LEAP cards now work on the city buses

whineflu

inisboffin wrote: »

I'm not sure of your argument here. If you paid for a gift voucher or got it for a present and were turned away at the restaurant because the waiter didn't know what to do with it, then it is the fault of the business. And I *do* want good customer service: I want a bus that comes on time and rewards repeat business and a staff that's respectful. One can only live in hope for all of them!

Are you trying to clarify what I said or are you trying to make a different point. If I could try and clarify.. I want the service to work. I want all the good things you mention. I don't want a shoddy service that I get for free. I want the premium version.

inisboffin wrote: »

I was not suggesting that customers be Beta Testers, simply that the service is not on offer to the public while they test it (have the machines on but they are not in use) and have inspectors test the drivers.

Yes and I said that if they don't do that (which they didn't) then the customers become Beta testers (which they effectively are).

inisboffin wrote: »

We're not hanging any driver. It's the company that are at fault. The driver represents the company. The drivers that let people on for free are simply doing a better customer service job for their company than the ones that aren't. They know they have a (semi) monopoly on their service. Thankfully the 'semi' part is there.

What you said was that the drivers who let people on for free are giving a good customer service and that if they don't then its bad customer service. I don't want a shoddy service coupled with apologies (or gratuities). I want a service that works as advertised. This is where I make the same analogy about the restaurant again but since you didn't understand it the first time I guess we're going round in circles.

inisboffin

whineflu wrote: »

What you said was that the drivers who let people on for free are giving a good customer service and that if they don't then its bad customer service. I don't want a shoddy service coupled with apologies (or gratuities). I want a service that works as advertised. This is where I make the same analogy about the restaurant again but since you didn't understand it the first time I guess we're going round in circles.

Yup. We're going round in circles. I think we both want a service that works - alas we don't have that yet.
You made the point that "letting people on for free" was a "very Irish solution". I made the point that was a good customer service move - not the 'machine not working' or the 'driver not having a clue' part, but the part about making the best of a f*ck up. That is the good customer service.

I understand perfectly well. The 'service' that I want is showing my Leap card (that I've paid for) in order to get on the bus, and if that means them letting passengers on for free, then so be it. I still get my service, so it's not like I got an inferior product and an apology. Bad customer service is refusing passengers a journey and penalising them because of the training inadequacy. I don't blame any drivers, it's a system failure.

catgalway

So today I find out that the child leapcard actually does not offer a schoolchild fare option.....so she was charged 97c instead of the normal cash price of 90c !!!! How does that make sense ...So I'm glad we got some free trips...no savings to be had now

jkforde

jkforde wrote: »

ok, topped up with 10 euros on Tuesday but was told this morning that it's not possible to load the credit on the bus... so until all drivers are up to speed so to speak bring some change with you! (not withstanding Mrs point about it being a legitimate form of payment now)

some follow up on loading credit on BÉ buses...

"Thank you for your email.
At present, online top ups can only be collected in Galway on City Direct services. To collect the credit, the card needs to be simply scanned on the bus. We will send on your feedback regarding Bus Eireann buses not being a load location at present, this may be available in the future.
Leap Card Customer Care"

FouxDaFaFa

Have used it three times successfully (no free journeys for me, boo!), it's great not to have to think about getting change ready.

Cocolola

Does anyone know when you buy a single fare (on CD busses) and the driver goes through the whole selecting and selling a ticket thing, and a ticket prints, should your card balance that's displayed on the driver's console immediately decrease?

I used my card this morning and bought my ticket but the driver called me back to say it hadn't been deducted from my card. He then "let me on" the bus anyway.

jkforde

Cocolola wrote: »

Does anyone know when you buy a single fare (on CD busses) and the driver goes through the whole selecting and selling a ticket thing, and a ticket prints, should your card balance that's displayed on the driver's console immediately decrease?

I used my card this morning and bought my ticket but the driver called me back to say it hadn't been deducted from my card. He then "let me on" the bus anyway.

it doesn't display the balance but the 1.60 fare does display and that's when it's been deducted... I just leave it on the reader until told to take it off

Cocolola

jkforde wrote: »

it doesn't display the balance but the 1.60 fare does display and that's when it's been deducted... I just leave it on the reader until told to take it off

Are you sure the balance isn't displayed? I've seen my balance on both BE and CD busses when my card was on the reader. On BE it was on the little display that points out to the passenger and on CD you can see it in the bottom left of their touch screens.

I just don't know if the fare is deducted immediately and so therefore should show up on the displays or if it's like everything else with the cards, and takes 24-48 hours to go through.

antoobrien

Cocolola wrote: »

I just don't know if the fare is deducted immediately and so therefore should show up on the displays or if it's like everything else with the cards, and takes 24-48 hours to go through.

The balance is deducted immediately from the purse stored on the card.

It takes a while to get the details onto the website, depending on how often the bus companies upload the ticketing data to the system.

Cocolola

antoobrien wrote: »

The balance is deducted immediately from the purse stored on the card.

It takes a while to get the details onto the website, depending on how often the bus companies upload the ticketing data to the system.

Ah thank you. So I guess I've been taking a few free trips on CD then Although they have technicians coming out tomorrow apparently to fix some issues they've been having so I'm assuming this will get sorted then too. Pity.

catgalway

Now €2 single,€4.20 day saver & 95c schoolchild.Don't have other prices to hand.

