Lothian Buses and ECB Discussion

[Lothiangem22]

The Wright Streetairs (284-289) have the latest interior spec.

forgot about those since they haven’t been in service for so long... I stand corrected

 

[Bus9120UK]

forgot about those since they haven’t been in service for so long... I stand corrected

Indeed. In 2020 the only one in service was 287, on the 61, but due to lockdown the route is off service so the electrics are not in use.

 

[OmniCity999]

Indeed. In 2020 the only one in service was 287, on the 61, but due to lockdown the route is off service so the electrics are not in use.

The 61 has now been terminated.

 

[Auld reekie]

The 61 has now been terminated.

and it won’t be back.

 

[OmniCity999]

and it won’t be back.

Never say never...

 

[FlybeDash8Q400]

61 was surplus to requirements anyway due to the fact Standard Life are progressively planning to move out of the West End office. Most operations are being sold off and those that aren’t are being run from Canonmills

 

[Siemens Trains]

So you have to specifically ask now?

With there being two options of ticketing paid by contactless I'd assume you'd need to state which you want, same as you would at any retailer.

The market for personal £1.80 adult single paper tickets using contactless payment must be confined to the most eccentric of collectors. There really shouldn't be any need to say you want to participate in the capping scheme if presenting a card and I imagine drivers can safely assume this is the default option. Passengers should just state their destination for the journey on each service.
If a passenger wants to buy a paper day ticket with a card on their first journey to subsequently use on trams, West & East Lothian services then they need to highlight that when buying. Similarly if paying for more than one person with only one card they should state the number and type of tickets needed. But this has always been the case - you wouldn't silently dump £5.40 of coins into the hopper and expect the driver to know by telepathy that you wanted three single tickets for yourself and two adults in the queue behind.

 

[CN04NRJ]

The market for personal £1.80 adult single paper tickets using contactless payment must be confined to the most eccentric of collectors. There really shouldn't be any need to say you want to participate in the capping scheme if presenting a card and I imagine drivers can safely assume this is the default option. Passengers should just state their destination for the journey on each service.
If a passenger wants to buy a paper day ticket with a card on their first journey to subsequently use on trams, West & East Lothian services then they need to highlight that when buying. Similarly if paying for more than one person with only one card they should state the number and type of tickets needed. But this has always been the case - you wouldn't silently dump £5.40 of coins into the hopper and expect the driver to know by telepathy that you wanted three single tickets for yourself and two adults in the queue behind.

In this case it was because the person wanted a physical receipt (rather than a bank statement entry) to provide to whoever was reimbursing them for their journey. Prior to this i've been asked for some kind of receipt for the tap, tap cap service but that was not an option so advised them that their bank statement would show the transaction. I imagine this is the main benefit to having a physical single ticket, rather than for ticket collectors.

 

[Graeme Duncan]

I wonder if Lothian would consider moving B9's 826-835 to the training fleet .

 

[CN04NRJ]

I wonder if Lothian would consider moving B9's 826-835 to the training fleet .

They're used for route learning also so it would be my guess they'd be single decks.

 

[scotrail158713]

In this case it was because the person wanted a physical receipt (rather than a bank statement entry) to provide to whoever was reimbursing them for their journey

That’s true actually - I wouldn’t have thought of that.

 

[OmniCity999]

I wonder if Lothian would consider moving B9's 826-835 to the training fleet .

There'll be no transfers to the training fleet for the time being. We're going to need as many active vehicles when we go back to full service to allow for social distancing.

Its also not necessary, learners can sit there tests in single deckers and gain double deck experience in any vehicle. It doesn't need to be painted up. Repainting and modifying a vehicle for training means it can no longer be used in service. Whereas service buses can be used for training with L plates on. This was the exact reasoning behind getting rid of the trident trainers and using eclipses.

In the future however, the next training vehilces may be early B9s. But the current trsining fleet has plenty of life left in it so won't be replaced.

 

[CN04NRJ]

There'll be no transfers to the training fleet for the time being. We're going to need as many active vehicles when we go back to full service to allow for social distancing.

Its also not necessary, learners can sit there tests in single deckers and gain double deck experience in any vehicle. It doesn't need to be painted up. Repainting and modifying a vehicle for training means it can no longer be used in service. Whereas service buses can be used for training with L plates on. This was the exact reasoning behind getting rid of the trident trainers and using eclipses.

In the future however, the next training vehilces may be early B9s. But the current trsining fleet has plenty of life left in it so won't be replaced.

I'm guessing that with the low emissions zone being pushed back the euro 3 vehicles still in the training fleet (have the native ones been upgraded to euro 5?) that is no longer an issue with them either. Although, obviously, they could be upgraded if necessary too.

 

[90019]

But this has always been the case - you wouldn't silently dump £5.40 of coins into the hopper and expect the driver to know by telepathy that you wanted three single tickets for yourself and two adults in the queue behind.

