Homestead mailing list

["Robert Walton" <waltonrp AT gmail.com>]

> My morning muse is of a new homestead business: using a van to take
> rural people shopping for a fee smaller than the gas dollars they
> would pay to drive their own vehicle. When I go shopping I call my
> neighbor friends to see if I can pick up anything for them. So far,
> not working out. For one thing, we all drive pickups and with two
> people in the cab, anything in the back is vulnerable to thieves. I
> did take a friend with me recently and we had to take turns going into
> the stores.

A good gas mileage van or mini van would do the trick.

In El Salvador, the micro bus does that job. It's like one of those
old square Mitsubishi mini vans from the 80s. There is the driver and
the fare boy. Fare boy hangs out the side passenger door and charges
people. Van is retro fitted with lots of bench seats. You get crammed
in like sardines and the driver drives like a maniac on speed. It's
fun, practical and amazingly not that unsafe. You might try a toned
down version, driver on coffe rather than speed.

Also, another thing that happens there is that when you drive to town,
you stop and pick up people walking and they pay a little. That way
you get a free ride to town. I just stand them up in the back of the
jeep and they hold on to the roll bar for dear life.

You've got a practical idea and one that Americans might be forced to adopt.

Rob - Va