Ever since I got a new job at Makati, I have been riding the bus to work. It's no big adjustment for me since I have been using the bus to go to work for the past seven or eight years. But after being absent from the "white-collared" workforce for over a year, I noticed that that quality of the buses have changed (or perhaps my impression of buses have altered).
The seats are smaller and the air is more stale. There was this one bus where there were leaks on the aircon, water was dripping everywhere on the seats. It was a major hassel for commuters, particularly during morning rush hours, where everyone has to stay clean and proper, but the bus is dripping water.
Plus there is the problem of overcrowding. I think the conductors and drivers don't put much concern over the passsengers' safety. They only want to stuff in as many commuters inside their vehicle. Hence the normal bus becomes a sardine can which is sometimes worst that the MRT.
I usually encounter these problems whenever I ride those second hand buses that came from Japan. These buses have smaller seats, narrower aisles, and dirty windows. I doubt if the bus owners ever clean up the interiors of their buses.
Writing about buses made me think of a former officemate of mine who used to have a list of bus companies that give good service to commuters. By good service I mean that the buses are kept neat and tidy, the conductors are courteous and helpful. And the driver does not stop at every block just to fill up the bus with people.