Product Description
Handcrafted Haitian Decor, Tap Tap Bus, Sustainable Fair Trade Art 23x23in
Struggles of Daily Life in Haiti CNN's "Amanpour." "The aid is coming now and getting to the Port-au-Prince airport. And it's not getting out, because of the road system."
Public transportation, as it is understood in the United States, does not exist in Haiti. Most Haitians travel by private car, by bicycle, or on foot. There are about 36 vehicles per 1,000 inhabitants. The systemroad consists mainly of unmarked and unpaved roads.
What is a tap-tap? Haitian mass transit! A tap-tap could be a van, pick-up truck, small or full-sized bus, or even a cargo truck. The tap-tap has evolved as a major part of Haitian culture as well as being central to their transportation system. Each tap-tap is brightly painted and each tells its own unique story.
The name simply came from the directions of the customer. You simply “tap tap” on the vehicle to let the driver know you want him to stop and let you off. The fancy paint job, however, is another story. During the reign of Duvailier there was actually a law again “ugly” vehicles. (This law is still on the books by the way.)
