Retired School Buses
Rejuvenated In Guatemala
By Gloria J. Maschemeyer
Ever wonder what happens to retired school
buses? Well, many are sold at auction to
start a second career as camionetas or
public transportation buses in Guatemala.
In the small village of Chichicastenango I
witnessed two previous child transporters
play chicken. Bus one, formerly from
District 74 (somewhere), came rumbling down
a narrow side street belching black smoke
about to make a right. Bus two, from
Wilmington, Del., was speeding up the main
drag aiming to turn left, but arrived
simultaneously at the corner.
The behemoths stopped abruptly hood to hood.
Neither moved. A crowd started gathering,
whispering and pointing. One bus lurched
forward a few feet narrowly missing contact
with the others honkin' chrome bumper.
Clearly one bus was more pimped out than the
other with a birded ornament perched on its
bonnet. Actually, both were pretty spiffy
with chrome trim and bright shining paint
jobs, one green, red and gold the other a
patriotic red, white and blue.
Ten minutes passed. Traffic backed up and a
few horns blasted, but the nonchalant
road-rage-free drivers didn't flinch or make
eye contact. Finally the bus on the wider
uphill street backed down allowing the one
coming from the narrower road to make the
turn. The crowd dispersed and that was that.
No guns, no fowl language, no shaking middle
fingers, no nothin'. From an American
perspective I was amazed.
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Retired American school buses work hard
here, about 14 hours a day moving the public
and their belongings from place to place.
The buses are bought at auction in the
United States and driven south through
Mexico to Guatemala where they undergo a
complete makeover, inside and out. Most have
worked for 10 years or have accumulated
150,000 miles before immigrating.
Guatemalan buyers look for specific buses.
They want ones with manual transmissions and
air brakes. They prefer an International
Harvester chassis and a Bluebird 10-window
body.
After arrival in Guatemala engines are
beefed up and automatic transmissions are
replaced with manuals. Inside, seat
configurations are changed and luggage racks
installed. Outside, they soak up new gaudy
paint jobs. Some companies put on extras
such as chrome bumpers, grills, hood
ornaments and horns. Roof racks with an
access ladder are mandatory to accommodate
passenger possessions, which might include
live animals.
The rejuvenated American school buses are
affectionately referred to as "chicken
buses," because riders are as likely to find
chickens onboard as humans. These buses or
camionetas are Guatemala's transportation
mainstay, providing cheap short-distance
travel within cities and long distances to
remote villages.
Without these second career workers locals
wouldn't get to markets, hospitals or visits
with neighboring friends and relatives. On
one hand they are a God sent, while on the
other the devil seems to lurk.
Riding onboard is an adventure riddled with
danger. Drivers are as likely to play
chicken with each other as carry chickens.
They pass on blind curves and drive at
lightening speeds. They literally rule the
road through intimidation.
If you are a pedestrian, you could be mowed
down if you don't get out of the way. The
buses only slow down to pick up passengers
whether they are driving through villages or
on open highways.
A school bus turned chicken bus is a force
to be reckoned with and everyone of a right
mind knows it. Don't underestimate these
retirees.
Read more:
http://www.adn.com/2010/04/17/1230001/retired-school-buses-rejuvenated.html#ixzz0lSMl7RK2
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