What a Bus Driver Taught Me About Life and Business

Uber services have been imposed with an unofficial ban in Lonavala (I'll refrain from sharing my opinion on this as it would deviate from the point of this post), and any Uber driver spotted is subject to harassment by local goons.

These circumstances limit my commuting options. Trains are out of the question because they require ticket bookings in advance, while my leaves are spontaneous. MSRTC buses are usually crowded during the evening hours, and, let's just say, the government hasn't done much to improve passenger convenience. Private, air-conditioned buses have odd pickup points. This leaves me with the option of private cabs. I prefer sharing, given its economical nature (single-passenger cabs tend to overcharge, taking advantage of the monopolistic nature of this market).

A little information on how the business works: agents take customer acquisition upon their shoulders and then demand their cut from the drivers (which, again, is usually unreasonable). This time, the only vehicle heading to Mumbai was a minibus. Unsurprisingly, I was charged the same amount as for a car, and honestly, I was too exhausted to debate. Therefore, for the sake of mental peace, I compromised.

(I've always been fascinated by the purple shades of the evening sky, it unlocks my vivid imagination and shifts me in a state of trance) 

I realized two things during the journey. One, the natural, fresh air is a lot more soothing than the air conditioning in cars. Two, education is not a measure of a person's character and certainly does not determine their willpower or motivation. Since the driver and I spoke the same dialect, and I was seated at the front, it naturally led to a conversation. It turns out that despite not formally completing his schooling, he ensured that all three of his children were provided with the necessary resources to pursue their education. This highlights an important aspect of good parenting: the drive to provide your children with opportunities you couldn’t access during your time. All three of his children are doing well, with one having completed an engineering course.

In a witty manner, I asked him to guess my age. He guessed somewhere around the 30s, to which I cracked a smile. After revealing that I’m just 22, he said his speculation was based on the stress evident on my face. I told him I had indeed been exhausted over the last few days due to an academic project. He then emphasized the importance of not just hard work but honest hard work. He shared a few experiences where he’d dropped passengers free of cost if he was heading in the same direction. He would also compromise on fares if the customer didn’t have exact change. He then pointed to a few images of deities, which, according to him, motivated him to stick to his principles. Despite my atheistic inclinations, I respected the role of faith in spreading positivity.

As business students, there’s a lot to learn beyond the classroom from individuals who may not share the same qualifications as our esteemed professors but possess wisdom acquired through years of experience. We believe the ultimate goal of any business is to make a profit, which is not far from the truth since profits are essential for both the business and the individual to sustain and meet financial requirements. However, the aspect of service should not be overlooked. Something similar is mentioned in the book Built to Last by James Collins, which our team was required to read and review. The companies that go down in history as visionary started with the intention to bring about a change.

To conclude the blog, I’ll leave you with a self-made, impromptu quote that struck me as I was writing: 

“Profits make a business, ethics make a man.”