Dublin Bus

I'm sure that many of you saw the newspaper articles over t'weekend about Dublin Bus having more than €9m in its coffers in unreturned change. This arises because, if you don't have the correct change to pay your fare, the driver will (or should) give you a receipt for the change due to you. But so many people seem to bin these receipts or just not bother collecting...and I am one of them.

On a related matter, twice in the past six weeks I have given bus drivers a €2 coin for a sub-€2 fare and they have 'hesitated' in issuing me with a receipt for my change, until I reminded them to do so. If it happened once, I would have said it was a genuine mistake. But to happen twice is a little less genuine. And I only take the bus once a fortnight.

So be wise, as I now am, when you are due a refund receipt. It's bad enough that Dublin Bus is making extra change. Let's not line the driver's pockets as well.

And don't forget that there are many charities that will accept your unwanted change receipts. They will cash them in.

I remember 3 or 4 years ago when they said it was worth £50,000 a year. I can't believe its gone up so much. I remember lots of shops had charity boxes that accepted bus receipts, but I don't see them too much anymore.
Trocaire should launch a campaign "Bus Receipts For Trocaire" and they'd make a packet.

I still have receipts that are in £ and p. Are these still valid?

Last week myself and hubby jumped on a bus to go 3 stops. We only had €2 coin - asked for min fare which was 85 cent. It was only when we got off the bus we noticed that we had been given 2 no. 85 cent tickets and no receipt for the excess paid. Very cheeky.

This is theft by another name and i can't see how Dublin Bus get away with it. Imagine the fuss if the likes of Ryanair or taxi firms dreamed up a similar scheme

It's a great scam in some ways. It only affects bus users.
How do bus users get to town? They take the bus.
So they have to pay to get to town to get back their own money.

But sure if you had a system that was bringing in this much cash, would you try to fix it?

-Rd

I don't see a problem with getting the refund tickets.

It has undoubtedly cut back on the number of crimes against bus drivers - this alone makes it worthwhile.

Obviously some drivers are too lazy or cunning to issue refunds all the time. Just ask and you shall receive.

With regards to claiming your refund - everyone passes through town at some stage and if not just stick them in the post.

It has undoubtedly cut back on the number of crimes against bus drivers - this alone makes it worthwhile.

If security were the key issue, how come DB have yet to introduce a proper prepaid ticketing scheme as applies in every civilised city in Europe?

Busdrivers often don't count the change. I don't think they're trying to rip anyone off as they certainly don't get the excess, its just that they're busy looking to see the traffic, etc. I've often been short of change and they've never spotted it. Likewise how are they going to spot that need to give 10c change to someone paying e.g. €1.90 instead of €1.80.

Might be an idea to post a bunch of receipts to a charity of your choice ?
Laoise

With regards to claiming your refund - everyone passes through town at some stage and if not just stick them in the post.

I have to say the chances of me getting into the Dublin Bus head office in O'Connell Street, Monday - Friday, between 9 and 5 are very remote. I work in Dublin 8 it is just not possible, and I think this is why D.B have so much in unclaimed receipts. They are not making it easy for people to get their money back.

I do not use the bus very often, only jumping on if it is wet on the way in or out of work, therefor none of the prepay tickets are suitable. The weekly monthly etc are no good.

This DB scam has really being going on long enough. First it should be possible to redeem at local newsagent, post office. Second I don't think the drivers can pocket it unless they print off alot of refunds at the end of their shift. unlikely. I thought the change went automatically to charties and therefore didn't take the receipt. next time I'll take it and give it to any of the abundant homeless people/beggers who should have the time to cash them in.
I think a letter to Seamus Brennan is in order.

If security were the key issue, how come DB have yet to introduce a proper prepaid ticketing scheme as applies in every civilised city in Europe?

Not defending the retention of unclaimed change by Dublin Bus but how exactly do the existing prepaid ticketing systems (available from most newsagents etc.) not fit the bill in this context? I've never found them any more hassle than the sytems used in continental European cities. More expensive all right - but that's a different issue altogether...

www.dublinbus.ie/fares_an.../daily.asp

First it should be possible to redeem at local newsagent, post office.

