Somehow, mentioning the words “swanky” and “DTC bus” in the same breath just doesn’t seem to hit the right note. For years, the state corporation-run buses were known more for running over people and causing discomfort than for providing a comfortable ride. So, as I found myself trudging towards a bus stop waiting for the new air-conditioned buses, the heart wasn’t full of hope.
Standing for 20 minutes waiting for the “Star” bus, I saw the regular buses full of hustling and bustling people trying to sneak in. The heart sank even further but there was hope that the new bus wouldn’t be like this — or at least, so I was told.
Much to my relief, the bus, when it finally came, was just half full and, luckily, I got a seat. The interior felt extreamely spacious, or it could have been the lack of people that provided that sense, but the 5-odd kilometre ride was quite peaceful. The air-conditioner was working quite fine (something which I didn’t expect) and for the price they charge, it is money well spent. The bus scores quite high on comfort, and just when I was thinking of it being a useful transport alternative to a car, the return leg of my journey happened.
This time, the bus was full of people and since I was not in a mood to wait another 20 minutes for the next bus to come, I hopped onto it. The next thing I knew, two people had stomped on my feet, three others were jostling to get in front of me, and that’s when all the swankiness went out the window. Good ol’ DTC, I thought, as I was reminded of my student days when this sort of journey was a part of daily routine.
Overall, it was a decent experience considering that at least one part of the journey was comfortable.
A comfortable journey in a DTC bus was a rarity in the past. With these new buses, however, one can more readily think of using them — although not on a daily basis. The frequency of these buses needs to be improved so that the crowding doesn’t happen on a regular basis.
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SCORE: 6/10. Fewer people and improved frequency can solve a lot of commuting problems for Delhiites
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