Dublin Bus - 'Change'

Culchie

I wonder where all the 'change' goes? :rolleyes:

This idea of customers having to go to O'Connell street with their 'change' tickets for refunds is crazy.

I think from the companies point of view, it's a great money spinner, and I admire the audacity and shrewdness of the person who thought of it, however this is a consumer forum, and it's a bit 'suss' if you ask me when wearing my consumer hat.

Bluetonic

Culchie wrote:

I wonder where all the 'change' goes? :rolleyes:

This idea of customers having to go to O'Connell street with their 'change' tickets for refunds is crazy.

I think from the companies point of view, it's a great money spinner, and I admire the audacity and shrewdness of the person who thought of it, however this is a consumer forum, and it's a bit 'suss' if you ask me when wearing my consumer hat.

From the companies point of view it is also greatly increases the saftey of their staff and their passengers. When was the last time you heard of a bus being robbed mid journey? Before the 'autofare' is was regular.

With regards to the money, CIE give the money to charity after an unclaimed period. A lot of charities also take the 'change' and cash it http://www.barnardos.ie/frmoneyfornothing.htm

Guy:Incognito

Culchie wrote:

I wonder where all the 'change' goes? :rolleyes:

This idea of customers having to go to O'Connell street with their 'change' tickets for refunds is crazy.

I think from the companies point of view, it's a great money spinner, and I admire the audacity and shrewdness of the person who thought of it, however this is a consumer forum, and it's a bit 'suss' if you ask me when wearing my consumer hat.

It's not as it happens. They can't spend it because it's not their money. Thats why some charitys do a collection of the change tickets. It's like the gold Bullion thing for countries, DB have to have th emoney there should the owners come to claim it.

monkeyfudge

Dublin Bus can skim off the interest that is generated by the money though as far as I know.

Guy:Incognito

monkeyfudge wrote:

Dublin Bus can skim off the interest that is generated by the money though as far as I know.

You could always try asking for the interest when your collecting your change.

Culchie

Bluetonic wrote:

From the companies point of view it is also greatly increases the saftey of their staff and their passengers. When was the last time you heard of a bus being robbed mid journey? Before the 'autofare' is was regular.

With regards to the money, CIE give the money to charity after an unclaimed period.

Yes agreed on the safety issue, but that doesn't mean to say that customers can't receive credit via some other means.... or X amount of receipts could equal a prepaid card etc... redeemable in your local newsagent.

All the unclaimed 'change' (was must be close to 100%) going to charity from Dublin Bus ? ... this is news to me.
If it's true then they should advertise that fact, it would certainly shut the likes of me up complaining....I never heard of that.

BrianD

There is one charity asking people to give them their "change tickets" so they can collect the money. Not a bad idea but I'd sya its hard work.

Kolodny

Is there any sort of a time limit on when you can get your 'change' refunded? Or would that be illegal to impose?

ctrl-alt-delete

speeds up the journey, is safer and much better than the old system, they have some new much faster ticket machines now,

have to say im not really bothered about it, i collect mine, let it build up first, its a cool way to save

Red Alert

ctrl-alt-delete wrote:

faster ticket machines

i don't know where you got that idea from. they suck! i was on the 10 bus into town and the time between the box dumping the cash in and the ticket coming out is at least a few seconds!

monkeyfudge

Yes.. but the paper is so smooth and silky now... it feels good on my skin.

ctrl-alt-delete

Red Alert wrote:

i don't know where you got that idea from. they suck! i was on the 10 bus into town and the time between the box dumping the cash in and the ticket coming out is at least a few seconds!

wasnt like that on the one i was on, the ticket flew out of the yoke??

Raam

In New York, on some buses at least, the 'autofare' box displays the amount that has just been deposited, and keeps the money there for the next person if there is a surplus.

So if my journey costs 75 cents, but I put a euro in, the machine will leave 25 cents on the display and the next person only has to deposit 50 cents.

I think they had a blanket fare for all journeys, so it might not be applicable to the system here since not all journeys cost the same

Pythia

As far as I know, there is no obligation for a seller to provide a customer with change, it's up to the customer to have the right change.
I could be wrong now...

funktastic

Good job they don't have something that knows the exact amount you put into the autofare thing. I've often thrown a load of 5c pieces and gone 'eh €1.50'. :v: My own way of shortchanging Dublin Bus seeing as I never pick up my change on the rare occassions I overpay.

Enii

You can donate change reciepts to the Amnesty shop in Temple Bar.

Cassiel

Are they still giving out change receipts? The last few times on the 67 and 66 they've just issued the ticket, no change receipt. Do you have to ask for it now?

merlinsmerryman

Anytime I've over-payed I've gotten a change reciept. Just stand there and don't move until you get the reciept with change on it, works for me.

steveland?

Cassiel wrote:

Are they still giving out change receipts? The last few times on the 67 and 66 they've just issued the ticket, no change receipt. Do you have to ask for it now?

If you put in a €1 coin for a 90c journey they'll give you a 10c change ticket...

If you put in a 50c, a 10c, a 5c and 13 2c coins they're hardly going to notice the 1c difference...

If it's obvious how much extra you've put in then they'll more than likely give you the change but if it's not then say it to the driver

Guy:Incognito

Enii wrote:

You can donate change reciepts to the Amnesty shop in Temple Bar.

You may as well head over the river to dublin bus and collect all that sweet sweet money for yourself at that stage.

Solair

I think dublin bus should scrap the fare collection at the door system altogether and move towards the same system used by the Luas.

It'd drastically improve journey times, there would be no queues and busses wouldn't be holding up traffic all over the city.

It's actually worse in Cork as there are far fewer bus lanes and the buses hold up traffic for ages while people dig through change.

The technology's cheaper and more available than ever. Just install ticket machines at each major stop and sell tickets via all newsagents.

It works like this in most european countries and seems to be working well on the Luas so there's no reason why it couldn't apply to any city bus either.

ctrl-alt-delete

Solair wrote:

I think dublin bus should scrap the fare collection at the door system altogether and move towards the same system used by the Luas.

It'd drastically improve journey times, there would be no queues and busses wouldn't be holding up traffic all over the city.

It's actually worse in Cork as there are far fewer bus lanes and the buses hold up traffic for ages while people dig through change.

The technology's cheaper and more available than ever. Just install ticket machines at each major stop and sell tickets via all newsagents.

It works like this in most european countries and seems to be working well on the Luas so there's no reason why it couldn't apply to any city bus either.

i think in theory its a good idea and should work, but there are hundreds more buses than luas's running round the city, making it easier for people not wanting to pay to get away with it, dublin bus wouldnt have enough staff to monitor it effectively - in that sense it would be a nightmare for them