Hi all,

Although i drive, i use the bus to get to work as its easier than driving and cheaper..

However on severa occasions lately, i have found that bus drivers refuse to let me/others on, if we try to pay for a ticket, when THEY dont have enough change to give us.. Is this legal?!

An all day ticket is 3.50 where i live- And i have had it in the past where i have tried to pay with a fiver, and all i have got back is 'sorry aint got no change, cant let you on, youll have to go change it, and catch the next one'.

All well and good- but the next one isnt coming for another 20 mins, and THAT would make me late for work!?!?!?!?

Does anyone know of my rights with this?Surely if i have enough money to pay for my ticket, its the bus companys problem if they havent got change, and thus shouldnt refuse me boarding as the problem is on their side?!

I have checked the companys rules on their website all it states is 'please try to have the correct change', it says nothing about being refused boarding....

Anyone any ideas??

The onus is on the buyer to tender legally the correct fare.

There is no legal entitlement to give change.

You can overpay or not get on.

Forestchav is correct on this issue.

Incredible as it may sound, legally, one has no right to change if one, for example, bought a pack of chewing gum in a shop for 40p and gave a £20 note for it.

However, the reality is that this is an extreme example and very unlikely to happen.

Although situations do arise where it does such as catching a bus, vending machines that don't give change etc.

A lot of bus companies would give a change ticket in this situation which can either be exchanged for cash from another driver or the offices or can be used next time you travel.

Until recently, the only bus company to serve where I live did not give change at all. Fortunately we now have two companies serving us and the new one does give change

NCT (Nottm City Transport) are exact fare and have been for years (except the 2 routes which leave the "city area").

One of the companies in my area had an policy that certain people would be allowed to board even if they did not have money for the fare, such as young people alone in dangerous situations (certain areas or late at night I guess?) or people clearly in a state of distress. The driver would ask for contact details if possible and the company might send a polite letter later asking for payment.

It wasn't an advertised policy for obvious reasons but I have no reason to doubt the person who told me about it.

There are some additionals rules that might come in to play - some compnies are contracted to provide local government mandated services I believe, with possible additional policies attached - but I think there is nothing in a normal situation to force a driver to accept a fare.

I don't think a bus company can refuse to let a minor board... I can't cite it though.

I don't think a bus company can refuse to let a minor board... I can't cite it though.

But they do My daughter buys a weekly pass which for some reason is only valid until 8pm each night. One night the bus that would of got into the bus station at 7.45pm in time for the 7.55pm bus home was missing ... she actually got to the bus station at 7.55 just as the bus home pulled out the next bus was 8.25pm ... the driver wouldnt allow her to use her pass and she didnt have enough money on her to pay.

I had to get my dad to go and pick her up as hubby was away and I dont drive

I have travelled on a train without the ability to puchase a ticket (after I got my wallet stolen at night) some years ago. The train staff let me on after giving my address and telephone number, with a requirement to pay the fare later (which I did).

With buses, I think the problem with minors is who the minor is. Where I live, most bus drivers won't let minors on no matter what, mainly due to said minors behaving in a manner more appropriate to cavemen on acid. I know not all youths are like that, but it is a shame. I would hate to think that someone vulnerable would be left stranded.

If a passenger had no money for his/her fare. They should ask for an unpaid fare voucher. This is just a slip of paper that the passenger writes his/her details on and the price of the fare. They can then travel on the bus and pay the fare at a later date.

Children should not be left at a bus stop, but allowed to travel, especially late at night.

Student passes were only valid to 8pm any time after that then they had to pay.

I used to get them coming out of the pub and trying to use the pass to get home at midnight.

The unpaid voucher is not widely used, as it takes so much time to fill out and puts the bus behind on its timetable, the drivers tend to keep it to themselves.

It is impossible for a driver to carry change not only due to the additional weight in addition to all the gear he/she has to carry to the relief points where drivers change over.

Also there is nowhere to store lots of change in the tiny cabs, more especially the newer ones as the space has been reduced for additional passenger space for wheelchairs and prams etc.

Remember a bus driver cannot nip into the bank or send a junior member of staff out to get more change.

Many bus companies do not supply floats due to the sheer number of buses on the road for example FIRST have around 12500 drivers per day at work, times that by £50 worth of change and you have £625,000 of dead money floating around so any change the driver has is usually out of his own pocket or is because other passengers have not been too lazy to ensure they have the correct change for the bus so that the inconsiderate ones that are too idle to do this can peel off a £20 note for the £1.20 fare.

A change voucher is usually offered or other methods of payment (contactless) but of course there are always the ones that want to make a point and make a fuss usually by abusing the drivers in the most appalling way which is really the reason they are kicked off the buss, but there are no free rides so it is pay or get off. It is true there is no legal requirement to give change in any business.

As far as the vulnerable and children travelling they should never be refused travel due to a lack of funds, however, trying to con the driver, sneak on to the bus or use another's pass is a no no, which will end up with the refusal of travel due to fraud /anti social behaviour.

A child should approach the driver and advise that they have insufficient funds though this will not wash if they have just come out of the sweetshop having spent their fare or are trying it on repeatedly, just some of the reasons for refusal of travel that get omitted when reported in the press. But the right of travel for vulnerables exists for obvious reasons, as stated refusal is usually because the little angels are actually little devils.

Hi

busdriver2018 welcome to CAG

Please be aware that this thread is from 2008, if you have anything you wish to ask please start your own thread.