Joseph Sumo Counter

Joseph Sumo Counter is located in Chanmari, right on Ramhlun Road here in Aizawl. In this part of the world, Sumos are how most people get around between the different towns and villages. We’ve been running this counter for a long time now. It’s a very straightforward business without any complications. We book seats for people traveling across Mizoram. The office is basically just a wooden desk, some benches for people to wait on, and a big board with the names and departure times written in chalk. It’s often quite crowded and loud in the mornings when the first departures are happening. You’ll hear the engines running and people calling out to their friends or family. I’m usually the one sitting there writing out the tickets and taking the cash. We don't use a computer system for any of this; it’s all done by hand in our big paper registers. It has worked just fine for us for years. We know all the drivers personally, so we know who is reliable and who knows these mountain roads the best. The roads around Aizawl can be really tricky with the sharp curves and the heavy rain, so we try to keep things as organized as possible. People come to us because they know we’ve been here in Chanmari forever. We don’t offer any luxury, just a seat in a vehicle that will get you where you need to go. If the weather is bad, we tell people the truth about the delays.