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Original poster

Bus company giving my £5 change to charity

140 replies

TomorrowIsAnotherDae · 21/05/2021 06:13

I had to go into work yesterday and travel by public transport. I decided to buy a weekly ticket as I will be making a few trips into work over the next week.

I went to pay for the £15 weekly ticket by card, which is recommended, but the driver said I couldn’t pay for that particular ticket by card as there had been problems with fraud and asked if I had cash. I had a £20 note so offered to pay with that. He took the note from me and issued my ticket. I asked for my change to be told that due to COVID he wasn’t able to give me change and the money would go to charity.

I wasn’t told beforehand that I wouldn’t be given change from my £20.00 note, which he happily handled without gloves, he wasn’t wearing a mask either.

Now I understand that some bus operators are demanding exact fare only, but I understood that is because they want passengers to pay by card. In my case I wasn’t allowed to pay by card.

The travel website still says that you can purchase this particular weekly ticket on the bus, but doesn’t say that you can only pay for it in cash and that you need to pay the exact amount.

I’m a bit miffed. The driver couldn’t even tell me what charity my fiver is going to.

I know this is ‘chat’ and not AIBU, but AIBU to think this isn’t right? I don’t seem to have a leg to stand on in terms of getting my money back.

OP posts:
Lachimolala · 21/05/2021 09:44

Eeek currently I’m in the financial position of every penny matters, £5 to me now is the difference between buying packed lunch stuff for the kids or not being able to buy it.

It’s only £5 but sometimes it really does matter quite a lot.

I generally don’t complain, but I think I would quite vocally if this had happendy to me.

Luddite26 · 21/05/2021 09:54

@Lachimolala

Eeek currently I’m in the financial position of every penny matters, £5 to me now is the difference between buying packed lunch stuff for the kids or not being able to buy it.

It’s only £5 but sometimes it really does matter quite a lot.

I generally don’t complain, but I think I would quite vocally if this had happendy to me.

^^ this.

If it was a proper charity initiative there should be notices stating who it goes to how much has been raised etc.,

Jaxhog · 21/05/2021 10:00

So, he refused your CC and then refused to give you change. That fiver will be in his pocket.

fruitbrewhaha · 21/05/2021 10:02

I'd still complain OP. You are ok without the change but the next passenger might not be.

Plus I find it VERY dodgy that he refused card payment and then "kept your change for charity" I suspect very much that he has kept it for himself.

VexedofVirginiaWater · 21/05/2021 10:07

Yes I'm sure the mayor (isn't it Andy Burnham?) would be interested to know about this, especially since it could put some lower income people into difficulties.

Also Shock Hmm at him being able to hand you a printed piece of paper but not a fiver!

Quaggars · 21/05/2021 10:11

Got the bus into town the other day, have done a few times in past couple of months for all those saying he's nicked it etc, no as this is actually a thing where they put any change into charity.
Person behind me was paying by cash and bus driver said they didn't give change any more but the change would go to charity.
In this bus case it was the NHS.
Which is worthy and all, but I think it's bloody ridiculous they can't give change.
Especially in your case where you wanted to pay with card but couldn't, 5 pounds is a hell of a lot of money sometimes and I'd be seriously annoyed if it was one of my skint weeks!

Mochudubh · 21/05/2021 10:13

Must be a GM thing. I have a close relative who works for Stagecoach (Scotland) and they've never stopped giving out change (they have to use hand sanitiser though).

earthyfire · 21/05/2021 10:22

They're taking the piss if this is a policy I'd follow it up.

JudgeJ · 21/05/2021 10:25

@NewMatress

That's dodgy as hell. I seriously doubt any charity will see that money. Query it with the company.
The onle charity will be the inside of his pocket. Were you given a receipt specifying your enforced charity donation?
Bunnyfuller · 21/05/2021 10:27

He is pocketing the money. Report to the Bus Company.

