Public transport tickets from 2nd January 2018

[Andy C]

Personally I have four smartphones. The oldest is Symbian operating system which is no good for new apps. Then I have bought two Sony's which are so full of bloat-ware that they won't download anything new due to lack of memory. My latest which I paid a lot for and is still under guarantee is great, except some apps crash all the time, not covered by warranty of course. So if First think I am risking getting stranded when I have already paid, or am going to pay more to pay by any other means, they can think again. When I go out I wait and see which bus turns up, First or Stagecoach, and I get on that, unless it's full of school kids, then I wait for the alternative. So that makes it impossible to activate a m-ticket anyway. Back to the car I think when Stagecoach follow suit, as they will. Buses will be running with non-paying passengers riding round all day.

 

Presumably you buy a Travelmaster product (such as Citywide) rather than a First only ticket? If that's the case First's annual fares change won't affect you.

[Guest]

Does anyone know whether purchases made through the First m-tickets app are recorded anywhere as I need some kind of record to be able to claim back my expenses?

[Guest busdriver1]

Does anyone know whether purchases made through the First m-tickets app are recorded anywhere as I need some kind of record to be able to claim back my expenses?

 

You should be offered a receipt at the point if purchase.

[Guest]

You should be offered a receipt at the point if purchase.

 

Thank you.

[Andy C]

Information about buying tickets on the First m-tickets app is here: https://www.firstgroup.com/buy-ticket/mtickets-faqs

 

Incidentally looks like 7 day and 28 day smart card tickets are going to be available to buy from the self service ticket machines at Interchanges with the same discount.

[Fudbeer]

Have to say we found the cashless contactless debit/credit card system in London superb.

 

Easy to use and much less fathing around at stops.

 

Sooner they adopt it here the better.

[Guest]

Have to say we found the cashless contactless debit/credit card system in London superb.

 

Easy to use and much less fathing around at stops.

 

Sooner they adopt it here the better.

 

Totally agree, though I like the fact that you can check your journey history etc if you use Oyster - also helpful if you need to claim back expenses.

[Fudbeer]

Another benefit on London buses is after £4.40 your fare is automatically capped so any other travel on that day is free so no messing around with the ridiculous amount of different tickets.

[SueLee]

Presumably you buy a Travelmaster product (such as Citywide) rather than a First only ticket? If that's the case First's annual fares change won't affect you.

 

Why would presume what ticket I buy ? You know nothing about me. It's a bit like me presuming that you are a SYPTE customer advisor getting paid £28,000 plus a year with free bus travel for you and all your family thrown in. OK, you do great work advising people, but negative views aren't allowed and will be stamped on. Just like our bus companies have the total backing of Sheffield councillors and media - all affluent people who never use the buses anyway.

 

Can I draw peoples attention to this -

https://www.citymetric.com/transport/phone-based-tickets-make-buses-more-efficient-will-poorest-passengers-lose-out-3852

 

First tell me there are very few instances of people paying by App and then being refused travel because the App isn't working. I have seen many. Android reviews of the App show many aggrieved people.

Also, please consider this. The App first asks to track your location. Fair enough. It then demands to access your photos, media and files on your device. No way. If you allow that, it then wants to access your phone number, list of contacts etc. If you say no, they deny you use of the App and you WILL pay extra. So spend a few days reading through the many terms and conditions and get a lawyer to explain it all to you.

 

Last month I saw a programme on a news channel about the massive new industries springing up around data. OK we all know about Google, Facebook etc. People using Google are giving permission to be tracked, have their data collected and used etc etc in return for using Google's many, amazing products. Maps, street view, search, android, chrome. YOU aren't a customer of Google, you are a partner. Exchanging your data for their products. I am happy with that.

The TV programme showed us round a massive data centre with people sat training artificial intelligence to collect and recognise data. An example I will give is the large supermarket chain that has installed cameras on all it's tills. Go down The Moor and do some shopping. You are recorded entering the store, walking around, then at the self checkout, you appear on screen right in front of you. You are filmed entering your loyalty card, so the AI then connects your face to your account, and has all your details, name, address, financial details. The people sat in data centres are helping the AI to recognise your face as you enter the store and track what you are interested in. It then tracks how you pay, has your credit card details etc, checks what coupons you have used. You may also use your loyalty account for other things, like this one has a reward scheme where you answer surveys for extra points. So they ask you all about your holidays, political views etc.

Now take that a stage further. The First m ticket App. It can track you from your home, walking to the bus stop, showing the driver your ticket, where you are filmed for facial recognition. They then know where you get off, the location tracker that you agreed to can see where you go after leaving the bus, they can scan your contact list and see if any of your friends are in the same area, do you go for lunch, go to work, how long you stay there before heading back to the bus. Do you go to the supermarket on the way - merge data with the supermarket. If they know your job, say a carer, they can track the vulnerable people who's home you visit, if you ring them on the way. You are their slave. You will comply.

The difference is, with Google you are their partner. With First and supermarkets (etc) you are their customer. You are paying them for their service (or lack of in First's case). They are taking your data and charging you as well. And if you say no, you will pay extra (or pay in advance if you have to travel to an interchange to buy a ticket so you can get there and buy another one). And everything on SF, in the press etc is positive because people are paid to manipulate your thoughts on forums. The Star editor is out with Jack Scott at functions discussing their positive spin, and how they can collaborate to suppress the disadvantaged in the city. But word on the street and on the buses is that very few people are happy with this, in fact hardly anyone knows about it. First buses will be full of freeriders - because they are partners not customers. Stagecoach buses will be full of fare paying passengers until they follow suit. One month... two ?

Once they have their AI all set up for facial recognition by matching you via First's app and supermarket loyalty cards, they are expanding it onto street cameras, so you will be recognised by CCTV.

OK, rant over. I will not be using these apps, I will not be paying extra for refusing to let them track me, and I will now return to my self imposed SF exile before I get stamped on by Big Brother.

[Annie Bynnol]

Have to say we found the cashless contactless debit/credit card system in London superb.

 

Easy to use and much less fathing around at stops.

 

Sooner they adopt it here the better.

 

The Oyster card cannot work here because essentially:

The Oyster system, the buses, the train, the trams, the free travel for over 60s, are all paid for by massive subsidies by UK taxpayers.

As there is only one operator all monies go into one nationalised pot with no need to divide by usage to individual private companies.

 

Private companies do not want an equivalent product because they prefer to sell their own, tied product.