take cash and points to the tenner shaking his head. The man looks at the tenner with a puzzled look (presumably wondering if it's a fake?) and a woman in the group gets another tenner out of her purse. The driver then attempts to explain that there is nothing wrong with their money he just cannot take any cash at all. The two both shrug their shoulders and look totally baffled, the driver just laughs and tells them to go and sit down and have a free ride and to pop into the tube station when they get off and they'll explain everything. The four go upstairs chatting in their own language...............probably saying something to the effect that 'the English are crazy' ! A lady with an American accent boards a number 11 in Whitehall with cash at the ready asking to go to Sloane Square, the driver asks if she has an oyster and she replies that she hasn't as she rarely uses public transport in London. He asked her to go and speak to the customer assistant at the back who would explain things. English speaking gentleman boards a C2 at Victoria attemting to pay cash, driver tells him they no longer accept cash and advices him to get an oyster but says he can have a free ride today. Man looks baffled but seems happy with the free ride. I then retired to the pub to watch a quite remarkable game of football and there were a group of very happy Germans in there !
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Post by slr on Jul 9, 2014 10:49:41 GMT
6 months for a staff pass renewal is bizarre. I've only ever needed 1 replacement pass and it didn't that sort of time but then I was able to deal with Staff Travel directly. I wonder if the process is more involved / prone to delay for bus driver passes given you deal with your bus company and they have to deal with TfL? (I'm guessing that's how it works). I know a lot of people get narked by the "validate at a station" rule to set auto top up on an existing card. That's because the instructions can only be sent to a known device that is at a fixed location. This rules out the data being sent to buses given you can't be certain what bus will run where thus every bus would need to carry instructions which is wasteful. I don't disagree with your general comment about Oyster being made more user friendly and that might happen in 4-5 years time when TfL replace the existing Oyster cards and infrastructure (assuming it gets funding). All the effort at the moment is going in to the bank card scheme. TfL are also due to let a new contract (called Electra) for the supply of their ticketing service so that could bring its own set of changes if Cubic lose the contract or a large share of the work. TfL have tried to chop the system into chunks so there is more scope for competition in supplying the machines, central system, maintenance, comms networks, card supply, card fulfillment, agent network management etc. Oh yes, I waited 6 months for my staff pass due to some miscommunication or something. I applied for a new one and sent the form to one of the managers at work so she can deal with it. I then waited over a month before asking and was told to do another one as they can't find it. Unfortunately, I simply wrote on the form that I lost it. I got a reply back a month later stating that I need to tell them when, where and how I lost it. Unfortunately again, I only wrote on the form telling them when and where I lost it. Then, another month passed before I was told to tell them how I lost it so I wrote on the form again telling them when, where and how Another month and another reply asking me as to why it took so long for me to report the lost card (I lost the photocard of my staff pass over a month before reporting it) and told them when, where, how and why it took so long for me to report it Eventually, the pass finally came Good old Staff Travel, evidently still not done masquerading as HM Passport Office lol.
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Post by snoggle on Jul 9, 2014 12:45:15 GMT
Oh yes, I waited 6 months for my staff pass due to some miscommunication or something. I applied for a new one and sent the form to one of the managers at work so she can deal with it. I then waited over a month before asking and was told to do another one as they can't find it. Unfortunately, I simply wrote on the form that I lost it. I got a reply back a month later stating that I need to tell them when, where and how I lost it. Unfortunately again, I only wrote on the form telling them when and where I lost it. Then, another month passed before I was told to tell them how I lost it so I wrote on the form again telling them when, where and how Another month and another reply asking me as to why it took so long for me to report the lost card (I lost the photocard of my staff pass over a month before reporting it) and told them when, where, how and why it took so long for me to report it Eventually, the pass finally came Good old Staff Travel, evidently still not done masquerading as HM Passport Office lol. To be fair it looks like some incompetence at the operator end of things with forms being lost / mislaid and a lack of clarity about what TfL expect by way of information on the application for a replacement pass. Staff passes are worth an awful lot of money - even bus only ones - and TfL would be pilloried if they didn't have appropriate controls in place. Given holders have a duty of care to look after their pass properly it's only sensible that TfL want info to determine if the holder is complying with the rules and is considered "sensible" enough to be given a new pass. AIUI Staff passes are not a contractual entitlement for TfL staff but are a "benefit". Such can be withdrawn at any time. I assume the same applies for bus operator passes but I don't know for certain.
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Post by M1104 on Jul 9, 2014 13:07:19 GMT
Couldn't drivers opt to make an appointment to go to TfL directly to renew their form, TfL then double-checking what firm they work for prior to issuing them a renewal?
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Post by snoggle on Jul 9, 2014 14:03:29 GMT
Couldn't drivers opt to make an appointment to go to TfL directly to renew their form, TfL then double-checking what firm they work for prior to issuing them a renewal? I don't think TfL Staff Travel do checking etc while you wait. You can hand forms in or collect tickets at North Greenwich (well you could in the past). Last time I was there they had a massive pile of applications (not sure what for) they were working through. I doubt there are enough staff to deal with appointments. I think TfL prefer to send passes / ID cards by post - that's how my last couple of things have arrived. The much more sensible thing would be a website interface which drivers could use at their depot [1]. They fill in the form which then goes via a workflow to the relevant manager (completely with regular nagging system reminders to action the request) who approves it and then it goes electronically to TfL. TfL have been automating a load of their processes over the years to take out resource at Human Resources etc. I could regale you with the delights of SAP but won't. [1] It would hardly be the end of the world for bus companies to have an IT room with drivers having their own log ons for such requests, their own company information and HR processes etc. Clearly you wouldn't want drivers surfing the net for hours on end but there is merit in giving people an electronic interface and possibly even a secure log on from home.
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Post by snoggle on Jul 10, 2014 10:56:47 GMT
I like this cashless scheme - a great money spinner. Just been on the W11 and a young woman tenders cash in Priory Court Estate. Driver says he can't take it and she says "what do I do?". I paid with my bank card for her and she gives me £2 and refuses to take the 55p change I offered. Quids in. I think there is an Oyster Ticket Stop in a local shop on the estate but not 100% certain.
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