Chiva bus

A Chiva (Spanish for goat) or escalera is (Spanish for ladder / stair), a type of bus in rural Colombia and Ecuador. Chivas are adapted to the rural public transport, particularly when one considers the mountainous landscape of the Andean region of these countries into consideration.

The buses are painted by usually with the yellow, blue and red colors of the flags of Ecuador and Colombia, as well as with local arabesques and figures are colorful and varied. Most have a ladder on the rack on the roof, which is also used for the carriage of passengers, livestock and goods.

Chivas based on a bus chassis with a modified body of metal or wood installed. The seats are well equipped wood and with doors instead of windows. The owner or driver of the vehicle is usually a unique nickname.

History

Chivas were first introduced in the Department of Antioquia in the early 20th century. Farmers in the region generally relied on horse-drawn wagons for the transport of goods. In 1908, Colombian engineer Luciano Restrepo and Colombian mechanic Roberto Tisnes imported a chassis from the United States. In Medellin they built the first bus body. This first bus was used in a route between downtown and the city of Medellin El Poblado. The first models were very simple, with a canvas roof and four benches. The body of the newer models have been modified with a roof rack, which the farmers could now transport their goods.

There is no official date of when this type bus is initially arrived in western Antioquia. In the book, memories of my country ( Memorias de mi tierra ) Colombian Alirio Diaz writer tells about the first vehicles ever driven in Antioquia by the Las Palmas Street. The most reliable report is taken from the book Notes on the history of San Vicente ( Apuntes para la Historia de San Vicente ), where the Colombian author Ricardo Zuluaga Gil tells about the arrival of the first Chiva: "It was an event of the heyday Saint Vicente changed: the arrival in the city in 1922, the first automobile engine driven Chiva. It was a, truck escalera ' [ ie the origin of the Chiva ]. It was of Rionegro Mr. Lino Arbelaez by riding on the old King's Road; they needed spade and shovel. " "

The term escalera ( manager) was coined because the buses have a conductor that is usually on the back of the bus. This circuit allows people to overburden their belongings on the roof of the bus. The bus, in order to solve a rural solution the need of movement in both cargo and passengers at the same time. The specific and essential feature of these buses is the combination of wood and metal. But the aesthetic interpretation was given through the years on this bus a cultural brand of rural Colombia in the early 20th century. This aesthetic approach to a tool that was of utmost importance to the naturally developed peasants and some of them have as of today evolved into actual works of art.

Symbol of Colombia and controversy

Chivas are known nationally and internationally as a symbol of Colombian culture, especially of rural Colombia. On the other hand, they are controversial and subject to criticism. The main reason is that Chivas instead a symbol of Colombia's diverse urban and rural culture represent, rather, are a symbol of underdevelopment and the rustic hacking of a machine is to be used in urban areas.

Today

Today Chivas or escalera buses are used as Haupttransportsystemin in mostly very poor and remote rural areas of Colombia, but they are slowly being replaced in most places by newer, faster and more efficient minibuses. In the cities they prove increasingly a service as party buses especially in warmer cities. They are also equipped with advertising campaigns and serve as tourist attractions. Currently these vehicles are used in different parts of Colombia as walking clubs, provided that they are equipped with a good sound equipment, disco lights and microphones for Rumba. A company that specializes in these types of attractions, since 1998 the company chivas & travel Colombia, comes with this particular variation not only for tourism but also for entertainment and culture, and they have developed programs to education, for using poor children as a classroom. The Jeepao is a similar version of the Chiva, but in a Willies Jeep.

Chivas in other places

Not only can be found in South America, this unique buses, but also in other locations, including the United States. As the population of the Colombian and Ecuadorian Americans has risen in New York, so the use of these buses in New York. They are developed there as party buses that are equipped with a private bar, and often find partygoers in the city. Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu and Cameron Diaz were traveling in a Chiva for the New York premiere of Charlie's Angels. The party buses are / used well known in Panama as Chiva Parrandera.