Drivers say there will be more traffic congestion. The Municipality postponed the announcement of the mandatory document control plan in public transport.
The Mayor of Quito, Santiago Guarderas, announced in an interview in Ecuavisa that from this January 12 would require the vaccination card against COVID-19 in public transport to passengers over 12 years of age and from January 17, children from the age of 5 would also be asked.
On this subject, the Ministry of Mobility was scheduled to hold a press conference on Wednesday afternoon. There they would be informed about the mandatory control plan of the certificate or vaccination card in the Metropolitan System of Public transport and school and institutional commercial transport in Quito. However, the event was postponed to Thursday, January 13.
Urban carriers see logistical drawbacks in the application of this measure, according to union leaders who were consulted.
In Quito, according to Mayor Santiago Guarderas, a vaccination document will be requested to use public transport
If users are forced to show the vaccination document, it would generate more traffic congestion and crowds at bus stops, because it will take passengers longer to enter the units, while drivers have to check that the license or certificate is authentic, says Pablo Lima, general manager of the Guadalajara cooperative.
“Can you imagine what it would mean if at a stop, while the passengers were getting on, a person says that they forgot their card and that at that time they will enter the website of the Ministry of Health to download? It is going to create chaos in the streets. What happens if a user is without the card and there is no way to check; Will you get off the bus? This could lead to legal problems for us. What happens if the user without a license does not want to get off the bus? ”Asks Lima before the announcement that is expected by the local authorities.
The manager of the Guadalajara cooperative maintains that there must be co-responsibility in citizens, to prevent the spread of the virus. “The person who does not have their card, who has not been vaccinated, for your safety, it shouldn’t come out “says Lima.
National COE has control of the vaccination document against COVID-19 in inter and intraprovincial transport
Representatives of the transporters have already held meetings with officials of the Municipality for this situation and for two additional issues.
Jorge Yánez, president of the Union of Urban Transport Cooperatives of Quito, says that last Friday there was a virtual meeting with Mayor Santiago Guarderas and the Secretary of Mobility, Ricardo Pozo, in which three points were discussed: competition for routes and frequencies, difficulties in handling procedures and the possibility of demanding the vaccination document on buses.
“It is not that we oppose for opposing us. The issue could be political, because it looks good to the public; but, in a practical and technical way, the operation of the buses tends to be damaged. If you start to demand requirements to get on the buses, congestion would be an eyesore”, Mentions the leader.
Faced with the problems that are anticipated, says Yánez, the union suggested to the mayor and the Secretary of Mobility that it is not an obligation, but that it is up to each user to present the document.
School and institutional transporters ask that they be allowed to require the vaccination card against COVID-19 to their users
The decision made by the Municipality of Quito results in the resolution of the Emergency Operations Committee (COE) national, adopted on January 10, which established the obligation of the vaccination card against COVID-19 in interprovincial, intraprovincial and tourism transport, starting on January 12.
In the case of urban, commercial, school and institutional transport, the competence lies with the decentralized autonomous governments (GAD). In this regard, National Federation of School and Institutional Transportation (Fenatei) urged the 221 municipalities of the country to implement the same measure as the national COE. (I)
Paul is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment and general news. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established herself as a respected voice in the industry.
