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6,000 Buses to be Taken Off Peru's Highways by Next Year

(LIP-ir) -- Three Inter-Provincial transport unions, representing 35 transportation companies in Peru, announced yesterday that a 48-hour strike had been organized for November 20 and 21 in protest of new regulations that prohibit the use of vehicles which are 20 years old and older.

After a meeting held by union leaders from the Land Transport Confederation (COTRAP), the Association of Inter-Provincial Bus Owners (APOIP) and the Association of Inter-Provincial Carriers for the North and South, it was announced that six thousand vehicles would not be in service during the strike.

The three unions reject a Supreme Decree that modifies regulations in the transport sector, stating that all vehicles which are 20 years old or older must be taken off Peru's highways by next year.

According to union members, if the new regulation were to be followed, approximately four thousand vehicles would have to be taken out of circulation.

Furthermore, union leaders stated that the new regulation was not based on technical studies, clarifying that the majority of accidents on Peru's highways were not caused by technical problems but were due to human errors.

On the other hand, the National Transport Coordination (CNT), representing about ten thousand vehicles, announced that it would not take part in the strike because it preferred to attempt to reach an agreement with Peru's Ministry of Transport and Communication.

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# Michael says :
9 November, 2007 [ 10:03 ]

That is a very silly rule - why not just make compliance with safety inspections more strict?

Or how about just enforcement of safety inspections?

# JB says :
9 November, 2007 [ 10:13 ]

The transportation unions don't want any oversight or regulation.  They have already declared the vehicle inspections as "unfair".  There is no consequence to their unsafe business practices.  They continue to operate truck-buses contrary to the law.  Many of the urban combi-micro transport companies have hundreds of thousands of soles in unpaid traffic fines.  They laugh at the municipalidad's flacid attempts to collect because they just have a "paro" or "manifestacion" and nothing happens.  What the government should do is arrest the owner(s) of these companies and/or impound there vehicles until the fines are paid.  What would happen to you or me if we have unpaid speeding tickets?  They put an capture order on your vehicle and impound it until fines are paid.  It seems to me that the tail is wagging the dog here.

# Michael says :
9 November, 2007 [ 10:16 ]

I agree with that.  Start impounding vehicles for minor violations or fines owed, and start jailing the owners of major violations or fines owed.

# Trains says :
9 November, 2007 [ 13:03 ]

Reopen the old railroads that were built at great expense during the 19th and early 20th centyry and build new railroads where needed and start using trains like they do in Europe. Tell these bus idiots to go to Hell and let them all lose their jobs. They can get new ones working for th e government railroad or get a real job. Stupid idiots driving around in 30-40 year old buses are the reason why we always hear about people dying in bus accidents.

# Michael says :
9 November, 2007 [ 13:06 ]

Wasn't there a partially-built rail system (like an subway) within Lima done in the 80s when Garcia was last in office?  I think parts of it are standing in San Borja still.....

I remember hearing something about the money for the system disappearing - or maybe the economy was collapsing at that time.

# juan de dios says :
9 November, 2007 [ 17:42 ]

Michael,
the rail system in lima was started in the 70's by a french outfit and never got off the ground in lima,,, you can see what was planed to be in lima ,, in santiago chile where it they built it instead of lima.

# Dale says :
10 November, 2007 [ 17:24 ]

It really makes one wonder how much and who recieves the PROPINA behind the bus companies lawlessness.............