Behind the wheel: A day in the life of an Abu Dhabi bus driver

When he isn't driving people around in big, blue buses, Mohammed Munsur from Bangladesh turns on the camera for social media

Mohammed Munsur, 43, from Chittagong, Bangladesh, has been a bus driver for Abu Dhabi Integrated Transport Centre for 15 years. All photos: Victor Besa / The National

During the pandemic, he was one of the first bus drivers to be trained on how to transport Covid patients to quarantine zones

Mr Munsur's shift starts at the fleet operations office at Al Karamah Bus Depot, where he is assigned a route

Mr Munsur chats with his supervisor Manaf Maroof before he starts his shift

He then heads to the parking bay to get the bus ready

He ensures the assigned bus is cleaned inside out

The bus is also checked thoroughly before it sets off

Mr Munsur inspects the interior of the bus

A bus depot worker fills up the bus with fuel

Once all the checks are carried out, the fleet of buses sets off

Commuters catch the bus to work in central Abu Dhabi

Mr Munsur says he has built a bond with his regular passengers, who ask for him if he is on a different route

The idea of meeting new people makes the daily commute exciting, Mr Munsur says

The buses are inspected for any damage before being released to the next driver

Bus drivers catch up for a quick chat over a cup of tea

Mr Munsur, fourth from right, describes the other drivers as his 'family away from home'

Mohammed Munsur has been working as a bus driver in Abu Dhabi for the past 15 years.

Apart from the long drive and the close bond he shares with his colleagues, it's the passengers he meets along the way that make his trips memorable.

"I have so many regular passengers. If I change my route, they ask for me," he says. "It feels good."

Mr Munsur, 43, moved to the UAE from Chittagong, Bangladesh, in 2003, to work in a hotel. Two years later, he moved to Dubai to work as a bus driver.

Four years on, he shifted base to the UAE capital to work at Abu Dhabi Mobility, previously known as the Integrated Transport Centre.

"I love driving in Abu Dhabi because there's very little traffic," he says.

Mr Munsur has also won many awards at AD Mobility, twice the "best driver" in 2015 and 2016, and a special award for transporting passengers from the airport in Abu Dhabi to quarantine zones during the Covid pandemic.

His day usually starts at 5am and ends at 2pm, with an hour break for his meals.

When he isn't driving people around in the big, blue buses, Mr Munsur turns on the camera to build a social media audience.

"It's a hobby," he admits, one he's excited about.

His skills with the camera have not gone unnoticed at AD Mobility, with bosses often asking that he film special events and guests.

"I never thought I'd become a bus driver," he says, but after 15 years on the job, he says it has helped him build a better life for his family back home in Bangladesh.

He now aims to bring his wife and two daughters to live with him in the UAE and build a home of his own in Bangladesh. "Inshallah, it will happen soon," he says.