Mrs OBumble

Full summary here: http://news.galwaytransport.info/2014/11/2014-2015-bus-and-train-price-rises.html

City Direct have advertised that their prices are not increasing, but I don't have any link to back that up.

Fares have not increased if you use a Leap Card. My latest version on the how/where of Leap in Galway is here: http://www.galwaytransport.info/2014/11/how-do-leap-cards-work-in-galway-city.html

catgalway

Have they sorted out the school-child leapcard fare on Galway buses?...it was more expensive using the card

Lapin

That Galway Transport Info page should also point out that the cards are accepted on trams in Dublin.

Might be handy for passengers from Galway arriving in Heuston to know.

Strange that the cards can't be obtained in the train and bus stations.

Geuze

I bought a Leap card from an IE ticket machine in Connolly.

Though the Luas tram ticket machines don't issue them, I'm told.

galwayfellaBETA

Jasus,

They really need to bring in distance based pricing.

We are in Renmore and it cost us €6 (2 Adults, 2 kids) each way to get the Bus to down, €12 return. As a consequence we rarely consider the Bus we just drive & park in town.

renegademaster

did any of ye spot the new t&c's on the day saver, apparently you can only make your original journey once on a day saver, so, if you get on in Briarhill and go to town, come back and need to get back into town again from Briarhill on the same day you're supposed to buy another ticket!! funk that!!

thesandeman

That sounds ridiculous. What if somebody goes home for lunch/works split shifts etc..?

mountsky

City buses,ya,hit&miss often with the most unsavoury of passengers, ah yes, cest la vie

Greenview

If I purchase a leap card, then top it up with twenty euros, can I pay for two people on the bus - so swipe the card twice (or is it one card per person)?

Thanks.

Julabo

Think you can. Just tell the driver you want 2 singles.

Mrs OBumble

renegademaster wrote: »

did any of ye spot the new t&c's on the day saver, apparently you can only make your original journey once on a day saver, so, if you get on in Briarhill and go to town, come back and need to get back into town again from Briarhill on the same day you're supposed to buy another ticket!! funk that!!

No - hadn't spotted that at all! Where did you see it?

The only change I saw was that on Leap they last for 24 hours instead of just the calendar day.

wp_rathead

renegademaster wrote: »

did any of ye spot the new t&c's on the day saver, apparently you can only make your original journey once on a day saver, so, if you get on in Briarhill and go to town, come back and need to get back into town again from Briarhill on the same day you're supposed to buy another ticket!! funk that!!

That is the biggest load of **** ever!! Dafuq is the point of the Day Saver then?!?

what_traffic

Julabo wrote: »

Think you can. Just tell the driver you want 2 singles.

Would an Inspector know on his/her handheld terminal reader your previous trips or only your last one? Probably need somebody who has tried this in Dublin to confirm.

what_traffic

renegademaster wrote: »

did any of ye spot the new t&c's on the day saver, apparently you can only make your original journey once on a day saver, so, if you get on in Briarhill and go to town, come back and need to get back into town again from Briarhill on the same day you're supposed to buy another ticket!! funk that!!

Does it say it on the ticket itself? Any source for the t&c's?

Lapin

Reading through this thread, it would appear that the roll out of the Leap system in Galway has been one complete and utter cock up before, during and since its introduction.

As someone who has been using the Oyster card in London for years without a problem it does seem comical that a city of 10 million people using that card for eight different modes of transport on a fully integrated network across nine travel zones can get it right, while those running a few local bus routes in a small town like Galway can't get it together.

Simple question. Why didn't the drivers know how to use the system before it was introduced to the travelling public?

You would think that much (at the very least) would be addressed first.

what_traffic

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Full summary here: http://news.galwaytransport.info/2014/11/2014-2015-bus-and-train-price-rises.html

Some really great info on that site. You should be selling that information to leapcard.ie!

Mrs OBumble

Cheers, I just updated it some more, too.

Apparently you can get Student Leapcards here, and they work like the student cards do in Dublin.

Victor

what_traffic wrote: »

Would an Inspector know on his/her handheld terminal reader your previous trips or only your last one? Probably need somebody who has tried this in Dublin to confirm.

They should be able to see summary information on the last 5 trips, something like date, time, transport operator name, fare paid and possibly ticket number.

jkforde

Lapin wrote: »

Reading through this thread, it would appear that the roll out of the Leap system in Galway has been one complete and utter cock up before, during and since its introduction.

As someone who has been using the Oyster card in London for years without a problem it does seem comical that a city of 10 million people using that card for eight different modes of transport on a fully integrated network across nine travel zones can get it right, while those running a few local bus routes in a small town like Galway can't get it together.

Simple question. Why didn't the drivers know how to use the system before it was introduced to the travelling public?

You would think that much (at the very least) would be addressed first.

in fairness, that's a total over reaction.... I've been using the leapcard from the off and only in one or two cases have I experienced technical issues or untrained/uninterested drivers... imho, it's working well, my only beef with it is the issue of having to load credit bought online in a shop in the centre of the city... now, that's daft but could be sorted with some type of self-service machine at the bus stops. but to say that it's been "one complete and utter cock up before, during and since its introduction" is untrue.