“Make short the miles with talk and smiles.” This is the approach Arvind has in his place of work. He is a bus conductor on route 27.
Arvind comes from a middle class family and has been educated up to the pre-college level. Financial circumstances did not allow him to study further, so getting a ‘desk-job’ was out of the question. When the opportunity arose he grabbed it and became a conductor after passing many tests.
Arvind works in shifts either in the morning, afternoon or evening. Whatever the time, Arvind always makes it a point to be at the bus station at least twenty minutes before clocking-in time. This gives him the chance to collect the tickets, some change in coins, the conductor’s bag, have a cup of tea, have a chat or share a joke with his coworkers and then with a light heart to proceed to his bus.
At the starting point, when there are only a few people on board, Arvind has an easy time collecting the fares. In fact he can cool his heels at the back of the bus for a while. As the route leads to the city, passengers working in the commercial area keep filing in. Then Arvind has to be on the alert, as he has to walk up and down the aisle collecting fares and issuing tickets. Every ticket has to be accounted for. Arvind has to see that no one travels free. Also a fact to be considered is that, the tickets are serially numbered, so it is Arvind’s job to see that the tickets and fares tally.
Arvind has a very congenial nature. Therefore his rapport with the passengers makes his job easy. It is rarely that he has to settle a dispute or get into an argument. On occasions, he has had to eat humble pie, but for “peace at any cost” which is his motto.
When approaching a bus stop, Arvind calls out the name of the street and rings the bell which is an indication for the driver to stop. At the stops Arvind makes sure to help the passengers to alight, especially women with children and senior citizens. He makes it a habit to send them off with a smile.
On his return to the bus depot, Arvind makes his calculations at his desk and deposits the cash and remaining tickets with the cashier.As he starts off his day so he ends it with a cup of tea and a few moments with his friends. Then Arvind clocks-out and returns to his family.
the role of a bus conductor is a vital and often underappreciated one in the world of public transportation. These individuals play a crucial role in ensuring the smooth operation of buses and the comfort and safety of passengers. Eventually, bus conductors are like the helpful guides on buses. They do things like collecting money, giving out tickets, and answering questions from passengers. They also make sure the buses run on time. Sometimes, they become familiar and friendly faces for people who ride the bus a lot. In a nutshell, bus conductors are crucial for making sure buses work well and for making bus journeys more comfortable for everyone. bus conductors are important for keeping buses working well and helping people get where they need to go. In addition to their operational responsibilities, bus conductors often form strong bonds with regular passengers and become familiar faces in their communities. This personal touch can enhance the overall passenger experience and create a sense of belonging and trust among commuters.bus conductors are important for keeping buses working well and helping people get where they need to go.