Joy ride in a shared auto
Car with a driver on call. Huge petrol expenses. And then the driver charges. Is there an escape route?Yes, indeed. And a great one to learn from tolerance and the human spirit to keep going. There are share autos, perhaps everywhere in India, but for the poor man, this is a boon in areas where the bus services are not as good as they ought to be. The Government would talk about less revenue earned on such routes. Yes, indeed. There is some merit in such arguments.
Here comes the shared auto. Instead of the normal eight people, thanks to one extra seat put right behind the driver, at least fourteen people would travel in the shared auto, that would have three seats, including one at the rear end. Most people generally go to the Government hospital. A large chunk goes to the numerous villages for trading in unorganized textiles. The big bundles are stored in the villages, in the houses of some reliable people. Those who provide this extra service, are sometimes given some free textiles as well.
The guy would resume his journey on a two-wheeler that would be parked in some house. The conversations are always lively. The businessman would often chat with the passengers. Many of the passengers are known to the driver. The auto would stop at many places. No one would ever mind the inconvenience. The topics discussed and the jokes exchanged are always lively.
The charges have gone up in recent times. But this means of transportation is so famous in the villages and does provide meaningful self-employment to thousands of youngsters. A few of them are graduates as well.
If one keeps on traveling by shared auto, one is bound to learn so many new things about human relationships.