No Change, No School Run and a Speed Trap

Today I started on the Harbour and went to Brixham. I had thought I was going to Newton and went round to Cary Parade but realised in time and made it back to the Harbour stop in time. Anyway I got to Brixham and had a short wait before I was due out at 10:16. I loaded up about 10 passengers and was just about to go when a lady passenger came up and said that she had changed her mind and could she change her ticket from Paignton to Newton Abbot. This takes only a few seconds but it did make a bit of a difference to the next half hour. While I was changing the ticket a few more passengers arrived at the bus. These people would have missed me if I hadn't been changing the ticket. They all wanted Dayriders at £4.00 and they all paid with ten pound notes. Getting a bit short of change here. First stop up the road, one passenger, dayrider please, sorry I only have a tenner. I am now down to using 20 pence pieces, 30 of then to provide the change. Three people at next stop. All have Devon County Wide OAP passes. God bless Devon County Wide. Then running up just as I was about to pull away a five pound note for a £2.30 fare 70 pence in ten pence pieces, £1.85 in 5 pence pieces and 15 pence in copper. That's me, not a single coin of any description left. I had sold £42.75 worth of tickets but had £65.00 in notes. My float all gone.

I was heading for Paignton Bus Station, there should be a driver or two on their lunch with a bit of change to spare. No chance, too early for lunch. And there was a queue about a mile long. Most had Devon Wides and enough had the right money, some with a little prompting and a young girl got on and wanted a return to Torquay, £2.30 and was sorry but all she had was a pound in 5 pence pieces and the rest in 10 s and twenties. I gave here a nice smile and told her not to worry.

Later in the day I got to where I usually pick 50 school children up. Not a single child in sight, it's half term, isn't that nice. Half a mile futher down the road I was going down the hill in the Totnes Road, nothing in front of me and I went through a speed trap.