Waiting at the Bus Stop

Rahul waits at the bus stop for his daily commute, checking the bus number, asking about the fare, and finding a seat.

Meanings in Rahul, Fellow commuter, Bus conductor

Key words and phrases

bus stopa designated place where buses stop for passengersHe waits at the bus stop every morning.

route numbera number identifying a specific bus routeBus route number 42 goes to the city centre.

conductora person who collects fares and checks tickets on a busThe conductor asked for his ticket.

farethe amount charged for a bus or train rideThe bus fare is ten rupees.

queuea line of people waiting for somethingThere was a long queue at the bus stop.

crowdedfull of many peopleThe morning bus is always crowded.

timetablea schedule showing when buses arrive and departCheck the timetable for the next bus.

season passa ticket valid for repeated travel over a periodHe bought a monthly season pass to save money.

standeea passenger who stands because there are no seatsHe was a standee for most of the ride.

board the busto get onto a busPlease board the bus quickly, it's about to leave.

alightto get off a bus or other vehiclePassengers should alight from the rear door.

priority seata seat reserved for elderly, disabled, or pregnant passengersHe gave up the priority seat for an elderly woman.

last busthe final bus of the day on a particular routeWe must hurry, this is the last bus tonight.

bus depota place where buses are parked, maintained, and start their routesThe bus starts from the depot at six in the morning.

concession ticketa discounted ticket for students, senior citizens, or other eligible groupsStudents can buy a concession ticket with their ID card.

next stopthe upcoming point where a bus will halt to let passengers on or offThe next stop is the city hospital.

express busa bus that skips several stops to reach its destination fasterThe express bus reaches downtown in twenty minutes.

waiting areaa covered space where passengers wait for a busLet's wait in the shaded waiting area.

overcrowdingthe state of having too many passengers for the available spaceOvercrowding on this route is a daily problem.

bella button or cord passengers use to signal the driver to stopPress the bell before your stop arrives.

Useful sentences

Ask Does this bus go to the city centre?
Answer Yes, this is route number 42, it goes there.
Ask How much is the fare to the market?
Answer The fare is ten rupees.
Ask When is the next bus expected?
Answer According to the timetable, it should arrive in five minutes.
Ask Is there a season pass available for students?
Answer Yes, you can get one at the counter.
Ask Should we stand in the queue here?
Answer Yes, the queue starts from this pole.
Ask Is this the last bus for tonight?
Answer Yes, the last bus leaves at eleven o'clock.
Ask Can I get a concession ticket with my student ID?
Answer Yes, show your ID card to the conductor.
Ask Where should elderly passengers sit on this bus?
Answer There are priority seats near the front door.
Ask How do I know when to alight for the hospital?
Answer The conductor will announce the next stop.
Ask Does the express bus stop at every station?
Answer No, it skips smaller stops to save time.

Dialogue

RahulExcuse me, does this bus go to the railway station?

Fellow CommuterYes, it's route number 15, it stops right there.

RahulThank you. Is the bus usually crowded at this hour?

Fellow CommuterYes, you might have to stand for a bit.

ConductorTickets please! Where are you headed?

RahulTo the railway station, one ticket please.

ConductorHere you go. Please press the bell when you want to alight.

RahulSure, thank you. Is there a priority seat free?

Fellow CommuterYes, that one near the window is empty.

RahulThanks a lot. This route seems less crowded today.

Common mistakes

Saying "I am waiting bus stop" instead of "I am waiting at the bus stop."
Saying "take the bus number" instead of "take bus number" or "board bus number."
Saying "very much crowd" instead of "very crowded" or "a lot of crowd."
Saying "I will get down" instead of the more natural "I will alight" or "I will get off" on formal signage, though "get down" is common in casual speech.
Saying "bus is coming after five minutes" instead of "the bus is arriving in five minutes."
Saying "give me discount ticket" instead of "can I get a concession ticket?"

Quick quiz

1. What does a "conductor" do?

2. A ticket valid for repeated travel over a period is a ___.

3. Complete: "Please ___ the bus quickly, it's about to leave."

4. A seat reserved for elderly, disabled, or pregnant passengers is called a ___.

5. What does "alight" mean?

6. A bus that skips several stops to reach its destination faster is an ___.

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