Bus Etiquette & How To Take the Bus

Bus etiquette

1.   Getting on.

 First when you get onto the bus to pay you should say “assalamualaikum” (an Arabic word meaning ‘peace be upon you) to the people on the bus (it doesn’t have to be loud). Also if you say “assalamualaikum” and you need to ask somebody a question who may not have heard you the 1^st time you should restate it before beginning your question.

2.   Paying

When you get on a bus you will always have 2 employees, a driver and someone to collect money.

When on an AFTU and Dakar Dem Dikk man collecting money is called the "reçeveur" and he is responsible for giving out tickets using rules to determine pricing. He will always be seated in a small closed off space near the back entrance of the bus.

  On the other hand in Car Rapides and Ndiaga Ndiayes the people who collect the money are normally standing and are called (apprentit). There are no rules for pricing nor set stops. If a Car Rapide or a Ndiaga Ndaiye is empty the driver will normally stop somewhere for a short period of time and the apprentit will go around trying to find more passengers before continuing.

  Price changes with the distance on Car Rapides and Ndiaga Ndiayes and is determined fluidly by the apprentit.  Sometimes apprentits are tricky and may try to overcharge people who do not know the proper pricing for their trip. One should ask either friends or family, or other commuters for the correct price to be sure.

3.   Taking your seat.

When going past people to sit down one should say “Balma mey mah ma jall” Wolof for “Let me pass please”.

4.   While Riding.

One should stand to give up their seat if the is an elderly rider left standing. Also one should note that in Dakar it is perfectly normal for seated riders to offer to hold a standing rider’s bag and vice versa for someone who is standing to ask someone who is seated to hold their bag for them.

5.   Getting off

To announce to the bus driver that one wishes to get off one can say “Mey ma ma watch” or “Mey ma prochain arrete” meaning “Let me get off” or “Let me get off at the next stop” respectively. Or when you are on Car Rapides and Ndiaga Ndiaye you can simply bang a coin on the roof to signify that you want to get off. 

One should start moving towards the door before the bus gets to their stop because it often takes longer for someone to make their way through the crowded bus and get to the door than it seems, and the driver may not wait for you before continuing to the next stop.

You've now succesfully taken the oh so scary Senegalese bus! Watch out for cars when getting off and crossing the street.