AP PHOTOS: Former US school buses get a second life in Panama

They were once bright yellow buses carrying kids to school in suburbs across the United States. Now in Panama – adorned with neon paintings, glowing lights and booming speakers – they are getting a second life.

The Associated Press
May 19, 2025 at 1:13AM

LA CHORRERA, Panama — They were once bright yellow buses carrying kids to school in suburbs across the United States. Now in Panama – adorned with neon paintings, glowing lights and booming speakers – they are getting a second life.

The Red Devil buses have become a symbol of Panama's capital city, often blowing black clouds of smoke as they roar through its bustling streets. They also act as a reminder of the Central American nations long-running connection to the U.S. Once a year, drivers and hundreds of Panamanians flock to a rural racetrack an hour outside of the capital to watch the buses transform into race cars.

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MATIAS DELACROIX

The Associated Press

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