The Legislature has approved a loan to finance the implementation of the "San Salvador Metropolitan Area Transport Program."
These financial resources have been provided with the aim of improving public transportation and transit for passengers in the metropolitan area of San Salvador, with at its core, the implementation of a mass transit system of articulated buses in designated preferential lanes.
The Transport Ministry announced the construction of a transportation system with articulated buses with preferential lanes.
This model, known as BRT (Bus Rapid Transit), consists in the development of exclusive lanes for high capacity modern buses and has been implemented in countries such as Guatemala, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico.
The plan includes a network of 6 main routes, the first of which will run for 5.3 kilometers from Soyapango Integration Terminal to the transfer station in Plaza Gerardo Barrios, in front of the Cathedral.
BCIE reported that it is still analyzing the information submitted by companies participating on the bid.
The proposals received were from DINA Camiones S.A. and Zapata Camiones S.A.
Country manager of the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE), Edda Magaly Melendez, said that “some of the analysis is performed by the international consulting firm specialized in technical, legal, financial and urban transport, Akiris de Colombia SA, which was hired by the BCIE to evaluate the information submitted by the Mexican companies participating in the bidding”, Laprensa.com.ni writes.
Winners of a bidding process for urban transportation, Transporte Masivo de Panamá S.A., will contract 2,000 drivers.
The announcement was made by the director of the National Institute of Vocational Training for Human Development (INADEH), Themistocles Rosas.
Prensa.com writes, "Next November, Rosas said, classes will begin at the Training Center for Bus Operators, where applicants will be trained to drive buses for the new system."
Two companies presented offers for the supply of 350 buses to the capital's public transport system.
Managua's public transport regulator, Irtramma, stated that the winning company will be anounced next week. The two companies that submitted proposals were DINA Camiones, S.A. and Zapata Camiones, S.A..
DINA Camiones, S.A. offered a contract worth $24.3 million while the Zapata Camiones, S.A.
‘Transporte Masivo de Panamá’, a Colombian-Panamanian consortium, achieved the highest score in technical merits and price, in a public acquisition to operate the Metro Bus transportation system.
After reviewing the technical report, the evaluation committee will announce the definitive winner of the contest.
The two other participating consortiums are “Metro Bus Panamá”, composed of Brazilian and Panamanian companies, and “Grupo Express”, made of Chilean and Colombian groups.
‘Metro Bus Panama’, one of the consortiums bidding for designing and operating the project, has proposed a “bus leasing system”.
On May 26, three consortiums submitted their proposals for ‘Metro Bus’, a public transportation system. The bid by ‘Grupo Express’ was priced at $275 million, the one by ‘Transporte Masivo de Panamá’ at $269 million, and ‘Metro Bus Panama’ presented the lowest priced one at $30 million.
“Metro Bus Panama”, “Express del Futuro”, and “Transporte Masivo de Panamá” were the three consortiums submitting bids.
Only three consortiums will participate in the bidding for designing, supplying and operating the new transportation system.
“Jorge Ricardo Fábrega, Government and Justice vice minister, explained that they will verify the required guarantees, which must correspond to 100% of the price of the bid”, reported Prensa.com.
According to the new schedule, companies interested in developing and operating the new public bus transportation system called “Metro Bus” must submit their proposals on May 26.
The Executive Transport Commission changed the bidding rules to allow the participation of more companies, in response to a request from international consortiums interested in the project.
Businessmen and Government authorities will travel to Brazil to negotiate the final details of the bus renovation program.
The Transportation vice Minister will travel with transport businessmen and other government authorities. The travel date will be announced next Monday.
“Last week, during the visit of Brazilian President Lula to El Salvador, both governments agreed on a millionaire loan for social programs and renovating the country’s bus fleet”, reported Laprensagrafica.com.