I daily travel a distance of around 2 kms by BMTC bus to catch my office shuttle from Janatha Bazar Katriguppe to Devegowda Petrol Bunk. I earlier used to wait and catch Volvo since it was Rs. 10 and now Rs. 15 for mere 2 kms. I sometime do 'Auto Pool' if I get one of my colleague which costs only 20 for 2, otherwise take our good old 'Parisara Vahini'.
Again, in Parisara Vahini we get 201 series and 13 series who charge Rs.8 and 501 / 410 series who charge Rs. 5.
Most of the conductorsdo not give ticket since it is small distance. You have to request them. If the ticket fare is Rs. 8, and if we give Rs.10 they give Rs.5 back and do not look at you. If the fare is Rs 5, they give Rs. 2 back to you and do the same.
Yesterday I thought the ticket was Rs 5 and gave 5 to conductor in 343F travelling between Srinagar to Attibele. Conductor said 'Saaku Bidi' and kept in his pocket. Also he was very obliging. I had to get down in the signal light itself instead of Bus Stop as it is far off, he respectedly asked 'Ilithira Saar?' and whistled driver to open the door.
Today it was 501A and I have Rs 5. Conductor did not give ticket bus instead gave a complete 'silence' look for 2 minutes. I asked him 'ticket'. He gave and irked me by saying 'Hinde Bandri'. Back of the bus was crowded and front was empty, even then.
Many times it happens that conductors do not give ticket and we have to travel with 'guilty' feeling and also being worried if someone comes for checking. If ticket is specifically asked, conductor treat passengers as their enemies. If not, you will be their 'royal guest'.
Conductors are cashing in on expensive fares of BMTC. Recently they announced cashless cards
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/108427/karnataka-launch-card-cashless-travel.html
Have to wait and see how will this be implemented.
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Its same everywhere for next-stop journeys
I used to travel from Ejipura Signal bus-stop to EGL/DELL complex. It was hardly 2-3 kms and journey is non-stop. For this next stop journey, conductors don't give ticket by themselves anytime. Even if you give exact change equal to ticket amount, they will try to return some amount and go forward, and not look at you. You have to explicitely request and ask and still many times you don't get the ticket.
For around a month I did travel that route before I shifted my house from there, and everyday was the same situation. Many of the commuters also just handover 5 Rs coin to conductor and say next-stop.
Surely, BMTC is loosing a lot of money in this conductor-commuter scam and then depriving genuine commuters of much-needed routes.
I think, this has to be taken to BMTC main authority. This is very much rampant in every other next-stop journeys.
Deepak