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Peru's Ministry of Transportation suspends services provided by 3 bus companies

Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz

In an effort to keep more highway accidents from taking place in Peru, the country's Ministry of Transportation has suspended the operation of three bus companies.

The ministry is investigating and has suspended the services provided by Salazar Bus Company, Cavassa Bus Company and Soyuz Bus Company, which has been suspended two times in the past several weeks.

Ministry representatives reported Salazar and Cavassa bus companies did not have enough drivers to cover trips that were more than five hours long and over 400 kilometers in length.

During highway inspections performed before inter-province buses are allowed to leave the region of Lima, authorities found that Salazar and Cavassa did not have enough drivers to rotate shifts for the long trips they had begun.

In the case of Soyuz Bus Company, the ministry of transportation reported that a previous suspension would not be lifted until the company could provide information proving their drivers were not working extremely long shifts.

It was reported that bus drivers were working up to ten hours straight without resting.

The company's entire fleet has been ordered to stop transporting passengers. Soyuz was involved in an accident in July that left over twenty people dead and sixty injured.

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# jb says :
14 August, 2008 [ 16:25 ]

The government can threaten to suspend service and throw these irresponsible company owners in prison.  But the real solution is to change the tort laws and allow a JURY OF 12 PERUVIANS (who also have to ride in these deathtrap busses) to pass judgement and make an enormous financial award to the victims.  If this means the bus company has to close and sell their assets to pay the jury award, so be it.  Maybe the next bus company will take note.

# no good deed... says :
14 August, 2008 [ 16:58 ]

The problem in Peru is that if the bus companies have to raise prices to cover higher costs, the people riot the bus stations because they can't afford the tickets. They did it 2 weeks ago.  I agree - buses in Peru are death-traps and the government is turning a blind eye to it. But only in Peru does this double edge sword exist. This is 3rd world at its best. No good deed goes unpunished.

The companies are crooked for their deceptive ways, the people are dangerous for rioting when they can't afford something.

# Rene says :
14 August, 2008 [ 18:28 ]

The justice system with a jury such as in the USA won't work to reduce crime. That has been proven, since the USA has the highest crime rate of all developed nations. Even if the justice system would work, then still it would not solve the problem in Peru. The main problem is lack of control and corruption among the police that do control (it is beneficial for a police officer to control, it fills its pocket). If they would start to give stiffer financial penalties and higher jail penalties to corrupt police and police that are just decorating the street instead of doing their job, things would already be different.

# mericorps says :
15 August, 2008 [ 10:05 ]

Rene,

The first statement is sort of not accurate. You are comparing 2 different things. JB said that civil lawsuits by jury would discourage the bus companies from breaking the law, and I agree with him. Those are NOT criminal trial, but rather recover damages for victims. The trial lawyers of often much maligned in the USA, but becuase of them America is a little safer. They take unsafe cars off the road, unsafe baby toys out of our children's hands, cancer causing foods off the markets and hold companies responsible when people are injured or die from unsafe business practices.

However, your second statement, the corruption of the police here would negate any actions the courts might take is quite right. It is time Peru clean up the police department.