Queue tickets at Paris bus stops in days gone by

[AY1975]

I believe that instead of queueing at bus stops in the manner that we Brits are familiar with, in the days of crew operated open rear platform buses Paris had a system whereby every bus stop had a ticket distributing machine (rather like those used in some railway station travel centres and delicatessen counters in supermarkets) from which each passenger would take a ticket with a number, and when the bus arrived they would all shout out their numbers at once and the conductor had to listen out carefully for the person with the lowest number who would be invited to board the bus first.

Not sure when this system was first introduced (probably in horse bus days) or how late it survived, but I suspect that it may have been used until the end of crew operated buses so maybe until the 1950s or 60s.

Does anyone have any memories of this system, either in Paris or elsewhere? I think it may have been unique to Paris.

 

[dutchflyer]

Never ever have heard of this, but that does not say much. Highly doubt if it dates from horse-wagons: there simply were not the machines and printing for those style of tear-off tickets then-and probably also thought of as way too costly. But now that you mention this-and I see it: I kind of remember such a system was in force-but far more regulated as it was at main busstations-for high-frequency minibuslines in Ukrayne (and probably also CCCP->Rossye). These did not all have the same nr of seats. Have also seen it on a minibus stand in Saigon on pre-weekend: but there it were simply the pre-sold tickets themselves that served as such-if a family could hence be torn apart, which led to exchanging etc with others waiting etc.
What one still can see here&there-more when there is heavy Q-ing at times-or locations are airline style (but there its often just a plastic wire) heavy metal bars-making it a sport for schoolboys&girls to sneek under and try to gain a more forward spot. But then I kind of think this was also first&most a UK-invention.

 

[30907]

I believe that instead of queueing at bus stops in the manner that we Brits are familiar with, in the days of crew operated open rear platform buses Paris had a system whereby every bus stop had a ticket distributing machine....

I first visited Paris in 69, so remember the rear entrance buses, but ISTR the conductor was sat inside. I don't recall ticket machines of any sort.

 

[AndrewE]

Vaguely related...
In Cuba when we went there 20 years ago motorised transport was in seriously short supply, most rural towns depended on horse taxis and small lightweight horse "buses" taking no more than 6 passengers.

BUT for long-distance travel, people went to the motorway junctions and reported to an official with a clipboard. They were logged in and any vehicle other than a tourist coach was flagged down and empty places filled from the queue.

HGVs were filled with hitch-hikers, both cabs and load space too. Our bus driver had to watch out for lorries stopping abruptly to let someone climb down from the back! We stopped somewhere remote for some of the females to go behind a bush and almost immediately a lorry stopped and half a dozen locals climbed down and set off on foot in different directions through the scrub!

 

[hexagon789]

I believe that instead of queueing at bus stops in the manner that we Brits are familiar with, in the days of crew operated open rear platform buses Paris had a system whereby every bus stop had a ticket distributing machine (rather like those used in some railway station travel centres and delicatessen counters in supermarkets) from which each passenger would take a ticket with a number, and when the bus arrived they would all shout out their numbers at once and the conductor had to listen out carefully for the person with the lowest number who would be invited to board the bus first.

Not sure when this system was first introduced (probably in horse bus days) or how late it survived, but I suspect that it may have been used until the end of crew operated buses so maybe until the 1950s or 60s.

Does anyone have any memories of this system, either in Paris or elsewhere? I think it may have been unique to Paris.

Not exactly confirmation, but I found the caricature illustration from 1952 of a typical Parisian bus stop.

Note the ticket machine at the stop and all the passengers rushing at the bus conductor, tickets in hand, for him to inspect:



Certainly the illustration fits with the system you outlined.

 

[Beebman]

I've found this photo from about 1950 of a bus queue on the Boulevard du Port-Royal in Paris, it's on the website of the French transport museum society AMTUIR:
https://amtuir.org/06_htu_bus_100_ans/oa_1940_1950/images/18966_ratp.htm



The caption is in French, I've run it through Google Translate:

The main prolem with the TNs, apart from their discomfort and their reduced capacity, concerned the cramped accesses. At peak times, queues formed at stops and slowed down service. Users had to take a serial number that the conductors called at each stop which avoided jostling. This system, perfectly unsuited to efficient service, would last until the end of the 1960s!

 

[30907]

I've found this photo from about 1950 of a bus queue on the Boulevard du Port-Royal in Paris, it's on the website of the French transport museum society AMTUIR:
https://amtuir.org/06_htu_bus_100_ans/oa_1940_1950/images/18966_ratp.htm

View attachment 125282

The caption is in French, I've run it through Google Translate:

Thanks. Makes more sense if the conductor called the numbers - I must have been just too late to experience it.

 

[Springs Branch]

This thread reminds me of an analogous (only partly true) story about different national approaches to addressing a problem . . .

"When humans first started travelling into space in the early 1960s, it was quickly found that standard ballpoint pens didn't work in zero gravity.
So, the Americans spend millions of dollars developing an ingenious and expensive 'Space Pen' which allowed astronauts to write reliably whilst in orbit.
Soviet cosmonauts just used a pencil."

Same principle here:-

"In big cities there are often problems with crowds of passengers trying to board busy buses.
So, in Paris they devised a system involving a ticket machine at each stop which issued intending passengers with a serial number. On arrival of the bus, the conductor determined the lowest serial number applicable at that stop and allowed passengers to board based on the sequence of tickets held.
In London, they just formed a queue."

 

[37201xoIM]

...

Same principle here:-

"In big cities there are often problems with crowds of passengers trying to board busy buses.
So, in Paris they devised a system involving a ticket machine at each stop which issued intending passengers with a serial number. On arrival of the bus, the conductor determined the lowest serial number applicable at that stop and allowed passengers to board based on the sequence of tickets held.
In London, they just formed a queue."

And in other countries, they just had buses and trams with enough doors...

 

[ian1944]

I used the system in July 1964, though it wasn't the most memorable feature of travelling in a closed salon on a scorching day.

 

[Taunton]

I understood it was introduced in Paris (maybe elsewhere) in WW2 when buses were in short supply - and the reduced number of Metro trains left were apparently grossly overloaded as well. My first contact was it was mentioned in our (1960s) school French book, and our French master who had experienced it gave a bit of a halting explanation of it, although calling them 'tickets' so I initially thought there was a kerbside conductor. I think it was key points only - many central Paris bus routes seem to start at one of the main line railway stations.