“Thank you! Goodbye!” These are habits of courtesy that are becoming increasingly rare… However, there remain a few diehards for whom this politeness is far from forgotten. In this city, it is even a well-established “tradition”.
Taking public transport is now part of the daily life of millions of French people, especially in large cities, starting with Paris. In the bus or tram, contact with the driver is obviously easier than in the RER or the metro but, however, most passengers do not say hello or thank you to the person driving…
In many cities, greeting the bus driver when getting on when validating your ticket or buying a ticket on board has therefore become optional, or even completely forgotten. But there are, fortunately, still places where this little attention is a real local custom and even a sign of pride. A video revealed by the local daily The Dispatch went viral a few days ago on social networks because we saw a slew of particularly courteous travelers there. The capital can benefit from this!
This little attention which makes all the difference, is a habit well inscribed in the customs of Toulouse, the famous Pink City. It is a tradition of politeness that continues over time, according to Philippe Remery, a Toulouse driver interviewed by The Dispatch : “It’s a Toulouse tradition, I would say, which has existed for a very long time. It’s very pleasant and allows us to work in good conditions.“And to add:”Having very nice people on the bus is really very welcoming..” While it is difficult to say precisely where this rigor in good manners comes from, it is undeniable that it is part of the local identity of Toulouse.
This basic politeness is unfortunately not acquired everywhere in France. Moreover, bus drivers are even increasingly attacked by dissatisfied travelers or those who are not in compliance and do not want to pay. For example, as reported The Parisian last February, in Greater Paris “in recent years, tension has risen on buses and attacks against drivers have exploded. They increased from 690 in 2021 to 1,400 in 2024. An increase of 102% in three years.”
