The Osite Bus Driver

I grew up in Onitsha, a town in Anambra State. I am also from Anambra State. Shuttle buses were introduced around 2015-2016 in my area. The shuttle buses were called Osite Bus. I don’t know if they are still called such. I can’t remember where the name Osite came from. it’s either written on the bus or because of the size of the bus. Osite literally translates to chef but I feel like I’m missing something somewhere. I really can’t tell the origin of the minibuses or how they became known as Osite Bus.

Over the years, shuttles became a common means of transportation. It’s sizeable and can only fit 7 passengers. Very easy to load unlike buses that may take forever to load. Those days, there were three-seater buses and four-seater buses. Three seater buses had 3 rows each row being for four people and two people in front. The total number of passengers for three seaters is 14. That of four-seaters should have been 14 too but you know people want to make a profit. so, they fill their buses just like three-seaters – four per row.

Shuttles made movement easier. Instead of half an hour (some days are either 30 minutes and above especially non-rush hour that afternoon when everyone is either at work or at home), the shuttles load for fewer minutes thereby saving time for the passengers.

Before I dive in, let me give you a clue of what bus fares are paid in Nigeria.

HOW DO NIGERIANS PAY THEIR BUS FARE?

Big cities like Lagos have BRT buses. these buses have adopted the transport card method. This is when you have your own BRT card, you have it recharged and use it for your transport. I have not used a BRT bus before so I can’t give more details than this. So, the cards are gotten from the BRT bus parks. So, go there and get yours if you want to board the buses.

The transport fare, I want to explain is that of many other Nigerians. There are a quite large number of Nigerians using BRT buses. I know there is always a queue at their bus stops.

• you get to the bus park
• you find out which part of the pack to find buses going to your destination
• find the bus that is currently loading. The process is organized. Every driver knows who is after. so if bus A is loading, Bus B driver is getting ready because he’s next in line.
• then enter the bus and wait for it to load. onboarding has two mini-happy moments.
  • when your favourite bus seat is free
  • when you’re the last to board (that means the bus is leaving immediately no time to waste)
• some drivers collect the t-fare before they drive off while some start collecting a few minutes after the journey has started

HOW TO GET THE DRIVER’S ATTENTION WHEN HE GETS TO YOUR BUS STOP

When you get to your bus stop (if it’s not the last bus stop), you let the driver know. If you are in Lagos, you say owa. If you are in Anambra or South Eastern state, you say ka opuo. You find yourself in Port Harcourt, you say dropping dey (this was as of 2012. I don’t know if they still say it over there in Port Harcourt).

MAJOR ADVANTAGE BRT HAS OVER OTHER BUSES – SHUTTLE BUSES INCLUDED

It is cashless. You scan your card and you are good to go. For other buses, you have to pay cash. woe betide you if the driver doesn’t have change (balance) to give you and is in a bad mood. you will become the receiver of his frustrations. With this ladies and gentlemen, I have finally landed to the root of my story. Before I tell you what happened yesterday, I will take you back to 2021. Yup! 3 years ago.

One thing I always do before I enter any means of transport is to ask the driver if he has change. I ask this, especially on days when I have N500 or N1,000 cash. I do this to be sure before entering the bus to avoid embarrassment or their mantra ‘I do not have change oo,’ ‘Why did you not tell me you have this kind of money,’ where do you want me to get change from,’ etc. Me, I no like am o nah why I dey respect myself dey ask dem before I enter their bus.

This fateful morning in 2021 (this was during my youth service year), I did the usual. I asked the driver if he had change because I had N1,000. Oga said I should enter. I thanked him o (I thank drivers almost all the time help!!). Other passengers got in, I kid you not, none of them asked if he had change before they boarded. I guess the driver saw it as everyone had change myself included. I added myself because of what later happened on that journey!!!

The t-fare collection started when we had left the park – a big red flag from the driver’s side. Maybe it skipped his mind or maybe he thought everyone had change because he could have collected the fares and then found change from his fellow drivers at the bus park. we had left already. The more the passengers got to their bus stops the more agitated he became because he was looking for change to give them since they were stopping before the last bus stop. Me, I thought I was safe o since I asked him and he gave me the go-ahead o. The mantra of ‘I do not have change’ and others started. Me, myself and I were thanking God we asked beforehand so we are good.

We finally got to the last bus stop o, and the driver snapped. He got so angry, went to look for change. after some minutes, he came back and flung abi flinged my change at me and the money fell on the floor. I was speechless. Wow! well, hello sir thank you, sir! That wasn’t nice. I am not a dog that he throws things at even dogs get better treatment these days. Wowza! That was the day I decided to avoid the rider. Now, let me bring you back to 2024 because change palava happened yesterday!!!

My dearest brothers and sisters in Lord, I entered bus o this time, I forgot to ask the driver if he had change. Yesterday was Monday. A Monday Morning in Lagos Nigeria. Lord HELP ME! I can’t fault this rider because all of us had N500 and N1,000 except the man who gave him N300 exactly. He couldn’t find change at the park. It was minutes to 8am. So, his colleagues will be managing the ones they have and it’s early morning. I got to my bus stop o. The driver asked if I would be boarding another one from there, and I told him yes. I entered Keke o. The Keke driver is the lite version of that 2021 driver.

The other driver left, I thought he drove off. I had made up my mind to leave the balance for him since he had left. Lo and behold, baba driver drove up to park properly and then went in search of balance. I felt so bad when I found out. He came to tell me in the keke where I was. I told him I would take the balance the next time I get to the park. The next time I see him, I will apologize to him. I didn’t mean to stress him like that.

P.S. Osite buses can be more expensive than normal buses. sometimes it has to do with routes taken or the difference in the number of passengers per trip. Some Osite buses (like the ones in Magodo) allow 2 per row instead of three. it’s nice but like I said, those ones are in Magodo.

P.S.S. Did you notice my tags? I will be maximising that dude from now on to make up for missed opportunities. See you next time.