Dress codes for PRIV holders?

[neilmc]

Do any TOCs stipulate dress codes for privilege ticket holders?

In the light of the United Airlines controversy regarding refusing flight to young girls dressed in leggings, I stated that a UK airline would not have such a dress code only to be told that BA still do.

So as a privilege ticket holder (or family member) in the UK land travel industry are you seen to be "representing the company" and need to conform to certain requirements?

 

[pitdiver]

I am a priv tkt holder and I think any TOC would be ashamed if they saw how I look some times. However I'm retired and I worked for LUL

 

[AlterEgo]

In short, no.

 

[gimmea50anyday]

And realistically how would this be enforced?

Could you expect people to rat out their colleagues due to their choice of attire when they are not on duty?

 

[tsr]

None that I know of. Misuse of free travel / status passes and privilege rate discount cards can result in them being confiscated or withdrawn, but this misuse would generally fall into the categories of offences like breaching byelaws whilst travelling, dependents using them for commuting where not permitted to do so, sharing them with people not authorised to use them, etc.

On the railways, if you can be deemed to be representing a TOC, then you are likely to be a current employee using their passes to commute to/from work or an event, and as such you'd probably need to comply with their dress code, code of conduct and (more importantly) safety policies such as the Drugs & Alcohol policy.

It's an interesting question, though - at railway company [x] for which I work, one of my staff travel passes can also be used as ID for my job, so I always make sure that if I'm using and therefore going around showing that one, I'd be theoretically fit to work and presentable enough, should there be any question over my use of it.

 

[Signal Head]

I saw this article and the same thought struck me, ie would TOCs ever try to implement something similar.

I would say not, and the situation probably isn't the same anyway, as I presume the US case relates to someone travelling with their own employer (I further presume they only get the concession with their employer, and not across multiple airlines).

In our case, if you are safeguarded (ex BR), you can travel with any TOC, and what about non-TOC staff like myself, I can't see VT etc. ever being worried about how staff they don't employ, travelling for leisure purposes, are dressed

 

[attics26]

if I wanna wear leggings, then I will, tho please let me sober up b4 that happens!

 

[nickdavies]

They could refuse to carry you if your clothing was causing offence to other passengers. A racist t-shirt slogan would do it. Then they could confiscate your ticket while they're at it. If you're on a £5 supersaver you probably wouldn't give much of a toss. If your priv pass is at stake you might be a little more worried.

 

[455driver]

On the railways, if you can be deemed to be representing a TOC, then you are likely to be a current employee using their passes to commute to/from work or an event, and as such you'd probably need to comply with their dress code, code of conduct and (more importantly) safety policies such as the Drugs & Alcohol policy.

So I am unable to use my PRIV/staff pass after I have been to a retirement I am 'representing my TOC' and must buy a ticket if I have had a few halves of shandy!

Please define 'representing a TOC'?

 

[306024]

BA certainly do have a dress code if using their 'priv' travel. As for the railways, no such dress code other than common sense, whatever that is.

 

[tsr]

So I am unable to use my PRIV/staff pass after I have been to a retirement I am 'representing my TOC' and must buy a ticket if I have had a few halves of shandy!

Please define 'representing a TOC'?

Stop being silly Quite obviously someone returning from a retirement do should not be a) doing anything or b) using any documentation which suggests they're at work and the public face of their employer. That's not the sort of event I meant, anyway!

You're quite welcome to use your PRIV and staff travel pass for leisure travel, I am sure, and I'd not have a problem with that, but if I were in your circumstances and given the way my esteemed bosses have arranged the credit-card-sized stuff we carry around, I wouldn't have put my combined TOC staff ID/local pass in my wallet, as a quick ticket check could result in a bit of an awkward exchange of questions when it turns out that I'm wandering around with my pass to all sorts of non-public stuff and (being not exactly sober) it could quite easily end up visible to all and sundry when plonked on a train table or waved at barrier staff. On the other hand, I'll grab that wallet if I'm likely to stay fit to work, and I'm not too scruffy.

In other words, it's about picking your moment to use and not abuse the various bits of plastic which you get in the post! And I am sure, of course, that you are very sensible and use everything appropriately

So, to answer your question, I suppose "representing a TOC" is to make yourself known as staff with specific duties, rather than any number of family members and others who might hold a travel pass.

