The First Impression

The first impression by Penstar

Today is Monday and this morning I reached my office late for the first time in two months. It so happened that this morning, out of nowhere, my my former classmate enters the same taxi as me, headed towards same direction. And we reached Changiji Bridge when he told me that he takes City Bus from thereon to his office. I was tempted by his offer to commute in the City Bus.

We waited. There was no sign of bus appearing. Usually I reach office latest by 8:45 AM. But today even after 9:05 AM we were still waiting near the bridge. There were about seven of us in the group, all waiting for the delayed, unreliable service and to console me my friend was telling me that from May 2012 the schedule was not followed properly. This he thought was due to coming of additional buses in the town. I agreed. And I had to utilize some of my reserved patience waiting there for the bus.

So, the government is encouraging us to use public transport service and there is so much talk on the need to make it more reliable and efficient. Maybe my first day ride in the City Bus is insufficient to judge the efficiency of the transport service, but my first impression about the service was definitely unpleasant. And likewise how many first impressions are we talking about? Many commuters would try taking a ride or two until they lose their patience to stop using it.

It is heartening to know that many more buses are coming. Of course all these at the cost of taxi drivers’ livelihoods. I really feel sorry for the cabbies. But not much we can really do about it. Such is the government’s decision.

New City Buses: Picture by Kuensel

My suggestions for the City Bus would be to maintain punctuality at all times. If you are providing service that is of good quality then the revenues will flow in. This way we will have reduced the number of people wishing to buy cars. This way we will reduce traffic congestion. This way we will help solve rupee issues. This way we will have safer roads.

And another suggestion is to have latest schedules/timetables of City Buses pasted in all prominent places. That way many people would get to know the timings and frequencies of travel, etc. That way people need not wait unnecessarily longer.

Another suggestion is to have more buses in the morning when it is school time or time for people to go to offices. And the number maybe reduced during the daytime when there is no people to commute much. We see many empty city buses plying during the daytime. It is a waste of resources. I think once we have schedules pasted almost everywhere; this issue will be solved ultimately.

If City Buses do not let me reach my office late every morning but reach me home safely in time in the evening, then I am willing to forego my desire of buying a personal car. So it is with so many city dwellers.

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Nawang P Phuntsho

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