Tales of an MTC Passenger

If you’re a Chennaite, you would know that travelling in an MTC bus is an experience in itself. During my college days, I largely travelled in the bus with number ‘5E’. 5E is the kind of bus which cares about every one of its passengers in its way. In addition to taking a scenic route around the city, consecutive stops of the bus would be located only 2 minutes away from each other. On normal days, this would be mildly irritating. But on the days when I’m late to college, I would literally bang my head against the front seat in frustration (kidding :), mostly).

In MTC buses, if we get a seat immediately, then we are saved. Else we are in for a thrilling ride where we have to wrestle with our bags, the passengers and the bus which would start swerving sharply to left and right when we’re standing.

Middle aged passengers seem to have something about girls and guys wearing earphones while standing in the bus. It's like some white noise would play in their ears when we are on earphones. I had felt death glares from my sides and on my back from them. Passengers will also be passing money to conductor for tickets if the bus is too crowded for the conductor to roam around. Even if a passenger gives a 500 rupee note for a 10 rupee ticket, the ticket with the exact change will be returned to him from one end of the bus to another. I have always felt proud about this.

Rainy season brings more troubles. Sometimes we’ll want to hold umbrella even inside the bus. It’s the only time that the seats will be empty but the bus will be crowded as the seats are all wet. Even rain water harvesting can be done inside the bus.

After all these, if I get a window seat and put on a Harris melody in my earphones, I’ll be in a bliss, wishing that the bus would take a longer route or stay stuck in endless traffic.

If you can relate with this post, comment the MTC bus number that you have had memories with!!