There are things I distinctly remember about the old ZUPCO buses that made them unique. First, those old AVM/DAF buses had no doors unlike buses from other companies-I still wonder about that. Secondly, the seats closest to the door (the gapping entrance) were reserved for the disabled. That made a lot of sense.

If you got on the bus and you were not disabled you were supposed to take any other seat but these. If there were no other seats and you sat there you knew you were obligated to give up your seat as soon as someone for whom the seat was reserved came on board.

There was a clear large sign above these seats that clearly stated that the seats were reserved. It also made perfect sense since the seats were within easy reach of the door and could be easily accessed from the aisle even if you were using crutches. So there was no bumping and long delays as you found your seat.

That is all gone. Not just in the new contractor buses that I have had the pleasure of boarding, but also in all the new white and shiny ZUPCO buses with all their fancy tech. Maybe I wasn’t looking in the right place but I couldn’t find the sign.

Now those who are disabled have to rely on the kindness of strangers which can be in short supply in today’s age. Some young people actually have to be shamed to give up their seats. A sign would surely put an end to all the awkwardness that I witnessed on one ZUPCO bus.

Seriously, this still keeps me up at night, why did those old ZUPCO buses have no doors? What was up with that?