The Bus from Heaven
I'm sure many of us have stories to tell about the trials and tribulations of horrible bus rides - the bus ride from hell. Well, surprisingly l just experienced the nicest experience on a bus that I can remember.
(photo of a typical city bus in China)
One doesnt usually think about bus drivers other than about whether they are good or bad drivers, but yesterday I was totally turned around by a woman bus driver here in the city in Central China in which I am living. I had to go from almost one end of the city of six million population to nearly the other, a trip that took an hour. Normally, one might become rather tired of such a tedious trip, stopping every couple of blocks to take on and drop off passengers, waiting for endlessly long traffic signals to change and sitting in traffic jams. For the first time that I can recall, in this case I was almost sorry to reach my destination.
Virtually every bus I can remember, whether old or new, was strictly business, visually cold, utilitarian, void of any warmth. When I got on this bus I was personally greeted by the driver, which I discovered she did with every single person who entered her bus. The first thing I saw was plants and flowers. She had surrounded herself with potted plants (not in any spot that would impede the safe operation of the bus) placed red fake roses at the base of the windshield, and strung overhead red Chinese lanterns and fake lilies from the ceiling throughout the bus. The bus was immaculately clean, not a common situation. Even though the bus was owned by the major city bus company, I must assume it was the one to which she was regularly assigned. I wish I had taken my camera with me it was a lesson to me to have it with me at all times.
Her driving was courteous to other drivers on the road as well. Although there is an automatic recording announcing the name of the street location of each bus stop played for the passengers on all city buses, she would use the microphone to announce, on her own accord, the next few stops being approached.
My first wife used to call me Hamlet accusing me Of thinking too precisely on th' event and not doing what should be done. In this case I should have written down her identification number and the bus number, then written a letter to the bus company about her, suggesting to them that they should name her Bus Driver of the Year and give her an award (preferably a bonus). Now its too late. Its not likely I will get on the same bus again there must be thousands of them in the city, and so many on each route. We must usually think of bus drivers as kind of robots, doing the same job, the same movements, every day, and never take notice of them. Well, what I have now seen is a real human at the helm, a person who made her work-place into a home.
By the way, the bus fare? 1 rmb - the equivalent of around 15 American/Canadian cents. I must say, at least, that I am thankful for the experience.
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I was feeling a bit nostalgic lately, so I thought I would look back at some of the articles I posted on Newstalkers at least a couple of years ago, most of which were written by me and all have many photographs, and thought that perhaps some new members who have not delved back into the archives might enjoy seeing. Ive chosen one each from different groups where I have been posting over the years: Classic Car Collectors Corner; Anishinaabe - the First People; Discovery Group, Creative Arts; and Canada, the True North Strong and Free. In the comments, sometimes it will look as if Im talking to myself, but that is because the other persons who posted must have deleted their NT accounts and that will automatically delete their comments.Anyway, here is one of the articles.
Nobody tips here in China. When I tell a taxi driver to keep the change sometimes they refuse to take it, and if they do they're effusive in their gratitude.
Buzz
Sounds like a very interesting and entertaining bus trip on a daily basis
Great story Buzz, a pleasant ride.
What a great experience Buzz, too bad not all drivers are like her!
What a lovely trip! That's the kind of bus I would like to ride on!
Our city bus drivers are nice people, not surly, but still very cold, and very much on schedule...
I can't remember the last time I rode on a city bus, but I did ride on a school . (too many years ago) lol
At 15 cents a trip, how can I complain?
I'm pretty sure my last bus trip was the time I took the greyhound from North Carolina, where I was stationed at Cherry Point in the early 70's, back to Dallas TX. Took more than a day for the trip and it was in no way as sweet as your bus experience Buzz.
I think the essence of my trip was well captured in Harry Chapin's song, "Greyhound".
I don't think I could handle long trip on a bus.......I don't even like driving in a car for long periods of time, but, that's just me!!
lol
Well, I was a just a lowly Marine Cpl back then and a bus ticketis so much cheaper than the price of flying. Sucks being poor.
I can almost picture the pleasantness of this driver! Beautiful that she choose to be happy daily in what most view as a mundane, thankless job. Making it pleasant for herself, passengers were the beneficiaries.
Although my mom is 650 miles away, every morning I hear her words..."put on your happy face, we have much to be thankful for".
Thanks for sharing a story that made such a lasting impression.
I love flying....but, I hate airports. (if that makes any sense)