Six-pocket conductor pockets reward 

Kurnool: Tender exact change! That is what we are frequently asked for in monetary transactions. But thanks to the demonetisation move, people are scrambling for change. Be it a vendor or teller at a bank it is a Herculean task for those who have to dispense change in situations like this.

What about a small government employee like a bus conductor who has to tender change to passengers throughout his duty time. Here is an honest and highly duty-minded conductor who never owed a single rupee to commuters even at the height of demonetisation problem.

Therefore, the APSRTC honoured him with cash awards and merit certificates as a token of appreciation for his duty-mindedness. He is G Pratap who joined the RTC at Hindupur depot in 1989. Ever since he joined duty, he mingled with commuters and the latter would prefer him to have as their conductor. Moreover, the RTC authorities are proud of the collections Pratap generates on whichever route he is deployed.

Generally, the RTC conductors write behind the ticket the amount payable to commuters in case they did not have change. But Pratap is one step ahead of other conductors. He got his uniform (shirt) stitched with six pockets accommodating notes and coins of various denominations as he felt the conductor’s bag to be inconvenient to handle change.

He manages to ensure that all commuters get the change even by stopping the bus en route and collecting change from shopkeepers to satisfy the customers. He attributes improving collections of his bus service to equipping himself with adequate change. There is no exaggeration in saying that commuters travelling by other buses –upon noticing him in the conductor’s seat—would switch over to his bus service.

In recognition of his meritorious service, the RTC authorities, who normally allow each conductor to carry personal cash of Rs 100 in small change, allowed Pratap to carry personal cash up to Rs 10,000. He created a record of sorts by attracting commuters in general and collections in particular in whichever depot or bus route he was deployed.

Under the impact of demonetisation, occupancy ratio in almost all buses has come down drastically, but the bus service that has Pratap as conductor begs to differ. Around 12.15 pm on Saturday, a Kurnool-bound bus from Atmakur (bus No AP21 TX 5070) arrived at the bus station here jam-packed.

Alerted by the staff, RTC regional manager G Venkateswara Rao, who is inspecting the buses, checked Pratap’s bus and to his surprise found the conductor did not owe a single rupee to the commuters. A highly impressed regional manager presented Pratap with an on-the-spot cash reward of Rs 100 in full public view. It is high time other conductors emulated Pratap.

By D Harikishan