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EASY ON THE BELL DRIVER!!
A
DRIVER’S IMPRESSION OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN BULGARIA.
The
bell rings softly, then again quickly and louder, with the ferocity of a driver on the Lucan route who has given up hope of
getting the ‘drop’ at the garage gate. Standing at the middle doors this author surveys the area whilst all around
old age pensioners exit the bus like parachutists. The brain works slowly, punch drunk from the previous night’s activities
and too much local beer like Kamenitza and Zagorka.
I
asked myself, “Why is some passenger ringing the bell when all the doors are open?” Ah, the penny drops; a look
at the driver reveals all from his eyes. Seemingly, the object of this frustrated ‘campanologist’ (i.e. bell ringer)
and the hiss of ‘pneumatics’ stirs me into action like a “last duty” from a city centre terminus.
This
hesitant ‘parachutist’, guided by the boot of an impatient loadmaster exits the bus in such haste as to arrive
on terra firma in an undignified manner. Welcome to bus etiquette Bulgarian style my host tells me with a big grin on his
face. After I’d cleaned the dust off my pride and began to take in the trip I’d just made on public transport
I had to come to the conclusion that travelling all over Bulgaria by bus is actually excellent.
It appears that a positive legacy of Communist times in Bulgaria
is a good transport design with cheap fares, good frequency and most of all no apparent traffic congestion. From my point
of view, they must have had a Comrade Newton (in-house banter), when planning their system as buses get priority, and in a
lot of cities have uninterrupted road space to themselves.
 
My
host tells me that ownership of the bus service is part private and part public. Different companies operate on the same routes
and are distinguished only by company logos and styles of buses used. Glorified vans, single-deckers, bendies and trolley
buses dominate, with no double-decker buses due to the presence of low tram wires. Some companies operate with driver-only
buses whilst others operate with driver and conductor. Fares are paid in cash and the ticket you get is validated in a low
cost ingenious system. Placed along the windows of these buses are manual ticket-punches used to validate tickets.
One
question on bus drivers minds, which dates back to the ‘rare old times’, is what the opportunities are like to
“make the rent”. Well an ingenious low-tech tilted moveable floor
design at the exits mechanically counts passengers movements automatically. Consequently, conductors caught trying to “make
the rent” not only have to issue the extra tickets but they also have to jump up and down on the steps as well.
Frustrated
bus drivers daily driving in congested areas might appreciate the fact that a lot of electrically-driven trolley buses are
used in Bulgaria. Along with blowing the horn madly at obstructions you can also swerve
as well. Hence, for drivers here who have an inclination to go off route, they should take note of the rumours that several
of these type buses are potentially being ordered for these errant drivers!!
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