One man show irks commuters

One man show irks commuters
Vijay Times

THE Bangalore Metropolitan T ransport Corporation (BMTC) bus drivers often double up as conductors when the need arises and manage the show single-handedly .

As this is not easy , certain changes have been incorporated by the authorities to help the drivers. However , some passengers travelling in these buses are not happy with such changes as they claim that they cause a certain degree of discomfort.

Passengers claimed that they were taking a risk by travelling in such buses as the driver would not be concentrating only on driving. The drivers, apart from focussing on what was happening on the road, would also have to concentrate on issuing tickets to passengers, they pointed out.

The authorities, however , said that such changes were necessary as they were part of an attempt to raise the standard of BMTC buses.

In a bid to help the driver keep track of the passengers in his bus, the back door is shut in such buses. Only the front door near the driver’s seat is kept open for passengers. "All the passengers, both male and female, use the front door to enter or exit when there is no conductor inside the bus. Thus, the rush in the front is immense and it becomes difficult for the passengers to stand," said Avilash V ardhan, a commuter .

"Many a time, in such situations, I have missed my stop and have had to get down at a different stop. As there is just one door to use, it becomes extremely difficult for commuters to board or to alight from the bus. These days, I avoid such one man show buses," said an annoyed Ramu Nair .

"As it is, buses remain crowded during office hours. In buses where the driver is assigned the additional role of the conductor as well, all the male passengers are forced to get off the bus through the front door , which is reserved for women in other buses. As the men keep standing in the front side of the bus, it makes us feel uncomfortable," said Radhika Iyer , another commuter .

However, the BMTC officials have their reasons for this change.

"In European as well as Asian countr ies like Singapore and Malaysia, public buses are run by a single individual. We are planning to introduce ticket vending machines and smart car techniques inside our buses like the ones used abroad. But before that, we want to make the crew and the passengers absolutely comfortable with the one-man operation," said Dastagir Sherrif, the Chief T raffic Manager of BMTC.

The author ities are planning to introduce upgraded hi-fi techniques in BMTC buses on par with international standards.

"In order to make this attempt successful, a high lev el of acceptance should come from both the public as well as the crew members," added Sherrif.