Ticket discounts for trade platers?

[VMO]

I know this is a bit of a long shot but I was wondering if anyone knows if there is any scheme or suchlike that helps people such as trade platers who make their living by travelling around in between jobs on public transport?

Obviously the short notice nature of the work doesn't allow them to take advantage of advance booking, so if anyone knows of anything that could help these guys, I would be very interested in knowing.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Clip]

Im guessing a trade plater is someone who delivers cars to various places using a set of trade number plates?

Does their workplace no subsidise them?

 

[yorkie]

I know this is a bit of a long shot but I was wondering if anyone knows if there is any scheme or suchlike that helps people such as trade platers who make their living by travelling around in between jobs on public transport?

Obviously the short notice nature of the work doesn't allow them to take advantage of advance booking, so if anyone knows of anything that could help these guys, I would be very interested in knowing.

Thanks in advance.

There is no discount available for people who make frequent journeys where those journeys are in different directions each time, no.

Season tickets only really work where people do the same (or similar) journeys on a regular basis, and there is no equivalent product for doing lots of different journeys, unless of course they all happen to be within a regional area that is covered by a Rover product or a smaller area local to a particular city and its surrounding area such as a Travelcard/PTE product.

There probably should be a truly National Railcard open to everyone which would encourage frequent users to use rail more often by discounting the cost of tickets after payment of perhaps a three figure sum (and perhaps only allow travel after a certain time e.g. after 9am). But that's really a matter for a separate thread. The suggestion has cropped up before but the rail industry is against the idea and the Government has not got the willpower to force it through, so it isn't going to happen anyway, sadly.

 

[yorkie]

Im guessing a trade plater is someone who delivers cars to various places using a set of trade number plates?

Yes. I had to look it up to find out.

Does their workplace no subsidise them?

I believe they are often self employed.

It's just a cost they need to factor in really.

A good knowledge of the fares system and/or using a website that identifies if any savings can be made by "splitting" tickets would help.

@VMO can you give some examples of journeys you had to do recently?

 

[Clip]

Ahh cheers for the info - always wondered what the bloke stood at the side of the motorway was doing with plates and a thumb sticking out

 

[Wallsendmag]

Most of the ones I've seen have Senior Railcards

 

[Mike99]

VMO I've sent you a PM

 

[RJ]

I did this kind of work when I was a student, but moving and collecting PCV vehicles with trade plates. The firm I was doing it for paid all travel expenses for dead runs, whether that be for the train, hire car or a second person on the job for ferrying purposes. Also for flights and accommodation for jobs like one way Mercedes Citaro moves to Malta!

It's a cost that should be passed on to whoever needs the vehicle moving. As for reducing that cost to keep prices competitive, I know the firm had some corporate deal with the hire car company. Where I work on the railways, there are special discounts in the system I have to apply against tickets where a company has made a deal with the TOC. It may be worth getting in touch with operators directly to negotiate something.

 

[VMO]

Thanks for your input guys.