IELTS Speaking Part 1 Bus or Taxi
How often do you use buses or taxis for transportation?
Well, not quite frequently, because I have my vehicle, and like once in a blue moon, I use public transport.
What factors do you consider when taking a bus or a taxi?
I prefer a taxi because the taxi is fully private and convenient, which I like. Still, if I talk about the prices, they are high in the case of the taxi. If I talk about bus transportation, it is the opposite scenario because we don’t get Privacy on the bus, but the bus fare is cheaper than the taxi.
In your opinion, what are the advantages of taking a bus instead of a taxi?
The only advantage I can tell you right now is the cheaper fare. Bus transportation is affordable for everyone; it doesn’t matter if it’s a middle-class person, lower class, or poor; everyone can afford buses. Apart from that, the bus routes are very accurate. It comes at the same time every day so that’s all the advantages I can remember for the bus.
What are the advantages of taking a taxi instead of a bus?
Well, there are a lot of advantages to taking a taxi instead of a bus. Firstly, we get our full Privacy, as if we can do everything we want. We don’t need to share our ride with anyone, and we can enjoy talking. We can do whatever we want, and the other thing is it’s a very time-saving process because we usually see the bus has its routes and the bus stops at regular intervals, which is different in taxis. For example, the taxi picks us up from our home or a point and directly leaves us at our destination.
How do you think public transportation like buses reduces traffic congestion in cities?
Well, it is undeniable that the bus helps reduce traffic congestion because many people have their vehicle and many people in the cities have to face huge traffic jams. But if I talk about the buses, like if they choose buses, then a bus can accommodate around 100 people, so we can see that there is a reduction of 100 cars which one bus can accommodate. So by this buses can reduce congestion in the cities,
Can you describe a memorable experience while taking a bus or a taxi?
I do not have any memorable experiences. One incident happened to me about two years ago. My classmate and I booked a taxi, and he didn’t tell me he booked one. I was waiting for my taxi outside, so when a taxi came outside my house, it was from Uber, and without asking questions, I sat in a taxi. The same thing happened with the driver; he thought I was the person who had booked the taxi. So I booked it wrong as if I had boarded the wrong taxi. It dropped me at the wrong destination, and that’s the only incident that’s happened to me and is memorable.
Has the availability of ride-sharing services affected the popularity of traditional taxis?
Ride-sharing services have affected the conventional taxi business because many people these days share their rights, and due to that, they save a lot of money, and they get a chance to meet new people.
How accessible are buses and taxis in your city or region?
The accessibility of public transportation is quite good in my region because we have a lot of buses, private vehicles, and taxis like Ola and Uber.
And if I talk about the bus stops, like every one kilometer or two kilometers, we have one bus stop, which is good for the people. And the government also considers the remote areas, and now we have transportation there. Also, we have a lot of taxis available, like Ola and Uber, and we have mobile apps. We need to book a ride, and immediately, within five minutes, you will get your ride, which is a good thing in my region, and I like that.
Have you ever had a negative experience with a bus or a taxi driver?
Not with a taxi driver. I had one incident on the bus. First, I prefer my private vehicle due to Privacy. But on that day, for some reason, I had to choose a bus, and over there, I was reading something, and some students were making funny noises and creating a nuisance. One person on the bus argued with that, and I expressed my solidarity with him. I also told them to keep quiet, as if they were sitting with someone, so all the passengers would have a problem with them. That’s the only case when I had a problem with the bus transportation.
What improvements would you suggest for the public transportation in your area, particularly regarding buses and taxis?
There is no particular area where I would like to suggest the government with something because, as I said, the public transportation facilities are up to the mark in my region. If I had to choose one, they should make some special buses for the special routes, like for the long routes, and they should also consider some buses for the tourist trip. That’s the only thing I can recommend the government change regarding my city’s bus transportation.
