Some people with a free bus pass are not allowed to use them before 0930 on weekdays, as this is the basic legislation, that was introduced in 2007. One old lady boarded my bus this morning at 9am and asked to go to a town 12 miles away. She didn't produce a pass and argue the toss about how badly done to she is that she has to pay. Instead she put a £2 coin on the cash top. The fare was £2.90.
She was so annoyed at how extortionate the fare was, I thought she was going to smack me, at one point. She went absolutely mental.
£2.90 for 12 miles equates to 24p per mile. I'd like to see anyone who uses a car to beat that, when all costs are considered. This woman wasn't known to me, so I suspect she doesn't often have to make this journey, if at all.
Her perception was that £2 was 'about right' for the 12 miles. She did ask if £2.90 was the return fare. Sadly not, that is a fair amount more. She was probably returning for free, after 0930, legitimately using her bus pass.
Anyway, I got the extra 90p out of her and all was well... for me. She was absolutely sickened.
Common Sense Solution: People rate value for money differently to others. Bus fares are no different. 12 miles on a train would cost double the fare I was requesting her to tender. Would she have caused a scene there? 24p per mile may not offer 'exceptional' value for money, but compared to a taxi (I reckon you're looking at £20) or the actual cost of using a car for that specific journey (building in tax, insurance, MOT, depreciation, fuel) the saving is enormous. Would this woman have caused the scene she did had the free bus pass scheme not have been introduced? I suspect not.
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