La Rumba Express: bachelorette parties on a Colombian 'chiva'

http://www.nydailynews.com/latino/2008/05/08/2008-05-08_la_rumba_expre...
La Rumba Express: bachelorette parties on a Colombian 'chiva'
By Erasmo Guerra
Wednesday, May 7th 2008, 4:00 AM

A school bus driver by day, Daniel Bernal drives a Colombian chiva by night.

By day, Daniel Bernal drives a school bus in Syosset, L.I., but when the weekend comes and night falls, he puts on a poncho and a sombrero and gets behind the wheel of his party bus, La Rumba Express.

Decorated with hammocks, empty coffee sacks and disco lights, La Rumba is styled after the diesel trucks converted into buses that are commonly used as rural transports in Colombia, and known as chivas.

The name, according to Bernal, 52, refers to the slang word for news, as in gossip and newspapers, which the buses carry back and forth, along with bananas and other cargo, between cities and countryside.

While this certainly isn’t the way the city girls of the chick-getting-hitched flicks like “27 Dresses" and “Made of Honor" celebrate their last night as single women, La Rumba has proven popular with brides-to-be bored by the white stretch SUV limo.

The bus makes for memorable despedidas de solteras (bachelorette parties) and, Bernal says, “It brings good memories to those Colombians who’ve spent many years here without returning because they’re undocumented — they see that little piece of their country passing through New York."

Twenty-seven years ago, Bernal immigrated from his native Medellin to New York.

When he got the idea for a chiva in the mid-1990s, he thought of it merely as a family recreational vehicle. In 1998, he began operating the La Rumba Express for hire.

A typical chiva can carry 80 people. Bernal, who lives in Dix Hills, L.I., only allows 20 on his, so that he’ll have more control.

A 10-year veteran of driving school kids, Bernal says, “When folks are having their drinks, you have to handle them like you would children."

With the kids, the worst he’s endured has been getting hit with a snowball, but with one particular group of women onboard the La Rumba, Bernal had to bear them getting completely naked.

“Muy difícil," he says with a smile. “I had to concentrate on the road."

He won’t book bachelor parties, though, because drunk men tend to fall even further into adolescent behavior.

Over the years, La Rumba has driven Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu to the “Charlie’s Angels" 2000 movie premiere and it has been featured on MTV’s “TRL."

But, largely, the bus traffics in bachelorettes, most of whom are blonds wearing strappy heels, sparkly halter tops and gold Mardi Gras beads studded with penises.

Last Saturday night, the weekday school bus driver fittingly chauffered a bride-to-be teacher in her mid-20s named Lauren.

Meredith, 26, a friend of Lauren, says she’s been to three other bachelorette parties this year.

“All in Las Vegas," she says, where they went club-hopping. “Only, I like this better. It’s different — and it’s in New York."

delriogrande at hotmail.com

By romy on May 8, 2008, 18:00 in Friendly Talkzone.

romy says on May 8, 2008, 18:02:

I wish there was a chiva service around here. The pub crawls they run just aren't the same.

webmanco says on May 9, 2008, 05:19:

Amigos de Colombia

http://www.nydailynews.com/latino/2008/05/08/2008-05-08_la_rumba_expre...

A typical chiva can carry 80 people. Bernal, who lives in Dix Hills, L.I., only allows 20 on his, so that he’ll have more control.

A 10-year veteran of driving school kids, Bernal says, “When folks are having their drinks, you have to handle them like you would children.�?

But, I'm going to start making some assumptions here.... Which means I might actually end up making an ass out of myself ..........Thu 04 17, 2008 11:34 am

nine inch nails says on May 9, 2008, 08:22:

I realize space is extremely limited but do they permit 1 single very well behaved male traveler per trip??

I'm willing to pay extra.

"Bank owned" (www.foreclosurebyowner.com)

romy says on May 9, 2008, 08:26:

you should get in contact with this Daniel Bernal... I'm sure he needs someone to 'maintain order' while he drives.

Mononoke28 says on May 9, 2008, 11:13:

Is it a real chiva? I don't see any pictures? If it is, how did he get one in New York?

Diana

rhydewithdis says on May 9, 2008, 11:20:

at Mononoke28
They just took regular school buses and hooked them up so they look like as authentic as possible.
The Daily News is just rehashing a story the NY Times did a few months ago:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/02/nyregion/02chiva.html?

They said I couldn't play football I was too small / They say I couldn't play basketball I wasn't tall / They say I couldn't play baseball at all / And now everyday of my life I ball.

Mononoke28 says on May 9, 2008, 11:24:

Oh I see. Pretty clever.

Diana

kat1 (Moderator) says on May 9, 2008, 11:24:

se ve buena la chiva