I like to travel on buses not just because they are the cheapest (1 yuan) ways to get around town, but because of the things that you see that you would otherwise miss-out on.
The buses in Changchun are very well used, pretty much all day running at or above capacity.
Something funny that happens very often is when I have an empty seat next to me and the bus is full – people are standing – and yet very few people will fill the empty seat next to me. It’s like I have a disease or something. Many Chinese seem to be afraid of sitting next to the foreigner, and the only people that do reguarly sit next to me are students. .jpg "bus free seat")
.jpg "standing on bus")
I reckon there is a potential market to be exploited in starting up a bus operation from certain parts of the city, as the network is focused around several parts of town, and more importantly, bus services start to stop at 5pm – even in the summer! Hard to beleive but It’s true! Again another example of the Chinese not understanding the basics of demand and supply – just doing things as they have always been done.
.jpg "bus timetable")
There is only one major bus route that goes on past 8.30 in the evening and that only goes up and down Renmin Dajie (the central street in Changchun). Not many can afford taxis and at 1.3 yuan a km, I try to avoid them too. I do use them is there is no other alternative, and often vocal Cabbies will stop at bus stops get out of their cars, and ply for trade – 2yuan to so and so, per person, 5 in a car – means they make a decent profit while satisfing the punter.
So for a major city, there has to be a market – even if only in the summer months. Now that the weather is hot the buses are always full to bursting with people. Unlike the West, there’s no worries about the safety of filling a bus with standing people to the point where people have to get off the bus just to let others on. The bus driver always lets people on even when there is no space – i dread to think what would happen if there was a serious accident.
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The Chinese’s way of thinking about supply-and-demand seems to be that if the demand isn’t enough to over-fill every bus, then it’s not worth their while to provide the buses after certain hours. I guess that explains why they try to pack as many people into every bus as possible – even if the people had to get on the bus from the exit.
The Chinese’s way of thinking about supply-and-demand seems to be that if the demand isn’t enough to over-fill every bus, then it’s not worth their while to provide the buses after certain hours. I guess that explains why they try to pack as many people into every bus as possible – even if the people had to get on the bus from the exit.
Hi,David.
Do you remember me,I’m Zoe. What’s up?
Sure, it is. David.Whenever I’m on the bus, people go crazy,they dare not to look at me,instead they pretend to look somewhere with sly expression.
Actually, I finish my work at 4:30everyday,so that will be more convenient for me to take a bus to go somewhere.But I prefer to take a taxi.
Last time you told me you had classes in **** **,right?I think probably you have to finish your classes there in the evening,cuz they are aldults,they’d like to sit up,right?lol.poor students.Is there any bus for you to go home from the university?At least I know that the last No.306 is around 9:30pm.
Have a nice day.
Zoe
Hi,David.
Do you remember me,I’m Zoe. What’s up?
Sure, it is. David.Whenever I’m on the bus, people go crazy,they dare not to look at me,instead they pretend to look somewhere with sly expression.
Actually, I finish my work at 4:30everyday,so that will be more convenient for me to take a bus to go somewhere.But I prefer to take a taxi.
Last time you told me you had classes in **** **,right?I think probably you have to finish your classes there in the evening,cuz they are aldults,they’d like to sit up,right?lol.poor students.Is there any bus for you to go home from the university?At least I know that the last No.306 is around 9:30pm.
Have a nice day.
Zoe