I have been taking the pickup truck/buses in the mornings and afternoons for the past week or so. The "dance" between the students and the drivers of these pickups is somewhat entertaining. The pickup truck drivers are VERY agressive in the morning and afternoon school rush. It is obvious that a good portion of their income comes from the student/worker rushes. The students only pay 1/2 fare or about 5b (15 cents) to ride. They can cram over 20 students onto a truck and may fill the truck up a couple times on a trip through town if they time the school dismissal with their route. What is funny to watch is that the students will stand around on the side of the road and ignore the driver. The driver knows they are going and really get frustrated when the kids won't board their truck. Sometimes they wait for an empty truck so a whole group can ride together. Other times the students will walk to the side of the road and just stand there while the driver waits. Then another truck pulls up behind him and the kids board that one. The drivers will also "leap frog" one another to get ahead and grab riders. If one truck stops others will race ahead of him. Wow. If they can cram 20 -25 kids on board they collect about $3 to $4.50 for the trip. Here are some pictures. Notice all the kids riding on the back on the step and how some trucks are low to the ground from the excessive load. The numbers on the trucks indicate different routes. I ride the #6 most of the time.
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