Transport Vice Minister
Defends Intersectoral
Bus Route
Despite the strong
criticism of the
intersectorla bus route
and the decision by the
Tribunal Administrativo
de Transporte that
paralyzed the buses,
vice-minister of
Transportes, Viviana
Martín, insists that the
country cannot do
without the
intersectoral buses and
cannot live the luxury
of not making the
project a reality.
The intesectoral buses
known as "interlinea"
connects buses on seven
routes taking passengers
to and from one
community to another
without having the need
to enter the downtown
San José area.
Irregularities on the
bidding for the
concession put the
brakes on the buses that
were to have begun
service on June 7, after
one of the losing
bidders appealed to the
Tribunal.
Martín said over the
weekend that the project
had been "shelved" for
some 27 years due to
pressure from some of
the bus company
operators on the
governments of the day.
Martín said that she is
not surprised that the
project came to a
standstill even though
everything was set and
the buses ready to roll.
The vice-minister said
that her surprise was
that the tribunal's
decision came days
before the start of the
service.
The Tirbunal's decision
in effect cancels the
service on all seven
routes even though the
appeal by the bus
operator Barrantes Araya
was on based on only one
of the routes, the route
Barrantes lost the
concession.
Martín defended the
actions of the COnsejo
de Transporte Público
(CTP), saying that there
existed no
irregularities even
though there are
allegations of family
ties between CTP board
of director members and
officials of the bus
operator awarded the
interlinea concession.
Martín also defends the
spending of ¢100 million
colones on an
advertising and
awareness campaign to
let people know about
the service, its routes,
stops and the benefits.
The vice-minister said
that the CTP has
presented an appeal to
get a full clarification
of the Tribunal's
decision and now have to
wait for the hearing and
said she hopes that the
country defends the
interest of the public
over the interests of a
few bus operators.
Martín was adamant that
the public's interests
has always been second
to the interests of a
small group of business
people when it comes to
public transportation
and that it is time that
Costa Rica does not sell
itself short nor give up
the fight to give way to
the interests of a few
at the cost of the
interests of the many.
"The intersectoral
routes are a response to
the need for efficient
public transportation",
said Martín.
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