Living in Peru : your everyday companion

Peru: 17,000 public transportation vehicles in Lima too old

Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz

Approximately 17,000 public transportation vehicles that exceed legal age limits need to be taken off Lima's streets, said Peru's National Human Rights Institution.

The institution affirmed that these old vehicles were the main cause of pollution in Peru's capital and the reason for many respiratory illnesses such as rhinitis, asthma and pharyngitis.

The Municipality of Lima needs to put its "Vehicular Scrap Metal Plan" into effect as soon as possible, said Beatriz Merino, head of the National Human Rights Institution.

She explained that a great deal of Lima's people were suffering because of the harmful gases being emitted by public transportation vehicles that have been in operation for more than 15 years.

In a report issued by Merino, she stated that the Municipality of Lima has proposed to progressively rid the capital of these old buses and vans by 2012.

She explained part of the municipal plan involved paying owners between $1000 and $3000 for turning their old vehicle into scrap metal.

Even though a plan has been established, the Municipality of Lima has told the Human Rights Institution they do not have the funds to start the program, Merino said.

In other statements, the national institution affirmed that the municipality's new bus station and mass transport system would only serve 7 percent of the capital's commuters.

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# Paul says :
20 August, 2008 [ 12:00 ]

Solution is simple. 

There are already some intelligent and responsible transport company owners purchasing new buses which run on natural gas.  Its cost effective and produces hardly any pollution. 

But the think for today, who cares about tomorrow mentality continues.
I realize that many of the "combi" owners dont have the money to invest, or credit history to get loans, and that competiton is fierce. 


STICK
Step in government.  Issue a law which states that if in 18 months companies have not changed to natural gas modern vehicles, they will lose their operators liscences. 

CARROTT
Goverment provides competitve loans, long term and low interest to operators facilitating their purchase of new buses.  This can be paid the same way the taxi drivers repay.   Each time they refuel there is a premium added on top of the fuel charge until the loan is repayed.


Am I too simplistic, am I missing some hugely complicated issue here that would make such a scheme impossible? I can`t even come up with a conspiracy theory, or blame corrupt politicians for the lack of action.   Apart from that in an honest iniative as this there may not be too many bribes to be had, and thus political incentive is low.

To me it seems like a win win for everyone, not least the public.  

# Not going to happen says :
20 August, 2008 [ 13:03 ]

Paul, your plan is logical.  However, nothing in Peru follows logic and there are not enough people in Congress with the "eggs" to step up against the transportation gremios. 

But an even simplier solution is to get the pollution and safety inspections back on line.  Inspect these non-compliant vehicles and fine them if they don't fix their pollution problem.  But this won't happen either because we all know there is no enforcement of the fines.  There are transportation companies still circulating buses with over $100K (US$) in fines.  They manipulate, delay and finally laugh at the system here.

# Ronald Lemley says :
20 August, 2008 [ 18:48 ]

I am really sick of the smog and noise pollution produced by these rusting old stink heaps and I seriously think that something should be done as soon as possible.
If they could make a metro subway system in Mexico City then they can certainly make one here.They just have to figure out a way to pay for it and I'm afraid that I'm not an expert on that. Complaining is the easy part. They could try fining the worst violators as someone already said and it goes along with the idea of imposing a revision tecnica which they should have in place.
Oh well, back to the drawing board. But I am really glad to hear other people complaining about my pet peive.

# David N says :
20 August, 2008 [ 19:33 ]

Lima has some of the worst air and water pollution in the world, children are  being poisoned and suffering from illnesses related to contaminated air and water throughout the city, and what do Peruvian officials do?  They TALK about plans but haven't a clue where to get the funding for it or how to implement them.   

Well talk is cheap.  Again, instead of putting an actress on trial for sitting on the flag, fixing up old planes, having a three ring circus for Fujimori, the leaders of Peru need to get their priorities straight and focus on the real needs of the country.

# Rachel says :
20 August, 2008 [ 21:19 ]

The trick is to take a good idea then dress it up like a bad idea and then try selling the "bad idea" to the politicians and VOILA! A good idea is enacted!

All up and down the social ladder, (political) priorities are backwards in Peru.

# walter casquino says :
21 August, 2008 [ 06:36 ]

Four "p"s completely forgotten in Peru.
Number 1. Priorities. Nobody seem to know what this word means. They just spend money, without even thinking that there is always a better alternative (Cost of Opportunity).
Number 2. Productivity. Doing more for less. This is the key for wealth generation, but nobody talks about it. Nobody seem to care whether we are in fact generating wealth or not. We are just happy saying that we are fighting poverty(with gloves?) 
Number 3. Prevention. We are all firefighters. We are all generals after the battle (is lost). Nobody seem to realize that inaction breeds greater
problems.
Number 4. Peru. Everybody seem to care least for conquering our territory. You travel in it and you can spend hours without seeing any signs of life. Just desert, barren mountains, jungle. Intelligent work can change this picture altogether. But everybody is packed in Lima thrilled by the imported goods from the developed world. How on earth are we going to be able to improve our quality of life if we have $5 bills (the territory) lying on the floor and nobody cares to pick them up?

# Splaktar says :
22 August, 2008 [ 19:38 ]

I know multiple people in Lima who has suffered for years with rhinitis and asthma.  My wife is from Lima and she can't even live there anymore due to the pollution. Her mom is so entrenched in her home next to the via expressa that she won't even consider moving even though her daughter gets sick everytime she visits.

I've said this many times before.  But if the municipality of Lima wants to raise some stinking money, then all they have to do is start enforcing the god damn laws.  Traffic fines could easilly bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars a month, if only they were enforced.  But instead the traffic cops just shrug and giggle at offenders.  That is if they even see them.  Most of the time they are IM'ing, chatting on the cell phone, sleeping, or standing in a group of cops chatting about soccer or some other bs.

In addition to that, there are numerous illegal buildings and additions to buildings all throughout Lima.  These are constructions which do not have permits and often block off emergency exits.  If they would only enforce these laws and fine the people resonsible, then they would have a lot more money to spend on things like cleaning up the city and providing more security, better training and equipment for police and fire services, etc.

# sky says :
10 September, 2008 [ 21:01 ]

THIS IS FOR HOW EVER WORT THIS I HAD TO USE THIS WEBSITE FOR MY PROGATE..I LOVE IT..WE BEEN WORKING ON THIS TO DAY...WE WORT A EASSY ON ITT.THAK YOU.WRIT BACK..P.S.SKY

# Ronald Lemley says :
11 September, 2008 [ 10:06 ]

Just to whine a little more, I have been riding the undersized, overcrowded and dirty micros and buses every day now and have discovered a few "Cousters" that are at least minimally tolerable.The rest of them have fleas and even the buses with ceilings tall enough for full sized gente are packed to the gills with people.I sometimes complain to the cobradores when they try to overcharge and keep saying that theres more space.They sometimes have the nerve to say that they are empty or that there are seats when there are none.
I'm not tall in the US but I can't fit in these puny busses.
My main concern is the pollution because, I don't actually have take the dang things if I can take a cab, but what good will that do me if we all get lung cancer?

# Public Transportation Porqueria says :
11 September, 2008 [ 10:46 ]

Not only crowded but unsafe.  My 17 year old son was robbed at knifepoint in a combi on Javier Prado at 08:30pm.  The got his cell phone and 5 soles.