Gautrain calabash at it again Anyone who still want to be convinced of how Gautrain is going to further keep South Africans along racial and income l

Anyone who still want to be convinced of how Gautrain is going to further keep South Africans along racial and income levels further as I wrote last here will have to just look at the Gautrain calabashes (aka Gautrain feeder buses) drivers’ emerging mentality. It is no secrete that the calabashes are dominated by white passengers (who up to so far constitute 90% of trips according to my estimation) and hence yesterday the calabash driver waited for white guys (who looked like tourists) who were not standing where the Gautrain calabash usually loads its passengers while there were black passengers on its usual stop. What is even more funnier is that the two guys never stopped the calabash. I know this because I have advised one of the guy to take either Putco or Metro bus to the Sandton City (where they wanted to go).

Picture 1: Rivonia Public Transport Stop

I know that the bus driver was trying not to pass any passenger but what pisses me off is that drivers now think that every white men standing in the public transport stops are waiting for their buses. Its a mentality that even our black passengers will think when they see a white passenger waiting at the bus stop.

Picture 2: The two white gentlemen and the gautrain calabash

Yes…..black people are the main users of public transport in South Africa and whites hardly use public transport but as I said before public transport should not be associated with colour anymore which is what the Gautrain is doing.

What is the best way to stop the bus?

Just what do you call that little button that you have to press if you want to get off in the next coming bus stop? Well can I just call it “Intent to stop button”? The name sounds longer and I don’t think people will love it but I have inserted the picture below for you to see what I am talking about.

Picture 3: Intent to Stop Button

The other day I pressed that button while inside the Putco bus indicating to the driver that I wanted to get off and he stopped for me to get off in the next public transport stops. I tried doing that the other day with a different bus driver and he told me not to use it anymore. I explained to him that I used it for its purpose and he said we were not in a village or some remote farm. He may be right that the bell is not good(but did not put his words properly?) as it makes a loud sound that can irritate one’s ears but the bell can still be useful where a passenger is at the back and the bus is overloaded with passengers standing in the passage.

The funny thing is even when the bus is too full, passengers prefers to wait for the bus to stop while waiting in the front sometimes even when they are not getting off in the next two public transport stops, even if it will mean that passengers boarding in will find it difficult to go to the back. Some drivers thinks that someone is playing with the button like once when I was in the Rea Vaya and the bus driver skipped two stations.