New census of pirate buses as numbers mount

AS PIRATE BUSES  continue to proliferate on  Panama City streets, The Transport Authority (ATTT) is planning a census .The one  last was in 2014.

ATTT Director Felix Barrios said the census, is aimed at preventing buses from operating illegally, In 2014 n a total of 850 coaster  vehicles were counted.

Officials said that, according to ATTT  records, the number of buses operating in Panama City should have decreased to 746.

However, this figure contrasts with reality on the streets. This is because the agency routinely tickets operators for failing to register their vehicles.

In 2015, the authority  imposed 3,646 fines, while so far this year it has recorded 1,328 violations.

Sanctions range between $150 and $500.