Mohammedia News
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A Bus Ride
How comfortable the 905 bus of the city of Mohammedia really is? Part[A]
At one time or another, you may need to ride a bus in the city of Mohammedia to see a doctor, go to school, or just for a little journey, but how comfortable really are the buses of the city of Mohammedia?
For a number of days, I have ridden the 905 bus, which is one of the buses that are operated by a company called Alsa. In fact, Alsa operates the entire city bus system. The company recently has taken in charge of the public transportation system of the city of Mohammedia.
The 905 bus starts from the train station and ends at El Fath. It connects the west region of the city to the east. The bus line has several stops along the route, and the bus stops are convenient and regularly used by many people on a daily basis.
The 905 bus fare cost five dirhams. To the little people, this is not expensive, but to the many, this is relatively expensive knowing that the majority are unemployed and have no benefit income from the government. The bus cost is for one ride and per one adult. However, the ride is free for kids who are under the age of four, but they must be accompanied by an adult. Seniors might ride for free or have a special price, but I couldn't verify this information. Students who wish to apply for a bus membership card could benefit from a reduced price. Such membership will cost them two hundred dirhams for two months of unlimited bus rides and one hundred dirhams for the insurance fee, which is paid only once when they apply.
The student bus membership may seem a relief to many Moroccan families, but it is not. Many students have told me that the 905 bus is not reliable because it takes too long to come and sometimes when it comes, it does not stop for them. The ones who can afford to pay for a taxicab will reach school in a hurry, but the majority will wait patiently for the next bus to show up hopefully it will come quickly and stop for them. It says that the bus frequency is every 15 minutes but just this is not the reality.
We were waiting for a little longer than half an hour when the bus finally arrived. As we were moving down from the sidewalk to the street level, showing our hands high and waving to the bus driver repeatedly, we were very anxious and worried as the bus driver may skip again, but he didn't this time. Although the bus was full, many got into it anyway. Thus, we were crowded very close together, as sardines are in cans.
The bus driver was a man, but it can be a woman driver as well. He was in charge of collecting money and providing change if need be.
All transactions happened in a deadly silence at the bus front door, and they must be all completed before the bus could move again. It is rare to see a smile on the bus driver's face or hear him conversing with bus goers. There was no welcoming message either.
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