Busses

Busses provide a major means of transportation in Guyana. They are not like the busses in the US. Each bus has a route, but not a schedule. In order for our Branch President to get to church, he has to take a bus from his home to downtown Georgetown to the bus park. There he finds the bus that will take him to church. He lives about 3 miles from church, but the bus takes him 6 miles in and then 8 miles out. There are no transfers because each bus is owned and operated independently.

We found out that there are two ways to get a driver's license. First you study the book and take the test and pay the fee. Or, you study the book, take the test, flunk the test and then pay a bigger fee. Either way, you drive.

Each bus has a driver and a "conductor". The conductor hangs out the window looking for passengers. He yells at the top of his lungs with a fist full of money, advertises how many seats are available. He also gives hand signals to the driver behind if the driver wants to turn that way. We have beem trained to look for waggling fingers and to interpret their meaning.

Bus drivers think they own the road. Everyone else is an inconvenience. A bus will pass us at a high rate of speed, only to stop right in front of us to pick up or let out a passenger.

Bus routes are designed to take about 1 hour per trip. The rules state that they can only make 8 trips a day, but they do more like 12 because they can't make any money on 8 trips. Eight trips cover their costs.

Busses play very loud music as they go. People are stuffed in even though they are only allowed to have 15 passengers per bus - children don't show.

All of the busses have names and advice written on their windshields, sides, and back windows. It is funny to read how many of the say things like "Praise the Lord" or "God Loves Me" only to have them cheat death by inches.

Almost all of the accidents we read about in the paper include a bus. We would rather walk than take a bus.