The new taxi meters - which have arrived in the country - will be subjected to a three month trial period and then it will be decided whether or not they will be implemented in the taxis in Panama. The director of the Land Transit and Transportation Authority, Jorge Ricardo Fabrega, was the first to try this device which calculates the cost of a taxi ride based on a rate, the distance traveled, and the time a passenger remains in the vehicle while reaching the destination. Pulsar Technology Systems is the company responsible for providing the "traxímetros," and if implemented the cost to acquire each system will be paid by the taxi owners. Fabrega said with this new tool they hope to eliminate the current practice of drivers who don't want to accept certain trips, as well as making the system once again "selective" meaning that each taxi will take just one fare instead of trying to pick up several passengers with similar destinations. (Telemetro)

Starting this Wednesday, June 1, drivers will have to deal with a new detour on Fernández de Córdoba, due to the construction of the new subway in Panama City. The modernization of the transport system will cause the closure of four lanes of traffic in the area of Vista Hermosa along Fernandez de Cordoba, near the Pio Pio restaurant, where they will begin the construction of one of the first underground subway stations. It is estimated the construction will take about 12 months, and this closure could have a greater impact on the flow of traffic due to the proximity to the work to the "northern trench" being construction on Via Transístmica. Tomorrow the road will be closed for the first time at 6:00 am, and the consortium in charge of the construction is working on signage to avoid confusion. Meanwhile, personnel from the Land Transit Authority will be in the area to direct traffic. The traffic management plan that will help reduce traffic jams during the construction of the project, provides for the input and output of vehicles via First and Second Street North of Vista Hermosa, until you reach 64th Street West, and then returning to Fernandez de Cordoba (see map). (La Estrella)

The 21% increase in the rates being charged by taxis throughout the country is not is not authorized by the Land Transit and Transportation Authority (ATTT), as reported yesterday by the director of the institution, Jorge Ricardo Fabrega. According to Fabrega, with the price of gasoline frozen at $3.99 per gallon for 91 octane gas, the government has established a price cap, so taxi drivers should not be charging the higher rates. He added that this provision has been reported to the National Transport Chamber (Canatra). Despite fact that ATTT Resolution Number 258 was published in the Official Gazette on 3 April 2011, which authorized the rate increase for both taxis and buses, taxi drivers must wait until the ATTT sets the new rates that will govern for the next five years. These rates, which will apply to taxis and buses throughout the country, will be announced in June. The ATTT has established fines for those taxi drivers who implement the increases arbitrarily, however, depending on the complaint, they might also have their certificate of operation cancelled.

ATTT WAITING FOR COMPLAINTS: Fabrega called on users to report the taxi drivers who are over charging. The complaint should contain the license plate number of the taxi, the date and time, as well as the route taken. The leader of the "Taxis Ruteteros de Panama", Agustin Prado, said selective sector carriers are not committing any illegality, because the director has not repealed Resolution 258 which authorized the increase in rates. In his view, the 21% increase has not benefited taxi drivers because the price of fuel has risen even higher.

Agreement Established: Yesterday, the director of the ATTT and the Canatra reached an agreement that the old buses and the "Red Devils" will leave the system once the compensation has been paid to the owners. Today, it is expected that the new Metro Buses will begin operations on the Mano de Piedra - Northern Corridor route, after last Saturday the bus drivers in that area prevented the new buses from providing service. (El Siglo)

Editor's Comment: OK, let me explain what happened. Back in the end of March gas prices started to rise again, and the bus and taxi drivers started to protest. In response the ATTT authorized a 21% rate increase that was supposed to be a temporary fix (for the drivers and bus owners) but when that was announced, the users and passengers started to protest. In response to that the government announced they had frozen the price of 91 octane gas at $3.99 per gallon and diesel at $3.80 per gallon. And, their intent was that the previously announced 21% rate hike would not happen. Well, the standard issue "juega vivo" cab drivers started to charge the higher rates anyway, basically taking advantage of the confusion. In truth and fact the cab drivers are supposed to be charging the same rates they have been charging for years, with no increase whatsoever. So says ATTT Director Fabrega. Now, the price freeze (through a government subsidy) was only for 90 days. Let's see what happens to the price of gas by August. Are you all betterly lesser big time confused not any more now? Glad to be of assistance...

