Friendship with SMRT bus driver leaves ‘huge impact’ on woman, he bought snacks for her

Few things in life are more beautiful than a strong familial bond between former strangers.

25-year-old interior designer Rini Rindiani, who also goes by the name Rin, told MS News that her story all began when she was 17.

While in secondary school, Rin started her first part-time job at Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

After finishing her classes, she took Bus Service 179 — then operated by SBS Transit — to get to the university. It was during this period that she met the bus driver she fondly refers to as ‘Uncle Rama’.

“It [was] just a normal morning but he greeted me so warmly,” Rin recalled about their first meeting.

After a few trips, the extroverted Rin got closer to Uncle Rama. The two of them would chat with one another about their day.

There were days I was a little tired and hungry but he’d offer an extra packet of murukku or curry puffs for me.

Rin would continue to take Uncle Rama’s bus during her polytechnic years when she would often catch the last bus on the route at 12.30am.

Knowing her timing, the bus driver would “wait a little” if he saw her running down the staircase to the bus stop.

Rin: ‘Every bus ride is special!’

After starting full-time work as an adult, Rin said that she would always take his 9pm bus home from Pioneer MRT station when taking public transport.

“It’s my turn to give him whatever [snack] I have in my bag,” she wrote.

Rin called every bus ride with Uncle Rama special. She would stand next to him and the two would greet passengers together.

They would catch up and share updates about their lives such as Rin’s tiring work day or Uncle Rama’s return to Malaysia to meet his wife.

She assured MS News that their conversations did not distract Uncle Rama from operating his bus.

He would only make eye contact to chat at a red traffic light, otherwise always keeping focus on the road and nodding to acknowledge her when driving.

Rin remarked on how she never knew a stranger she met could leave such a huge impact on her life.

She to...