The words at the rank

StopStop runs on the everyday language of the South African rank. If a word in the game — or on this site — has you guessing, here's what it means and how it's used behind the wheel.

Rank

A taxi terminus — the marked-off place where minibus taxis wait, load and set off on a route. In the game, ranks are where you pick up commuters and drop them, and each one belongs to a crew.

Gaatjie (also guardjie)

The fare-collector and door-man who rides with the driver — calls the destination, packs the van, takes the money, works the sliding door. In StopStop you start out at the bottom of the ladder as a Gaatjie and climb from there.

Lahnee

South African slang for the boss, the well-off one, the person in charge. It's the top of the game's rank ladder — the driver with the good lane, the standing and the say-so.

Load

To fill the van with passengers; also the passengers themselves ("a full load"). A van pulls off when it's loaded to the driver's satisfaction — the core judgement call of the game.

Drop

To let passengers off at their destination. In the game a drop at the right rank pays you cash and points.

The Walls

The game's name for the invisible boundaries between one crew's turf and the next. Nobody marks them, but everyone knows who got warned for crossing one. Working another crew's rank — not just driving through — is what sets trouble off.

Crew / association

In real life, taxi routes and ranks are run by associations that organise operators. In StopStop the equivalents are invented "crews", each with its own colours, home ranks and lanes you're expected to respect.

Rankmaster

The person who runs a rank — keeps order in the queue, manages which van loads next, takes a cut. In the game, pulling in slow at a rank is how you get loaded and pay your dues.

Target

The daily takings a driver is expected to bring in for the owner of the van. The game's clock-and-cash pressure comes straight from this: hit the Target or answer for it.

Permit

The operating licence a taxi needs to run a route legally. Let it expire in the game and Metro police have a reason to stop you.

Metro

Short for Metro Police — the municipal traffic and law-enforcement officers who watch for overloading and expired permits. In StopStop they're the risk you manage, not an enemy you beat.

Pirate operator

An unlicensed taxi working a route it has no right to, poaching passengers. In the game, pirates compete for your load and cost you fares if you're slow.

15-seater

The standard minibus taxi — a van built to carry about fifteen passengers. It's the vehicle you drive the whole game.

Bull bar

A heavy metal bar fitted to the front of a vehicle. In the garage it's an upgrade that helps the van shrug off knocks.

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