Guatemala Rebuilds Old US school buses

[ACamper]

I thought some of you guys would like this video.

Guatemala upcycles decommissioned US school buses | News | Al Jazeera

[EastCoastCB]

yup good ole chicken buses!We love em!
I want a bus like that!

[cadillackid]

they are my kinda busses!!
-Christopher

[Twigg]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

they are my kinda busses!!
-Christopher

Yeah, and $13000 for the upgrades they do sounds kinda cheap. Maybe we should buy them back

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Twigg

Yeah, and $13000 for the upgrades they do sounds kinda cheap. Maybe we should buy them back

I've been wondering, after watching some videos, how much it would cost to send a bus down there for custom work. I've heard they spend maybe 10 grand to deck out a bus, sounds like a bargain to me.
I'd at least like to get someone to do one of those sweet paint jobs.

[miscrms]

Yeah, I know our dealer here in AZ seems to sell a lot of buses to central America. We hadn't planned on heading south, but part of me really wants to go down to Belize or Guatemala for a paint job

[ACamper]

I love riding chicken buses. It is like going to the fair or a party, people play music sell food and drinks. Puts the bus system in the US to shame.

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

I've been wondering, after watching some videos, how much it would cost to send a bus down there for custom work. I've heard they spend maybe 10 grand to deck out a bus, sounds like a bargain to me.
I'd at least like to get someone to do one of those sweet paint jobs.

Some of the countries in Central America min wage is around $200. a mo, you could get a lot of work for cheap.

Maybe you could sell tickets there and back to pay for some gas. lol

[WanderWoman]

I met a guy last week on the Florida turnpike that was taking a Florida school bus to Nicaragua.
Sandi

[cadillackid]

alot of busses go there.. when I was at a bus dealer in florida last year.. a guy from somewhere (I didnt hear where).. came in and picked out 10 busses.. told the dealer to get them to lauderdale in 3 days on a ship.. the exporter himself didnt seem concerned on cost.. just that he wanted 10 good-running busses.. all of them internationals.. didnt even drive em.. just start run.. Next..
-Christopher

[Tango]

Pretty similar story here in Houston. Many of them go South as soon as they hit the lots. The guy I bought my first bus from twenty years ago said he sold about 75% of everything that came in to Mexico and Central America. Here, they just drive'em to the border in convoys.

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by Tango

Pretty similar story here in Houston. Many of them go South as soon as they hit the lots. The guy I bought my first bus from twenty years ago said he sold about 75% of everything that came in to Mexico and Central America. Here, they just drive'em to the border in convoys.

when i got my Redbyrd from Cyfair, the day i was picking it up, a whole group of guys showed up in a van and drove off abouit 7 or 8 busses.. I recognized they had bid on all and only the Internationals with DT-466s in them.. not the 444E's, and only dognose.. guessing they were exporters,,
-Christopher

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

when i got my Redbyrd from Cyfair, the day i was picking it up, a whole group of guys showed up in a van and drove off abouit 7 or 8 busses.. I recognized they had bid on all and only the Internationals with DT-466s in them.. not the 444E's, and only dognose.. guessing they were exporters,,
-Christopher

My TX shorty with 466 went for 4050 before auction fees.
The full size buses with 444e's went for the opening bid price, or didn't even get bid on.
They definitely appreciate the hearty DT466's down south. The last bid before I won was from a guy named "Jose".

[spenceronehalf]

I rode quite a few of those upstyled buses in Guatemala in the '90s. They were a lot of fun to ride, inexpensive, and often FILLED with folks. You were charged by the seat, so three people would sometimes stack on a single seat to save $$

[OUT IN AMERICA]

Originally Posted by ACamper

I thought some of you guys would like this video.

Guatemala upcycles decommissioned US school buses | News | Al Jazeera

thanks for the video info. i want to take my bluebird there.

[ACamper]

Originally Posted by spenceronehalf

They were a lot of fun to ride, inexpensive, and often FILLED with folks. You were charged by the seat, so three people would sometimes stack on a single seat to save $$

I rode a couple of buses in Guatemala that were filled.. then filled more. They were packed all seats then all standing space, they even opened the back door so they could shove more people in.

[Tango]

...si...but plenty of room left on the roof, amigo.

[ACamper]

Originally Posted by Tango

...si...but plenty of room left on the roof, amigo.

Yeah, they try to throw your bags up there. Then when you are stuck in a can of people you might see your bag leaving with it's new owner.

[hatman]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

I've been wondering, after watching some videos, how much it would cost to send a bus down there for custom work. I've heard they spend maybe 10 grand to deck out a bus, sounds like a bargain to me.
I'd at least like to get someone to do one of those sweet paint jobs.

I've been to Guatemala maybe 10-12 times in last 15 yrs. I believe there is a company in Chimaltenango that does this conversion work.

[hatman]

greetings. look for Revue, an Englich languaoe magazine printed in Guatemala. look for "Birth of a Camioneta".

[hatman]

I've traveled in Guatemala for 13 yrs now and NEVER had anyone try to take my backpack. But since all it takes is one incident to ruin your trip, I ALWAYS keep close to my pack, where I can see it.