Revised Vehicle Inspection Manual Ready
Finally, at the end of this month the Consejo de Transporte Público (CTP) will have ready the long awaited revised manual for vehicle inspections that will be used by Riteve.

The manual is more of a guide for drivers of what is considered a minor flaw and major which is cause for the vehicle not passing the annual inspection.

This is the third time the manual is being revised by the Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transportes (MOPT), the last being in September 2004 which detailed 118 major flaws and 18 dangerous conditions that would not allow a motor vehicle to pass the inspection.

The revised manual has taken into account a study of the major points and issues brought up by drivers over the past year. Vice-minister of Transportes, Roberto Arguedas, explains that the manual is 100% complete and will form part of the new laws and decrees that will regulate private and public transport.

Without giving out too many details, Arguedas said that one of the changes includes is that Riteve, the company in charge of the vehicular inspection, must ensure that public buses have access by disabled persons. Another element of the revised manual are stricter regulations for vehicles carrying dangerous chemicals, like liquid hydrogen, sulfuric acid, bleach, etc. and that those vehicles be submitted for inspection twice a year instead of only once.
At present only trucks carrying oil and gasoline are required semi-annual inspections.

The first manual came in May 2002 when only 91 items where deemed major. On July 15, 2002, Ritve SyC, a company with Spanish and Costa Rican capital, began operations amidst protests. A revised manual was introduced on September 3rd, and on September 21, the MOPT announced changes to that revision, which has been in practice since.