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Why should I have to pay more for buses if I don't use a smartphone?

65 points · 89 comments · DamonHD

  1. unified101 · · focus · HN ↗
    The actual answer is there's operational cost to handling cash, or payment methods beyond the ones that cover 99.9% people well. You pay more for the extra hassle the whole system has to serve that .1%

    You may not like or disagree with it. But it's the true answer.

    1. graemep · · focus · HN ↗
      There are operational issues with phones (e.g. batteries running out).

      This has nothing to do with handling cash. It is to do with the elimination of paper tickets for monthly passes. Where I live you can pay cash for one off tickets, but they refuse to sell you paper monthly tickets.

      1. KellyCriterion · · focus · HN ↗
        why are they so focussed on "monthyl paper tickets"? are these any different to daily paper tickets?
        1. Arnt · · focus · HN ↗
          Yes, they're worth more.

          A single ticket has to be printed and used in the space of a few hours. A monthly pass can be printed at any time and sold until the beginning of the month, for a much higher price. Much more risky for the transportation company.

          1. KellyCriterion · · focus · HN ↗
            Err how can a ticket be sold at a higher price towards the end of the month?

            Isnt it that ticket price should somehow decrease?

            1. Arnt · · focus · HN ↗
              Say you have a fancy printer and can print fake monthly passes. You can print a hundred fakes today "dated" November 23, valid for December 2026, and sell them until the end of November to people who can use them in December.

              Ie. the end of the month November, not the end of December. I suppose you could also sell the remainder at a discount in December.

              1. graemep · · focus · HN ↗
                I do not think fake tickets are a risk as monthly tickets can be numbered so you cannot just print them out. Issue a UUIS per ticket and they you go.

                One bus company embedded the signing key for the ticket app in the app so that was not a good way of precenting fakes,

                Much higher value train tickets are widely used in printed form and forgeries have not been a problem.

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