Buses in the Congo!

I recently returned from the Democratic Republic of Congo where I was over-joyed to find the people-mover of choice to be the trusty VW Bus! I'm assuming most of these very well-used vehicles originated from the South African factory, but then again I also saw a few Westfalias, so go figure.

I was able to shoot a bit of footage and scored a quick interview with a cabby working on his broken down bay window bus that will hopefully make it into the film. Here are a few pics of the Congolese busses in action.  If you look closely, you'll see there are up to 20 people crammed into each vehicle. After inspecting the interior I discovered the secret to maximizing passengers was to replace the original seats (capacity: 7-9) with 5 rows of wooden benches bolted to the floor (capacity: 20). Wouldn't be quite the same classic VW road trip experience, but I guess that isn't exactly the point...

"Back to the Future" VW Bus chase scene

"Back to the Future" VW Bus chase scene. from Damon Ristau on Vimeo.

I'm still not sure how the Delorean managed to outrun the terrorist Bus...

Production gets underway.

"The Bus" is a new feature documentary film exploring the history, culture and evolution of one of the most iconic vehicles ever produced. From it's post-war German inception to it's modern-day cult-like following and status, the film celebrates the VW Bus, the classic American road trip, and what it means to travel sustainably and self-sufficiently.

Production began May 2010 with a road trip of our own to explore VW Bus culture across the west. Much of this trip will be detailed here soon.

The film will be completed by Spring 2011.

For more information about the film check back here often or become a fan of "The Bus Movie" on Facebook!