A full instruction leaflet will be sent out with each Smartrider Card.

You can also read through this page to learn how to get the most from your Smartcard

• What your Smartcard gives you
• Extra Benefits
• Bus routes
• How to use your Smartrider card
• What to do if your card is lost or damaged
• Terms and conditions
• Further travel information

What your Smartcard gives you

Once you have purchased your Smartrider card it will provide you with :

• One prepaid journey to college on any service bus operated by your designated operator within the scheme area, each college day up to 10pm.
• One prepaid journey back from college on any service bus operated by your designated operator within the scheme area, each college day up to 10pm.

Please note that the card gives one prepaid journey to and from college each day - if you catch the bus into town and back during the day you will find your journey home will have been used up and you will have to pay.

• If you need to change buses on your journeys to and from college you can do so. There is a maximum transfer time of 75 minutes between boarding the first bus and boarding the second bus.

Extra Benefits

Your Smartcard will also allow you the following benefits:

• FREE travel on any FIRST or STAGECOACH bus service after 6pm on college days and all day at weekends and during college holidays until 20th July 2008.
• DISCOUNTED travel on ALL OTHER BUSES after 6pm on college days and all day at weekends and during college holidays until 20th July 2008.

Your Smartcard will be valid until the end of the Summer Term 2008.

Bus routes

To find out which bus services you can use you Smartcard on please select Bus Network Area Map.

How to use your Smartcard

• Each time you board the bus hold your card next to the ticket machine (on the flat surface above the ticket exit) and tell the driver your destination.
  
• The ticket machine will indicate that it has read your smartcard using a number of beeps and lights and a relevant message on the passenger display, (see details below). This should only take a few seconds. However, if you remove your card too quickly this may cause the card to corrupt and it will not work again until it has been repaired.
  
• If you notice a problem has occurred please present the card to the reader again (before the next passenger shows their card) and this should correct the error.
  
• If the card still doesn't work the bus driver should issue you with an unpaid ticket and he/she will retain the card.
  
• Please take your unpaid ticket to the Guidance Centre at North Devon College, or to the Administration Office at Bideford & Ilfracombe Colleges where staff will deal with the problem.

On bus services operated by First your Smartcard system operates like traffic lights:

• A prepaid journey will produce a green light, one bleep and the message 'Free Journey'
• A discounted journey will produce an amber light, two bleeps and the message 'Pay Student Fare'
• A full price journey will produce a red light, three bleeps and the message 'Pay Full Fare'
• A red light will also be shown if the card has expired or been hot listed, or used twice within 5 minutes. Under these circumstances the driver will retain the card and you will be asked to pay the appropriate fare.

On all other bus operators (not First) the Smartrider card is used as a flash by.

If your driver is in any doubt on any of the above please refer to the instructions in the Smartrider wallet.

What to do if your card is lost or damaged

Application forms for replacement Smartcards can be requested from the Guidance Centre at North Devon College (01271 338125), the Administration Offices at Bideford (01237 477611), Ilfracombe Colleges (01271 863427), or from Devon County Council at the address below.

The current cost to replace a Smartcard is £5. Cheques/Postal Orders should be made payable to 'Devon County Council' and returned to:

Devon County Council,
Room M18,
Matford Lane Offices,
County Hall,
Exeter,
EX2 4QW.
Telephone - 01392 383570

Broken and Faulty cards are replaced for free provided the card is returned.

For any card replacement, broken, faulty, lost or stolen, your college can issue you with ONE temporary paper ticket for 10 college days, whilst your new card is processed.

Please note that with a temporary ticket you will be able to travel to and from college, but discounted fares will not be available.

NB Lost and stolen cards cannot be ordered until the £5 fee has been received

No Card - No Journey
Please note if you forget to carry your smartcard you will be charged to travel on the public service buses. These fares are not refundable.
If your card has been lost or stolen, or is faulty you will be given a temporary paper ticket (see above). These will not be issued for forgotten tickets.
The smartcard is for your use only - you should not lend it to anyone else.  

Terms & Conditions

1. The Smartrider travel card remains the property of Devon County Council. Cards must be surrendered to any authorised person on request.
2. The Smartrider travel card is issued subject to Devon County Council and the operating company's standard terms and conditions, a copy of which can be obtained on request from Transport Co-ordination Service, Devon County Council, Room M18, Matford Lane Offices, County Hall, Exeter EX2 4QW.
3. If found please return to Transport Co-ordination Service at the address above.

Refunds Policy
If you leave college please return your pass or smartcard to the address above. If you have paid for your transport, a pro rata refund may be made on receipt of your pass/smartcard.

Further travel information

Information on services within the scheme area can be found in the North Devon Bus Times Guide. Guides are available from the North Devon College Travel Centre, Post Offices, Barnstaple Bus Station and libraries.

Alternatively local and regional public transport enquiries in South West England can be made with Traveline on 0871 200 22 33 (calls cost 10p per minute from a landline).