The conductor never scanned my ticket

It was a bit crowded on NER 188 out of DC this evening, and no conductor came through to scan our tickets, at least up until Baltimore, where I got off. What does this mean now that we have e-ticketing? In the "good old days," if I were going to be dishonest (not me! ), I could taken the unused ticket to a ticket agent and gotten a refund, or reissue for another train. From what I understand about e-tickets, if you're a 'no-show,' you forfeit the ticket and the fare. By not getting scanned, does Amtrak think I was a no-show, or is their computer programmed to think that I took the ride I paid for. For all practical purposes, it doesn't matter, because I took the trip, but I wonder whether I will be credited for the AGR points on the ride, or will I have to enter them manually into the AGR website?

Since it wasn't scanned when the conductor hit that "All done" button.. That was it for your ressy.. I have found that when going on short trips try to sit at the back of the train where a conductor will come to scan quicker as they have to clear the platform from the rear of the train.

If the e-ticket was not scanned, then no you will not get AGR points. But there is a key on the conductor's scanner where s/he can "scan" every ticket from that station. If it was as crowded as you said, it's possible that s/he did this and you were "scanned" - and you will earn AGR points!

You'll find out soon.

Call AGR and explain the situation...you'll need the reservation number and other info. I did that once and got the points added right away. The assistant conductor came through the business car and wrote down our reservation numbers. Nothing got scanned!

Not sure why he didn't just scan them.. Easier and quicker then writing down every ressy number. But some people have done things in a silly way.

Acela150 said:

Not sure why he didn't just scan them.. Easier and quicker then writing down every ressy number. But some people have done things in a silly way.

Click to expand...

That was in the early days of eTickets...most of us had paper tickets. The point is, call AGR!

FrensicPic said:

Acela150 said:

Not sure why he didn't just scan them.. Easier and quicker then writing down every ressy number. But some people have done things in a silly way.

Click to expand...

That was in the early days of eTickets...most of us had paper tickets. The point is, call AGR!

Click to expand...

Even in those days it was easier to scan and then punch to cancel them. I rode 642 when eTickets were debuting.. I asked the conductor if he's ready for the change over. He said yes but wasn't looking forward to the folks with current paper tickets it at the time make a little more paperwork. I rode 86 same day. 175 next day. someone who bought a ticket online for the trip was a print at home paper ticket. I was stunned to see a eTicket already.

Regardless of what may or may not be correct, that particular time, he wrote everyone's (the whole car) reservation number on a piece of paper to enter at a later time. Don't know why, that's what he did and as a result, my ticket was not lifted.

That said, I've boarded a sleeper and never produced a ticket, the conductor verified our name and we were good to go!

We have had two instances in the past year where our ticket was not scanned when boarding in sleeper. On the LSL to NYP there was no scan and I later learned our trip had been registered as a no-show. I called AGR and explained what happened and that I could prove I was on the train. They gave me the points.

This last trip we were using points but our trip from TOL to ABQ could have been in danger if the TOL-CHI initial part had been recorded as no-show and therefore the CHI-ABQ section on the SWC automatically would have been cancelled as well. I sought out the conductor (who was in the lounge car) on the CL and made sure our ticket had been recorded. He assured me the ticket had been recorded but I had him scan it anyway just to be safe.

It seems like the conductors get a bit lazy about making contact with all on board passengers and with the current E-ticket rules should make an effort to get to all passengers in all cars to see the tickets are actually scanned.

FrensicPic said:

Regardless of what may or may not be correct, that particular time, he wrote everyone's (the whole car) reservation number on a piece of paper to enter at a later time. Don't know why, that's what he did and as a result, my ticket was not lifted.

That said, I've boarded a sleeper and never produced a ticket, the conductor verified our name and we were good to go!

Click to expand...

I can always agree with your statement. I have only been asked my name twice and that my recent trip to Chicago last September. On 449 the conductor didn't even come by. I stopped him after lunch and he said he manually put it in after the SCA told him what rooms were occupied which Ironcally was every room out of BOS. On the way back we were on our way to dinner and the conductor knocked and he asked last name, I said GURA and ANDERSON. His reply was "Gotcha"!

Let me ask this question. If traveling on a overnight train in a sleeper, you just sign off your meal with your car and room number. Does anyone look to see if the rooms signed off on were indeed occupied? Wouldn't that be more proof that you did make the trip??

I can understand the conductor asking the SCA what rooms are occupied, makes sense. Still like to get the warm fuzzy feeling that my ticket was ok by the conductor.

Bruce

With the new cancellation policy, it really does not matter anymore if they scan it or not. Just for you AGR do you need it scanned. Other than the non reserved coach such as the Surfliner, where your ticket is good until scanned, all other reservations except First Class are forfeited as I understand. So either way Amtrak gets there money.

Yes, but on longer train runs at peak times (either of the day or of the year), no-shows can open up seats at a crowded end of a line...so it would still behoove Amtrak to try and get those no-shows "registered" so they can also re-sell the space. A no-show BOS-NWK could easily open up a NYP-WAS space, for example.

I noticed that the conductors still have the old ticket punches on their belt. Is there any reason that they still punch tickets these days?

