TRUFI.
It stands for Taxi con RUta FIja, which means taxi with fixed route. A trufi is usually a minivan but can be any type of vehicle that is essentially like a bus. As the name states, it has a fixed route. You can recognize a trufi by the number on it and you have to know which one to take to get to a specific place. As I’ve been traveling via TRUFI this month, I’ve come up with a list of rules should you ever have the opportunity to ride in one.
TRUFI Rules:
Always room for one more.
Kids don’t count as people because they sit on laps.
One cheek on a cushion is considered a “seat.”
TRUFIs may stop abruptly at any time.
To get in one, stand partially in the street and wave your hand.
To exit, just say “La esquina, por favor,” meaning “the corner please.” Trufis only stop on corners.
Music is provided by your fellow passenger’s cell phones that blare at max volume.
You should always have your money ready to pay- it’s only 2 Bs (bolivianos), about 30 cents.
Finally, you will be expected to get your groove on and do what I call the TRUFI Shuffle- when the person in the back needs to leave, everyone in the vehicle is expected to move to let them out. It feels a bit like Tetris…
