Which bus operators (excluding farebox operators) are still operating an exact fare policy and refusing to give change?

[capitalconnect]

What bus companies (excluding farebox operators) are still refusing to give change?

Most of our bus operators including Arriva and First and Stagecoach and Translink and many others have now returned to giving change but yet there are still some operating an exact fare policy.

I know the Go Ahead Brighton & Hove and Go Ahead Metrobus are both still operating an exact fare policy.

Can anyone think of any other operators (excluding farebox operators) that have still not returned to giving change that i can add to the list?

I have to say i find this exact fare policy that so many operators introduced because of the corona virus so dishonest. It is obviously all about making extra money and nothing to do with corona virus as the drivers still have to touch your money to take it. The driver still has to touch your money to pick it up from the cash tray and put it in to their cash box or bag. So if they have to touch the money to take it from passengers than there is zero reason why they can not touch money to give change to passengers. There is no difference. It is obvious these exact fare policies are all about making extra profit.

Lets just hope the remaining operators return to giving out change soon.

 

[carlberry]

I have to say i find this exact fare policy that so many operators introduced because of the corona virus so dishonest. It is obviously all about making extra money and nothing to do with corona virus as the drivers still have to touch your money to take it. The driver still has to touch your money to pick it up from the cash tray and put it in to their cash box or bag. So if they have to touch the money to take it from passengers than there is zero reason why they can not touch money to give change to passengers. There is no difference. It is obvious these exact fare policies are all about making extra profit.

Lets just hope the remaining operators return to giving out change soon.

Several operators said they'd give the extra to charity and, even if they kept it, it would count against their relief payment from the government so, without the driver had it, it would be zero gain. The driver can mitigate the issue with hand wipes/gels and every reduction of handling either way reduces risk (as it was perceived at the time).

 

[cnjb8]

What bus companies (excluding farebox operators) are still refusing to give change?

Most of our bus operators including Arriva and First and Stagecoach and Translink and many others have now returned to giving change but yet there are still some operating an exact fare policy.

I know the Go Ahead Brighton & Hove and Go Ahead Metrobus are both still operating an exact fare policy.

Can anyone think of any other operators (excluding farebox operators) that have still not returned to giving change that i can add to the list?

I have to say i find this exact fare policy that so many operators introduced because of the corona virus so dishonest. It is obviously all about making extra money and nothing to do with corona virus as the drivers still have to touch your money to take it. The driver still has to touch your money to pick it up from the cash tray and put it in to their cash box or bag. So if they have to touch the money to take it from passengers than there is zero reason why they can not touch money to give change to passengers. There is no difference. It is obvious these exact fare policies are all about making extra profit.

Lets just hope the remaining operators return to giving out change soon.

Nottingham City Transport weren’t giving change when I last used them in August

 

[capitalconnect]

Several operators said they'd give the extra to charity and, even if they kept it, it would count against their relief payment from the government so, without the driver had it, it would be zero gain. The driver can mitigate the issue with hand wipes/gels and every reduction of handling either way reduces risk (as it was perceived at the time).

I was unaware some operators were giving it to charity. That is certainly good that some were doing that rather than keeping it. However the few operators that are still refusing to give change (such as Brighton & Hove and Metrobus and a few others) have no excuse for still continuing with this policy now that most other bus operators have returned to giving change.

Nottingham City Transport weren’t giving change when I last used them in August

But they are a farebox operator. So that is nothing to do with the corona virus. They have never given change even years before the corona virus.

 

[221129]

have no excuse for still continuing with this policy

They have every excuse. They don't have to, and it is a commercial decision. I can see more operators refusing change or cash in the coming years.

 

[Speedbird96]

I was unaware some operators were giving it to charity. That is certainly good that some were doing that rather than keeping it. However the few operators that are still refusing to give change (such as Brighton & Hove and Metrobus and a few others) have no excuse for still continuing with this policy now that most other bus operators have returned to giving change.


But they are a farebox operator. So that is nothing to do with the corona virus. They have never given change even years before the corona virus.

I believe he means the 1 and 26 which prior to COVID-19 were the only routes Nottingham City Transport gave change on so technically he is right to mention them.

 

[carlberry]

They have every excuse. They don't have to, and it is a commercial decision. I can see more operators refusing change or cash in the coming years.

Yes, it's a great way of putting even more people off of bus travel!

 

[Hophead]

Both Brighton And Hove and Metrobus offer change vouchers, though you've obviously got to jump through a few hoops to redeem them. Having said that, paying by cash has long been in the minority for Brighton And Hove, even before they started accepting contactless payments.

 

[capitalconnect]

They have every excuse. They don't have to, and it is a commercial decision. I can see more operators refusing change or cash in the coming years.

They may be allowed to do it but it is certainly not very good customer service.

I believe he means the 1 and 26 which prior to COVID-19 were the only routes Nottingham City Transport gave change on so technically he is right to mention them.

Ah yes i forgot about that. Although i think it was only the 1 and 100 that gave change. I think the 26 was always exact fare and used fareboxes.

Yes, it's a great way of putting even more people off of bus travel!