 

[Richard_B]

It is a lot easier to enforce dress codes onto a plane where each ticket is scanned at the gate with a human there (pretty much) compared to the supervision of boarding a train - even passing through ticket barriers most people need not stop or interact with the staff there.

 

[HSTEd]

I currently hold a 'dependent of retired' 1st Class PRIV pass...
My father joined the railway circa 1970 and was made redundant by Sema in 2001.

Not really sure there is anyone left who could claim I was representing them.
And I am scrupulous in obeying the constraints of said pass - after all the railway was once a family and although recent events have diluted that - I am not going to abuse the priviledge I am granted. I once tried to buy a PRIV ticket from Maulden Road to Manchester Picadilly - guard told me not to bother [there was no ticket office open there at the time].

 

[Clansman]

I also have a pass, but only until 25 as it's dependent (from father).

I'll go sporting casual football where to away games without fuss, and even my father will happily sport a football top and a kilt as if to say he shouldn't within a mile of a first class carriage from his dress sense alone

Long story short, his attire is only representative of the TOC whilst he's working.

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

This whole story about United Airlines is complete nonsense. The passengers wearing the offending attire were 10 year old girls: in what sense could they possibly have been representing the airline? We regularly find ourselves discussing the antics of a small number of TOC staff who seem completely unable to apply common sense to situations; it would appear that airlines have one or two staff members with a similar inability to do the right thing.

 

[Bromley boy]

Stop being silly Quite obviously someone returning from a retirement do should not be a) doing anything or b) using any documentation which suggests they're at work and the public face of their employer. That's not the sort of event I meant, anyway!

You're quite welcome to use your PRIV and staff travel pass for leisure travel, I am sure, and I'd not have a problem with that, but if I were in your circumstances and given the way my esteemed bosses have arranged the credit-card-sized stuff we carry around, I wouldn't have put my combined TOC staff ID/local pass in my wallet, as a quick ticket check could result in a bit of an awkward exchange of questions when it turns out that I'm wandering around with my pass to all sorts of non-public stuff and (being not exactly sober) it could quite easily end up visible to all and sundry when plonked on a train table or waved at barrier staff. On the other hand, I'll grab that wallet if I'm likely to stay fit to work, and I'm not too scruffy.

In other words, it's about picking your moment to use and not abuse the various bits of plastic which you get in the post! And I am sure, of course, that you are very sensible and use everything appropriately

So, to answer your question, I suppose "representing a TOC" is to make yourself known as staff with specific duties, rather than any number of family members and others who might hold a travel pass.

That's an interesting point of view, I have to say I'm not sure I agree.

I find it convenient to keep my staff travel pass, staff ID, priv and train driving licence in the same wallet. The Ts and Cs on the staff travel pass state that, as an active employee, I can use it for "leisure, residential and duty purposes" and that it must be presented with a valid company photo ID.

If I'm travelling on my TOC's trains for leisure I'm obviously not in uniform and it has never occurred to me to think about how I'm presented or whether or not I'm fit for work. I'm not at work! I'm simply another passenger, just one that happens to benefit from a free leisure travel concession due to my employment. I've shown the pass to numerous guards and ticket barrier staff, together with staff photo ID, on trips out with friends, even while having a few beers on the train, and it has never been mentioned as an issue so far.

Are you aware of any cases where this has caused a problem?

 

[Johncleesefan]

I would love them to see me commute into and out of work in my chavtastic trackies usually covered in sweat and whiffing of b o lol. I cycle to work ( and take train) by the way, not due to poor hygene ?????? and we have a nice shower at the depot if need ed

 

[godfreycomplex]

I think what says all we need to know about the differences between rail and air staff travel is that on a service really upon the guard seeing my staff card engaged me in earnest conversation about a rule book update, completely ignoring the fact I was dressed as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle with an extension lead draped around my shoulders.
Dress codes are daft. It's 2017.

 

[Sunset route]

Do any TOCs stipulate dress codes for privilege ticket holders?

In the light of the United Airlines controversy regarding refusing flight to young girls dressed in leggings, I stated that a UK airline would not have such a dress code only to be told that BA still do.

So as a privilege ticket holder (or family member) in the UK land travel industry are you seen to be "representing the company" and need to conform to certain requirements?

