On Dec 27, 12:38*pm, "
wrote:

I don't know about NYC, but in Phila, initially the driver could punch
a refund slip if a passenger overpaid. *The slip could be cashed in at
the local bus garages. *Obviously punching up a slip took time and
passengers arguing with the driver over change took time.

Could they not have also used it as partial fare payment?

No, they could only be redeemed.

At some point after the cutover, the fare refund slips were
discontinued. Apparently people accepted exact fare by that point and
were used to it. Also, SEPTA resumed selling token-packets at a
discount; and started selling passcards, so for regular riders, exact
fare wasn't an issue.

SEPTA, unlike NYC, accepts dollar bills on its buses. I don't know
why NYC's fareboxes aren't set up to handle that.

But unfortunately, in NYC and in Phila, bus drivers have been
assaulted, even killed, by nutcases for oddball reasons, such as a
dispute of a transfer or just because someone was agitated and wanted
to stab another person.