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PlusBus tickets

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Saperstein

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Hi,

I wondered how many of you have experience of using PlusBus tickets good or bad?

I have used them a few times down south (Brighton) and for the most part there has been no problem, (incumbent operator Brighton and Hove) but one or two drivers have looked and as soon as they have seen the orange ticket stock looked no further and just said like “it’s ok mate” and waved me on. Others have recognised the ticket and said “thank you”.

What concerns me somewhat is drivers should know what tickets to accept, but some panic at the first sign of a rail ticket... :lol:

Yesterday in Chester, two Stagecoach drivers begrudgingly let me on anyway but Arriva drivers recognised it correctly.

Any thoughts?
 
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_toommm_

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First in Leeds can be a bit funny in my experience - they just stare and stare and it takes me to prompt them what it is for them to begrudgingly grunt at me.

I've found the South Yorkshire one weird as I can buy it as PlusBus Sheffield, but it's valid all over South Yorkshire - that has obviously caught some drivers out, and on the face of the ticket, I really can't blame them tbh.
 

mallard

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I've never had much issue with daily PlusBus tickets. I think it helps that they have "PLUSBUS DAY" in large letters printed at the top. When I used to use a PlusBus season (which was fairly indistinguishable from an "ordinary" train ticket unless you looked closely) as part of my daily commute however...

It seems that some newer systems do print a large PlusBus "banner" on season tickets; that certainly wasn't the case a few years ago.
 

Deerfold

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First in Leeds can be a bit funny in my experience - they just stare and stare and it takes me to prompt them what it is for them to begrudgingly grunt at me.

I've found the South Yorkshire one weird as I can buy it as PlusBus Sheffield, but it's valid all over South Yorkshire - that has obviously caught some drivers out, and on the face of the ticket, I really can't blame them tbh.

The same is true of the West Yorkshire ones.
I've had most trouble with First. Transdev Keighley happily accept Keighley, Leeds, Bradford and Halifax ones. Burnley and Pendle drivers usually shrug and wave me on.
 
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lyndhurst25

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First in Leeds can be a bit funny in my experience - they just stare and stare and it takes me to prompt them what it is for them to begrudgingly grunt at me.

I've found the South Yorkshire one weird as I can buy it as PlusBus Sheffield, but it's valid all over South Yorkshire - that has obviously caught some drivers out, and on the face of the ticket, I really can't blame them tbh.

I've had similar problems in the past. So much so that I emailed the PlusBus organisation suggesting that to help drivers they got "ALL S YORKS BUSES", or something similar, put in the Route box on Sheffield/Meadowhall/Barnsley/Rotherham/Doncaster PlusBus tickets. I think that the gist of the reply that came back was that it was either too difficult to do or that they couldn't be bothered.
 
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route101

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Only really used it in Edinburgh , Most of the time ok , i think only a newer driver will wonder what it is . Knowing Glasgow i bet its a different kettle of Fish . Interestingly ive used it on Lothian Country yet apparently they dont accept them.
I do find frustrating when it appears on the Scotrail TVMs but for some reason you cant select it .
Glasgow Queen St Ticket office is ok for buying it no problems yet Central always ask if i have a ticket already !
 

moose5000

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I have to use a PlusBus for Wrexham almost every Sunday. I'm always a bit anxious using them because despite being perfectly valid, I'm usually challenged or at least 'questioned' about it. I don't blame the drivers, I blame the system - there's obviously not enough training when it comes to some operators and in reality that might be because PlusBus simply isn't a highly used ticket.

I do find it funny when drivers try to argue it isn't valid when there's a PlusBus accepted on this bus sticker on their cab door!
 

Saperstein

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E25643DB-D097-466C-ABE5-E082BF5AD89A.jpeg

I do find it funny when drivers try to argue it isn't valid when there's a PlusBus accepted on this bus sticker on their cab door!

To be fair I’ve never been refused travel yet, or outright challenged!

But I can tell from the body language some drivers aren’t happy.

See attached photo I took yesterday of PlusBus accepted on a Stagecoach bus in Chester!
 

172006

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I've used Plusbus tickets in Essex in the past without problems (except when I confused it with my train ticket and tried putting it in the machine!) but they aren't always valid for the whole route, so a Basildon Plusbus ticket is valid on the 22 bus until Pitsea, but not if you want to travel further.
 

Merseysider

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Stagecoach Manchester were atrocious - had it rejected three times in a day at one point and their customer services were equally useless.

I bought a bike shortly thereafter and never looked back :lol:
 

W-on-Sea

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Used them numerous times, in numerous places, without any problems, or even having to explain what they were. As has not been the case with multi-company bus tickets in Wiltshire or the Cotswolds.
 
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The only problem I had was the conductor on the Northern Train couldn't sell me a Sheffield Plusbus ticket and simply told me to buy my ticket (including rail) from Sheffield Ticket Office when I got there! I've previously only used them on Norfolk Green in King's Lynn a few years ago - no problem at all.
 

Djgr

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Stagecoach Manchester were atrocious - had it rejected three times in a day at one point and their customer services were equally useless.

I bought a bike shortly thereafter and never looked back :lol:

From reading the news today it sounds like Stagecoach Manchester will soon be on their bike!
 

Deerfold

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The only problem I had was the conductor on the Northern Train couldn't sell me a Sheffield Plusbus ticket and simply told me to buy my ticket (including rail) from Sheffield Ticket Office when I got there! I've previously only used them on Norfolk Green in King's Lynn a few years ago - no problem at all.

I had that problem on a train from Wakefield to Nottingham too.
 

Deerfold

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Interesting as I was travelling from Langley Mill on the same line......

The guard had one of the new (at the time) loo roll machines and said they couldn't issue PlusBus on it (I don't know if that was due to the system or training and whether either have changed since).
 

221129

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The guard had one of the new (at the time) loo roll machines and said they couldn't issue PlusBus on it (I don't know if that was due to the system or training and whether either have changed since).
It's the system, and it hasn't changed.
 

David57

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Whe I started Bus driving about six years ago, the training on 'unusual' types of tickets was very hit and miss, I knew what they were, but a few drivers were confused in being presented with a rail ticket!
 

Drsatan

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I've used PlusBus on both Firstgroup and Bluestar services in Southampton without any problems. I once used it on a bus in Nottingham and the driver commented he'd never seen one before, but let me on anyway (it was 10pm on a Friday and he may have thought challenging it would create too many problems at that time).
 

Drsatan

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The only problem I had was the conductor on the Northern Train couldn't sell me a Sheffield Plusbus ticket and simply told me to buy my ticket (including rail) from Sheffield Ticket Office when I got there

Conversely the ticket machines at GWR stations won't sell PlusBus addons. I raised this a few years ago and nothing has been done about it
 

Dr Day

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Bit frustrating Stagecoach (South West - Gloucester) don't offer discounted child plus bus seasons - so the kids (or their parents) have to buy child plus bus day tickets at the booking office, often in bulk at the beginning of the week adding to the queues on a Monday morning.
 
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