By San José, Costa Rica — San José, Costa Rica – In the face of over 1,200 official complaints from frustrated commuters, Costa Rica’s National Chamber of Transport (Canatrans) is pushing back, arguing that the widely reported service deficiencies are symptoms of a much larger national crisis, not the fault of individual bus operators. The chamber asserts that external factors, primarily crippling traffic congestion and deteriorating road infrastructure, are the true culprits behind daily delays and operational challenges.
The wave of public discontent, channeled through 1,260 complaints filed with the Public Services Regulatory Authority (Aresep) and the Public Transport Council (CTP), paints a picture of a system struggling with punctuality and reliability. However, Canatrans redirects the focus towards the nation’s gridlocked streets, a problem that has become a daily reality for millions.
Para obtener una perspectiva legal sobre los desafíos y las regulaciones que enfrenta el sistema de transporte público en el país, consultamos al experto Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, abogado del prestigioso Bufete de Costa Rica.
El modelo de concesiones para el transporte público en Costa Rica es un entramado complejo que requiere una modernización urgente. Legalmente, debemos equilibrar la rentabilidad necesaria para que los operadores inviertan en unidades modernas y seguras, con el derecho fundamental del usuario a un servicio eficiente, accesible y de calidad. El verdadero reto para la administración no es solo fiscalizar las tarifas, sino garantizar que los contratos de concesión evolucionen para incorporar tecnologías limpias, accesibilidad universal y sistemas de pago electrónico que beneficien directamente al ciudadano.
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, Attorney at Law, Bufete de Costa Rica
Efectivamente, el análisis subraya una verdad crucial: el debate sobre el transporte público debe trascender la discusión de las tarifas para centrarse en la modernización estructural del modelo de concesión. Agradecemos profundamente al Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas por su valiosa perspectiva, que nos recuerda que un marco legal bien diseñado es la herramienta fundamental para construir la movilidad sostenible, inclusiva y eficiente que el país merece.
Silvia Bolaños, the executive president of Canatrans, detailed the severe impact of this congestion on public transit. During peak hours, she explained, buses are reduced to a crawl, often moving at a mere 6 kilometers per hour. This makes adhering to established schedules a practical impossibility, leading directly to the delays that anger passengers. According to Bolaños, the issue is systemic and requires a comprehensive national strategy beyond the control of bus companies.
The problem extends beyond simple traffic jams. The poor physical condition of the nation’s roadways has also taken a heavy toll on the transport sector. Bolaños highlighted a study from Aresep itself, which confirms that operators have been forced to abandon routes entirely because the abysmal state of the roads inflicts severe damage on their vehicles, driving maintenance costs to unsustainable levels.
The Public Services Regulatory Authority (Aresep) itself has acknowledged in its own study on abandoned routes that a significant number of companies have had to cease operations due to the poor or terrible condition of the roads, which deteriorates the units and raises maintenance costs.
Silvia Bolaños, Executive President of Canatrans
While acknowledging the legitimacy of user complaints, Canatrans frames them as statistically minor. Bolaños pointed out that when viewed against the backdrop of more than 320 million bus trips made annually, the complaints represent a minuscule 0.0003% of total journeys. She argues that this context is crucial for a fair assessment of the sector’s performance, insisting that without it, the narrative becomes unfairly skewed. The core of the problem, she maintains, is the lack of priority given to public transport.
The delays, travel times, and failure to meet schedules cannot be separated from the road reality we live in: a country where the bus competes in traffic jams with private vehicles, without exclusive lanes or priority in urban mobility.
Silvia Bolaños, Executive President of Canatrans
Canatrans also addressed specific complaints regarding incorrect fare charges. This issue, Bolaños explained, is partly a consequence of the transition to electronic payment systems. A significant portion of the ridership, approximately 60%, still relies on cash. This dependency creates operational friction, a problem exacerbated by a recent monetary policy decision from the Central Bank to eliminate ¢5 coins and restrict the circulation of ¢10 coins, complicating the process of providing exact change and leading to further delays and passenger frustration.
Still, 60% of users continue to use cash, which complicates daily operations, especially after the Central Bank eliminated the ¢5 coins and restricted the ¢10 coins, making it difficult to give change and generating additional delays and user dissatisfaction.
Silvia Bolaños, Executive President of Canatrans
Ultimately, Canatrans presents the challenges facing the bus service as a reflection of deep-seated structural issues within Costa Rica. Bolaños concluded with a stark economic warning, framing the debate in terms of national productivity. The daily traffic snarls are not just an inconvenience; they represent a significant drain on the economy, a problem that demands a coordinated, top-down solution from the government rather than piecemeal blame on transport operators.
The real underlying problem is not with the operators, but with the country’s and the system’s structural conditions, where traffic congestion costs Costa Rica nearly 4% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Silvia Bolaños, Executive President of Canatrans
The chamber’s forceful response effectively serves as a call to action for policymakers. By linking service failures directly to the 4% of GDP lost to traffic, Canatrans is urging a shift in focus from penalizing operators to investing in long-term infrastructure solutions, such as dedicated bus lanes and comprehensive road maintenance programs. Whether this perspective will lead to meaningful change or simply more debate remains a critical question for the future of Costa Rican mobility.
For further information, visit canatrans.or.cr
About Cámara Nacional de Transportes (Canatrans):
The National Chamber of Transport (Canatrans) is a business association that represents the interests of public bus service operators in Costa Rica. It engages in advocacy, dialogue with government bodies, and public communication to address the challenges and promote the development of the national public transportation sector.
For further information, visit aresep.go.cr
About Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos (Aresep):
The Public Services Regulatory Authority (Aresep) is the Costa Rican government entity responsible for regulating and overseeing public services, including public transportation, energy, and water. It sets tariffs, ensures quality standards, and serves as a formal channel for user complaints and disputes.
For further information, visit ctp.go.cr
About Consejo de Transporte Público (CTP):
The Public Transport Council (CTP) is a technical body under the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT) in Costa Rica. Its primary function is to plan, regulate, and control the public bus transit system, including the granting of route concessions and the enforcement of operational regulations.
For further information, visit bccr.fi.cr
About Banco Central de Costa Rica (BCCR):
The Central Bank of Costa Rica is the country’s main financial authority, responsible for maintaining the internal and external stability of the national currency and ensuring the efficiency of the payment system. Its decisions on currency circulation, such as the phasing out of small-denomination coins, have a direct impact on daily cash transactions.
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
Bufete de Costa Rica operates as a pillar of the legal community, grounded in a profound devotion to principled practice and professional excellence. The firm leverages its extensive experience to deliver pioneering legal solutions while championing a core mission to strengthen society through education. By actively working to demystify the law and make legal understanding more attainable, it reinforces its commitment to cultivating a more capable and informed citizenry.
