There is bigger issue with public transport that could be solved if our authorities were looking for a solution. The impracticality of social distancing is not actually not the main problem but it seems so because we have papered over the cracks from bad thinking.

We need surgery for a cancer so let's stop drinking the green tea and hoping that it disappears or despair cos it is in its advanced stage.

1. Any attempt to eradicate trotros will result in a resistance that overcomes our efforts cos the system is designed for them to thrive.

2. Let's study these people, include them in planning and design a system that makes it easy for them buy into a proposal.

3. These ppl are essential service providers working under precarious situations to make it cos how much they make is determined by how many trips they take

Don't expect them care about their own health on the road when those figures don't add up. Driving from 5am to 9pm is no joke but they do it anyway because sika nu sua.

4. Imagine a situation where these drivers (who are unionized) are encouraged to join a shift system (5am to 12pm, 12pm to 8pm and 8pm to 12 am) that remunerates them properly and comes with benefits like life insurance and healthcare.

5. Convince them to ditch the small buses for larger ones so they take less trips for the same amount of money and that is how the shift system would work. Make the ownership of the buses privately owned still. Less tired drivers on the roads. Less buses on the roads.

6. Then there are bus stops to redesign. Cameras or a monitoring system to monitor buses and track those performing well per regulations and penalize those not. Educate drivers periodically through the unions to stick to protocols for using bus stops.