When the way seems too long, or traffic jam keeps your way blocked you feel you need something to keep away from that boring situation, in a bus, I mean! Sinking in deep thoughts may be a handy choice. Students who are not yet fed up with studying so much may take a book or something out to read. This kind of scenes are most seen in exam seasons!!

But Iran’s state had another option. It managed to provide some booklets in buses, with various subjects: biographies, short stories, peanuts comic strips, etc. These days, seeing a passenger on his feet peering into the book of a seated one doesn’t take onlookers by surprise!! Mothers (or in few cases fathers!) are also seen happy to see their children amused by these pastimes, and eventually relieved of their nags!!
Tattered, dog-eared booklets make the officials in charge encouraged, for sure, to see how much they are welcome. But the cost it takes to change books is really high. Missing ones also add to troubles. Optimistically thinking, they are missed just to be read completely! In any case, empty baskets fixed on interior body of buses need books! And to meet these needs, money talks.
Amir Mas’ud Shahramnia, the City Publication Institute managing director, said, “The booklets were bought from publishers, at first. But the quantity and variety of them in pocket size was not wide enough.”
Shahramnia pointed to expiration of the trial period for “bus book basket” and also expressed hope to offer newsletters instead of books, in case the inquiry confirms people’s interest in the move.
According to some passengers inquired, books were dull, especially in these last days. They were far away from being unputdawnable. So, there comes a need for an overhaul.
“Newsletters will have a weekly circulation of 40,000.
“An anthology will be inserted in the newsletters with publishers’ contribution. We do our best to offer readable and informative newsletters to passengers. The plan will be launched in Daheh Fajr (ten-day celebration marking anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution starting Feb. 1)”
Everyone is now on the edge of their seat to see how it is going to be, to have newsletters in buses, I mean