Tricky things to be passenger...

I have no idea whatsoever how drivers of many public transportation in Jakarta earn their income.

 I suppose they have to get a certain amount of money after taking passengers for a period of time during a day. Then they will have to give that money to the owner of those vehicles. If the money deposited to their boss enough with the quota then the rest will be for the driver. Surely if he has an assistant or more then he should share it with them. No wonder recently I noticed that most regular buses only have 1 assistant to collect bus fare from passengers.

It is an ironic that during peak hour we the passenger have to wait for a long time to get on the bus. Let alone to get an empty one. So, naturally there should be lots of vehicles to ensure all of us passengers able to get to our destination on time…and thankfully in comfort.

However, during not so peak hour those public transportations become very empty. Then it is not a surprise one or two or worse…more of the exact same public transportation will bump into each other. And naturally they will try to think of something how to avoid one another. And their ways are not so nice to the passenger.

First, they will be speeding like crazy… try to leave their competitors… We tends to take the first public transportation that we see rather than wait for uncertain time on the next public transportation. This is the exact moment when you feel that you are truly going to be arrived in your final destination.

Second , if the other vehicle manage to go ahead leaving its competitors then the loosers will drive their vehicles very slowly. It is so slowly it will increase blood pressure of all people who in a hurry to get to their destination.

Third, aside from slowing their vehicles others will wait for passengers before starting to move again. Obviously they were hoping that they are going to get more passengers by waiting for them.

Fourth, they will make a turn to go back on the previous route. Yeah, I have been there myself. One time I was inside this usual regular bus and I was soo happy thinking that the driver took a short cut to get to the destination. Then my dream finally vanished when the driver went back to the previous route. Not only he took a turn back but he also stop the bus and wait for more passengers.

Fifth, after all the torments given to us the passengers and they are still not satisfied then the last thing to do is to move us all to another public transportation aka their competitors. I have no idea about the arrangement but once both drivers decided then there is no way passenger will be able to say no. So, if in the previous bus we did have a good seat then there is no guarantee we will get the same thing when we have to move to another public transportation. Why passengers would not object this idea? Simply because we do not need to pay again so it is supposed to be a win – win situation or perhaps loose – loose situation.

What a tiring thing to be passenger