Damaged Annual ticket Again!!

Becky · 30-09-2008, 20:02

Annual tickets Im on a rant here sorry

I have an annual shop hop and rail tax saver card which I use for the Dart/Bus. On 4 separate occasions my ticket has been damaged by Booterstown ticket readers, now it has happened again today it is so frustrating

. There were 3 turnstiles one was out of order (always) another had a red light, another a green so I put my ticket through the one with the green light the machine didnt accept my ticket spat it out, and has rendered it invalid for yet a 5th time since June.
Anytime I go up to the guy in the station he hasnt a clue and tells me he cant issue a new ticket I have to go to the Dublin bus office in Abbey Street. I have rang there and fair enough the first time, because my ticket was done through work they collected my old one and couriered my new ticket to work. However now they refuse to do it as my ticket is constantly getting damaged they know well there is a problem with the annual ticket around the Booterstown/Blackrock area but nothing seems to be getting done.
Because they close a 5.00 and are not open Saturday I am constatly having to take time of work to go in and replace it. I am so sick of this Annual ticket at this stage that I would nearly get a monthly one but then I lose out as I use it at w/ends to go to Sligo and the Annual saves me more money. Why should Irish rails ineffeciency to have proper ticket validatiors at smaller stations/proper annual tickets have the ordindary commuters suffer by constantly damaging their tickets.
I always keep it in a special irish rail wallet away from magnetic cards because everytime I report it the staff just presume I am the one that has damaged it.
It is just so frustrating trying to explain this to Irish rail/dart staff who just stare at you blankly

and havent a clue what is going on.
Is the Abbey street office the only place you can get a damaged ticket replaced?

ThomasJ · 30-09-2008, 20:21

Try dublin bus HQ on o'connell street. Also try validating it on a bus first. I have and have had no problems

Mark Hennessy · 30-09-2008, 20:33

I think one thing to be careful of is keeping the ticket away from a mobile phone apparently.

One thing that really does look harmful to tickets is those ridiculous plastic covers over the exit machines in Tara. They catch the ticket on its way out and practically fold it in half as it comes out.

I have no idea why they need these.

Mark Gleeson · 30-09-2008, 21:28

The ticket is CIE property, its there problem. This is not new, there have been serious problems in recent times, they seem to occur in clusters. I know someone who has had a ticket for 5 years and had only one replacement issued.

You must deal with the company which sold the ticket. Supposedly there is a form you can fill in and have the replacement sent to your local station for collection. I think they do open on Saturday mornings

Now hopefully next year the tickets will be smartcard so at the new turnstiles a simple wave of the wallet will surfice

The machines in Booterstown have proven to be very troublesome for no reason. Try to choose the ones with the black panel on top they are less damaging.

The advice here

Avoid using the validator on the bus, just show it to the driver. Bus validators are the number one source of trouble

Be very careful with the ticket, don't leave it on top of TV, near a mobile phone, or really anything electrical. The mag stripe is actually rewritten every time it goes through the turnstiles so it nowhere near as robust as an ATM card

Thomas Ralph · 01-10-2008, 20:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

Avoid using the validator on the bus, just show it to the driver. Bus validators are the number one source of trouble

Does that include the smartcard validator or is it just the magstripe validator you're talking about?

Mark Gleeson · 01-10-2008, 20:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by tralph

Does that include the smartcard validator or is it just the magstripe validator you're talking about?

The old white magstripe one, avoid avoid avoid!

ThomasJ · 01-10-2008, 20:59

Ah that explains it i got the bus and rail smartcard from dublin bus and has worked perfectly.

If you got an annual bus and rail through the taxsaver who do you go to?

Mark Gleeson · 01-10-2008, 21:12

If its one with the embedded photo is an Irish Rail issued one, otherwise its a Dublin Bus one

zag · 02-10-2008, 10:05

Becky,

I have an annual ticket and use Booterstown most days of the week, but I haven't had a bad ticket in a long time now, so I don't think it's down to anything as simple as the readers in Booterstown. Just in case it's a specific reader - I normally use the left or middle readers - rarely the right.

I have had tickets fail before (in one 2 or 3 month period I went through 5 I think) but not for the last year or so.

I also don't treat my card in any way specially - it just gets wedged into my wallet with the rest of the credit cards, ATM cards, etc . . .

