Camionetas: Informal travel among immigrants

Camionetas are mini-vans privately operated as jitney services, run by immigrants for immigrants throughout cities in the US, Mexico, and Central America. Media accounts have portrayed camionetas as part of an unscrupulous industry that endangers and exploits riders, primarily farm workers and other undocumented laborers. Using interviews and ethnography, we analyze who patronizes camionetas in Southern California, and why. Patrons discussed why they use this service, their attitudes about it, other transportation options, and access to employment. Finally, we conducted empirical tests to determine whether these services are as exploitative of their riders as portrayed. This research suggests that camionetas are primarily used by Mexican immigrants with varied socio-economic characteristics who want to travel inter-regionally and transnationally. Patrons praised camioneta service for timesaving, Spanish-speaking drivers, more flexible and “out-of-the-way” stops, the inclusion of Spanish music and television in the vehicle, and door-to-door service. Our ethnographic evidence suggested that the camionetas operating in Southern California were comfortable and safe. But statistical tests suggest that undocumented patrons in our sample may face price discrimination due to the paucity of travel opportunities that do not require US identification. This research informs policy debates about transnational vehicle travel, safety, privatized transit, and access among marginalized groups.