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Georgia Roessler | profile | all galleries >> International Travel >> Guatemala >> Chicken Bus tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Chicken Bus

These are just a part of what makes the Gautemalan countryside so picturesque.
They are nothing but (American) school buses, in many cases driven from the Southern US to Guatemala.
They are privately owned and are decorated according to the owner/driver's tastes, not to mention the name of his current girlfriend.
They run between the country Mayan villages, often crammed full of people, farm goods, and yes, chickens!

Esperanza Hitchin' a Ride Cozy Chiquitita Chérie Must be Married...
Wendy (O?) I think I can... Franciscana Issa Washing Esperanza
She Gets Around No Kidding! Georgita Carmencita Gloria
Betsy Consuelo Maria Carlitos Cruisin'
On the Road Again Anita Patojalinda Alejandra Pollocita
Silvita Amor Secreto Esmeralda Marroquin (?) Ciao
Gonzalez Orellana Norma Primorosa Religioso

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Guest 21-May-2011 12:55
Rode on one of these works of art a few miles out of Antigua in 2010...scary @ first, and packed in like sardines...but after a few turns up and down those switchbacks I realized that the driver could put NASCAR to shame..those buses need serious gears and horsepower to handle those mountain roads... I got to hang out with a few locals. My 9 and 10 year old sons really liked it! These buses are an absolute neccessity in Guat. no trains, no planes, as the terrain is too rugged, and the volcanic activity and heavy rains often wash out part of roads...imagine what they'd do to train tracks!...One sad thing is the cartels, mostly based in Guatemala City, extort money from the drivers who go into Guat city...
MARIO ESTRADA 26-Mar-2011 20:48
THANK YOU FOR THIS FOTO GALLERY ITS VERY NICE IM FROM GUATEMALA AND IM ONE OF THE GUYS WHO WORK DECORATING THE CHICKEN BUSES IN ANTIGUA GUATEMALA GOD BLESS
Marcos 04-Mar-2011 21:01
Amigo gringo, tus fotos estan espectaculares, me gusta tu forma de ser, gente de clase media y alta en guatemala, no se subirian a estos buses ni regalado, pensando en su desprestijio. Se ve que la pasaron super bien, estoy por ir a Guatemala pronto, y por supuesto a este bello lugar, gracias por las fotos, y me encanto tambien tu aventura en el volcan Pacaya, saludame a Karen es una chica muy bonita, saludos.

