On Mon, 13 Oct 2003 19:32:21 +0100, Nicholas
wrote:

Does anyone know what information is displayed on a bus driver's
ticket machine when an Oystercard is read? Does it display the ticket
type loaded on the card? Is a specific reason displayed if the card is
rejected?

There can be a range of reasons why a card would be rejected including
card reader error, mis swiping of the card, fraud, card failure etc.

I am asking as my Oyster Travelcard was (apparently) rejected on the
bus today, despite it working fine for the last two weeks. I did not
know anything was wrong until the driver called me up after everyone
had boarded and asked me to touch the card on the reader again. The
red light came on, but wouldn't that happen anyway since I had already
touched it and I assume the system is programmed not to accept cards
which already have been read on that bus within a certain time (much
like the underground ticket gates)?.

I have a staff card and I've had all sorts of card problems on buses.
The units were very unreliable but performance is much better now. Just
yesterday I had a problem with an Arriva bus. I just showed my card to
the driver. I think the most likely problem is a card or bus ticket
machine error as you say the card was correctly updated.

If the card had been updated correctly the first time then it is
possible that the card would be rejected a second time - the details
would still display to the driver coupled with a reason for rejection. I
don't know for certain what checks are programmed in for bus checking
purposes.
--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!