Bus Company Condemned For Charging Fare to Seeing Eye Dog
The Sala Constitucional (Constitutional Court) ruled against bus company Transporte Unidos Alajuelenses (Tuasa) which operates daily service between San José and the Alauela (the red bus) and other points for charging Roy Rojas Castro a fare of his seeing eye dog.

The court gave awarded Rojas damages to the blind man who uses his seeing dog to get around.

The court justices, according to the press office of the Poder Judicial, said in their ruling that "the actions constitute a discrimination against the blind person, as the dog is an organic extention of the handicapped person."

Based on the above, the court justices said that Rojas should not have been charged the additional fare.

Rojas turned to the Constitutional court following the incident last May when he was charged double the fare when he boarded a bus from Zarcero to Alajuela. The driver charged the man a fare for his seeing eye dog and according to Rojas and two witnesses, the driver ignored the man's reasoning and more, made fun of the young man with his dog.

In addition, the driver became aggressive and offensive towards Rojas and other passengers who came to Rojas' aid, according to witnesses.

Rojas, who is 25 years of age, lost his sight at the age of 7 and made many strides to live a normal life, including attending university at the Universidad Nacional.