If a reservation involves a Thruway segment that can't accept e-tickets, the tickets for the whole trip are paper tickets. Also, if the passenger received the tickets from a travel agent, most likely they're paper tickets. Those still must be punched.

seat38a said:

With the new cancellation policy, it really does not matter anymore if they scan it or not. Just for you AGR do you need it scanned. Other than the non reserved coach such as the Surfliner, where your ticket is good until scanned, all other reservations except First Class are forfeited as I understand. So either way Amtrak gets there money.

Click to expand...

There's another reason besides AGR points that it matters to the passenger, as RRBill mentioned. If you are shown as a no-show, the remaining segments of your reservation are automatically cancelled. By the time you discover that, there might be no more space available for you to rebook the cancelled segments especially if you had sleepers.

You don't have to call AGR and wait on hold. Instead log in to AGR and on the left is a button to "Request Missing Points." Fill that out and wait a few days. Most of that time that works......if it doesn't, THEN call AGR.

crescent2 said:

seat38a said:

With the new cancellation policy, it really does not matter anymore if they scan it or not. Just for you AGR do you need it scanned. Other than the non reserved coach such as the Surfliner, where your ticket is good until scanned, all other reservations except First Class are forfeited as I understand. So either way Amtrak gets there money.

Click to expand...

There's another reason besides AGR points that it matters to the passenger, as RRBill mentioned. If you are shown as a no-show, the remaining segments of your reservation are automatically cancelled. By the time you discover that, there might be no more space available for you to rebook the cancelled segments especially if you had sleepers.

Click to expand...

I think this is the most over-looked issue with regards to not getting tickets scanned. If you're headed out on a long cross country trip, and your first leg happens to be a crowded "commuter" type Amtrak train, a lazy conductor could, indeed, jepoardize one's entire journey.

I've tried the "Request Missing Points" online...that's why I make a phone call now!

VentureForth said:

crescent2 said:

seat38a said:

With the new cancellation policy, it really does not matter anymore if they scan it or not. Just for you AGR do you need it scanned. Other than the non reserved coach such as the Surfliner, where your ticket is good until scanned, all other reservations except First Class are forfeited as I understand. So either way Amtrak gets there money.

Click to expand...

There's another reason besides AGR points that it matters to the passenger, as RRBill mentioned. If you are shown as a no-show, the remaining segments of your reservation are automatically cancelled. By the time you discover that, there might be no more space available for you to rebook the cancelled segments especially if you had sleepers.

Click to expand...

I think this is the most over-looked issue with regards to not getting tickets scanned. If you're headed out on a long cross country trip, and your first leg happens to be a crowded "commuter" type Amtrak train, a lazy conductor could, indeed, jepoardize one's entire journey.

Click to expand...

Fortunately I have no personal experience with this, but according to many posts I've read there's another negative if you are traveling on an AGR award. To add insult to injury, apparently you don't even get any of your points refunded for the difference in a coach and sleeper award if you lost your sleeper on the remaining segments in the award. (And there is a big difference between points value of coach and sleeper awards.) You get a voucher for future $$ travel. That works out OK for some, but not for those who only want to do another AGR trip. I don't understand why it would be difficult to give a partial points refund instead of a cash voucher.

Morale: Be sure your ticket is scanned if there are other segments on your reservation!

VentureForth said:

crescent2 said:

seat38a said:

With the new cancellation policy, it really does not matter anymore if they scan it or not. Just for you AGR do you need it scanned. Other than the non reserved coach such as the Surfliner, where your ticket is good until scanned, all other reservations except First Class are forfeited as I understand. So either way Amtrak gets there money.

Click to expand...

There's another reason besides AGR points that it matters to the passenger, as RRBill mentioned. If you are shown as a no-show, the remaining segments of your reservation are automatically cancelled. By the time you discover that, there might be no more space available for you to rebook the cancelled segments especially if you had sleepers.

Click to expand...

I think this is the most over-looked issue with regards to not getting tickets scanned. If you're headed out on a long cross country trip, and your first leg happens to be a crowded "commuter" type Amtrak train, a lazy conductor could, indeed, jepoardize one's entire journey.

Click to expand...

Also many people book both ways on one reservation. As an example, if they travel like me and go JAX-RVR-NYP-CHI-AUS-LAX-EMY-PDX-CHI-WAS-JAX, but their RVR-NYP ticket is not scanned, their WAS-JAX bedroom in 3 weeks will disappear! And by the time they get to WAS, all 4 bedrooms may have already been sold.

I've had to seek out a conductor on the NE regional before. I've never had a conductor forget to check my ticket on a LD train.

Last Summer on an early segment of a large multi-segment run the Conductor had not stopped by the Roomette after a couple hours and I finally hunted him down, worried if I wasn't quickly checked in the downline segments could cancel. He smiled and said he stopped by the Roomette when I was in the Diner, saw my stuff and simply clicked me in.

It might be nice in a situation like that where they have a little tag or sticker they can leave that says you have been checked in.

seat38a said:

I noticed that the conductors still have the old ticket punches on their belt. Is there any reason that they still punch tickets these days?

Click to expand...

Maybe for live 10-ride tickets, although it's all eTicketing now on the Capitol Corridor. Those are printed with spots to punch, although technically the number of remaining rides is electronically recorded and the punch is just for clarity. I remember when the last ride would be used, the conductor would punch it randomly, put a couple of punches on the stub, and I would get the stub as a receipt. The stub would often be ready to fall off at the perforation.
On the CC they use punches to mark the expiration date of transit transfers.