Panamas disappearing pirate buses

PANAMA’S  pirate buses, loosely  labeled “alternative transport”  are slowly disappearing from  the streets of Panama’s capital, according to the Transit Authority (ATTT),

 That includes the noise and air polluting “diablos rojos” (red devils) whose clouds of black diesel smoke appear to have been overlooked by city authorities who claim to be dedicated to improving the environment in the streets of the metropolitan area.

The application, since October, of an Executive Decree 273, reforming traffic regulations has led to 100 sanctions for piracy. But previous experience shows that many miscreants accumulate fines like winning riders at a horse show decorating their trailers with ribbons.

ATTT,  director Julio González, told La Prensa that the operations to get the buses, off the roads are achieving “good results”. He said that the executive decree means that those who provide service on other than an established route must pay a minimum penalty of between $1,000 and $2,250, while those using unauthorized vehicles will pay fines ranging from $1,000 to $ 5,000.

Tomasito López, the leader of the Union of Drivers of Collective Transport  (Sicotrac), said that they are in agreement that buses that have already been compensated for being taken out of circulation.

He assured that the buses of Sicotrac, Transporte del Futuro, S.A. (Transfusa) and the

Cooperativa de San Cristóbal, which brings together 1,300 alternative buses, recognized

by an agreement with the  ATTT will operate until the Mi Bus company strengthens its fleet. The decree, says illegal transportation services must disappear in a maximum of 14 months. Keep your fingers crossed