OFF THE CUFF: Diablos rojos returning alongside pirate buses

DIABLOS ROJOS, a noise and air polluting scourge whose owners were handsomely compensated when the Metro Bus service was introduced, are returning to the streets of Panama alongside unregulated pirate buses that are already creating a legacy of crashes, deaths and injuries.

Th disorder has upset President Juan Carlos Varela, who has already nationalized the Metro bus system, and user groups are adding their voices to the official dismay at the confusion left by the previous administration, that touted its transportation achievements in TV commercials in the run up to the election,
Cecilia Perez, representative of users Las Mañanitas, described the presence of “red devils” on the streets, as a ‘mockery’ as they were paid off with the ‘people’s money’ and have not yet left the system.
Perez, of the October 23 Movement told El Siglo that for six weeks, in their community and in Pedregal, they have seen increasing numbers of diablos rojos offering public transport services. rojos
President Juan Carlos Varela, on Monday October 20 said that at least 150 diablos rohos (used US school buses) entered the country in late 2013, many claiming they were for school transport but they are on the streets.
“They were paid for mistreating users and remain on the streets and public transport victims have not received anything.” Said Pérez referring s to the 18 people who were burned to death in the tragedy of La Cresta, on October 23, 2006 and, to date, their families no one not been compensated. , 13 women and five men died, two of whom were children, when switching the bus 8B-06 Mano de Piedra – Corredor Norte.
Census causes mess
For Perez, like Esperanza Mena another user representative, the census conducted by the Transport Authority (ATTT) at the beginning of August, to list the pirates, reveals the disorder and the power the illegal carriers now wield.
‘This census opened the window to the proliferation of red devils and pirates, “said Perez, The census recorded 846 pirate buses, but this figure could be higher because the ATTT is still verifying the numbers ,said user spokesman David Ramirez

Luis Torres, representative for users in San Miguelito, asked the Government to remove all diablos rojosf rom circulation ”You take them out, because they are already paid for, “Torres said.
Meanwhile, users are bothered by the growing power of the silent pirates, as operators fight for their routes and profit.
A clear example, says Torres is in Torrijos Carter, where 60 busitos operate on the north corridor and 30 buses on Mano de Piedra Torrijos Carter-San Miguelito.
Carriers in this sector say they have had to defend their area against other pirates who were muscling-in on their routes.