National Express: ticket not on drivers chart?

[gray1404]

I booked a National Express ticket today online at 14.30 for travel at 15.45 hours same day. I used a free journey code and selected e-ticket.

When I boarded the service the driver scanned the QR code of my e-ticket and said his hand held device was stated "ticket not on drivers chart" message. He then looked at the long number above the service number on my e-ticket and said that number was there on his device and I was permitted to board.

Can anyone shed any light on this? I have a connection at London Victoria later on this even plus a 2 leg return journey next week so hope not to run into this problem again.

 

[WelshBluebird]

I don't have any inside knowledge here, but speaking as a software developer, I would assume the cause was how close to departure you bought the ticket. I would not at all be surprised if some processes around ticket QR codes and numbers and how those get transferred to the drivers are not done in real time but as part of a regular (maybe every x hours) batch process. Due to that I suspect this evening and next week's journey's would be fine assuming you have already bought the tickets for them.

 

[gray1404]

I don't have any inside knowledge here, but speaking as a software developer, I would assume the cause was how close to departure you bought the ticket. I would not at all be surprised if some processes around ticket QR codes and numbers and how those get transferred to the drivers are not done in real time but as part of a regular (maybe every x hours) batch process. Due to that I suspect this evening and next week's journey's would be fine assuming you have already bought the tickets for them.

Yes they are all on the same booking/ticket - tonights connection and next week's return journey.

I was surprised that the QR code brought up the error yet the batch of numbers listed next to the service on my ticket were on his device.

Given National Express allow bookings on their website up to, I think, 10 minutes before travel, one would have thought they would have a robust system in place.

 

[Qwerty133]

Yes they are all on the same booking/ticket - tonights connection and next week's return journey.

I was surprised that the QR code brought up the error yet the batch of numbers listed next to the service on my ticket where on his device.

Given National Express allow bookings on their website upto, I think, 10 minutes before travel one would have thought they would have a robust system in place.

But the system seems robust in that there was an alternative way to validate the ticket for use and you faced no issues travelling.
Essentially the QR codes act as a way for the drivers to speed up boarding for the vast majority of passengers whilst the written codes are the definitive way to check validity in edge cases such as last minute purchases (which account for such a small proportion of passengers to have a negliable effect on the overall boarding times despite the individual tickets taking substantially longer to process than those which can be checked by QR code).

 

[extendedpaul]

I've had a QR code fail to scan a couple times on National Express bookings made weeks earlier. The driver just checked the reference number, I was thanked and waved on. Nothing to worry about.

 

[gray1404]

I'm confused here. Put in simple terms, if the driver had a number on his device he could check against my ticket, why was the QR code returning an error?

 

[sqrtc]

I'm confused here. Put in simple terms, if the driver had a number on his device he could check against my ticket, why was the QR code returning an error?

It could be as simple as just a bad read of the QR code, just happens time to time. If the driver only scanned once, they may have knew their reader was acting up or just checking the chart is better for customer service/boarding speed.

 

[extendedpaul]

It could be as simple as just a bad read of the QR code, just happens time to time. If the driver only scanned once, they may have knew their reader was acting up or just checking the chart is better for customer service/boarding speed.

Agreed, it's happened to me at the theatre and the Post Office too.

 

[cambsy]

I have used National Express for years and the main way to check tickets has always been the individual reference code for each coach run. Recently, if has been QR codes on a hand held ticket machine.

I find often that the ticket machine is not working, or the drivers don’t bother using them. Personally it’s never been problem or worry to me and I still just got on the coach as normal.

 

[dan5324]

The handheld ticket machines are dreadful. Many QR codes don't read for whatever reason. Tickets can also be reused too as although scanned, tickets aren’t actually taken off the network. Such a crap system.

 

[gray1404]

I booked a National Express ticket today online at 14.30 for travel at 15.45 hours same day. I used a free journey code and selected e-ticket.

When I boarded the service the driver scanned the QR code of my e-ticket and said his hand held device was stated "ticket not on drivers chart" message. He then looked at the long number above the service number on my e-ticket and said that number was there on his device and I was permitted to board.

Can anyone shed any light on this? I have a connection at London Victoria later on this even plus a 2 leg return journey next week so hope not to run into this problem again.

Is this problem likely to have resolved itself now? Hopefully was because I booked 75 minutes before travel.

I'm traveling Friday and don't want any problems.

 

[extendedpaul]

Reading the replies to your query, including mine, I think the consensus is that it's just one of those things and really nothing to be concerned about. QR codes aren't failsafe.

 

[gray1404]

The problem is I am very concerned about it. All it would take is to get a driver that takes the view if it doesn't scan it is invalid. I have seen a similar comment on the rail forum given by a guard who said in their training they were told that an e ticket must scan.

My experienced due to
1. A dodgy QR code
Or
2. The fact I book so close to departure and perhaps the driver had already done a download or all that my booking just haven't been sent to the device yet as they are done periodically on batches

If 1 then I'm likely to have problems on Friday. If 2 then it should be resolved by now.

 

[extendedpaul]

Perhaps contact National Express customer service then ?

True confession. I make the same journey National Express regularly. Earlier this year I somehow managed to book a ticket for the date I wanted but the wrong MONTH. The ticket wouldn't scan of course and the driver looked at it and told me I was a month early. I reacted with genuine shock but he just laughed and said something like don't worry mate and waved me on.

 

[gray1404]

I've sent a tweet to NX customer service.

 

[pdeaves]

Relax. Nothing to worry about, unless you really want to find something to worry about.

 

[gray1404]

Relax. Nothing to worry about, unless you really want to find something to worry about.

I really wish I shared your confidence. I just want a trouble free journey.

Everything was fine in the end I spoke to the National Express control centre this morning and I was also included on the drivers chart. The issue is when a booking is made on the day it appears that the download for that days trips is done overnight.