Many saddened by Line 816’s final journey
Print Edition
Bus driver Zheng for Line 816 got up early and arrived at the starting station long before the first bus was scheduled to depart at 4:35 am. He carefully cleaned the bus and started his route on time. To his sorrow, however, this would be the last day he served the line, as it would be cancelled from October 16.
The news was released earlier this month. Due to its overlap with another bus line, it would be terminated. Some passengers said that it felt like the end of an era.
Line 816 has been an important route connecting industrial zones in Minhang District with the busy Dongping Road in Xuhui.
The 28-kilometer stretch dates back to 1985 when it was first set up to transport factory workers.
In 1994, Minhang Auto Service Associated Company, the facility that ran the line along with certain industrial plants whose employees benefited from the service, started to operate independently. The buses were intermittently updated, and were finally renamed Line 816 in 2008.
The line was taken over by Minhang Passengers’ Service Company in 2014.
When he first began working on the line, Huang Yongping, manager of 816 since 2018, found that the bus was so crowded in the morning rush hour that he decided to add three more buses to ease pressure.
Line 816 meant a lot to thousands of travelers, who depended on it to commute. Many decided to stay with the bus despite an improved subway system simply because they held good memories.
“There is Metro Line 1, but I like to take my time with the bus, roaming along the tree-lined roads,” said Minhang resident Zhu, who used to often travel the line to visit Huashan Hospital in Xuhui. Hua Jiaqi, a teacher at Minhang High School, said that he used to take the bus twice a month to visit his grandmother in Xuhui.
“When I was little, our family would buy trendy stuff in the busy downtown section of Xuhui,” Hua said. “Line 816 was the way we traveled there for years.”
Earlier this year, the Minhang subway line was temporarily suspended for safety reasons during a typhoon. When that happened, many people had no choice but to take the bus.
Jiang Lai, a student who needed to get home, took the 816. “I rode the bus less often after the railway was initiated, but still I think the bus remains important,” Jiang said.
Despite fond memories of Line 816, most travelers realize that good things always come to an end.
The good news is that former 816 drivers have new jobs on other lines. In fact, they recently celebrated with tasty snacks and beer at a farewell party.
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