This might be a stupid question.

I noticed transport companies like First Bus offer a discounted monthly fare for people who buy their ticket via a smartphone. The users then use their smartphone to show their ticket to the driver or place it on a reader.

The question is, what happens if the phone stops working due to a fault, they can't get the ticket to show on the phones screen or the battery powers runs out ?

You then can't use your ticket to get on a bus or if you are stopped by an inspector, you can't evidence having a ticket. Do people with these tickets stored on their phones print off a copy to keep with them to avoid any potential problems ? If had such a ticket, I would always keep a copy on paper just in case.

This would be the same with train fares etc.

This is the reason I've never risked using an app for bus or train tickets, too open to failure.

My other half is a frequent flyer and refuses point blank to use an app for his boarding card

- he always always prints one before he leaves home as he's seen too many issues at security etc with people whose phones fail at precisely the wrong moment.

At an airport it's presumably relatively easy to solve the problem (time permitting!) as you can just go back to check in and get a paper copy but I've no idea what would happen on a bus or train.

I suspect you'd either have to pay again and then ask for a refund or have to later provide proof that you did have a ticket or be fined as usual.

Maybe someone else has experienced this?

Thanks. Yes i can see this being a problem.

Could you imagine waiting at a bus stop or being at a train station on the way to work and your phone fails, so you can't access your e-ticket ? What if being late for work causes problems in maintaining the job ? Companies can be quite strict these days and if staff are late a few times they can be subject to disciplinary action that could lead to dismissal.

Keeping a paper copy of an e-ticket on you in a bag or wallet might prove to be a life saver, if the transport operator accepts a paper copy. They might not, unless you also have other proof of identity, such as a photo driving licence.

The airline ticket scenario if you don't have time to spare, might prove very costly, if you can't show your e-ticket on your phone.

I like the paper approach too, but I have seen people who carry a phone charger around with them.

HB

I was recently tempted by a handbag which had a built in phone charger. Maybe all these travel companies who would like us to go to e-tickets should provide chargers/charging points?

Interesting point, RMW.

I hadn't realised about luggage with phone chargers but recently saw one on a newspaper website that was built into a suitcase. Of course, you need to remember to charge up the charger.

HB

At some point people will be able to pay for everything with a fingerprint or face recognition, without carrying any debit cards or travel tickets or mobile phones.

The only problem with face recognition as used on the new iphone is that it allows members of the same family with similar facial features to unlock the phone. There is a video online showing a Son being able to unlock his mothers phone.

In 10 years time people might not be carrying money or debit/credit cards.

Can you imagine the problems if the technology doesn't work properly and people are charged for things they didn't buy? CAG could be busy.

HB

Interesting point, RMW.

 

I hadn't realised about luggage with phone chargers but recently saw one on a newspaper website that was built into a suitcase. Of course, you need to remember to charge up the charger.

 

HB

atm, its like those small portable battery packs with usb/connectors etc (which as you say need to be pre charged). when on the go just plug in the phone, ipad, pacemaker, etc.

yep, a cash/paperless techno world (with the obligatory ghosts in the machine), as has been envisaged

i'm going to keep using beans

What sort of beans, Ford?

HB

What sort of beans, Ford?

 

HB

magic ones

In some ways : consider the (charged, working!) mobile device to be like a railcard.........

The (railcard discounted) purchased ticket is valid only with its railcard.

Without its valid railcard, a new ticket must be purchased.

Virgin Trains refer to e-tickets, but use ‘m-ticket’ for tickets on a mobile device (they use ‘e-ticket’ to mean a ticket delivered by email that the passenger can print themselves ......)

So, for an m-ticket, similarly to the railcard...... its validity depends on a working device.

https://www.virgintrains.co.uk/tickets/get-your-ticket

When using an m-ticket you'll need to:

 

Activate your m-ticket on the day of travel, from within the app, and show it to inspectors while on the train.

Ensure your mobile is charged – if you are unable to display your m-ticket, you’ll need to buy a new ticket at the full fare.

If people don’t want to buy railcard tickets because they are worried they won’t have the railcard with them, they don’t have to.

If people don’t want to buy m-tickets because they are worried they will not have a working device with them : they don’t have to.

There might be some people who are more likely to lose a paper ticket than not have a working device with them .....

atm, its like those small portable battery packs with usb/connectors etc (which as you say need to be pre charged). when on the go just plug in the phone, ipad, pacemaker, etc.

yep, a cash/paperless techno world (with the obligatory ghosts in the machine), as has been envisaged

i'm going to keep using beans

Could you imagine being in a Supermarket in say 20 years. Cash and payment cards are no longer in use. The fingerprint or face scanner is not working and there is no way of exchanging goods for money.

There always has to be a backup to technology.

I had this conversation with someone recently about Insurers computer systems. While they do have contingency centres that store an up to date copies of policy records, in the event that there is a major systems failure that lasted a week, if more than one office of the company was affected, it would be a problem. They might not be able to connect to any contingency system that quickly, as I don't think they test these regularly to make sure they can be brought into action within a set period of time. They might face being unable to service customers, until IT had worked their magic.

I was recently tempted by a handbag which had a built in phone charger. Maybe all these travel companies who would like us to go to e-tickets should provide chargers/charging points?

Was it removable?

Could you take it out at the airport, for example....?

 

There always has to be a backup to technology.

 

.

beans?

sounds corny, but its all going to pol pot though, as envisaged. art, literature, film, science, etc. such prescience. it will happen.

when my beans run out, thankfully i won't be around to be subject to 1984 robots in full.

I use both m-tickets and paper tickets. The latter I use mostly for train tickets. I've managed to lose a few an had to pay for a replacement.

I've not had a problem yet with m-tickets.

A few years ago, I thought it would be easier to check in for a flight using the app. Whilst you just need to log in and check in, you still needed some sort of paper proof as your ticket. It turns out it's much less faff to print your ticket.

One thing our local bus company do (and so do London / TfL) is the ability to pay for fares via contactless cards. That makes it easier too.

you can also use a photograph of the owner to do the same.

At some point people will be able to pay for everything with a fingerprint or face recognition, without carrying any debit cards or travel tickets or mobile phones.

 

The only problem with face recognition as used on the new iphone is that it allows members of the same family with similar facial features to unlock the phone. There is a video online showing a Son being able to unlock his mothers phone.

 

In 10 years time people might not be carrying money or debit/credit cards.

you can also use a photograph of the owner to do the same.

That was tried on a TV show and did not work. It should not work according to Apple.