Do you expect newsagents to do this for free? I'd expect them to take a cut - who do expect to fund their fee?

I've never found them any more hassle than the sytems used in continental European cities.

On the continent, you can buy your bus tram or metro ticket from a tobacco or newspaper stall - not on the transport itself. This applies to all tickets, not just daily or weekly tickets. You validate the ticket once your journey begin. No need for conductors, no need to distract or delay the driver. Why not the same here?

OK - I get you now. Although, to be fair, they do sell some single journey/time limited tickets through ticket agents:

www.dublinbus.ie/fares_an.../other.asp
www.dublinbus.ie/fares_an.../daily.asp (Travel 90 Handy Pack)

I've always believed that they should just get rid of cash on the buses altogether and go with prepaid tickets completely. There would be smoking ban style uproar for a while but they we'd all just get on with it.

The "Exact Fare" rule came in at the same time as the driver-only system, when conductors "got the bullet"!

It is eminently sensible that the driver not have to fiddle around with change. As a public-transport user who does not own a car on ecological grounds I find it infuriating when someone gets onto a crowded bus with a twenty note for a 50p ticket! It is antisocial to the n'th degree! There is an excellent system of pre-pay tickets, even for occasional users, in the flexible Rambler ticket scheme. It also costs a great deal less than buying individual fares.

Dublin Bus drivers I've chatted with about this told me the refund of change scheme was DESIGNED to encourage prepaid ticket purchase or people making sure they had the exact fare for their journey.

Bellyaching about a few cents change seems to me to be storming-in-a-teacup when the REAL issue is the devastation of what was becoming a reliable and reasonably-priced public transport system in Dublin, when the "partial privatisation" rubbish kicks in! People in Dublin won't know what they've had till it's gone (Joni Mitchell sang that in the 60's about paving paradise and it's still true!)

Indeed - one suspects that Mr Brennan will screw this up royally. I am no fan of the unions and their protectionist stance, but at the same time I cannot see the point of taking 25% of Dub Bus and making it private, it doesn't actually solve a damn thing, we still have the same number of buses and routes.

Mr B, I think, should identify new routes (e.g. an orbital route bases in the inner and outer rings in the new traffic plan) and those routes that require more capacity, then invite the private companies (and Dublin Bus) to come in to operate these routes. At some point other Dublin Bus routes should come up for franchise - where the winner supplies thier own buses and drivers, as opposed to Mr B saying. OK First Choice, you win the 15A route. Here are all Dublin Buses used on that route, off you go. There is no point robbing from Peter to pay Paul.....

My own sons often comment on the fact that the driver does not print, that there is a refund due, on the ticket. Maybe we should start reporting the individual drivers that do this to their bosses.

I have seen some drivers over the years run off tickets on a quiet part of the journey, and put it in their pockets. I always assumed that this was the 'change' that they had'nt given out and they were pocketing for themselves. (note - this is just my assumption and i have only ever seen a small few drivers do this).

I'd be guessing that there is a tolerance level (plus or minus) on each cash take on a journey, as some people will pay over/under every time. And I've never heard of any procedure in Dublin Bus where the driver makes up/receives the difference.

I think it was Marie that said, there's nothing more annoying than someone trying to pay for a 50c journey with a €20 note......... I myself find nothing more annoying than a passenger, who's been standing at a stop for God knows how long, who probably takes the same bus every day, who then gets on the bus and proceeds to search in a bag for their purse and then starts to finger through it for change. ( i've posted a clue in their as to the gender of the passengers that mostly seem to inflict this infuriating ritual on me whenever i get a bus/q in a shop etc !!!!!!!) .

My own sons often comment on the fact that the driver does not print, that there is a refund due, on the ticket. Maybe we should start reporting the individual drivers that do this to their bosses.

Or better still just ask for the change ticket there and then.

I always assumed that this was the 'change' that they had'nt given out and they were pocketing for themselves. (note - this is just my assumption and i have only ever seen a small few drivers do this).

I've seen drivers printing something off when finishing a shift and assumed that it was some sort of tally for when they handed the ticket machine back in at the depot.