Panama Red Devil Buses

For years now there has been talk about whether or not the Red Devils can stay or go. Since they are independently owned and operated, taking them off the street means jobs are lost and a major investment needs to be made by the Panamanian government.

This is an investment that may be difficult to make considering the country faces poverty rates upward of 60% and unemployment around 20%.

Keeping them on the streets means continued disorganization for mass transit, unsafe vehicles on the road, and an ongoing eye-sore, or what some consider to be an eye sore.

Just by looking at most of the Red Devil buses in Panama City, there's no denying that some should probably go -- especially when you see the black smoke choke its way out of the exhaust pipes and passengers piled in so tight they are sitting on one another and even spilling out the door.

On the other hand, there is something to be said for privatization. Who doesn't like a little entrepreneurship? And who doesn't like artistic expression? Some of the buses have beautiful or interesting images on them. Many of them are truly pieces of art and individual expression.

Currently, the government is offering a $25,000 indemnity to those bus owners who trade in their bus for a newer, safer version. But of the few that have turned in their bus, new buses have yet to be provided.

Only time will tell what holds for the Red Devils. The May 3rd presidential election in Panama may be a turning point. The candidates have talked about monorails and subways to spruce up the city's image, which in recent years has become a tourist attraction and international business center.

Oh yeah, and one last thing. That is an air-brushed picture of the "The Rock" on the back of the Red Devil pictured above...just in case you were wondering.

It's been said that there are 800 Red Devils on the street right now. All of them once used as school buses in the United States.

Some are painted and spruced up more than others, but almost all of them have graffiti-style writing on the front windshield stating their destination. Since there are no written or official bus routes, riders just learn the stops by watching. Usually there is a driver and another gentleman who hangs out up front to shout out the buses' destination as it rolls to a stop.

The announcer then jumps off the bus to allow new passengers on. Once everyone is in, he shoves his way back on to the stairs of the bus and hangs on for dear life while the bus drives off to the next route.

It's quite a sight.

by Jason Lancaster of TundraHeadquarters.com, a Toyota Tundra fan site

Red devil buses (Los Diablos Rojos) seem to pull many of their styling cues from accessories that are popular with North American pickup truck owners. Let's start with the most obvious "styling option" - the custom exhaust.

Most of these exhausts are nothing more than straight-pipes, and many of them sport twin chrome smoke-stacks that frame the rear door of the bus.These smoke-stacks are loud, menacing, and completely unnecessary, but they look cool as hell. In fact, if I owned an old school bus, adding twin chrome smoke stacks (and tearing off the mufflers) would be my first enhancement.



Oh yeah, did I mention these exhaust setups are often obnoxiously loud? Some bus owners upgrade the standard school bus horn (the one for honking) with more powerful air horns that can make all sorts of sounds - even La Cucaracha. Fantastico!

Quite a few of these beasts also have fancy accessory lighting. Everything from a couple of well-placed red or blue single L.E.D. bulbs on the front fenders to a roof mounted light bar that you might find on Marty McFly's Back To the Future Toyota truck. I've even seen a light setup that almost completely mimics the lighting you would see on an emergency vehicle. Frankly, I'm surprised all these lights are legal - with all the flashing red, it's hard to imagine how the police manage to pull anyone over.

Of course, no discussion of after-market accessory lighting is complete without talking about ubiquitous under-carriage neon lights in a rainbow of pastel colors. Brother, this ain't Mrs. Johnson's school bus any more.

I've also seen quite a few of these buses rolling on after-market rims. It's shocking to consider that somewhere, someone is manufacturing fancy chrome wheels for school buses, but the evidence speaks for itself. There is officially a market for chrome school bus wheels.

Finally, the most beautiful accessories on these vehicles are the clever paint schemes and decals. The paint jobs aren't always the highest quality (the vast majority of bus paint jobs I've seen lack a clear coat), and the decals are rarely symmetrical, but you've got to admire the passion that goes into these works of art.

It's official: I'm a fan of accessorizing school buses. It's high time that North American school children hitch a ride to Geometry in a pimped-out school bus.