It is after a very long time that I have started traveling by the city bus. As many years had passed, I felt quite inexperienced when I got into the bus. I realized that I had lost my grit and agility over the years. Previously I used to stand even while the bus was plying and without holding on to anything I could rummage in my bag and take out the fare for the ticket, fetch the ticket and not sway an inch. In fact, I used to act as a courier and most earnestly pass the ticket amount from the passengers who had boarded the bus in the front, to the conductor stationed at the rear of the bus. I would then pass the tickets along with the change in the reverse direction. That steady I was then! But now, as soon as I got into the bus I realized that such gymnastics was not for me. I had to hold on to the bars provided on the top and wait patiently for somebody to vacate the seat so I could sit down. Once I got my seat, I noticed that the buses had become more deluxe and some of them had Air condition units fitted. Depending upon the level of luxury allowed the ticket rates varied. Notwithstanding these changes, the crew was the same old “Conductors & Drivers”. Looking at them I started musing about the lot of these transport workers.
In the yester years, the government-run transport buses used to monopolize the city roads. They were overcrowded and cumbersome. Sometimes you could see a fleet of buses in the same route go by, one after the other like a convoy. Then there would be a long lull without any bus at all. One would have to stand in the bus stand with aching legs for the bus to come by. The crowd in the stand will keep on swelling and spill over, right into the road. On such occasions it is best to wait your turn and not rush to catch the first bus that comes into your view; obviously it will be over crowded and quite a number of the adventurous guys would be even hanging out of the doorway and the windows adjoining the doors.
But today, a number of share autos ply in all directions and this provides a convenient alternative to the weary travelers. No doubt they would be more expensive then the bus fare but several times cheaper to engaging an auto all to your self.
In some countries a single person doubles up for the driver and the conductor. In some cases the role of the conductor is totally dispensed with as the buses have automatic ticket vending machines. But in India
Bus conductors have a range of responsibilities, which include collecting fares, issuing tickets, helping passengers with baggage, advising on destinations and ensuring the safety of passengers. He also has to complete the paper work of closing stage and tallying the collection etc. The lot of the conductors and drivers is not a very attractive one as the hours are irregular and may involve some weekends and shift work.
Although a small seat is provided for the conductor, his job demands him to stand for prolonged periods. He blows the whistle once to stop the vehicle, so passengers could get in and out, he blows twice (“double whistle”) to signal to the driver to start off. The relationship between these two transport workers is quite interesting for they have to work as a team to run the required number of trips per shift and keep to the time schedule. On reaching the terminus, one can see them walk away as buddies to the nearest tea stall. There, over a cup of tea and with the newspaper in their hand they will discuss the road conditions, the current politics and what not. In side the bus, they communicate with the whistle and the lights inside the bus.
Not much career progression for these guys I guess. Probably they might earn some lateral pay scale enhancements which pushes up their salary without any change in their job content. Of course, I have seen them wear different colored uniforms which might distinguish each personnel by their length of service. Now however, with the AC buses and deluxe buses on the road only senior staff is posted to these hi tech buses.
The work of the conductor is quite unending for most of the passengers only say their destinations; the conductor will have to know what ticket to be issued. He tears the ticket and makes a notch at the side to indicate the stage and then hands it over to the passenger, collect the fare and return the change. He has to do all this within the minimum time. The knack with which he holds the entire ticket bunch in his hand without dropping it down, hangs a whistle from one of the fingers and tucks the Rupee notes between the fingers is a site to watch. The conductor besides the ticket bunch also has a small metal pad and a tabulated sheet where he jots down the ticket serial number for “closing stage”. This check matrix will enable him to tally the collection at the end of the day.
He has to be fast in mental sums for if a passenger asks for a number of tickets; he should quickly calculate the sum and collect the right amount. All this he has to complete before the predetermined stage. For there will often be ticket checkers at various stops who check to see if all the customers have taken the right ticket. In case a passenger does not have a ticket, the passenger is penalized. The conductor is also liable for some demerit in his career.
Thanks to technology, the conductors now carry a miniature ticket dispenser. They punch the destination and the number of fares, the ticket prints out. This makes the job of the conductor far easy.
A.G.Gardiner has immortalized the role of a conductor in his “On saying please”, where everybody waits for the helpful and cheerful conductor who used to spread his cheer to all the passengers with his cherubic nature. More recently the Knight bus conductor in “Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban” brought the conductor back into the main stream.
Let me finish this blog with a story about a conductor who did not stop the bus and on two such occasion a passenger died. He was convicted and on each occasion as luck would have it he survived the electric chair.
A reformed man he returned to his job and on the third occasion, he did dutifully stop the bus for a passenger who accidentally slipped on a banana peel and died. This time he was awarded capital punishment for a crime he did not commit. And sure enough this time he died on the electric chair.
The question is why didn't he die on the first two occasions, but died instantly the third time?? Any clues?????
Well, it is because a BAD CONDUCTOR never allow electricity to pass whereas GOOD CONDUCTER allows electricity to pass through it .
Right, right !!!
That was a kudos for the conductors which they deserve but you didn't mention about the change grabbing that they do- that is forgetting to return the change or telling there is no change
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