Free travel for guide dog trainers

[Minilad]

I have been asked if I know anything about trainers of guide dogs being allowed to travel for free. I can only find a reference to this happening on C2C in 2005
Can anyone shed any light if this is still in force and is it just for C2C or all TOCs

 

[Aeion]

All tocs as far as I'm aware with the relevant pass and of course the puppy

 

[LowLevel]

They're allowed to travel free for reasonable length journeys to acclimatize the dog to rail travel. Reasonable is left to the discretion of the inspector but along as they're not taking advantage to travel a few hundred miles it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Minilad]

Cheers for the info. Have been trying to find something in writing but to no avail. At least I know now it's a real thing. I had never heard of this rule before

 

[PermitToTravel]

ISTR they're allowed free travel on the tube/DLR/LO/London Buses as well

 

[CyrusWuff]

Cheers for the info. Have been trying to find something in writing but to no avail. At least I know now it's a real thing. I had never heard of this rule before

It should be somewhere in KnowledgeBase...I'll have a look when I'm at work later and see.

 

[Daniel]

ISTR they're allowed free travel on the tube/DLR/LO/London Buses as well

Yes but I believe they're supposed to have a permit from the Guide dogs for the blind association...?

 

[TUC]

They're allowed to travel free for reasonable length journeys to acclimatize the dog to rail travel. Reasonable is left to the discretion of the inspector but along as they're not taking advantage to travel a few hundred miles it shouldn't be an issue.

Although there are some circumstances in training when a longer journey may be justified. I remember reading about one person training with a new guide dog whose job involved regular flights between Glasgow and London. The Guide Dog Association had arranged with BA for complementary flights for the new guide dog owner and the trainer in order for the dog and owner to get used to making their way through the airports and to flying. A similar scenario could arise in rail for someone in training whose job involves long distance travel.