Marcos
Ramiro Pineda 24-Nov-2010 23:09
Fantastic job, I am from Guatemala and this is fun trip to take to " El Puerto de San Jose or Lake Atitlan. Well done Georgia.
Steve Stevens 10-Jan-2010 20:52
I lived in Guatemala from 1968 t0 1974. I used to work on the buse fron San Juan Sacatepequez to Guate. Then a lot were brand new Blue Birds made in Guatemala on Ford chassis with V8 petrol or Cat V8 diesels, also Chevrolet C50 with a GM V6 Diesel ot Dodge with a very weak Perkins P6.354 6cyl. Diesel. As I left a couple were being re engined with Cummins V6.. La Cobanerita used to pass through each day with their 2 stroke Cheveys! They even had a 2 stroke re engined Bedford VAM! Brilliant sound!!!
luigi Leiva 13-Jun-2009 00:01
Estan maravillosas estas fotos, pues me recuerdan los buses que habían antes aquí en Costa Rica y digo antes, pues fue hace unos 20 anos
Luigi Leiva 12-Jun-2009 23:55
Hi I'm from Costa Rica
I like the buses, When I was a kid I use to dream with to be a bus driver and to drive a chicken bus, but I can't do it now because the traffic's low is very servere with the public transportatition. If you visit my country now You'll never find chicken buses only Brazilian buses Marcopolo, Busscar or Comil Mercedes, Volvo or Scania
Your photos are beautiful, Belive me your gallery is beautiful congratulationes!!!
Guest 27-Dec-2008 19:56
Your photos are neat! My husband and I are leaving tomorrow from Toronto to drive a retired school bus to Guatemala, where it will become a chicken bus. You have inspired me to take lots of photos along our roadtrip.
José Luis 04-Oct-2008 18:18
muy bellas fotos incluyan en la galeria clasicos de los ochentas como aquellos ford e international muy elegantes que me recuerdan mi niñez
Jen C 18-Sep-2008 19:04
Love the pics Georgia and thanks for taking the time to post them. I just returned from an interesting trip that made me want to know more about the buses. It was kind of like a cross between a chicken bus and a hostel on wheels in Mexico. Though not as nicely painted the interior was comfortable. We went to a few beaches in Baja Mexico. I think the name was Baja Trek- www.BajaTrek.com. Cool trip, but they could use the nice paint jobs that the chicken buses have.
Shalom 16-Sep-2008 14:21
I noticed that no matter how ornate the custom paint jobs are, they always leave the Blue Bird logo in place at the front of the roofline...
Guest 20-Nov-2007 14:56
http://chickenbuses.tripod.com
The chicken buses are famous in Guatemala. These converted American school buses are the main form of transport around the country and are known for being so full that people hang out of the windows and doors. Check out this website for some more info and pictures.
http://chickenbuses.tripod.com
dolly 20-Feb-2007 23:05
HOla! i don´t know if you´re still checking this sight? But i have also fallen in love with the chicken buses. . . i am in antigua for a week or 3 and have a london black cab at home in the u.k. also modified...i love the cool stuff they have inside such as hert shaped flashing leds etc...any idea wherer to find these in guatty??
Brian From Canada 13-Dec-2006 06:02
Best darn chicken bus I ever road on!!!!
VIC MAO 13-Mar-2006 17:19
ESTAN SUPER BUENAS LAS FOTROGRAFIAS, DEMUESTRAN LA REALIDAD DE GUATEMALA, Y ESPECIALMENTE, SE VALORAN POR LA AUSENCIA QUE MUCHOS TENEMOS DE NUESTRA PATRIA.
Kassie 07-Mar-2006 23:29
i thought that all of the chickenbuses were really cute! Great pictures Georgia!
ctfchallenge11-Apr-2005 21:28
Quelles couleurs! C´est une belle collection que tu as là.Lequel as-tu pris?
Doris
jostein 16-Dec-2004 12:18
It was great to see fotos of so many different chickenbuses
4 years ago I brought back a chickenbus to Denmark. Each summer it is on the Roskilde festival serving as a bar. You can see it on www.gringobar.com
seb 29-Jul-2004 09:11
Splendid! It reminds me of my tip around Guatemala last year! How fantastic!!
Gwyn 25-May-2004 22:19
Hi,
I'm in Antigua, Guatemala. FYI the Chicken bus industry is big business. A number of families are involved. For example Esmeralda *note spelling, has 35 buses on the road every day. In the same family is the Dorita company. Although they are American school buses, they are modified for use in Guatemala. The Esmeralda company uses 10 window Bluebird bodies, with an International Harvester or Ford chassis. Engines are changed to CAT 3208 325HP turbocharged and intercooled. Transmissions are 6 speed manual, with a split rear axle, giving 12 forward gears. Add air (not hydraulic) brakes, longer seats, and a roof rack, plus a paint job, and you have a chicken bus! In a country where the average wage is $6 a day, this is a major investment. Import duty alone on the original (used) bus is $4,000. By the way, loved the photos.
Carol E Sandgren26-Apr-2004 22:57
Love these colorful busses! Fun gallery and slice of life!
...but where are the chickens???
Did you ride in these to get around??
Wendy O05-Feb-2004 04:06
How fun! These are fantastic.
Jal04-Feb-2004 23:56
Lovely gallery Georgia.
Only you can come up with something like this and make it work!
Jal
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