The loneliest route, the warmest heart.
In a remote village, there is only one bus line and one driver.In Shiyan, Hubei, the longest bus route, Route 62, runs between Wudang Mountain and the train station, taking about 1 hour and 20 minutes for a one-way trip.This bus travels deep into the mountains, bridging the gap between villagers and the outside world.The only driver, Wang Fuxian, is the sole guardian of this “bridge.” For five years, this lonely traveler has remained on the road.
Rooted in the mountain route for five yearsOne person, one vehicle, operating year-roundFrom the train station to the Wudang Mountain toll station, the entire route exceeds 30 kilometers, with 25 stops. Route 62 is considered one of the longest bus lines in Shiyan, taking about 1 hour and 20 minutes for a one-way trip.At 47 years old, Wang Fuxian has been working on Route 62 for nearly five years. Since the line opened in October 2014, Wang has served as the driver of Route 62. He is also the only bus driver on this remote mountain route.
Before each departure, Wang Fuxian checks the vehicle’s condition. This journey is not short, and the mountain roads are winding, leaving no room for error.“The bus departs early in the morning and I stay overnight in Xiaochuan Village,” Wang Fuxian said, “I spend almost every night in the mountains, 365 days a year.”“In the deep mountains, I am the only one; I can hear wild animals at night, and there is no internet. For the first two years, I lived in Wudang Mountain Square, and to be honest, I was a bit scared.” Wang Fuxian admitted that it got much better after moving to the village, even though it was monotonous, at least there were people around.
Wang Fuxian’s current residence is hot and humid in summer, and with many insects in the village, he sets up a mosquito net on the ground to sleep.One person, one vehicle, running a 30-kilometer mountain bus line, Wang Fuxian works almost year-round without a break. “Unless there is a landslide or heavy snow in winter, I will always be on duty,” Wang Fuxian said. In the five years he has worked on Route 62, regardless of wind or rain, he has remained at his post, only once letting a colleague cover for him due to a stomach issue.On the bus route into the mountainsVillagers praise him endlesslyMost passengers on Route 62 are villagers along the line. On the afternoon of August 27 at 5:25 PM, as rain drizzled, Wang Fuxian’s Route 62 bus had just stopped at the south square bus station of the train station, and a line of 10 people had formed outside the window. As the door opened, villagers boarded one after another, greeting Wang Fuxian, who recognized many familiar faces. The villagers settled in and began to chat, as if they were right at home.
Wang Fuxian has been the driver of Route 62 for five years, working diligently and earning the love of passengers.Most of them are villagers from Xiaochuan. 78-year-old Granny Wan, who has difficulty walking, came to the city mainly for an injection and to buy some daily necessities. “I wait for the Route 62 bus right at my doorstep after 7 AM,” Granny Wan said. The Route 62 bus is her only means of transportation in and out of the mountains. Before Route 62 opened, villagers had to rely on minivans, which cost over 10 yuan per trip, making it very uneconomical.“The Route 62 bus is much more affordable, costing only 4 yuan per trip, and seniors enjoy discounts with their cards,” Granny Wan said cheerfully, adding that it is very convenient to take the bus out in the morning and return home in the evening.
Familiar passengers always greet Wang Fuxian warmly when they board.When mentioning driver Wang Fuxian, passengers around the reporter all gave him a thumbs up. “He lives right across from my house, a really good person,” Jiang Tianyun said, “Wang Fuxian lives alone in the village, spending little time with his family, and it’s really not easy to persist for five years.”Other passengers said that Wang Fuxian is very considerate of sick villagers. “At the Foye Yan station, there is a villager in his 50s who is blind and has diabetes. He needs to take the bus to the city for dialysis every Wednesday and Saturday. Every time Wang Fuxian passes by his house, he honks the horn to remind him that the bus is coming and helps him get on board. He is a really nice person.”The bus driver also acts as a “courier”Helping villagers deliver packages for freeOn the afternoon of August 27 at 5 PM, when the reporter met Wang Fuxian at the bus company, the vehicle inspection was complete, and he was loading packages onto the bus. What was going on? It turned out that these packages belonged to villagers along the route, as the courier companies do not deliver to the village, Wang Fuxian has also taken on the role of a “courier.”
Wang Fuxian helps villagers collect packages“The villagers’ packages are sent to the dispatch room of the bus company, and then I deliver them to the villagers,” Wang Fuxian said, “I have been delivering packages like this for three years.”
Braving the rain, Wang Fuxian carries the villagers’ packages one by one.
“The packages mainly contain daily necessities,” Wang Fuxian said, adding that he always takes good care of them, fearing that they might get lost. Over time, the villagers have come to trust him so much that “they even ask me to deliver their household registration books and ID cards.”
After organizing the villagers’ packages, Wang Fuxian set off on his return journey.
Wang Fuxian delivers the packages to the villagers, who express their gratitude.
“This courier is extremely competent, having delivered for so many years without ever losing a package,” a woman from Xiaochuan Village said with a smile, adding that thanks to Wang Fuxian, they no longer worry about receiving their online purchases.Making it easier for villagers in the mountains to travelHe feels genuinely happy about itDriving on the winding mountain roads, Wang Fuxian always adheres to the speed limit, emphasizing stability. This is also an important reason why he has been the driver of Route 62.“The winding roads of Wudang Mountain require excellent driving skills,” a relevant person from the bus company told the reporter, adding that to drive Route 62, one must hold an A1 driver’s license and have a good temperament. Wang Fuxian had over 20 years of driving experience when he became the driver of Route 62, making him the best candidate.
Wang Fuxian told the reporter, “Driving the mountain bus in rainy and snowy weather is daunting. After heavy rains, I am especially cautious, especially when passing through areas prone to landslides, always slowing down to observe and confirming it is safe before passing through quickly.”In September 2017, after a night of heavy rain, Wang Fuxian set off from Wudang Mountain to the city. Not long after passing a bend, the mountain road behind him was blocked by a massive boulder that had rolled down… The boulder rolled down from above the bamboo forest, making it impossible to see from the bus. Recalling this experience still sends chills down his spine.Initially, when he became the driver of Route 62, Wang Fuxian thought he would only work for two years before being transferred to another route, “but I never expected to still be here after five years.” Wang Fuxian said that after years of transporting villagers in and out of Wudang Mountain, he has become familiar with many villagers, as if they were family, and he has grown accustomed to life driving a bus in the mountains.“The villagers in the mountains are more genuine. Sometimes when small issues arise, everyone is easygoing and it’s very relaxed to get along with them,” Wang Fuxian said with a smile, “Although it is tough, I genuinely feel happy to make it easier for these villagers to travel.”
Despite having traveled the same roads countless times, Wang Fuxian remains cautious with every journey.But continue on the road, regardless of the directionWishing this bus driver traversing the mountain roadsAnd the local villagersSafe travels!
– THE END –
Source:Shiyan Evening News (ID:sywb8110110)
Reporter:Zeng Yu, Lü Shiyin, Correspondent:Liu Xinhua
Editor:Ling
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