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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

My son has just paid for bus ticket with a twenty pound note...

281 replies

Miserylovescompany2 · 17/09/2017 08:54

The driver issued a ticket and stated he didn't have enough change - he told my son that he (my son) would have to go to the depot for his change.

All my son has is the issued ticked - it doesn't state how he paid? The depot won't refund him.

Surely it's the drivers responsibility to have change in the first instance.

What would you do?

He is still on the bus as I type...

OP posts:
Ijustwantaquietlife · 17/09/2017 09:00

They don't take cards around here unless you have a pensioner freebie one.

moondrift · 17/09/2017 09:00

*would not wouldn't.

Crumbs1 · 17/09/2017 09:00

Tell him to get proof of the £20 and go to depot. It's outrageous but it's what they do. Only business that gets away with it. Can you imagine an ice cream vendor saying they wouldn't take notes?

ScarlettDarling · 17/09/2017 09:00

Can he ask the driver to radio the depot to tell them the situation so that they know to expect your son?

AfunaMbatata · 17/09/2017 09:01

The driver should issue him with a credit receipt that he takes to the depot.

Nikephorus · 17/09/2017 09:01

I don't get the bus often but as far as I'm aware the buses don't offer change. It has to be exact change only.
^^This. And who gets on a bus expecting change from a £20?!!!

Tumbleweed101 · 17/09/2017 09:01

If he lives in the sticks it isn't always easy to have cash or a place to break a note. I have this problem with giving my dd bus fare if I've not got into town.

StickThatInYourPipe · 17/09/2017 09:01

Sorry I missed the part about him still being in the bus Confused

hidinginthenightgarden · 17/09/2017 09:01

Bus drivers are known for not having change from a £20. Your son needs the driver to sign something to say he is owed X amount. If he is on a stagecoach bus, you can buy a ticket on the app. If possible he should do this and ask for his £20 back.

orlantina · 17/09/2017 09:02

I've had something similar before. It was a large note and he didn't have change.

One time, I waited till the driver got more passengers and got change.
The other time,he gave me a note and I had to get on another bus and just ask the driver for change.Then got off again,

Drivers can't carry loads of money or change.

orlantina · 17/09/2017 09:03

Can you imagine an ice cream vendor saying they wouldn't take notes

If the ice cream vendor hasn't got change, what choices are there?

Either you don't get an ice cream or you get a note for change

Imagine the response if her son didn't get the journey.

Subtlecheese · 17/09/2017 09:04

I'm amazed. I wanted to use a bus where it's exact fair. I didn't have it but it was 4.50, i said i was fine to pay with 5.00. The driver said he couldn't do that. I had to get off the bus.

Ijustwantaquietlife · 17/09/2017 09:04

It's sad that people just expect this poor behaviour from the bus drivers and the lame cash excuses.

Often if your rural the only notes you can withdraw are 20 as the machines often run out of 10.

It's totally the bus companies fault. Businesses without a monopoly manage it just fine.

Aeroflotgirl · 17/09/2017 09:04

Unfortunately bus drivers don't have a lot of cash, so you always have to have change for the bus. Not sure what to do, on bears it always states to have the correct change. The bus driver was wrong to let him on, if he had no change for his £20

Subtlecheese · 17/09/2017 09:04

Funnily enough, noone reacted to my lack of a journey with my toddler.

orlantina · 17/09/2017 09:05

All my son has is the issued ticked - it doesn't state how he paid? The depot won't refund him

As others have said, the drivers usually give a written note.

Veronicat · 17/09/2017 09:07

I feel dead lucky here. My bus driver always has a wad of £5 notes and change. We are very rural though with the nearest bank 11 miles away and it's still 1975 I think 😉

shouldnthavesaid · 17/09/2017 09:07

If you're rural its not always as easy as having change.

My mum lives in rural north Scotland , no cash machine accessible outside of Mon-Fri 9-5 and no shops after 6pm to make change in.

Buses also charge £13 return for 26 mile journey to city so they're probably quite used to being paid with £20.

They certainly don't accept cards, the city buses started taking contactless cards only a few weeks ago but rural ones don't , I think the drivers would laugh if you tried.

OP have your son ask the driver for a credit note or something , so he has some sort of proof , they should have forms readily available for that sort of thing.

x2boys · 17/09/2017 09:07

Of course buses give change I get the bus every day i wouldn't pay with a £20 though!

Original poster
Miserylovescompany2 · 17/09/2017 09:07

We are in the north east - it's an Arriva bus - he is 15 - only decided he was going out this morning hence the twenty pound note.

He has purchased an all day ticket.

According to his google search - Their conditions of carriage don't apply to him as they do not apply to any ticket brought from Arriva that enables you to travel on services provided by another operator - this was stated on their website...

OP posts:
Peachyking000 · 17/09/2017 09:07

They should have provided a receipt so he has evidence of what he is owed.

I used to live in Dublin and their bus drivers had no access to change - you dropped your fare into a slot, and you were then issued with a ticket which stated how much change you were owed. You could then bring to the main office in the city centre to get your money back. Or if I recall there was also a charity that you could donate the ticket Stubbs to.

Ellisandra · 17/09/2017 09:09

It's Sunday morning, and buses are known for not having much change.

Did your son ask for a note to show the depot?

I'm Confused at people living rurally saying it's so hard to break a note. I used to live rurally and kept a pot of change. It's not hard!

StickThatInYourPipe · 17/09/2017 09:09

OP how do you know they won't refund him? Has the driver said so?

Summerof85 · 17/09/2017 09:09

Do most buses not have cctv now, so there would be evidence he paid with £20? How much was the bus ticket?

Goldfishshoals · 17/09/2017 09:10

However because most fares are at least a pound now, i can't see why they wouldn't be short of pound coins.

Bus drivers here have no access to the money, it goes into a sealed box. They all say exact change only.