Explain how do bus drivers make money

[theguyfromanotherforum]

Sorry if wrong subforum.

I am asking simply out of curiosity.

How do bus drivers and their (sometimes hot) ticket vendors make money?

For example, do they rent the bus, like taxi drivers rent the taxi? Do they pay for the gas?

How much from ticket sales do they get?

Can someone in the know explain in detail how it works?

[allane]

1. BMTA buses: (all air-con buses, also red and cream non-air) The BMTA owns the buses.Drivers and conductors are BMTA employees. I recall reading, years ago, in the Bangkok Post, I think, that about 80% of their income is from salary, the remaining 20% or so comes from ticket sales.

2. Small orange buses, and large blue and white non-aircon. buses: The driver owns the bus and hires the conductor. I don't know if they get a salary or not, but I think they must. Even with ticket prices that are about 40% higher than comparable BMTA buses, ticket revenue would not pay operating costs, and leave enough for them to live on.

The above applies to the BMTA service area only. I know nothing about how Transport Company (long-haul, 2nd class buses) employees, or employees of local buses in other cities.

[dddave]

""2. Small orange buses, and large blue and white non-aircon. buses: The driver owns the bus and hires the conductor. I don't know if they get a salary or not, but I think they must. Even with ticket prices that are about 40% higher than comparable BMTA buses, ticket revenue would not pay operating costs, and leave enough for them to live on.""

While there may be a few who own the bus they drive, most drivers rent/lease the small orange buses from fleet operators, paying a mileage charge and lease fee. They cover their own fuel and hire their own ticket takers. They keep all ticket revenues. That is why you'll never see an inspector on an orange bus and that is also why they'll frequently drive like maniacs trying to beat another bus to the next stop.

A fellow in my building sometimes covers for a brother who leases a number 71 orange bus and explained how it worked to my GF.

[Thainess]

How do the bus drivers and their (sometimes hot) ticket vendors make money? That's two very different questions. The bus drivers earn a salary. I'm unable to answer with regard to the sometimes hot vendors as discussion of such topics is illegal in this forum.

[berybert]

I don't quite get the idea of mentioning how hot the ticket vendors are. Does a hot vendor make more money that an unhot vendor ? Would people miss a bus with an unhot vendor selling the tickets in the hope that the next bus along might have a hot vendor on it ?

Has the OP travelled on the wrong bus and gone the wrong way because he saw a hot vendor selling the tickets ?

[BKKdreaming]

At least in BKK it always seems like they are in a race , and

are too busy to stop and pick up passengers ,

you will see 3 buses the same number in 5 minutes and then not another one for 20 minutes ,

but at least the cheap buses give you a thrill because they drive like they are madmen , I have seen them hit other cars and just drive on......

but the wood floors help with ventilation thru the gaps

[SOTIRIOS]

....good question....

...am sure some people would say: 'Any other way that they can'.....

...this is a 'hub' after all.......

[mesterm]

I don't quite get the idea of mentioning how hot the ticket vendors are. Does a hot vendor make more money that an unhot vendor ? Would people miss a bus with an unhot vendor selling the tickets in the hope that the next bus along might have a hot vendor on it ?

Has the OP travelled on the wrong bus and gone the wrong way because he saw a hot vendor selling the tickets ?

And more importantly, does OP's wife know he's been checking out the hot bus ticket vendors around town?

Edited May 14, 2016 by mesterm

[4evermaat]

This could be a useful thread. How does it work for minivan?and coach bus? Song theaws?

Do they get any subsities from gov't if they cover certain routes?

[mikebell]

Extending the topic to mini-bus drivers; do they get more if they drive faster; are they paid according to the number of Road Traffic Violations they commit?

[cruisemonkey]

By getting ripped on yaba = many hours behind the wheel, sleep deprivation and driving like maniacs.

[NoshowJones]

How do the bus drivers and their (sometimes hot) ticket vendors make money? That's two very different questions. The bus drivers earn a salary. I'm unable to answer with regard to the sometimes hot vendors as discussion of such topics is illegal in this forum.

As I understand it, the buses in Bangkok (not them all obviously) do not run to a timetable, that would be impossible to keep to.

How the employers get round that is they pay each driver a set amount of money for each journey they make, therefor the more journeys

they make in a shift, the more money they get. That is why it is common to see bus drivers always going fast when the get the opportunity.

[gemguy]

How ever they do it and which ever way they earn money the whole affair has got to be pretty screwed up because it is done Thai style.....lol

Cheers

Edited May 14, 2016 by gemguy

[bazza40]

The Green Bus service in northern Thailand runs punctually and the drivers seem to know what they are doing. Aircon, comfortable and not expensive. No idea what they are paid.

[Changwatchap]

Drivers don't have salary. They work on ticket commission. That's why they race to overtake other bus.

10% for drivers (eg 2 baht from 20baht ticket). Conductors sometimes get a small salary, sometimes for free to help the driver who is their boyfriend. Read it in Bangkok post.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/print/406802/

Edited May 14, 2016 by Changwatchap

[stoneyboy]

Drivers don't have salary. They work on ticket commission. That's why they race to overtake other bus.

10% for drivers (eg 2 baht from 20baht ticket). Conductors sometimes get a small salary, sometimes for free to help the driver who is their boyfriend. Read it in Bangkok post.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/print/406802/

Not on here I'm afraid links to the BKK post aren't allowed.