This is my cash tray. On the left you can see I have about two pounds in 5 pence pieces. The next compartment should have 10 pence pieces, then 20 pence pieces and the last compartment should contain 50pence peices, one pound and two pound coins. When I started I had about £25.00 which is usually enough. But when the first 3 people that get on the bus tender a £10 note change vanishes very quickly. I managed to get 10 one pound coins from an other driver but that went very quickly. In Paignton I managed to get some more change but the next two passengers also had £10 notes. At one point a lady got on and bought a Paignton Megarider (£11.00) and tendered two ten pound notes. She ended up with a five pound note and four pounds in ten and five pence peices; sorry lady but it was the only way I could give you your change. Eventually I got off the bus and had a look to make sure that no one had stuck a notice on the front off the bus saying:-"Ten Pound notes only accepted on this bus."
5 comments:
I once had a woman get on my bus at 7:30 in the morning and tender a £20 note for a 75p fare. She then lectured me on not carrying enough float until i told her our float is my own money and if she wanted to travel she would have to accept a credit note. She was not impressed.
I wouldn't dream of offering a tenner for a pound busfare, but perhaps I'm old-fashioned. Anyway, since Mayor Ken in London put up the bus fares (after he put them down initially), to discourage anyone from offering any money on any public transport, I keep my trusty Oyster card with me at all travelling times.
I'm sorry to say, I've sort of been guilty of this a couple of times, tendering $51.20 for a $31.20 fare. That way I'm not taking the driver's coins.
Sometimes though the driver doesn't have enough notes, especially since I get on near the beginning of the run. Usually it's a case of waiting until a few other people get on and pay and the driver has enough money to give you your change.
The last time this happened though, it was a very quiet morning and most of the people that got on already had tickets, being regular passengers.
I ended up with a fiver and a handful of 1 and 2 dollar coins. Not that I mind, the Coke machine at work likes them.
We were issued £2 float when I first started (10 years ago), it has never gone up so we all start our shift with £2 in the cash tray. I've found that students tend to struggle with the term 'exact change' and love to off load their £20 notes for £1.20 fares.
New(ish) rules now mean that if a passenger doesn't have the correct fare and I cannot provide change the passenger has 2 options:
i)to collect change from the depot.
ii)to catch the next bus.
It's amazing how many people suddenly find the correct change when they are offered these options.
I was issued with £10 when I started 8 years ago and this was incressed to £20 a couple of years ago and is usually enough.
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