Indeed. Having an exact fare policy does nothing to encourage bus travel. In fact before corona virus on the few occasions that i was somewhere where the bus operator used fareboxes i would often make sure i avoided them as i did not always have the exact money on me.

Both Brighton And Hove and Metrobus offer change vouchers, though you've obviously got to jump through a few hoops to redeem them. Having said that, paying by cash has long been in the minority for Brighton And Hove, even before they started accepting contactless payments.

Good point. However as you say it is quite a hassle to go and get the change vouchers refunded. You have to go to Brighton to their travel shop or one of their depots and exchange them there. They are probably hoping that the majority of people will not bother to go exchange them (which is probably what ends up happening ad i doubt many people bother going to all that hassle to get back a few pounds).

Within the Brighton area that is true that the majority of people pay with a, contactless card, mobile phone ticket, smartcard ticket, contactless tap on tap off, scratchcard ticket, etc, however it is noticeable once you go outside Brighton on the longer distance routes and especially on the 28 and 29 that a lot of cash payments are still made.

 

[WM Bus]

Johnsons, Henley In Arden. People were paying for £9 tickets and they weren't giving change.

As long as its well advertised though, I don't think its any different to any operator with a farebox not giving change, or maybe they should just install the fareboxes then if they want to introduce no change.

 

[capitalconnect]

Johnsons, Henley In Arden. People were paying for £9 tickets and they weren't giving change.

As long as its well advertised though, I don't think its any different to any operator with a farebox not giving change, or maybe they should just install the fareboxes then if they want to introduce no change.

There are many problems that are caused by fareboxes though. Firstly it is very easy for passengers to underpay on purpose. If a passenger chucks in a large handful of coins there is no way that the driver can properly count them. So it is very easy for the passenger to pay less than they should. Secondly it is easy for passengers to use counterfeit coins and banknotes as the driver is not touching them so has no idea whether or not they are real. So maybe that is why very few of these operators who have gone exact fare due to the corona virus have installed fareboxes.

 

[Joshua_Harman]

Thaneslink's Luton Airport Shuttle bus isn't, and I don't think Brighton & Hove Go-Ahead are either

 

[capitalconnect]

Thaneslink's Luton Airport Shuttle bus isn't, and I don't think Brighton & Hove Go-Ahead are either

It is interesting how different Go Ahead divisions have different policies. Brighton & Hove and Metrobus and their Luton Shuttle are all still exact fare. But yet some others divisions like Go North East and Go South Coast and Go South West seem to have reverted back to giving change.

 

[GusB]

This is not a discussion about the pros and cons of farebox operation. We have other threads that have discussed that at great length.

The subject of the thread is clear: which operators are still refusing to give change when they did so previously, but stopped doing so as a result of the pandemic? Please try to stay on topic, thanks

 

[AB93]

What bus companies (excluding farebox operators) are still refusing to give change?

Most of our bus operators including Arriva and First and Stagecoach and Translink and many others have now returned to giving change but yet there are still some operating an exact fare policy.

It is obvious these exact fare policies are all about making extra profit.

First never stopped giving change during the pandemic.

 

[Flange Squeal]

White Bus (Surrey & Berkshire)’s COVID-19 page still says “exact change only if you have to use cash” (their bold). That said, their page also says face coverings “must” be worn, so it may be just in need of an update, however in terms of change if that’s what their website says, one can only take it at face value.

Covid-19 | White Bus

www.whitebus.co.uk

Nearby operator Falcon Buses also have a Coronavirus page on their website which says “Pay your fare with contactless or our mobile app rather than cash. We are still accepting cash but for exact fare only - our drivers will not be giving change”.

Coronavirus travel information | Falcon Bus

www.falconbuses.co.uk

What makes it easier is that both these operators make their full fare charts readily available on their website, so you can at least check single and return staged fares in advance. Some operators seem to deem such info top secret, which was a bit much really when they’d refuse you change without giving you an easy way to look it up first!

 

[Geordie driver]

The reason given by my local operator was to stop " infected" money being handed back and forth. I imagine few drivers got a free breakfast out of it, and good for them.

I am not saying this worked, everyone was In a right panic and no one really knew how infections were spreading.

I do know money is filthy. You used to get the odd passenger who would try to get on your bus with their money in their mouth. Pedestrians I called them.

 

[[.n]]

First never stopped giving change during the pandemic.

What makes it easier is that both these operators make their full fare charts readily available on their website, so you can at least check single and return staged fares in advance. Some operators seem to deem such info top secret, which was a bit much really when they’d refuse you change without giving you an easy way to look it up first!

I would hope First give change - they are one of the operators who seem to think fares are top secret piece of information never to be divulged on their website (or in fact their customer service line if you ring to ask)

 

[GaryMcEwan]

McGill's are still refusing to give change and are accepting exact fare only.

 

[Simon75]

Arriva North West is/was exact fare only

 

[Markdvdman]

Cardiff Bus was always exact fare only years ago! I wonder if that has changed now? Not used them for a few years when I sometimes got the 95 from Ty Verlon to Cardiff