The buses always have a sign in the windshield stating where they are going, making it easy for people to determine what bus they need. Once I was shown where to go, I was able to navigate it really easily from there. You always have to pay for the public transportation in cash and in return they always give you a ticket. If you have suitcases too big to fit under the seat, you put them in the undercarriage and get a ticket for those as well.
I do think the public transportation and shared taxis are tied to the communal culture which is very different from the US. Everyone here is very big on sharing what they have, so sharing taxis and only paying for one seat in the car, allowing others to also use the car, is a similar way of showing those values. The environment plays a role considering how rural Botswana is. You can come across a cow, donkey, goat, elephant, kudu (big antelope) or zebra trying to cross the street that you may have to wait for. The roads are maintained fairly well, but you will still come across many potholes forcing the driver to swerve or slow down.
