| When I started
on Hants & Dorset employees
and their wives (but not husbands)
were issued with a quarter-fare
pass after three months service.
Up to two children could travel
with them at the same fare. Travel
to and from work was free if you
were in uniform but only on the
company's buses. |
 |
| The restrictions
were largely ignored, often no
fare at all would be collected.
And nobody charged any driver
or conductor in uniform no matter
who they worked for or what bus
they were on. Although the companies
were rivals, the crews were all
on the same side. |
|
| Certain inspectors
were always keen to catch us but
seldom did. The penalty if caught
was for the passenger to have
their pass withdrawn and the conductor
to be disciplined. The solution
was to keep an eye open for inspectors
and quickly issue a ticket. |
|
| Eventually
the quarter fare was dropped and
travel became free for staff and
wives but it took a while for
husbands to be included and it
would be many years before other
partners were accepted. |
|
| Another advantage
of working on the buses was being
picked up and dropped off between
stops. The driver would slow but
not stop. I quickly got used to
getting on open platform buses
and getting off was not too difficult
but I never liked jumping on buses
with doors, particularly when
the doors were at the front. |
|
| Rules 76
and 77 set out the regulations
for staff travel. |
