Rupam Dutta’s Life of A Driver: Cabinor Epare – Bus Driver to Best-Selling Author

An inspiring story of an Indian bus driver who became a bestselling author. Bus driver Rupam Dutta, writer of Life of a Driver: Cabinor Epare, details the life of an intercity bus driver. The book has gone on to become the bestseller of the Guwahati Book Fair 2021.

Bus drivers are very critical to modern society. Especially in India, where buses are the most common form of mass passenger transit system, it’s a job that the entire country cannot function without.

But, sadly, the reality is very different. Bus driving is often looked down upon as a subpar job in India.

So much so that, nobody even takes a moment to thank bus drivers after a long night’s journey.

A bus driver from Assam, Rupam Dutta wants to change this general attitude towards bus drivers in Indi

Rupam Dutta in action.

A bus driver’s job is a risky job that entails extreme mental and physical hardship, especially in India.

While they are entrusted with immense responsibility, the rewards are few.

And to make matters worse, bus drivers in India are seldom treated well.

“I want everyone to understand that we bus drivers are humans too. Every time we drive, we undertake the responsibility of 40-50 people – to safely transport them to their destinations. That’s a lot of responsibility for a man to take, can we not even expect a smile and a thank you in return?” he
exclaims over the phone emotionally.

Bus Driver Rupam Dutta was born into an academic family in Tinsukia district of Assam, India. His father is the Headmaster of Senairam Higher Secondary School and his mother is the Headmistress of a local high school.

Rupam is a proud bus driver, and he has been so for the last 15 years. Throughout his career, he has manned the wheels for some of the most reputed fleet operators of North East India, including John Travels, Network, Air Bus, Queen Travels, Tanuj Travels, etc.

Life of a DriveLife of A Driver: Cabinor epare (The Other Side of the Cabin)

Bus driver Rupam Dutta and his book Life of a Driver: Cabinor Epare.

 

The 488-page book, Life of a Driver: Cabinor Epare, takes a look at the life of an overnight, inter-city bus driver in India. It’s a tale of hardship, determination, human emotions as well as adventure.

But more than anything, it unveils the risk and responsibilities that an inter-city bus driver shoulders every night and how it goes unnoticed.

So what prompted a bus driver to write a book?

“It’s a major bus accident that rocked the state of Assam in September 2019. As usual, the media painted a very distorted image following which public perception towards bus drivers became very volatile.”

“I mean, you cannot blame the whole Indian bus driver community for a particular driver’s mistake. There are bad apples everywhere? I knew I had to change this and so I started jolting down my sentiments,” he says.

Initially, Rupam Dutta began sharing his thoughts as columns in various Facebook groups. His thoughts soon started creating a buzz amongst readers and that’s when he decided to complete it as a book.

The book became a surprise hit, selling off 8,000 copies, and became the highest-selling book of the 33^rd Guwahati Book Fair 2021.

Priced that ₹300 a copy, Life of a Driver: Cabinor Epare earned ₹24,00,000 at the 33^rd Guwahati Book Fair itself, making Rupam Dutta a millionaire and catapulting him to stardom overnight.  

Rupam Dutta is optimistic that his book will succeed in changing people’s perceptions of bus drivers in India. 

“We don’t want hefty tips. A small Thank You is enough to motivate us through this challenging job,” he concludes. 

Well that’s not too much to ask for, is it?  

Click here to read more such inspiring stories.