A Love-Hate Relationship with Kyiv's Marshrutkas

I love almost everything about Ukraine--but I'm not so sure how I feel about the Marshrutkas.

During my teaching trips to Ukraine I commuted to and from seven law schools in Kyiv, mostly by Metro, but occasionally by Marshrutka, or private bus. One of the schools, the National Aviation University, was some distance from the nearest Metro station, and so this required a long trip by Marschrutka. These were an adventure! Packed to the gunwhales with dour commuters, the traveler must pass the fare--two and a half hryven--from passenger to passenger up to the driver, who is the ultimate multitasker. He will be negotiating traffic, talking on two or three different cell phones, answering questions from passengers and all the while changing money arrayed in little cardboard boxes or envelopes on the console next to the driver's seat. It is absolutely insane. Also insane is the degree to which these buses will become packed with standing commuters--last week Tetiana and I rode a bus which had an advertised capacity of about 45 passengers--we counted something like 80! It is confusing to say the least, especially since the windows are usually caked with grime or fogged and iced over.

Yesterday I rode my last Marshrutka for this trip, and I didn't shed any tears of regret as I got off of that bus.