There are rhythms to all things Greyhound. Things you can count on, signs you can read that become second nature. The most disquieting of these are the signs of migration.

The familiar sight of bins packed in a very specific way with wrapped bundles from linens to toys leave little question that the owners are on the move. Throughout the west and south, it is notable that there was not one bus that I observed that did not have at least one passenger or family in the state of migration.

But this morning stood out. I arrived to the gate and was greeted by a line of passengers, almost all of which had their entire lives arranged at their feet as they waited to board. It turns out that Tyson foods had reached out to border cities in Texas to recruit 20 permanent workers to their facility in Lincoln, Nebraska. With spouses, children and everything that they owned, they were making their way to a new life.

It was, without question, the most moving of all my rides to date. Selecting just one for this post was my biggest challenge.

Ramiro Betancourt was traveling with his wife Barbara. They are from Harlingen, Texas and have had a rough patch for the past 2 years. A veteran, Ramiro’s determination and candor took by breath away.

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