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Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2015 21:54:51 GMT
Past couple of days I have had my ticket checked on a couple of routes in SW London. Does anyone know if there are different "types" of revenue inspectors?
Difference seems to be that the "traditional" type (when working in uniform) have the neck worn ID with the metal LT roundel, however, have also seen some much younger guys and girls (almost uni student looking, in "trendy" clothes) doing ticket checks with a white ID card with writing on round there neck (no roundel/or obvious photo ID) - I thought in the past these were people doing more survey/data collection type work, but on the 281 today they confiscated a teen's zip card, so they must be authorised revenue inspectors?
Was just wondering if temp inspectors had been bought in as part of a targeted programme or something?
Before anyone asks - no it wasn't my zip card!!
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Post by sid on Jul 7, 2015 22:18:14 GMT
I saw a young looking bloke, quite casually dressed but with a TfL jacket on checking tickets on an LT on the 148 on Sunday.
I don't know what the point was as free loaders would have had plenty of time to get off or go downstairs before he got to them, although I suppose TfL can say they did revenue checks and everybody had a valid ticket!
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Post by eggmiester on Jul 7, 2015 23:33:24 GMT
Revenue inspectors will be identified by their badge, they should have a silver (some may have gold) badges with a 4 digit number (usually in the 3xxx series) which I their badge number and it is this badge that is their authority to board, travel, instruct and check tickets on the buses. The badge will also be accompanied by a photo i.d. Sometimes the photo i.d may be worn on a lanyard or something.
Some of the revenue inspectors duties include plain clothes operations
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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2015 8:42:28 GMT
So yes, the first couple of guys I have seen had the silver badges on lanyards. The younger "inspectors" (who were dressed like they had just come from college or uni)I saw in Kingston had no badges or visible photo ID - simply lanyards with a white credit card style thing in which had no visible photo ID just small black writing. They had oyster card readers etc.
I have seen this before and I thought this was a data collection exercise or similar, but as I say, they confiscated a youth's zip card.
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Post by mondraker275 on Jul 8, 2015 9:23:34 GMT
So yes, the first couple of guys I have seen had the silver badges on lanyards. The younger "inspectors" (who were dressed like they had just come from college or uni)I saw in Kingston had no badges or visible photo ID - simply lanyards with a white credit card style thing in which had no visible photo ID just small black writing. They had oyster card readers etc. I have seen this before and I thought this was a data collection exercise or similar, but as I say, they confiscated a youth's zip card. Sounds very dodgy! Why would they confiscate a youth zip card from a youth? What was the conversation like, did the youth put up a defense? Best have a valid ticket anyway. |
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Post by stubag on Jul 8, 2015 12:31:05 GMT
Many reasons for withdrawal ... Defaced, snapped /damaged, stopped.....I'm constantly withdrawing zip cards that are not working and conforming to the terms and conditions of issues
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Post by slr on Jul 9, 2015 22:01:37 GMT
Revenue inspectors will be identified by their badge, they should have a silver (some may have gold) badges with a 4 digit number (usually in the 3xxx series) which I their badge number and it is this badge that is their authority to board, travel, instruct and check tickets on the buses. The badge will also be accompanied by a photo i.d. Sometimes the photo i.d may be worn on a lanyard or something. Some of the revenue inspectors duties include plain clothes operations Actually it is the card that is the authority to carry out duties, the badge is supplementary (albeit shinier lol). Gold badges are worn by on road supervisors and will be in the 9xxx series, unless it is a cover supervisor. TfL do pay an outside contractor to perform ticketless travel surveys, basically checking that people have tickets/have paid, whilst not actually carrying out enforcement action. I would be interested to know details of the seizure of a Zip card by anybody other than a TfL official though as I suspect that would not be the norm. |
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Post by slr on Jul 9, 2015 22:10:11 GMT
Just to confirm, the ID looked nothing like the (deliberately lo-res) photo attached? Attachment Deleted |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2015 22:39:31 GMT
No - the cards on these individuals lanyards had more and smaller writing and the roundel in the bottom right hand corner was smaller. No signature either. I also don't think there was a photo on the card - I assume your blanked out part is your picture!
These "inspectors" definitely took a Zip card off a youth - not sure if it was a child or 16-17 one. Name and DOB etc were taken from said youth.
I'm not saying these people were doing anything wrong (they had card readers!), but I think that surely photo ID should be visible/shown when doing such actions?
Not being ageist at all but the guy and girl doing this looked late teens/early 20s at most and they did look "young" to be revenue inspectors (I know there is no age limits etc, but usually you see people at least a bit older, who are used to dealing with people!)
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Post by snoggle on Jul 10, 2015 6:33:04 GMT
No - the cards on these individuals lanyards had more and smaller writing and the roundel in the bottom right hand corner was smaller. No signature either. I also don't think there was a photo on the card - I assume your blanked out part is your picture! These "inspectors" definitely took a Zip card off a youth - not sure if it was a child or 16-17 one. Name and DOB etc were taken from said youth. I'm not saying these people were doing anything wrong (they had card readers!), but I think that surely photo ID should be visible/shown when doing such actions? Not being ageist at all but the guy and girl doing this looked late teens/early 20s at most and they did look "young" to be revenue inspectors (I know there is no age limits etc, but usually you see people at least a bit older, who are used to dealing with people!) I wonder if TfL have deliberately recruited / promoted some younger people as RPIs to make them less "obvious" to people who might otherwise spot an older more traditionally dressed Inspector. I can usually spot RPIs before they get on the bus but I've worked with LU RPIs for years and done revenue checks myself so perhaps my antennae are being developed? The use of young plain clothes inspectors is common in Europe so TfL may just be copying continental practice. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2015 8:25:07 GMT
Maybe - but why not the proper RPI photo ID then?
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Post by slr on Jul 10, 2015 9:01:38 GMT
Sounds suspect to me, did they have the old readers pictured below or a bigger credit card machine lookalike thing?  |
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Post by slr on Jul 10, 2015 10:04:54 GMT
Actually, thinking about it, the ticketless travel people generally wear hi-vis jackets whilst working, and I believe there were plain clothes TfL inspectors in the Hounslow area on the date you mentioned. I would say they were TfL inspectors - possibly with a newer style identification card.
If in doubt - you could always write into TfL and ask, would be interested to see their response.
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Post by eggmiester on Jul 11, 2015 2:31:44 GMT
Revenue inspectors will be identified by their badge, they should have a silver (some may have gold) badges with a 4 digit number (usually in the 3xxx series) which I their badge number and it is this badge that is their authority to board, travel, instruct and check tickets on the buses. The badge will also be accompanied by a photo i.d. Sometimes the photo i.d may be worn on a lanyard or something. Some of the revenue inspectors duties include plain clothes operations Actually it is the card that is the authority to carry out duties, the badge is supplementary (albeit shinier lol). Gold badges are worn by on road supervisors and will be in the 9xxx series, unless it is a cover supervisor.. Thought it was one or the other... Mines the other way round with my officials badge being my authority as a supervisor. |
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