Inspectors on Buses

[Simon75]

Outside TFL land, are they many operators that a have Inspectors (or eqivilate) checking tickets/passes?

 

[Mwanesh]

Cctv has put paid to that. You rarely get them in most depots.

 

[Highlandspring]

I’ve experienced a full bus ticket check by an inspector on a Stagecoach East Scotland service within the last year or so.

 

[martian boy]

Stagecoach in South Wales still have mobile inspectors, but they don’t seem to be has frequent has a couple of years ago.

 

[LiviCrazy]

We get some on First in West Lothian. They appear every few months, particularly when there seems to be a large amount of new drivers.

 

[Busaholic]

When the TV series on then-independent East Yorkshire was shown there was an episode showing an inspector checking bus tickets.

 

[I13]

National Express in WM and Coventry.

 

[PaulMc7]

First do it in Glasgow on the bus every so often. Not seen any for quite a while personally but it does happen

 

[scosutsut]

I've had them on Lothian and subsidiary East Coast Buses

 

[woodhouse122]

stagecoach yorkshire ocasionally has ticket inspectors in and around the sheffield area

 

[Busaholic]

I'd be very surprised if ticket inspections weren't occasionally carried out by every bus division of the major groups.

 

[johnnychips]

Been living in Doncaster for 38 years and never, ever, had an inspector on a bus.

 

[Darklord8899]

Fron what I can gather, Lothian did away with "ticket inspectors" as such, they were/are replaced by "route managers" who were there more to check on the driver and vehicle, but would do a ticket check as well, though i cant remember the last time i saw one of them either......
I'm guessing they (ticket inspectors) became obsolete due to several factors:
switching away from dual door buses to front door only (less chance of people sneaking on through rear doors)
Fare stages were replaced by a flat fare (therefore removing the issue of passengers riding beyond ticket validity)
And
Increased usage of Ridacards (which are placed on ticket machine on boarding)

prehaps others ( @OmniCity999 , @Driver362 ) .may be able to shed more up to date information .... the above is based on info I was told a good few years ago and my own thoughts....

 

[MrTurbostar170]

Most large operators seem to advertise the threat of them appearing, but I've never actually seen any, even on my trips to London.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Most large operators seem to advertise the threat of them appearing, but I've never actually seen any, even on my trips to London.

I've seen them in London quite a bit of late. I think their purpose varies somewhat - in London on open boarding routes they are RPIs, whereas in the provinces they are more to see if the driver is doing their job properly.

 

[Spike Bank]

I regularly use Nottingham City Transport but haven't seen an Inspector on a bus for years...

 

[LowLevel]

They've always been a thing in the West Midlands, used to get big gangs of them checking entire buses quickly while they stood at the stop, often with police backup. A quick Google shows numerous 'Angry People In Local Newspaper' style complaints about them so I assume they're still about.

 

[Bluebirdscot66]

First in and around Falkirk ,Stirling, livi have revenue inspectors that have personal cctv on them , as they usually are on their own . when they board they ask driver to see their cpc card , sign the drivers defect card ( making sure they’ve completed it .then ask for tickets and passes .if there has been any discrepancies found like the customer has the incorrect ticket for the journey it’s usually the driver that gets reported rather than the customer being asked to pay up . It’s usually a concession card discrepancy like the incorrect destination printed that gets a driver pulled up .
With first Glasgow they used to board in 2s or 3 s 1 quickly upstairs 1 downstairs and 1 checks the driver.

 

[westcoaster]

I saw a stagecoach chap the other day in Kettering, his badge said revenue protection inspector.

 

[Red Onion]

In the 25 or so years I’ve been using Stagecoach in Aberdeen/shire I’ve only ever had one ticket check. It seemed to be more of a driver check similar to as mentioned above

 

[robk23oxf]

If the inspector finds a serious irregularity they can suspend the driver there and then and take over driving the bus.

 

[Busaholic]

If the inspector finds a serious irregularity they can suspend the driver there and then and take over driving the bus.

Wow, never heard that one. Any instances you know of?

 

[robk23oxf]

Wow, never heard that one. Any instances you know of?

I know of one although I would prefer not to give details. The driver was reinstated with no further action taken when the investigation was concluded.

 

[Typhoon]

Stagecoach South East - at least two, been checked at least twice in the last year and I'm not that regular a traveller. One is particularly pleasant!

 

[Mwanesh]

They've always been a thing in the West Midlands, used to get big gangs of them checking entire buses quickly while they stood at the stop, often with police backup. A quick Google shows numerous 'Angry People In Local Newspaper' style complaints about them so I assume they're still about.

I personally hate those guys. I remember my coach breaking down at Pool Meadow my passengers were collected. With a National Express depot across the road i was told i had to wait for a Scania recovery. Off i decided to go the other side of town they came on board and had the cheek to ask for my ID even though i was in National Express uniform. I thought they were joking after much arguing i showed them my id and their answer we thought you were an impostor.

 

[175mph]

If the inspector finds a serious irregularity they can suspend the driver there and then and take over driving the bus.

And would they leave the driver behind at the stop they got on at to carry out the inspection in the first place?

 

[GaryMcEwan]

Stagecoach Perth still has the same Inspector I'd say going on for 25+ years and does it quite frequently.

 

[philthetube]

I personally hate those guys. I remember my coach breaking down at Pool Meadow my passengers were collected. With a National Express depot across the road i was told i had to wait for a Scania recovery. Off i decided to go the other side of town they came on board and had the cheek to ask for my ID even though i was in National Express uniform. I thought they were joking after much arguing i showed them my id and their answer we thought you were an impostor.

There is a reason why they give you an ID

 

[Belperpete]

They've always been a thing in the West Midlands, used to get big gangs of them checking entire buses quickly while they stood at the stop, often with police backup. A quick Google shows numerous 'Angry People In Local Newspaper' style complaints about them so I assume they're still about.

Happened yesterday on the bus I was travelling on into Wolverhampton. One inspector checked upper floor, another the lower floor, while bus held at the stop. Several other inspectors standing there.

 

[Belperpete]

In Prague, a man and woman carrying shopping bags would get on the tram, then once the tram had started moving, they would pull out their ID badges and start checking tickets. Used to happen regularly, at least once per visit there, but not for a couple of years now.