Bus fare dodging?? Need help.

[Lanadel]

I was using a bus pass a friend bought for me, he is a student.

I’ve been using this bus pass for months, her pictures been on the pass, no issue. I’ve not had an issue to be bothered.

Only yesterday, a bus driver asked for my id card.

I was like, for? Because it was a gift and more so, his picture was on the ticket all this while and no bus driver asked.

Well, if you know these bus drivers, they can be unruly

I was worried, I called customer service and she asked for the email address on the account. The woman started saying that, it’s fraudulent. I said how, when we had the option to gift. The woman said, if I should have any issues, I should come to their office. 

I can pay for the full ticket if need be, that’s not my issue, I genuinely think anything of it since we had the option to gift.

My issue, is, now, what would you advise I do next? Would I be prosecuted? Would I be called in? I have deleted my account, so I can lose that ticket. And I have regained the account, so I have no active ticket.

But I’m thinking that, if that’s their angle, I won’t argue with them anymore, if they need me to pay anything, I will pay. Just confused how it’s a gift, and it’s a crime.

Will they be able to knock on my door? Would they track me down with my email address? My head is just spinning in different directions.

I would really appreciate any response.

Thank you

[honeybee13]

Hello, welcome to CAG.

I'm not quite sure what's happened here. You were using a student bus pass that someone else bought for you. It had his/her photo on it but you thought it was OK to use anway?

Could you tell us who issued the bus pass please? Also, are you a student?

Best, HB

[honeybee13]

Thread moved to our Public Transport forum for further advice.

HB

[BazzaS]

More importantly (for your situation) : were you asked for / did you give your details?

To answer your question on how it can be a crime If Person A wants to buy a pass for Person B as a gift :

1) the pass needs to have the photo of person B, not person A.

2) if the pass is fraudulent, both A and B commit offences

i) Person A if they knew (or should reasonably have known) it was fraudulent

ii) Person B if they do not show a valid ticket on demand. They still commit the offence but might persuade the bus operator not to prosecute if they can convince the operator they didn’t know it wasn’t a valid ticket. That would be an uphill struggle for person B if the pass had person A’s photo associated with it.

Oh, and those unruly bus drivers!

what with insisting people use passes they are entitled to use, and wanting to make sure they aren’t fakes. So unruly!!

[Lanadel]

Thanks for your responses

i am new to the country so I’m not sure how things work 100% but I assumed that, since we had the option to gift, it was fine. With the picture, the identity of the gifter is proven.

Thank you for your response Bazza.

When I say unruly, I have seen a bus driver drive past an old lady just because she was just a minute late, she was literally walking as fast as she could, and someone else even yelled that he stops cos she is old. I’ve seen other people’s experiences with these bus drivers and they can be mean to them, that’s why I said that. I appreciate your sarcasm.

Anyways, I wasn’t asked for any information, other than my email address. Don’t know if they can get anything with that. Whatever the case, thank you. Immediately I learned that, it was wrong, I had already deleted my account, cos that was the only way I could cancel the active ticket.

I have no active ticket and will buy a new one if I wish to travel.

I am not a criminal, never wished to break the law and find no joy in doing so.

Thank you.

[honeybee13]

8 minutes ago, Lanadel said:

Thanks for your responses

i am new to the country so I’m not sure how things work 100% but I assumed that, since we had the option to gift, it was fine. With the picture, the identity of the gifter is proven.

Thank you for your response Bazza.

When I say unruly, I have seen a bus driver drive past an old lady just because she was just a minute late, she was literally walking as fast as she could, and someone else even yelled that he stops cos she is old. I’ve seen other people’s experiences with these bus drivers and they can be mean to them, that’s why I said that. I appreciate your sarcasm.

Anyways, I wasn’t asked for any information, other than my email address. Don’t know if they can get anything with that. Whatever the case, thank you. Immediately I learned that, it was wrong, I had already deleted my account, cos that was the only way I could cancel the active ticket.

 

I have no active ticket and will buy a new one if I wish to travel.

 

I am not a criminal, never wished to break the law and find no joy in doing so.

 

Thank you.

It would be helpful if you could tell us who issued the bus pass please and whether you're a student.

I'm not clear about whether the bus company can track you via your email. I would also suggest you don't blame the bus company staff for something that either you or your friend got wrong.

HB

[BazzaS]

Don’t use passes bearing other people’s photos.

Buy your pass(es) from the official sources.

If someone offers to gift you a pass and you aren’t sure they are buying it from a legitimate source:

Explain you had a problem once, ask them to send you the money, saying you’ll buy it yourself to ensure you don’t have problems.

 

Edited August 1, 2023 by BazzaS

[Lanadel]

It’s just the normal ones you buy on the app. You’re not formally issued the pass like in the bus, not sure if that makes sense. I am not a student.

I am also not blaming them, my explanation was based on the fact that, I had little to no understanding and I was trying to explain myself and I was literally shooed away. I told the driver that I could pay for a new bus pass but I was really confused on the sudden issue when other bus drivers have seen me use the pass and had no issue. He kept stopping me mid conversation and telling me get off. I paid for a fare, as I wasn’t trying to get off easy, I just wanted an explanation to better understand.

That’s why, once I got home and thought about it, I just deleted my account, to lose the money and ticket and not further deliberate or argue with anyone. I was just genuinely confused. If it was an issue then, why was the gifting option allowed to me, with a different email address from the student? I just wanted to understand, that’s why I called customer service to explain too. It literally gives me the option to redeem a gift code. 

Thank you Bazza. Understood.

I even thought to call and say, I’ll pay for any loses? Just exhausted at this point. 

[dx100uk]

we dont normally hear of anything further if simply refused travel on a card not yours by a driver, they dont appear to lead to attempted prosecution, that only happens if stopped by revenue officers or a ticket inspector.

i suspect the 'gift' section was not completed properly, the buyer inputting their details and not yours if i remember the site properly. but that was moons ago.

i doubt you'll here anything.

dx

[BazzaS]

OK, fully confused now.

Was the pass you were using, a student pass or full fare pass?

if it was a full fare pass bought by you using the gift code supplied to you : why did the pass (or accompanying photocard) have someone else’s photo?

[honeybee13]

You haven't told which bus company issued the pass as far as I can see.

HB