Cuba's Crazy (and Creative) Public Transportation System

Buses, taxis, motorcycles, hitchhiking - there are plenty of ways to get around. But have you ever tried Cuba's infamous Camel Bus?
If you’re like most Cubans, you can’t afford a car. Prepare to do battle with Cuba’s infamous public transportation system!
On the upside, it’s heavily subsidized - just a few cents a ride
On the downside, it’s slow, hot, crowded, and incredibly unreliable.
Enter… the Camel Bus. The Cuban government’s unusual way to move people around in bulk - up to 300 of them at a time.
Unfortunately, the camel bus also has a downside.
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Thank you for the closed captioning!
SPANISH: Sergio Julian, DRAX Produktion (www.draxproduktion.com)
Category: Travel

[@centredoorplugsthornton4112]

I took a trip there in 1996 and saw the camel buses, leftover Crown Ikarus buses, second hand GM fishbowl buses from Canada, buses from Paris and other European cities.

[@cherrylsblog]

Great video - I didn't know the government had made hitchhiking an 'official' mode of transportation - do drivers get some sort of official payment for this?

[@OurHumanPlanet]

They don't. Legally it's more of a stick than a carrot (they are required by law to pick up passengers) but the reality is that they usually know everyone in the area and are glad to help out in any way they can. Cuba is very friendly that way.

[@cherrylsblog]

@@OurHumanPlanet you're right, the people are very friendly and giving - thanks for the reply.

[@Kodiak_Brown_Bear]

0:28 *That's an American-made school bus from canada.*

[@OurHumanPlanet]

Yes! Someone pointed that out to me shortly after the series aired on PBS. Well done! Millions of people watched the doc and fewer than a dozen noticed that error.

[@evandalen4227]

@@OurHumanPlanet The yellow one at 0.22 is Dutch.
A lot of second hand Dutch busses go to Cuba, often still driving around with Dutch destinations displayed on the front.

[@jaymayhoi]

love this!

[@scottsimpson423]

Iv seen a camel bus been pulled by a modern VW truck tho.

[@adoody28ify]

Sounds like British Trains

[@Novaflyer7000]

Before this, they purchased Warsaw Pact/Soviet made buses. After the fall of the Soviet Union and the tightening of the American embargo, this is why Cuba is in bad shape sadly.

[@fabi57iamracer]

Why did you censor "school busses from America?" 0:26

[@ovhni]

The narrator says "with a scattering of cast-off French school buses thrown in". The school bus is not American, but (French-)Canadian, as Canada uses the same yellow buses as the US.
At 0:31, you can see the back: "ÉCOLIERS" ("SCHOOL BUS"); "ARRÊTEZ AUX SIGNAUX CLIGNOTANTS" ("STOP WHEN LIGHTS FLASH").

[@user-yg3io8ij1i]

Progressives in America should watch this

[@thetrainguy1]

Why?

[@robertstephens9717]

Socialism

[@tangoingthekitchen]

communism learn the difference

[@pockyzx5025]

yeah and embargo you dummy

[@freddylopez5526]

This was a great video , Im a Cuban born in the island and I grew thru the 90's there , please let's invade Cuba and end communism

[@hex2637]

You want cuba to become Haiti?