It’s been a rocky start for the Metro Bus system in Panama City, after only two years of implementation. The Metro Bus is the city’s public bus transportation system that began to replace the traditional “Diabloa Rojos” in late 2012, with a newly designed modern fleet. The hopes, early on, were that the new buses would improve the efficiency of traveling, as well as reducing emissions, and providing a safer, cleaner, and more comfortable experience. Unfortunately, that has not been the case for many Panamanians. Long lines at stops, disorganization of timetables, and overcrowding has plagued the new system. Now, the government has decided to do something about it.
Metro Bus, despite being sanctioned by the government, has actually been run by a Colombian company called “Mi Bus”, since its inception in 2012. But after nearly two years of problems, the decision was made to terminate their contract. Effective immediately, the Metro Bus system will begin the process of nationalization, and return to the control of the federal government. The idea is, according to Government Minister Milton Henriquez, to integrate Metro Bus and the new Metro (subway) into one seamless national transportation system. When the system is fully overhauled and integrated, the plan is to contract certain functions of Metro Bus to other private entities, but to keep the government involved.
What kind of changes can we expect?
One of the first concerns the government plans to address is the overcrowding of buses on busy routes. Under the nationalized system, smaller local buses will be introduced to alleviate some of the route volume, and extend service farther into the suburbs, and less-than-central parts of the city. This means that the main routes will have less traffic, and passengers can expect more exact service, and more serviceable buses. The Panamanian government estimates that the average worker in Panama City spends between 2-4 hours per day commuting. And most of that time is spent in traffic. The need for more buses, and better route planning is evident, and hopefully the nationalization plans will help address these issues.
The Panamanian government is also planning on introducing what they call a “day pass.” This would be a single-pay pass that would grant you access to both the Metro and Metro Bus for the entire day, with unlimited uses. The price of the day pass hasn’t been officially announced yet, but Henriquez confirms that a day pass will be part of the new structure. The speculation that fares will go up is also unconfirmed, and now new pricing is currently planned for the Metro, or the Metro Bus.
Both the Panama Metro and Metro Bus have been big political selling points for both the past administration, and the current one. This is why the announcement of an overhaul is so important. Panama introduced the region’s first subway system earlier this year, and has been struggling to maintain public transportation standards, as the city’s population and demand for efficient transportation swells.
Though you might not notice if you don’t ride the bus often, these administrative changes will begin to take effect immediately, and the hopes are that the new buses, routes, and systems can be fully integrated into the Metro Buses by 2015. Within months, you should be seeing shorter lines, more buses, and better timetables. However, with such a fast-growing population and infrastructure, it’s going to be an uphill battle for both the Panamanian government, and every day Panamanians.
