Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2019 January 6

= January 6 =

German "Verunreinigungen"
I'm looking for some help regarding the use of this word in a particular context. I'm looking at an end-of-shift printout from a bus ticket machine in Wuppertal. (Being an avid collector of anything transport-ticket-related, I spotted it on the ground, picked it up and have only got round to looking at it properly now...) It shows the value of ticket sales, credits etc. during the driver's shift. Fahrausweis-Verkauf and Gutschriften are obvious, but also included in the total (admittedly with a zero value!) are Verunreinigungen. As far as web searches and the Collins English-German Dictionary tells me, this means "impurities", "pollution", "contaminations" and things like that. I can't think of anything appropriate to fit the context of receiving/handling cash. Any ideas? Cheers, Hassocks 5489 (Floreat Hova!) 00:01, 6 January 2019 (UTC)
 * I don't know any German but wonder whether it could refer to any tickets that were issued in error and taken back.--Shantavira|feed me 10:08, 6 January 2019 (UTC)
 * The word refers to mess made by passengers on the bus (e.g. being sick, dog fouling). Perhaps the line is for money received by the driver in recompense for such fouling. --Viennese Waltz 10:38, 6 January 2019 (UTC)
 * For example, here's an extract from the conditions of carriage of the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr, which includes Wuppertal: "Wenn der Fahrgast ein Fahrzeug bzw. die Betriebsanlagen verschmutzt/verunreinigt oder beschädigt, kann das Verkehrsunternehmen ein Reinigungs- bzw. Instandhaltungsentgelt in Höhe von 20,00 Euro verlangen." ("If the passenger pollutes / contaminates or damages a vehicle or the facilities, the transport company may charge a cleaning or maintenance fee of 20.00 Euro.") --Viennese Waltz 07:53, 7 January 2019 (UTC)
 * Perfect, that makes sense. Logical that it should be accounted for separately from actual ticket receipts as well.  Many thanks!  Hassocks 5489 (Floreat Hova!)  09:14, 7 January 2019 (UTC)