There are now a total of 499 new Metro buses operating in Panama. As of Saturday morning, the Metro Bus system debuts two new routes through the Northern Corridor: Mano de Piedra and El Valle to the Albrook Terminal. On the Northern Corridor the route to Torrijos Carter is already operating with 40 buses, and Santa Librada with 29. To these are added the El Valle with 11 buses and Mano de Piedra with 26. (Panama America)

Editor's Comment: The government of Panama is doing a slow phase-in of the new buses, and eventually over a period of several years the old "Red Devil" buses will be completely eliminated throughout the entire country.

The government of Panama approved a reduction of 25 cents in taxes for for 91 octane gas and diesel, as well as a price freeze for these products to prevent further increases. The Minister of Economy and Finance, Alberto Vallarino, said the measure will continue for 90 days by freezing the price at $3.99 a gallon for 91 octane gasoline, and $3.80 a gallon for diesel, however, if within 60 days the trend in the price for a barrel of oil keeps rising, there will be a new alternative proposal to be approved by the Legislature. The 25 cent tax on 91 octane gasoline, which accounts for 40% of the fuel tax, and the exemption of the same with respect to both gas and diesel, the state would no longer receive $8 million dollars per month. Vallarino also announced the approval of the installation of a commission to review the minimum wage, which is held every two years. Had the government not adopted these measures, this week diesel would have increased 16 cents and 91 octane gasoline 15 cents. The Chamber of Commerce applauded the decision of the Cabinet Council to evaluate with more time the measures to take with respect to the increasing costs of fuel. "More than 200,000 families have cable television service, and for every Panamanian there exists an average of two cellular telephones, so the Cabinet has pondered this and has sought other alternatives," said Federico Humbert, president of the guild. (La Critica)

Editor's Comment: What the...? This is one mixed-up article. Right in the middle of talking about the gas tax cut and price freeze, they introduce the thing about a commission to review the minimum wage. And then that quote at the end about cable tv and cell phones? OK, I'm confused. Anyway, what matters is that the prices for 91 octane gas will be frozen at $3.99 per gallon and diesel at $3.80 per gallon for 90 days, thanks to a tax cut and subsidies. Panama imports 100% of the fuel burned here so there's really little the government can do to control costs. With this move they appear to be betting that the prices will stabilize and start to come back down. If they're right this move will cut the tops off of the price fluctuation crest, for awhile anyway. It's a popular move that will cost the government $24 million in lost tax revenue over three months.

Starting Monday, 11 April 2011, the schedule for the use of the Centennial Bridge will be as follows: - From 5:30 am to 9:00 am, two lanes from the interior of the country towards Panama City and one lane leaving Panama City towards the interior. From 9:30 am to 3:30 pm there will be lanes open in both directions. From 4:00 pm to 5:00 am the next day, there will be only one lane open from the interior of the country towards Panama City, and two lanes from Panama City towards the interior. On Sunday, 17 April 2011, there will be lanes open in both directions all day. The Public Works Department also reported that as of Monday 11 April, the passage of heavy equipment will be prohibited over the Bridge of the Americas, and they can only use the Centennial Bridge, after 9:30 am. (Telemetro)

Editor's Comment: After the mudslides in December 2010 that damaged the access road to the bridge, there have only been two lanes available for traffic and the MOP would mostly open the bridge in either one direction or another. Now it appears they have opened a third lane and are prepared to have two flowing one way and one in the other. So, it looks like no matter what time you want to cross, there will be at least one lane open in the direction you want to go, which is an improvement.

The lawyer Aurelio Robles filed a lawsuit on Friday against the administrative resolution AL-No. 235, of 31 March 2011, through which the Land Transit and Transportation Authority (ATTT) takes extraordinary measures to allow for "temporary adjustments" to the fares the public will pay for transportation in buses and taxis. Robles, who filed in the Supreme Court on behalf of the "Union for Internal Struggle of the People" asks that ATTT resolution AL - No. 235 should be declared "null and illegal." The ATTT resolution, published in the Official Gazette number 26,756 gives the green light to increases that only exclude Panama City and San Miguelito, and sets a "temporary" increase of 21% to take effect on Monday, 11 April 2011. In the court there were several several members of the group that supports university professor Juan Jované, and the leader Javier Viquez.

In speaking to La Estrella, Viquez said on Monday when the new rates take affect they would go to the office of the Attorney General to file criminal charges against the General Manager of the ATTT Jorge Ricardo Fabrega for the alleged crimes of abuse of authority and abuse of functions, for bypassing public consultations when increasing passenger fares. "On Monday we will file a criminal complaint. He is currently acting as a criminal outside the law," he said. He questioned that in the traffic law there is no concept used by the institution of a "national emergency".

