Presentation on Restructuring of Land Transportation System in Dominican Republic

Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE) presented the seminar, “Opportunities for Sustainable Energy in the Dominican Republic,” on January 17, 2008, at FUNGLODE Headquarters in Santo Domingo, as part of the First International Energy Week.

 

In her presentation, “Organization and the Restructuring of Land
Transportation in the Dominican Republic,” Milcíades Pérez Polanco, President of the Transportation Development Fund (Fondo para el Desarrollo de Transporte – FONDET), discussed the bill drafted by authorities from the transportation sector, that if passed, would establish a national governing sectoral entity with budgetary autonomy.

 

The integration of the Metropolitan Transport Authority
(Autoridad Metropolitana de Transporte – AMET), the Land Transit Organization (Organización de Tránsito Terrestre – OTT), General Land Transit Management (Dirección General de Tránsito Terrestre – DGTT) and the Council for Taxi Regulation Administration (Consejo de Administración de Regulación de Taxis – CART) into the Office for the Restructuring of Transportation (Oficina Para el
Reordenamiento del Transporte – OPRET), as specified in the land transportation bill, is an unparalleled legislative measure that seeks to advance both energy savings and the quality of public transportation.

 

In addition to the implementation of the proposed land transportation law, the recommended energy savings plan includes the construction of the first metro system in Santo Domingo, which would feature a three line
system, along with the establishment of supplementary bus routes.

 

The plan consists of the construction of tunnels and lifts in Santo Domingo and Santiago to avoid transit conflicts, as well as pedestrian crossing in areas of high transit. The introduction of new signs along major routes throughout the country, and the expansion and improvement of workspaces for public transportation service officials also form part of the
plan.

 

The supplementary bus system would include 100 minibuses. Commercial operation is anticipated to commence the end of this year.

 

According to the Transportation Development Fund President, in addition to the design and construction of an urban – interurban transit system, the plan also calls for the installation of intelligent, synchronized traffic signals, which
allow for greater energy conservation. Intelligent signals have already been installed in certain areas in the country.

 

Pérez Polanco also discussed efforts to place high-tech electronic control devises in authorized vehicles to benefit public transportation fuel subsidies in order to reduce allowances. The first Dominican student transportation subsidy program will be put in effect first during the first trimester of the
2008 academic year at the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo. The student subsidy program will rely upon the before mentioned electronic control devises.

 

The energy specialist had the following to say concerning the future of energy efficiency in the Dominican Republic: “All nations throughout the world are promoting actions and methods that seek to ration the use of petroleum for transportation, ours included.
Yet through transforming this situation by placing the State in a role that allows it to continually intervene in the daily dynamic of the nation’s cargo and passenger transportation system, it will be possible to achieve this objective.” She advocated activities promoted by the government aimed at adequately restructuring land transportation in the Dominican Repub