Do gate-line staff get training on ITSO cards?

This "failure to recognise the Key" issue has arisen before (Sept 2014). It was reported on another forum and I believe TfL undertook to improve the briefing of staff so that there would not be a failure to recognise the Key smartcard as being acceptable for use on LU. Whether the briefing happened I can't say but I've no reason to doubt what was reported on the forum given the individual endured a lot of grief and challenged the transport operators to sort out the mess. To be strictly accurate I've gone back to the posting and it involved bus revenue inspectors. However I would hope that a holistic view was taken by TfL to remind station and bus staff about the Key. The problem with a lot of briefing material is that there is a reliance on staff doing the right thing and reading what is sent to them / put on display rather than being locked in a room and being briefed by a manager and then being "tested" to ensure they've understood what's been said.

The only way to find out is for you to complain about your experience to TfL Customer Services and specifically ask what has been done about briefing station staff so they recognise the Key (and any other variants like Stagecoach Smart or C2C's Smartcard - all of which can hold Travelcards).

Ah so the T&R bulletins are still produced. That's interesting. Really miss being able to read them.

I am really surprised that ITSO cards like the Key have not been mentioned. Not sure who produces the bulletins nowaddays but I know who used to do them and I can't believe they would have missed out something important like acceptance of ITSO spec cards which can carry Travelcard products or be presented at locations with shared LU / NR gatelines.

Fine - you may believe that and I understand why you've said it as a general point. I don't know if you have seen or receive the bulletins but I used to see them. They always struck me as a decent balance between being readable and dealing with some involved issues. They also weren't insular in just concentrating on LU issues although that's the main content. Issues on other bits of the wider transport network in London were also covered. Now it's possible the scope of the bulletins has changed or the authors have changed but I always felt it was a good channel for getting info "out there" to staff as well as providing a feedback channel for questions and queries and providing answers.

[/pedant Traffic Circulars now issued fortnightly.