Concessionary Bus Pass reform

[L401CJF]

RE: Concessionary Bus Pass reform

(31/07/2019 03:33)Mayneway Wrote:  The issue of disabled passes has really shocked me. When the company I work for got ticketer machines it actually comes up and tells the driver what pass they scanned. The amount of people who use disabled passes and work and look completely able bodied is surprising. I was told that anyone can go to their GP, convince the GP they have a problem with drink or drugs, get put on a long waiting list for counciling and immediately be entitled to a bus pass.

As a driver myself, I understand that there are those with hidden disabilities - some people often run up to the bus and produce a disabled pass, obviously there are various hidden disabilities you need to keep in mind - however disabled or not, if they are earning a wage - a number of the regulars are full time too, I see no reason why anybody else should fund free travel for them when they are making money themselves.

The amount of people who produce disabled passes and stink of cannabis, or are alcoholics, and then those who jump off and go straight to the bookie.. but lets not get started on those!

Not just the concession scheme, but the whole industry in general needs a complete reform - it doesn't work. At the moment we are in a position (in merseyside at least) that fare evasion for over 18s using child tickets is ridiculous and not enforced whatsoever - you get people in their 40s asking for mytickets. We have any slightly useful bus service taken away, because nobody can afford to fund it. We have an age where the majority of passengers are either using child tickets, or concession passes so there is very little revenue involved. We have a city region that claims to promote bus travel but is currently doing everything it can to destroy bus travel across the city centre from next year , and to top it off, bus companies which dont care about passengers in the slightest - skipping normal service because rails have priority as it makes more money, not adjusting timetables to accomodate the city centre roadwork chaos so running a very messy service and expecting the drivers to make do and mend. The rest is all about impressing shareholders, not losing mileage, and cutting costs everywhere else.