Recently, Tong'an district in Xiamen, Fujian opened a special bus route dedicated to carrying oysters, clams, crabs and fresh fish into the city. The route is Xiamen's Bus 615, running for over 20 years. The Bingzhou community along the way is home to many oyster vendors, and the line has long been their cheapest way into town. But piling oysters in the cabin caused seawater corrosion and annoyed passengers, and the conflict grew.
On August 10, Xiamen Bus Group upgraded Route 615 into an oyster-dedicated line using a 'passenger-freight-post' vehicle with a 1.7-cubic-meter separate cargo hold at the rear for oysters, people in front and goods behind separating passengers from cargo. The fare stays 1 yuan; compared with the 30 yuan one-way cost of riding a motorcycle, the 1-yuan bus is a true 'best value' choice. The upgrade solves commuters' problem while protecting the oyster vendors' livelihood.
Similar farm-support bus lines are appearing across China. In July, Yantai opened Route 38, a 'basket line' for vegetable farmers. Previously farmers had to lug baskets and queue before dawn, blocking commuters from boarding; both sides were unhappy. The depot manager, seeing the farmers' plight, proposed a dedicated line. In its first half-month, nearly 20 villagers ride daily with 30-plus baskets, and each bus has a safety officer to help elders stack them. In winter, when produce thins, schedules flexibly adjust. Chongqing has a similar subway line, affectionately called the 'basket line' for its gentle tolerance of basket-carrying farmers; this February, Subway Line 4 extended 11 km westward, further widening farmers' 'selling map.'