The first case on this issue came on Wednesday when lawyer Ernesto Cedeno asked the Court to suspend the increase and the second on Thursday by attorney Victor Martinez. The Ombudsman's office will also present a demand against the ATTT resolution. (La Estrella)

The National Government, with the aim of providing the Panamanian people with a better mass transportation system, implemented the Metrobus in different parts of the country's eastern sector, but with the responsibility to transport the residents of the area, fell under the weigh of the first day of the task, after the departure of the Red Devils. The new transport system was packed. People were riding in a "modern red devil", because not even a pin could fit in passageways, and some stood next to the driver, which supposedly is not allowed. Only a few said "not one more can fit here, everyone behind the line."

Chaotic Panorama - Nobody warned the users that today they could not use the Red Devils as they are accustomed to, which only had permission to carry passengers on the Southern Corridor until yesterday, 31 March 2011. There was confusion and helplessness, because there was not enough buses to carry all of the passengers. Each person had to compete with the others in order to get a space - either on the Metrobus or in a pirate taxi - in order to get to work. The students whispered among themselves on how to get to their schools, while women with young children showed great concern. They had to leave their children at school or daycare and then go to work, but at 6 am and with the large number of people as "competition", it was almost impossible. "One's coming" shouted the construction workers as a Metrobus approached the crossroads at Las Mañanitas, but only a few managed to get on because the bus was already full.

There were many complaints and people were shouting that there were no buses, while others asked how is it possible that the company in charge of the new transportation system did not provide enough buses for the large numbers of people who reside in the Eastern sector of Panama City. Out of desperation, it did not matter if the riders were male or female. The jostling for attaining a transport spot were strong, and many complained about the beatings, but they could not do anything else.

Operations and Road Closures - The "mess" came after the ATTT performed an operation to remove the Red Devils from the road, as part of an agreement with the government, but they did not anticipate the consequences that could result, with thousands of Panamanians against a too small fleet of buses. Angered by the situation, the residents proceeded to close the Pan American Highway at the point of the December 24, at the intersection of Las Mañanitas and the Southern Corridor entrance up to the Riande Airport Hotel, demanding answers from the Government. Users are asking the government to allow the old system to Red Devils to continue to operate until there is enough of a Metrobus fleet to supply the sector. On the other hand those who surrendered to the lack of transportation returned to their homes. According to the 2010 National Census, conducted by the Comptroller General of the Republic, there are 39,473 people in Las Mañanitas and 65,404 in the 24 de Diciembre. (La Estrella)

Editor's Comment: In other countries in Latin America the implementation of a new bus system has practically caused governments to collapse. Panama is trying to slowly implement and spread the system over time. As of today the old Red Devils can no longer run on the Southern Corridor, and this morning there were not enough buses deployed to handle the demand. Remember that this system makes money, so I suspect that very quickly there will be enough buses deployed to handle the load. All in due time, and it takes time to implement something like this. Eventually there will be no Red Devils anywhere in Panama. Imagine that. However, the service has to be better that what people had before.

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Now finally, here's a plan to enforce speed limits that I can get behind - so to speak. If they ever tried this in Panama there would be a steady string of accidents - which would slow down the traffic, right? I love Denmark ... and what the hell did that dude in the purple turbin say? I mean, I know he's excited and all, but practically unintelligible.

Copyright 2011 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.

This lady, who apparently has mental problems, was filmed throwing rocks at the cars passing in front of her house in the Santa Marta area of San Miguelito. Several cars were damaged. Neighbors said trucks have collided with her home on several occasions. When this woman does not take her medication she comes out and attacks vehicles. One of the drivers of a damaged vehicle called the police, who after struggling with the woman managed to get her to go home. (Telemetro)

Editor's Comment: The video is worth watching, which you can see here Woman Throwing Rocks At Cars In Santa Marta. Here in Panama the police officers still try to treat the little old crazy lady with some kind of respect. If this happened in the United States there would have been about five responding officers, she would have simply been cuffed and tossed into the back of a cruiser and taken to the ER for a psychiatric consult. So she went back inside. Now she will just come back outside and do it again the next time she's off her meds. What's the whackjob per capita rate in Panama, anyway...