Added: 03/27/2006 |
On the road in African bush taxiAfrica has always been a continent with a mobile population where transportation routes are important. For many travelers in Africa, the experiences most often remembered are those had on the highways and back roads. A crucial aspect of African culture as a whole is its most common form of transportation - the bush taxi, or "taxi brousse."
In some countries bush taxis are known as "five-seaters" or "seven-seaters", but in fact, drivers cram nine passengers or more. The cars have three rows of seats. Today such models as the Peugeot 505 or the Toyota Corolla have supplanted the 504 in some countries and are gaining ground in others. The minibus is quickly becoming the most common type of bush taxi in West and Central Africa. Due to the vehicles' larger size, drivers often also employ a helper who rides in the back portion of the vehicle. Minibuses tend to travel at a slower pace, and they take longer to fill up and to pass through police checkpoints. These vehicles generally charge more than standard buses but less than Peugeot-type bush taxis. The lorry bush taxi is also sometimes encountered. It is a typical truck with benches along the sides of the bed for passengers. There is often a cover for the bed as well. Routes serviced by lorries often require travel over worse roads and to more remote areas than the other types.
There are two ways to get a bush taxi. In some towns there will be a taxi station that you need to go to. In others, you stand on the side of the road and try to flag down a passing car. Usually there are men there to help you. They are paid by taxi drivers to find the passengers. Bush taxis are always crammed full of people. Literally there will sometimes be a passenger sharing the driver's seat with the driver. The middle part of the back seat is the safest. Sitting in the front is the most comfortable but very scary. Although the seats by the door can be appealing they too are scary because the door sometimes pops open. Little wonder that a fatalistic belief in the "demons" of the road dominates the drivers. Auto accidents are a leading cause of death in Africa. The roads, the horror story of all European travelers, are all traveled by bush taxi, where the driver may be quiet and careful or drunk and death-happy. The roads are not used during and directly after rainstorms, which occur frequently.
There are routes from Cameroon, Central African Republic, Niger and Nigeria. The border between Cameroon and Chad is the River Logone, which flows into Lake Chad. Care should be taken when traveling in the area around the border with Cameroon as there have been reports of armed bandits. Minibuses and bush taxis operate between N'Djam?na and Kouss?ri in Cameroon. Rudimentary public transport is available to the Central African Republic, Niger and Nigeria, although it may be necessary to change vehicles at the border.
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