|
Bus Strike Around The Corner If
No Solution Found To The
Handicap Ramp Problem
More than 500 operators of
public bus services meet
yesterday in Heredia to talk
about the Sala IV decision to
reject the reforms to Ley 7600
that would have extended the
time to install handicap ramps
on all public buses.
Bus operators now have three
months to install the ramps or
face fines and confiscation of
their vehicles, unless the
legislature clears up the
reforms that would extend the
time to eight years.
Currently only 20% of the bus
fleet are equipped with ramps
for the handicapped. Operators,
who have had the last 10 years
to install the ramps, say that
the work is too costly as the
equipment has to be imported and
only there are only three shops
in Costa Rica qualified to do
the work.
In addition, bus operators say
they would need a 300% increase
in bus fares if they have to
install the equipment on their
entire fleet.
The Ministerio de Obras Publicas
y Transportes (MOPT) has stated
that, in three months time,
buses circulating on the streets
that do not meet the
requirements of Ley 7600, will
be fined and ordered to have the
ramps installed or pulled off
the streets if they fail to
comply with the order.
The fine ranges from ˘10.000 to
˘30.000 colones (us$19.41 to
us$58.23) for each occurrence,
but more damaging is losing the
license plate which will affect
service on the route concession.
The bus operators are hoping
that this coming week they can
sit with the government to find
a solution to the problem,
failing which, they have vowed
to begin a series of national
strikes.
And in three months time, they
threaten to pull all the buses
off the streets, paralyzing the
country entirely.
|
|