You'd think so, but people still do that then look at you like you're an idiot when you ask what ticket(s) they want.

 

[CN04NRJ]

You'd think so, but people still do that then look at you like you're an idiot when you ask what ticket(s) they want.

That happens more than you might think, with passengers adding in quite a large variety of copper and silver coins before asking 'how much have I put in?' or they think the hopper counts it for them. Thank goodness for contactless I say!

 

[317 forever]

At this point no one will to be honest, as restrictions are easing and not everyone has a car! I’ve used a bus to visit family and travel to certain places for walks, not exactly essential but I got a face mask and a bottle of hand sanitizer on me 24/7 so I’m beyond giving a hoot

Hopefully leisure travel will be even easier to justify once tourism is reinstated on July 15th.

 

[90019]

That happens more than you might think, with passengers adding in quite a large variety of copper and silver coins before asking 'how much have I put in?' or they think the hopper counts it for them. Thank goodness for contactless I say!

That's something I've definitely not been missing while furloughed.

 

[TheEastCoaster]

Hopefully leisure travel will be even easier to justify once tourism is reinstated on July 15th.

That’s right I never thought about that, I imagine folk will be flocking to ideal hotspots

Admittingly I had tempting thoughts to bus it out to South Queensferry or North Berwick for a day trip out to the coast and enjoy the sights while still keeping social distancing from others but never followed through with it because I know that admitting that on the internet is the equivalent of the death penalty

Will definitely wait till things calm down a little more and hope we can enjoy some of the summer if we are able too

 

[diamond chap]

In this case it was because the person wanted a physical receipt (rather than a bank statement entry) to provide to whoever was reimbursing them for their journey. Prior to this i've been asked for some kind of receipt for the tap, tap cap service but that was not an option so advised them that their bank statement would show the transaction. I imagine this is the main benefit to having a physical single ticket, rather than for ticket collectors.

That’s true actually - I wouldn’t have thought of that.

You can print your journey history by following the 'view your payment and journey history here' link on this page: https://www.lothianbuses.com/contactless/

 

[CN04NRJ]

You can print your journey history by following the 'view your payment and journey history here' link on this page: https://www.lothianbuses.com/contactless/

Oh that's interesting, I didn't know that. Thanks!

 

[BobScott]

Oh that's interesting, I didn't know that. Thanks!

If you pay by tap tap cap and a ticket inspector gets on the bus how do you prove you’ve paid the fare?

 

[OmniCity999]

If you pay by tap tap cap and a ticket inspector gets on the bus how do you prove you’ve paid the fare?

They scan your card...

Otherwise the service would be pointless wouldnt it. It has been thought through you know.

 

[BobScott]

They scan your card...

Otherwise the service would be pointless wouldnt it. It has been thought through you know.

Well I asked because I didn’t know that.

 

[route101]

That’s right I never thought about that, I imagine folk will be flocking to ideal hotspots

Admittingly I had tempting thoughts to bus it out to South Queensferry or North Berwick for a day trip out to the coast and enjoy the sights while still keeping social distancing from others but never followed through with it because I know that admitting that on the internet is the equivalent of the death penalty

Will definitely wait till things calm down a little more and hope we can enjoy some of the summer if we are able too

If you think its ok to go somewhere then you should travel. With the non essential shops opening , message should be dropped. I looking going a few trips in the next week or so.

 

[route101]

Well I asked because I didn’t know that.

Understanble , does the ticket machine show you when youve reached your cap?

 

[OmniCity999]

Understanble , does the ticket machine show you when youve reached your cap?

It puts it through as a new purchase. I believe on-board machines don't know, its the network that they run off that knows who's done what.

Ticket inspectors have access to this through their PDA's or what ever they call them this week.

 

[Siemens Trains]

It puts it through as a new purchase. I believe on-board machines don't know, its the network that they run off that knows who's done what.

Ticket inspectors have access to this through their PDA's or what ever they call them this week.

From what I recall the purchase shows up quite rapidly on the web page that was linked above, so the system should know all the cards used to buy tickets from a particular machine within the past hour or so.
But I don't think the ticket machine itself would know how many journeys have been made and at what price. With using bank cards the machines don't need to know that. Maybe this is why Lothian didn't want to have a system using dedicated travel cards like Oyster in London, as the machines need to highlight if a customer is trying to ride the bus/train with no credit left.

 

[CN04NRJ]

Looked to be quite a few vehicle movements today ahead of Longstone reopening, saw a few B9TLs Longstone bound and B7TLs coming back the other way.

 

[ScotRail158725]

Looked to be quite a few vehicle movements today ahead of Longstone reopening, saw a few B9TLs Longstone bound and B7TLs coming back the other way.

some Longstone B7s showing at Marine now (707/708/758 to name a few)

 

[Lothiangem22]

Can we not get our B5’s back at longstone?
Also, Never thought I’d say it but will be nice for some B7RLE’s to be back on the road before the new single decks arrive!