Cashless buses - the way forward?

Cool Mo D wrote: »

Cashless buses with multiple doors is definitely the future.

It would need way more inspectors, and on-street ticket machines though.

It works in many sites I been to. It also works on the luas in dublin.

In Rome there is a small machine on buses to get a single bus ticket. The bus driver do not have any interaction with it. Most people there get weekly, monthly, etc tickets for public transport and validate it on the bus with the machines on the bus. Some cites have large fines for failing to have a €2 ticket or failing to validate it when they get onto the bus. I see similar things in other cites on my travels. They have multiples doors and the driver, well just drives, and not worry about non-paying fares.

Only here in Ireland I see cash on very little doors on buses compare to our European neighbors, yet I am surprise there is not more robberies on buses for easy access to cash even small change. I see more people in Ireland who will try to get anything for free than else where or how to screw the system which the rest of us will have to pay for it with rises in our tickets costs.

Leap card and bus cards, etc is the way forwards with surprise inspections with our current bus inspectors with fines for having no valid ticket with much higher fines. It should not be up to the driver to check tickets. They already have enough hassle on a daily basis. It will also save on costs with less attacks on bus drivers with security costs, medical costs for drivers, damage costs and courts costs, police costs, administration costs.

Most people have bank/credit cards to pay for tickets at machines and lots of machines take cash at designated areas which well frankly most of us knows how to use, while some albeit slowly use them and complain at it for there own ignorance and lack of competence to use machines.
Some buses have single coins machine for tickets, which are more expensive for single trips.
In some cites, you can pay at the end of the journey, if there is no working machine where you got on.

When I travel to other cites, the first thing I get is a public transport ticket to cover the period that I am there whenever it a tourist card or the same card the locals pay for. No need to look for cash after that, just display the ticket when needed. Some times there is not need to get the ticket out after validating such as Berlin, or Posnan/Gdansk when there last summer for the Euros.
On those days the match ticket cover for the day public transport.

thisisadamh wrote: »

Just install a Luas type leap card tag on/off point at each bus stop. Way faster boarding times then. An inspector would just be needed on some services to make sure people are not abusing the trust system.

I agree with this. But we need to get away from the driver in checking tickets and taking money and concentrate more of their attention on driving. We need to move to a European version of public transport.
Most buses have CCTV cameras. Inspectors can see if there is repeated offenders and then move to that area and get those individuals, especially if they are regulars and take them to court for non-payment of fares. In reality just like now they will always be those who will abuse the system, no system is full proof. Luas is similar to the European version of public transport but with far more inspectors or personnel here asking to show tickets. On all my years of travels, I never been asked in other countries to show my public transport ticket unlike here in Ireland where it is a regular occurrence especially at match times. Only private transport and long distance travel have ask me for my ticket.

In Hong Kong we have Octopus cards that work on any transport and good number of stores. I was there when they still had queues for ticket machines over a decade ago, the Octopus card has completely changed transport and made it so efficient and quick.

My friend marvelled at it because it puts even London's transport to shame.