DistrictCommissioner · 21/05/2021 10:28

This makes no sense, he can handle your money, handle your bus ticket, handle the printout, but can't handle change...

diddl · 21/05/2021 10:29

If there is a no change policy, but some tickets cannot be paid for by card, then surely at least for those tickets cjange must be given?

DentonsFringeArnottsWaistcoat · 21/05/2021 10:34

OMG, that ticket!
(Narrows eyes, checks username, looks around for Organised Crime Group bus wankers, emails Jed Mercurio for series seven plot line.....)

TheRebelle · 21/05/2021 10:47

I haven’t used a bus for a long time but it used to be if they couldn’t give you change or you didn’t have enough money then you didn’t pay and they took your name and address and you paid later on.

I’d absolutely follow it up and demand your £5 back, it’s 33%of the price of the ticket because they wouldn’t take your card which is ridiculous, I don’t know how anyone could think this is acceptable.

BertieBotts · 21/05/2021 10:50

They should be able to give you a change voucher which you can keep and exchange at the depot or a ticket office for the money. If these places are closed due to COVID then they should be able to do it remotely via their customer service if you provide a scan and some kind of proof that it's you.

Definitely complain to the company!

WildRosie · 21/05/2021 11:15

Sounds bent but the driver isn't going to get very far with this particular 'earner'. It only takes two passengers with tickets to complain and it's game over.

ThePluckOfTheCoward · 21/05/2021 11:24

@senua

This is the sort of thing that puts me - a car driver - off public transport. The rules about "we will only accept this / won't accept that / you have to have an Oyster card / yadda yadda yadda" do not encourage the infrequent user.
Yep, I totally agree and relate to this. I had decided to try and use my local buses instead of using my car all the time, but don't think I will bother.

It's also pissing me off how cash averse we are becoming in this country, even before Covid. During all the lockdowns it made sense, but now it doesn't, not if sensible precautions are taken.

katienana · 21/05/2021 11:44

He's definitely nicked it. I used to get a bus from my halls of residence into town and after say 6pm couldn't use my student bus pass so we were supposed to pay full fare. The driver used to charge 50p and never gave us a ticket! I never thought anything of it but he was probably taking the money.

VeniVidiWeeWee · 21/05/2021 12:45

There's a lot of wrong information on here. "It's theft", 'it's stealing".

No it isn't. No company is under any legal obligation to provide change for any transaction.

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 21/05/2021 12:53

@VeniVidiWeeWee

There's a lot of wrong information on here. "It's theft", 'it's stealing".

No it isn't. No company is under any legal obligation to provide change for any transaction.

I don’t agree. It may not be criminal but contractually I think they are obliged unless they have stated otherwise before the contract is formed. I think this practice could well fall foul of several of the unfair terms listed in the schedules to the Consumer Rights Act.
VeniVidiWeeWee · 21/05/2021 13:00

You may not agree but you're wrong.

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 21/05/2021 13:09

Veni
Show me the case law you are relying on.

I am referring to Lord Denning in Thornton v Shoe Lane Parking.

How can you have consensus ad idem for the contract if one party is not aware of a fundamental term.

Dustyhedge · 21/05/2021 13:14

Totally dodgy. Also I have had it before where the bus driver didn’t have change but printed me out a ‘change voucher’ that could be used again.

VeniVidiWeeWee · 21/05/2021 13:15

From the Royal Mail webbsite:

"Both parties to a transaction are free to agree to accept any form of payment whether legal tender or otherwise according to their wishes. In order to comply with the very strict rules governing an actual legal tender transaction it is necessary, for example, to offer the exact amount due because no change can be demanded."

lottiegarbanzo · 21/05/2021 13:16

Our local bus company does not give change. You have the correct change or you overpay. Cash goes into a secure slot and box. No card payments but you can buy flexible passes. It means the drivers do not handle money at all.

You could have asked for your money back, given the ticket back and got off the bus. Then got yourself change for the next one.

You could complain to the company about inadequate signage and publicity.

Even with adequate signage, your options would have been as above; overpay or get off that bus.