A Facebook post asking the question “Do low-income people take the bus?” has attracted controversy with mixed opinions.
Using the bus is because conditions do not allow, the economy is still difficult (!?)
Specifically, on a confessions page (a place that allows writers to freely express their opinions without having to reveal their identity or personal information – PV), there was an article stating the opinion that only low-income people take the bus. This article was quickly shared on many groups and attracted the attention of netizens.
Many people said they chose the bus because it was convenient, not because they had low incomes. PHOTO: THANH NIÊN
Many opinions say that most people use buses because conditions do not allow, economic difficulties still exist, choosing buses to travel to save money.
Member Bao Le commented: “That statement (only low-income people take the bus – PV) is completely reasonable. Many of my friends are still struggling in life , so the optimal way to get to work is by bus.”
Similarly, member Ho Thanh Binh said: “If you have enough money, you can use other personal means of transportation to be more proactive. So I agree with this opinion.”
However, most opinions expressed the opposite view. Do Le Thu Thao (28 years old), working at 364 Cong Hoa, Tan Binh District ( HCMC ), said: “Not everyone takes the bus because of low income. Personally, even though I have a motorbike and a salary of no less than 14 million VND/month, I still choose the bus because of its convenience. Every day, I take the bus from my house in Thu Duc City to my company in Tan Binh District, spending only 7,000 VND. I see it as a way to save on travel costs.”
Mr. Ung Thanh Nhan (32 years old), working at 64 Van Kiep, Binh Thanh District (HCMC) said: “Choosing a means of transportation does not mean having a high or low income. It is true that there are still people who take the bus because their income is not high. But not all. In fact, there are colleagues and acquaintances of mine who, even though they have cars, motorbikes…, still travel by bus regularly.”
Mr. Nhan added: “I go from my house in Binh Chanh District to Binh Thanh District. If I ride a motorbike, I might face traffic jams and get tired because of the long distance. Meanwhile, taking the bus has many advantages. For example, if I’m tired, I can close my eyes and rest for a bit. I feel safer whenever my health is in trouble. I can avoid the hot and humid weather…”.
Many opinions reject the view that “only low-income people take the bus” PHOTO: THANH NAM
Can’t judge a book by its cover
Mr. Dang Hung Anh (37 years old), driver of bus number 10 (departing from Ho Chi Minh City National University to Mien Tay bus station), said: “Every day I still see many well-dressed passengers using the bus. One day I heard them say that because their personal car had problems or broke down, they took the bus. Telling that story helps us understand that not everyone who takes the bus does so because of low income.”
Ms. Dang Thi Diem Hang (31 years old), in charge of human resources at an agency company on Pham Ngoc Thach Street, District 3 (HCMC), said: “You can’t judge a book by its cover”. In fact, there are many wealthy people who still take the bus. For example, my boss is Japanese. He has a car worth several billion VND and has his own driver. But sometimes he still wants to take the bus from Thu Duc City to the company. In addition, there are many colleagues with an income of about 20 million VND/month who also choose the bus as their regular means of transportation”.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Binh (34 years old), working at No. 1 Tran Khanh Du, Hai Ba Trung District ( Hanoi ) said that the distance from home to work is about 32 km. Her husband works at a company 27 km away. And the couple decided not to ride a motorbike or a car. Instead, they both chose the bus. “Every day, I only spend 30,000 VND, and my husband spends 24,000 VND for both round trips (the ticket price for a route with a distance of 30 – < 40 km is 15,000 VND/ticket/trip, the route with a distance of 25 – < 30 km is 12,000 VND/ticket/trip – PV). It saves money on gas, and is less tiring than driving a car or motorbike yourself,” Ms. Binh said.
Mr. Do Tien Khoa (30 years old), working at 929 Ta Quang Buu, District 8 (HCMC), said: “The view that only low-income people take the bus is one-sided and incorrect. Many people, including me, take the bus because they want to limit the impact of outside weather, contribute to protecting the environment, keep themselves safer, can use their phones to handle work, save costs…”.
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