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

[Miserylovescompany2]

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...

ha missed update.awww good on drive.i judged him dammit.
just goes to show what a written dow situation can mek you think of someone or something happeneing when all along the driver wasn't a UR beep like I was perhaps leaning at one point.
sorry mr bus drive.im angry at myself now for even being close to thinking he was doing something dodgy.

I remember that when the "exact change only" on Lothian buses started the child fare was a whole 5p

Exact change here is reasonable if the fares are 5p, 10p, 20p.

My local bus to the city is 8.65. no matter how big your change pot is you will quickly run though it!

I have never, ever understood the 'can't take a £20' thing on a bus. If you take £10s then giving £11 in change is the same as giving a £1, because what else will you use the £10 for? Similarly, if you take £5s then why on earth can't you give £16? When I used to work in a bar giving notes in change was no problem, because we used to get a lot of those in. It was actually the £1 coins that always ran out first, because you give a lot in change and don't get that many back in. I can understand not taking change at all (though it's incredibly annoying, and something buses can only get away with because they have a captive market - no one would accept it from a shop), but not why you'd happily give £3.50 change to someone who paid with a fiver, but kick up a massive fuss about giving £8.50 to someone who paid with a tenner.

I can't highlight Aunty because I'm a bit weird lol.

I know, it brags about their app, and when it released I was pleased as hell, finding the change is an arse, although I tend to break notes all over the place to have a stash lol.

When you actually look though, the area the day tickets are available in are really few and far between. They want you to have the bigger weekly and monthly ones I assume :(

Just seen the Ask Alfie bit, so assuming this is Arriva. Whole company ime is geared up to making love fe as difficult as possible, especially re students or children's tickets.

I have never, ever understood the 'can't take a £20' thing on a bus

If a ticket is £2, that's £18 of money being given back.

If someone gave £5, that's £3 of money going back.

Eventually, it might get to a point when the driver is unable to give even small amounts of change as they have given a lot of their change back.

I can't believe people think the bus drivers don't get attacked!

I know of 3 or 4 personally, and a quick online search will show how rife it is.

His ticket was/is an all zones - cost £8 - this enables him to travel as for as Yorkshire, use other bus providers named on ticket, use metro service and also use the ferry. (He didn't/doesn't have photo ID - looks much older than his years didn't want the hassle of explaining himself everytime he showed his ticket)

He has been lucky that the driver was a decent one - because, had he left the bus without his change I doubt he would have been given it. As far as I'm aware buses here don't issue receipts - only tickets.

My son has used the Arriva APP on other occasions, however, my debit card was stolen (I reported on Friday) and wasn't sure if the transaction would go through? I didn't want him having the embarrassment of this.

He stood his ground - asked the driver for his name and how was he supposed to get his change with no receipt? Anyway - driver did the decent thing in the end.

Drivers are unable to accept £50 notes at any time and may not have change for other notes at certain times during the day. 4-Weekly Saver tickets can be purchased online. Weekly and 4-Weekly Saver tickets can be purchased at PayPoint and Payzone outlets. If you want to check a fare before travelling please contact our customer services team by via Live Chat or by calling 0344 800 44 11.

So you can't even buy the ticket on the app and to find out the exact fare you have to wait until Monday when they are open and go through the Hassel of speaking to someone.

That is why monopolys with a captive audience are bad.

Your son IBVU to give the driver a £20 and not something smaller.

The buses here manage to break the odd 20 and I've never heard of any of that happening. What a wild imagination you have

How much money do you think a driver should carry?

Enough to break 10 lots of £20 notes?
30 people with £20 notes?

Round here the bus driver will try and get change while you're on the bus and only issue the change voucher if they can't. They only get given a small float and quite often have to add to it themselves.

Usually with change they give it to you wheb you get off as other people along the route may pay so build up their kitty for change. If not they give you a credit note.

I have never, ever understood the 'can't take a £20' thing on a bus. If you take £10s then giving £11 in change is the same as giving a £1, because what else will you use the £10 for? Similarly, if you take £5s then why on earth can't you give £16? When I used to work in a bar giving notes in change was no problem, because we used to get a lot of those in. It was actually the £1 coins that always ran out first, because you give a lot in change and don't get that many back in.

Exactly, I think anyone that has run a cash buisness knows how silly it is.

Won't stop all the illogical "what if the driver has to break 100 £20 notes"

Bus drivers only get given a small float. Read about it!

Also for everyone saying insancerre is being dramatic. Unfortunately in london it was too common for the driver under attack alarm to go off. When they still took cash. Why they got rid of it.

The driver should have refused to issue the ticket if he didn't have change. I'm sure that is the policy with most bus companies.

I suspect driver is taking advantage of a young lad to scam him out of 20 quid.

Exactly, I think anyone that has run a cash buisness knows how silly it is

So again - how much money do you think a driver should carry, late at night when they are by themselves and vulnerable to attacks?

But I know you won't answer. You just think that they should carry loads of money and have dismissed the fact that drivers do get attacked.

Drivers getting attacked for money was a massive problem in London - that is one of the reason they got rid of cash fares.

Have you read the thread DancingHippos ?He got his change

How much money do you think a driver should carry?

Enough to break 10 lots of £20 notes?
30 people with £20 notes?

But that's assuming 30 people get on the bus first all with £20 notes, which is not likely. What's much more likely is that between those 30 people others have paid with £10, £5 and coins, all of which can be used to give change to people who pay with £20s

This thread says so much about Mumsnet. A microcosm of attitudes and experiences

I know. Average person has a phone worth £600
Buses not taking cash fares and 'everyone' having season tickets, ability to pay by card or phone and the buses accepting them.
Bus drivers carrying change and happily accepting £20 notes.

None of these ring true for me and many people I know. Our buses have only just started an Oyster card type system but it's no good for ad hoc users because you can top it up hardly anywhere except the main city bus stations. You can't top it up online, or locally.

If you're paying cash and the bus driver is in a good mood, they might accept a fiver. Any more than that risks a mouthful of abuse.

Oops, sorry hadn't read down far enough!

What's much more likely is that between those 30 people others have paid with £10, £5 and coins, all of which can be used to give change to people who pay with £20s

No - I said how much change should a driver carry?

Yes - there will be money available to break the £20 notes because people have paid in smaller amounts.

But how much of a float should a driver carry - to ensure they have enough change available to break larger notes even if people are giving the correct amount?

Enough to cover 10 people giving £20?

If bus drivers weren't at risk of being robbed, our city wouldn't have gone to the expense of building security screens on the door to the driver's seat. They are all behind Perspex, with a few slots and holes for ventilation and to allow passengers and drivers to communicate.