Chicken buses

Did you ever wonder what happens to American school buses when they are no longer used at schools?  They go to Guatemala, of course!

When American school buses reach 10 years or about 150,000 miles they are sold at auction. Many of them are purchased and then driven through Mexico to Guatemala where they get a second life as a common mode of transportation.  The old yellow paint is changed to bright colors and shiny grills and roof racks are added as the "chicken bus" is born.

The "camionetas" are called "chicken buses" by tourists because they transport people and their livestock from town to town. These buses are often stuffed with people, cargo from the markets, and, yes chickens!

We drove behind a high-speed chicken bus on the highway one day as a man tied his goods to the top rack - while it was moving!  He then climbed down the ladder, opened the door, and hopped in - all while the bus was in motion.