Kids bus ride in Pakistan not like U.S. - continued

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By Asad Ali
Writer for Pakistan Herald Publications Ltd, The Dawn Newspaper. First published by The The DAWN Group of Newspapers, original story title, "The forgotten factor in urban transport," 12/13/1999, Copyright �1999, All Rights Reserved. Posted by permission.

The Dawn Newspaper
Page 2, continued - Perhaps many of them were forced by circumstances to drop out of school at an early age and develop a sense of resentment against children who are getting an education. Sometimes the conductor himself might be only a little older than the children travelling in his van, and he might feel that they should be helping out their families like him rather than be indulging in the luxury of schooling. He cannot be expected to have much sympathy for them if they run short of money for the fare.

In any case, how can conductors and drivers be expected to behave in a way different from what they have known all their own lives? Given the exploitative and grasping nature of the system in which we live, it is a wonder that there still are transporters who charge half fare from students. And it is a tragedy that children as young as six or seven should be forced to think of ways of avoiding to pay bus or wagon fare just because they are tempted to eat a biscuit or two.

Apart from thinking of some way to have a school busing system, the entire urban transport problem should be tackled as part of a comprehensive strategy and not in bits and pieces. For thousands of commuters their day starts with contemplating a strategy about when to leave their houses to be in time for work. They have no time to look around and enjoy the weather which is at its most beautiful early in the morning these days. They are intent only on weighing which bus or wagon to catch.

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With experience comes savvy. Many hardened commuters begin to think of chances of getting a place in a wagon much before they leave their homes for their offices or vice-versa. Nobody likes the idea of having to run to catch a bus or wagon and then not find sitting space. But the number of commuters is increasing every year, and there doesn't seem to be an easy solution to the present public transport crisis.

Women commuters suffer badly. More and more women are taking up jobs every year. There are only four seats reserved for women in an 18-seat wagon which forms over 75 per cent of the transport available in Lahore for the travelling public. Thus, a woman wanting to reach her destination on time might have to outwit 20 other women to get a seat in an approaching wagon.

But the plight is worst for the elderly. Other passengers waiting at a stop talk to the senior citizens respectfully but no one has the patience to let them take precedence in getting into a wagon or is prepared to give up their seats for them. This is so because the noble act would not be a good enough excuse for being late for office or school or college and would be lost on the employer or the school principal.