I guess it may be down to the bus situation. I haven't used a bus in a while now.

z

30-09-2008, 20:02	#1
Becky New to the board Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 4	Damaged Annual ticket Again!! Annual tickets Im on a rant here sorry I have an annual shop hop and rail tax saver card which I use for the Dart/Bus. On 4 separate occasions my ticket has been damaged by Booterstown ticket readers, now it has happened again today it is so frustrating . There were 3 turnstiles one was out of order (always) another had a red light, another a green so I put my ticket through the one with the green light the machine didnt accept my ticket spat it out, and has rendered it invalid for yet a 5th time since June. Anytime I go up to the guy in the station he hasnt a clue and tells me he cant issue a new ticket I have to go to the Dublin bus office in Abbey Street. I have rang there and fair enough the first time, because my ticket was done through work they collected my old one and couriered my new ticket to work. However now they refuse to do it as my ticket is constantly getting damaged they know well there is a problem with the annual ticket around the Booterstown/Blackrock area but nothing seems to be getting done. Because they close a 5.00 and are not open Saturday I am constatly having to take time of work to go in and replace it. I am so sick of this Annual ticket at this stage that I would nearly get a monthly one but then I lose out as I use it at w/ends to go to Sligo and the Annual saves me more money. Why should Irish rails ineffeciency to have proper ticket validatiors at smaller stations/proper annual tickets have the ordindary commuters suffer by constantly damaging their tickets. I always keep it in a special irish rail wallet away from magnetic cards because everytime I report it the staff just presume I am the one that has damaged it. It is just so frustrating trying to explain this to Irish rail/dart staff who just stare at you blankly and havent a clue what is going on. Is the Abbey street office the only place you can get a damaged ticket replaced?

30-09-2008, 21:28	#4
Mark Gleeson Technical Officer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Coach C, Seat 33 Posts: 12,669	The ticket is CIE property, its there problem. This is not new, there have been serious problems in recent times, they seem to occur in clusters. I know someone who has had a ticket for 5 years and had only one replacement issued. You must deal with the company which sold the ticket. Supposedly there is a form you can fill in and have the replacement sent to your local station for collection. I think they do open on Saturday mornings Now hopefully next year the tickets will be smartcard so at the new turnstiles a simple wave of the wallet will surfice The machines in Booterstown have proven to be very troublesome for no reason. Try to choose the ones with the black panel on top they are less damaging. The advice here Avoid using the validator on the bus, just show it to the driver. Bus validators are the number one source of trouble Be very careful with the ticket, don't leave it on top of TV, near a mobile phone, or really anything electrical. The mag stripe is actually rewritten every time it goes through the turnstiles so it nowhere near as robust as an ATM card __________________ Unhappy with new timetable - let us know

01-10-2008, 21:12	#8
Mark Gleeson Technical Officer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Coach C, Seat 33 Posts: 12,669	If its one with the embedded photo is an Irish Rail issued one, otherwise its a Dublin Bus one __________________ Unhappy with new timetable - let us know

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30-09-2008, 20:21	#2
ThomasJ Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Clonsilla Posts: 2,812	Try dublin bus HQ on o'connell street. Also try validating it on a bus first. I have and have had no problems

30-09-2008, 20:33	#3
Mark Hennessy Membership Officer Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Maynooth Posts: 1,116	I think one thing to be careful of is keeping the ticket away from a mobile phone apparently. One thing that really does look harmful to tickets is those ridiculous plastic covers over the exit machines in Tara. They catch the ticket on its way out and practically fold it in half as it comes out. I have no idea why they need these.

01-10-2008, 20:59	#7
ThomasJ Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Clonsilla Posts: 2,812	Ah that explains it i got the bus and rail smartcard from dublin bus and has worked perfectly. If you got an annual bus and rail through the taxsaver who do you go to?

02-10-2008, 10:05	#9
zag Regular Poster Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 199	Becky, I have an annual ticket and use Booterstown most days of the week, but I haven't had a bad ticket in a long time now, so I don't think it's down to anything as simple as the readers in Booterstown. Just in case it's a specific reader - I normally use the left or middle readers - rarely the right. I have had tickets fail before (in one 2 or 3 month period I went through 5 I think) but not for the last year or so. I also don't treat my card in any way specially - it just gets wedged into my wallet with the rest of the credit cards, ATM cards, etc . . . I guess it may be down to the bus situation. I haven't used a bus in a while now. z