The business chambers of the passenger transport service ratified this Tuesday afternoon that they will continue to provide reduced services during the day and that they will not circulate at night in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA), despite the commitment assumed this Tuesday by the Ministry of Transportation to continue making payments week by week to gradually reduce the existing debt for subsidies.
The answer was released on Tuesday afternoon after the meeting held at the portfolio’s headquarters, in which an attempt was made to find a way out of the employer’s lockout that since last Friday has kept the operation of 100 lines paralyzed at night. groups of a total of around 400 that circulate through the AMBA and that, during the day, from 5 o’clock, circulate with reduced frequencies.
The business chambers of the sector in the AMBA announced that they will continue with the force measure in the remainder of the day and early Wednesday, and that, this Wednesday, in case of receiving part of the payment owed by the State, according to the official promise, they will “study” the new steps they could take to obtain a response to their complaint.
Regardless of the progress of the talks, the authorities of the Ministry of Transportation ratified that fines be applied to companies that do not comply with the services.
The drafting of the infraction acts took place during the weekend, when 160 lines carried out a total cessation of night services.
Supervision was carried out by the National Commission for Transport Regulation (CNRT).
CNRT sources specified that the controls were carried out at the Retiro, Constitución, Pacífico (Plaza Italia) and Liniers transfer centers, where 51 verification acts were drawn up for non-compliance with service.
The CNRT considers that, if urban transport services are not provided for 5 consecutive days or 10 alternate days within a year, the agency will be in a position to consider that the operator rejected the continuity of the service, so it would be possible of losing its concession.
This is the third week in which the bus service of the Metropolitan area of Buenos Aires is affected. The amount demanded by the businessmen, according to what was timely stated, is around 17 billion pesos.
Official sources indicated that during Tuesday’s meeting, the Government undertook to continue paying the debt on a weekly basis.
In this framework, this Tuesday a transfer was made that must be accredited this Wednesday with part of the debt.
“The Ministry continues with the commitment assumed to continue paying the debt and will continue to maintain the dialogue with the Business Chambers”, which are asked to “lift the measure and normalize the services for the passengers”, sources from Télam told Télam. the national portfolio.
However, the carriers anticipated that, despite the fact that the meeting took place in a “cordial” framework, only when the funds are accredited tomorrow will they “analyze the steps to follow” and ratified that “for today” the same scheme of the previous days, that is to say that there will be no night service between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. this Wednesday and during the rest of the day the services will circulate reduced, with the schedule of a Saturday day.
The meeting
This Tuesday’s meeting, which was held at the Ministry of Transport, began shortly after 11:30, headed by Minister Alexis Guerrera and with the participation of Secretary of Transport, Diego Giuliano; the Secretary of Interjurisdictional Articulation, Marcos Farina; the Undersecretary for Economic and Financial Policy, Carlos Vittor; the executive director of the National Commission for Transport Regulation (CNRT), José Arteaga. and the Buenos Aires Minister of Transportation, Jorge D’Onofrio.
Meanwhile, there were representatives of the Chamber of Transport of the Province of Buenos Aires (Ctpba), the Business Chamber of Passenger Transport (CEAP), the Business Chamber of Urban Transport of Buenos Aires (Cetuba), the Argentine Association of Businessmen of the Automotive Transport (Aaeta), and the Chamber of United Entrepreneurs of Urban Passenger Transport of Buenos Aires (Ceutpba).
After little more than two hours of deliberations, the businessmen withdrew from the Hipólito Yrigoyen street headquarters without making any statements and anticipating that they would transfer to the companies what the Ministry authorities had stated.
Later they announced that, even when there is a commitment from the authorities, the measure would be maintained.
