More Ticket Machine Training

Monday, 22nd January 2007

Completed my training on the ticket machine now. It's quite a straightforward machine to use. All the routes and fare stages are programmed in, you just have to select the fare stage you are at and then where the customer wishes to go and it's single or return and bingo! a ticket.

All fare stages have a number in the machine. So you start off your trip at say Margate and as you reach the next fare stage, eg Sweyn Road, Cliftonville, you can just scroll the machine round to the next one. Putting in the destination is not too difficult. Ideally the customer states their destination and then you can either punch in the number or scroll the destination field until you find the one they want. This is not alphabetical though, it's in route order.

There are also buttons for the various one day, weekly or saver fares and separate keys to record when a passenger uses the pass or ticket.

Every driver has a key-style module which plugs into the ticket machine to record all the data on tickets issued etc. Having plugged this in, you have to enter your personal PIN number, the duty number, the running card number (the schedule/timetable for that particular vehicle for the day) and the individual trip number. Work out whether you are inbound or outbound, load the start point and away you go.

Of course it won't be as easy as that once you're in service.