Lady conductors set to rule Udupi’s city buses

Lady conductors set to rule Udupi’s city buses

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, Jan7,2013 : Passengers travelling in some private city buses of Udupi on January 6, Sunday, were in for a pleasant surprise, when they were issued tickets with a smile and above all courteously by lady conductors.

As many as ten lady conductors  were on duty on an experimental basis in   10 city buses which started their journey from the city bus stand on January 6. The lady conductors did their duty for half the journey, while the rest half were managed by the male conductors.

The Udupi City Bus Operators’ Association has decided to appoint lady conductors on all city bus routes. Probably, this decision stems from the  several complaints from passengers against male conductors, for being discourteous   and failing to issue tickets despite having a ticket  issuing machine.

The Bus Operators Association has offered accommodation for  lady conductors hailing from  places other than Udupi. They can choose between two shifts from 6 am to 3 pm and from 3 pm to 9 pm. Already, the selected lady conductors have been trained by Jaycee trainer Basuma Kodagu.

It is learnt, two lady conductors would be appointed to buses which have a heavy rush of passengers.  Two months ago, the Association had invited applications for the post and was responded by 40 young women of whom 15 were selected. All the lady conductors are unmarried. If some are SSLC passed, some others have passed PUC while a few are graduates.

 This is the first time that lady conductors have been appointed  in Udupi’s city buses. There have been a few lady conductors in KSRTC buses of Mangalore division.

Kuilady Suresh Nayak, General Secretary of the City Bus Operators Association said the lady conductors have been appointed in order to provide employment to girls hailing from poor-and middle class families and also to ensure courteous behaviour with bus passengers.

He says there has been good public response to the initiative of appointing lady conductors.