The only one I was told of when joining the railway many many moons ago, is that whilst you using you PRIV tickets boxes or discounted tickets, your not supposed to be wearing your British Rail uniform as the pass is for leisure use only and not for commuting to and from work, that rule applies to all spouses and dependents.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

When my no 2 son was travelling back from Manchester in his student days . sitting in the 1st with a "typical" student garb , sometimes a bit weary - he wold invariably have his ticket asked to be shown before the train had passed Longsight as he clearly looked out of place.

On showing his 1st class all stations (dependants) pass he was always treated with great civility.

ON holiday last in the Dresden area , and having come off a coal burning narrow gauge line , some local challenged my right to sit in the 1st class , was delighted when the conductor came round and and nodded at me on showing the FIP pass. Restrained from smirking at this individual.

 

[Clip]

The only one I was told of when joining the railway many many moons ago, is that whilst you using you PRIV tickets boxes or discounted tickets, your not supposed to be wearing your British Rail uniform as the pass is for leisure use only and not for commuting to and from work, that rule applies to all spouses and dependents.

Yup and still applies now.

Ive been in various states of clothing when travelling using my priv including being drunk as well as using my own staff pass for my TOC whilst drunk too and as long as people behave themselves then there isnt a problem

 

[Deepgreen]

They could refuse to carry you if your clothing was causing offence to other passengers. A racist t-shirt slogan would do it. Then they could confiscate your ticket while they're at it. If you're on a £5 supersaver you probably wouldn't give much of a toss. If your priv pass is at stake you might be a little more worried.

However all that would apply equally to non-Priv. users. No matter what one wears, a ticket should not be confiscated - which should only occur if validity irregularities are involved. Turfing someone off a train (even if with police assistance) does not constitute grounds for ticket confiscation.

 

[Deepgreen]

The only one I was told of when joining the railway many many moons ago, is that whilst you using you PRIV tickets boxes or discounted tickets, your not supposed to be wearing your British Rail uniform as the pass is for leisure use only and not for commuting to and from work, that rule applies to all spouses and dependents.

However, presumably the issue there is not the clothing but the purpose of the journey. Wearing the uniform to a fancy dress event?! A flight of fancy, I know.

 

[Sunset route]

However, presumably the issue there is not the clothing but the purpose of the journey. Wearing the uniform to a fancy dress event?! A flight of fancy, I know.

It's not me you have to convince but the revenue protection/conductor guard, honest gov I'm not commuting to work just going to a work theme fancy dress party lol

 

[221129]

The only one I was told of when joining the railway many many moons ago, is that whilst you using you PRIV tickets boxes or discounted tickets, your not supposed to be wearing your British Rail uniform as the pass is for leisure use only and not for commuting to and from work, that rule applies to all spouses and dependents.

It's a rule that doesn't exist, there are various reason why you could be wearing uniform and not commuting.

 

[LordCreed]

It's a rule that doesn't exist, there are various reason why you could be wearing uniform and not commuting.

I quite often go to random places after work, and I'll still wear what I've worn to work (admittedly I don't wear a uniform, instead wear my own smart clothes). I also know uniformed staff who have gone out on trips and not bothered changing.

 

[Deepgreen]

It's not me you have to convince but the revenue protection/conductor guard, honest gov I'm not commuting to work just going to a work theme fancy dress party lol

Or, on the basis of being innocent until proved guilty, the other way round!

 

[185]

So as a privilege ticket holder (or family member) in the UK land travel industry are you seen to be "representing the company" and need to conform to certain requirements?

Having witnessed a certain priv ticket holder (well, on a staff pass) at 3am running screaming down platform 16A at Leeds nothing surprises me.

He was wearing trainers.

No inappropriate clothing. Infact, no clothing.

:roll:

 

[bramling]

It's a rule that doesn't exist, there are various reason why you could be wearing uniform and not commuting.

Does anyone really care anyway?

The only benefit to staff buying daily PRIV tickets is they may occasionally benefit from the off-peak rate, and this easement has only appeared very recently. Otherwise taking into account that an annual ticket is only about 10.5 months travel, there wouldn't be a massive saving. Of course someone who only travels to work by train some of the time might benefit.

I know a few people who have been buying PRIV daily tickets for many years, and it's quite clear nothing has ever been said by anyone, including revenue. They tend not to be "in your face" with wearing uniform to work, but nonetheless it's very obvious they're staff.

 

[dk1]

Dress code for me travelling on a PRIV???? Have you seen the state of some members of the public we have to cart around?