Metro problems: Lots of buses but no drivers
Panama’s Metro Bus system has lots of shiny new air conditioned buses waiting to go into service, but no one to drive them.
The operating company, Mi Bus, says that 2800 drivers are needed for the 1,500 new buses, but only 500 have been hired to date. {jathumbnail off}
The planned post carnival start of multiple routes on the Corredor Norte has been postponed while the operating company goes on a recruiting mission to bus stops in Panama City, seeking to convince drivers of Diablos Rojos (obsolescent U.S. school buses) to make the switch.
The Colombian-Panamanian consortium is offering a monthly salary of $480 and a monthly productivity bonus of $100. Drivers get uniforms, regular hours paid holidays and social security benefits for themselves and their families. Drivers of Diablos Rojos many of whom are behind the wheel for 12-14 hours a day were originally demanding $800 a month to make up fot the income they gained in racing against other drivers to pick up passengers, resulting in accidents and the injury and death of passengers and pedestrians.
Esteban Rodríguez, of the National Chamber of Transportation, said that there are drivers who completed the free training course to operate the new buses, but prefer to keep driving the Diablos Rojos.
